SEPTEMBER 18th SERMON Passcode required: KnSY.w9?
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“I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives up his life for his sheep.
I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and they know me.”
September 25, 2022
Scripture Theme: The readings are agreed in condemning those who stand over others in the supremacy of their wealth and status. We are called to submit our own wealth and status for the sake of others, just as Christ did not take advantage of his status with God for the sake of the world.
Pastor: Nathan Whittaker
First Reading: Ron Stephens
Second Reading: Maria Roy
Assisting Minister: Ron Stephens
Musician: Anita Tucker
We pray that you are blessed with the Word of God today.
May the spirit of the living God abide with you always!
Welcome
Please stand, as able
Confession and Forgiveness
P: Blessed be ✝ God, who creates us and sustains all life; who redeems and restores us as the Bread of Life; and who the works in the power of the Spirit within us and this world,
C: Amen.
P: Before God and in the company of our siblings in Christ, let us confess our sin.
Silence for reflection.
P: Gracious God,
C: we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart: we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
P: God’s love for you is total and complete – no matter who you are, no matter what happens, and no matter what you do. In God’s good pleasure and in the name of Jesus Christ ✝ your sins are forgiven now and forever.
C: Amen.
You may be seated
Opening Hymn God Be with You till We Meet Again. TTF 157
God be with you till we meet again;
By good counsel guide, uphold you;
With a shepherd’s care enfold you.
God be with you till we meet again.
Refrain:
Till we meet, till we meet,
Till we meet at Jesus’ feet,
Till we meet, till we meet,
God be with you till we meet again.
God be with you till we meet again;
When life’s perils thick confound you,
Wrap their arms unfailing ‘round you.
God be with you till we meet again.
Refrain
God be with you till we meet again;
Keep love’s banner floating o’er you;
Smite death’s threat’ning wave before you.
God be with you till we meet again.
Refrain
Greeting
Please stand, as able.
P: The grace of God that is Christ’s gift to all, the love of God, and the unity of the Spirit as the bond of peace be with you all.
C: And also with you.
Kyrie TFF pp. 26-27
AM: In peace, let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
AM: For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
AM: For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
AM: For this holy house, and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
AM: Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
C: Amen.
Prayer of the Day
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
P: Let us pray. O God, rich in mercy
C: you look with compassion on this troubled world. Feed us with your grace and grant us the treasure that comes only from you, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.
You may be seated
First Reading Amos 6:1–7
1 Doom to those resting comfortably in Zion
and those trusting in Mount Samaria,
the chiefs of the nations,
to whom the house of Israel comes!
4 who lie on beds of ivory,
stretch out on their couches,
eat lambs from the flock,
and bull calves from the stall;
5 who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp,
and, like David, compose tunes on musical instruments;
6 who drink bowls of wine,
put the best of oils on themselves,
but who aren’t grieved over the ruin of Joseph!
7 Therefore, they will now be the first to be taken away,
the feast of those who lounged at the table will pass away.
R: Word of God, word of life.
C: Thanks be to God.
Psalm of Response Psalm 146
AM: Praise the Lord! Let my whole being praise the Lord!
C: I will praise the Lord with all my life; I will sing praises to my God as long as I live.
AM: The person whose help is the God of Jacob—
the person whose hope rests on the Lord their God—
C: is truly happy!
AM: God: the maker of heaven and earth,
C: the sea, and all that is in them,
AM: God: who is faithful forever,
C: who gives justice to people who are oppressed
and bread to people who are starving!
AM: The Lord: who frees prisoners.
The Lord: who makes the blind see.,
C: The Lord: who straightens up those who are bent low.
The Lord: who loves the righteous.
AM: The Lord: who protects immigrants,
C: who helps orphans and widows,
but who makes the way of the wicked twist and turn!
AM: The Lord will rule forever!
C: Zion, your God will rule from one generation to the next!
All: Praise the Lord!
Second Reading 1 Timothy 6:6-19
6 Actually, godliness is a great source of profit when it is combined with being happy with what you already have. 7 We didn’t bring anything into the world and so we can’t take anything out of it: 8 we’ll be happy with food and clothing. 9 But people who are trying to get rich fall into temptation. They are trapped by many stupid and harmful passions that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some have wandered away from the faith and have impaled themselves with a lot of pain because they made money their goal.
11 But as for you, man of God, run away from all these things. Instead, pursue righteousness, holy living, faithfulness, love, endurance, and gentleness. 12 Compete in the good fight of faith. Grab hold of eternal life—you were called to it, and you made a good confession of it in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I command you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and Christ Jesus, who made the good confession when testifying before Pontius Pilate. 14 Obey this order without fault or failure until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 The timing of this appearance is revealed by God alone, who is the blessed and only master, the King of kings and Lord of lords. 16 He alone has immortality and lives in light that no one can come near. No human being has ever seen or is able to see him. Honor and eternal power belong to him. Amen.
17 Tell people who are rich at this time not to become egotistical and not to place their hope on their finances, which are uncertain. Instead, they need to hope in God, who richly provides everything for our enjoyment. 18 Tell them to do good, to be rich in the good things they do, to be generous, and to share with others. 19 When they do these things, they will save a treasure for themselves that is a good foundation for the future. That way they can take hold of what is truly life.
R: Word of God, word of life.
C: Thanks be to God.
Please stand, as able
Gospel Acclamation TTF 98 – Open Our Eyes, Lord
Open our eyes, Lord; we want to see Jesus,
to reach out and touch him and say that we love him.
Open our ears, Lord, and help us to listen.
Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus.
Gospel Luke 16:19–31
P: The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the 16th chapter.
C: Glory to you, O Lord!
19 “There was a certain rich man who clothed himself in purple and fine linen, and who feasted luxuriously every day. 20 At his gate lay a certain poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. 21 Lazarus longed to eat the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Instead, dogs would come and lick his sores.
22 “The poor man died and was carried by angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 While being tormented in the place of the dead, he looked up and saw Abraham at a distance with Lazarus at his side. 24 He shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I’m suffering in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received good things, whereas Lazarus received terrible things. Now Lazarus is being comforted and you are in great pain. 26 Moreover, a great crevasse has been fixed between us and you. Those who wish to cross over from here to you cannot. Neither can anyone cross from there to us.’
27 “The rich man said, ‘Then I beg you, Father, send Lazarus to my father’s house. 28 I have five brothers. He needs to warn them so that they don’t come to this place of agony.’ 29 Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets. They must listen to them.’ 30 The rich man said, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will change their hearts and lives.’ 31 Abraham said, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the Prophets, then neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.’”
P: The Gospel of our Lord.
C: Praise to you, O Christ.
Hymn of the Day TFF 235 – All to Jesus I Surrender
All to Jesus, I surrender
All to You I freely give
I will ever love and trust You
In Your presence daily live.
Refrain:
I surrender all, I surrender all
All to You, my blessed Savior
I surrender all
All to Jesus, I surrender
Lord, I give myself to You
Fill me with Your love and power
Let Your blessing fall on me.
Refrain
All to Jesus I surrender
Now I feel the sacred flame
O the joy of full salvation
Glory, glory, to Your name.
Refrain
Sermon
Please stand, as able
Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended into hell. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Prayers of the Congregation
AM: Sustained and nurtured by our generous God, we gather as one to pray for the church, the world, and all of God’s creation.
Silence
Watch over the church, O God, that we place your good news above all worldly gain.
C: Deliver us from the temptations of comfort and complacency.
AM: Watch over your creation, especially the life-giving water that sustains us.
Heal oceans, rivers, and lakes around the world.
C: Where drought and floods make turmoil of our settled ways,
give strength for healing and rebuilding in affected communities.
AM: Watch over the nations. Lead us away from fear and hatred.
C: Show us instead how to welcome the stranger, give shelter to those
fleeing violence, and provide food to those who are impoverished.
AM: Watch over all caregivers as they bring joy to those they visit.
C: Give strength to those who attend to relatives, serve the sick,
minister to prisoners, and bring food or communion to the homebound.
AM: Watch over those in any need, for those who still wrestle with the results of
COVID -19, and for those in our congregation: Wanda, Jerelene, Caryee, Ruby,
Sharee, Orelia, Rosa, Phillip, Jeanie, Doshier, and Ella.
C: Have mercy on those who are grieving, suffering, lonely, oppressed,
underemployed, and imprisoned.
AM: Watch over us as we lift our prayers to you. For what else do the people of God pray?
After the petitions:
AM: Lord, in your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Assured by your promise to hear us, we lay our prayers before your throne of grace, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
C: Amen.
Peace
P: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C: And also with you.
(We now greet one another with: “Peace be with you.”)
Gathering of Offerings
Offering Prayer
Please stand, as able
P: Let us pray. God of justice and mercy,
C: we worship you this day as ones who are more like the rich man in the Gospel story than we are Lazarus. While we desire to have more, Jesus reminds us that the rich have their reward already. As we offer gifts today, we do so striving to be a blessing. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.
Great Thanksgiving
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
P: Lift up your hearts.
C: We lift them to the Lord.
P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
P: It is indeed right and proper that we should at all times and in all places offer thanks and praise to you, O Lord, holy Father, through Christ our Lord; who overcame death and the grave through his death and glorious resurrection, which opened to all the way of everlasting life. And so, with the all the people of God, we praise your name and join the unending hymn:
Holy, Holy, Holy TFF p.38
Holy, holy, holy Lord, Lord God of power and might.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
P: We give thanks that on the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said,
“This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying,
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
C: For as often as we eat this bread and drink the cup, we proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
P: Let us pray, with confidence, the words our brother gave us:
C: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever.
Amen.
Communion Hymn TTF 39 – Lamb of God
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
grant us peace, grant us peace.
You may be seated
Communion
Wine is served in individual glasses.
Grape juice is available in the center of the tray.
Prayer after Communion
P: Let us pray. We give you thanks, almighty God, that you have refreshed us through the healing power of this gift of life; and we pray that in your mercy you would strengthen us, through this gift, in faith toward you and in fervent love toward one another; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.
C: Amen.
Blessing
P: As we leave this place, open your to those who lie at our gates. With the love of Christ within us, see the hungry and the hurting, the abused and the forgotten. And share the blessings we have been given. In the name of God, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer, go out and live faithfully.
C: Amen.
Sending Hymn TFF 160 – God Be with You
God be with you, God be with you,
God be with you, until we meet again;
God be with you, God be with you,
God be with you, until we meet again.
Repeat
Acknowledgments
All songs come from This Far By Faith: An African American Resource for Worship (Minneapolis: Augsburg Press, 1999).
God Be with You till We Meet Again (TFF 157) Text by Jeremiah E. Rankin, 1828-1904; Tune by William G. Tomer, 1833-1896
All to Jesus I Surrender (TFF 235) Text by Judson W. Van DeVenter, 1855-1939; Tune by Winfield S. Weeden, 1847-1908
God Be with You (TFF 160) Text by Thomas A. Dorsey, 1899-1993, © 1940 Unichappell Music, Inc.; Tune Arr. © 1992 Horace Clarence Boyer; © 1940 Unichappell Music, Inc.
Open our Eyes, Lord (TFF 98) Text and Music: Robert Cull, b. 1949 © 1976 Maranatha! Music, admin. The Copyright Company
All Scripture passages are from Common English Bible© 2012.
Announcements for September 25, 2022
- Covid-19 guidelines discussion followed the worship service. The congregation voted that wearing masks in the church is optional rather than mandatory. Masks will continue to be available. All are encouraged to get the most recent vaccination.
- Portals of Prayer for October – December are available. They will be mailed to the shut-in members. If you wish to receive a copy via mail see Anita.
- Need of a part-time job? We are looking for a part time custodial worker for the church. If you know of anyone or have an interest, see Merlean.
- LWML Sunday is traditionally celebrated the first Sunday of October. We will be collecting mite contributions through the month of October. Boxes are on the narthex table. All contributions are welcomed.
- Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML) - Olympic Zone fall Rally held on October 1st at Messiah Lutheran Church, 7050 35th Ave. NE, SEA 98115.
Registration - 9:30am; program begins at 1:00. The guest speaker is Paul Peterson from the Tacoma Seafarer’s Association. A light lunch will be provided.
Items needed for Seafarers’ box: knitted hats, socks, toothpaste and brush, ChapStick, skin lotion, shampoo, pen, soap, wash cloth, nail clipper, pocket calendar, deodorant, post cards.
- Operation Nightwatch – Good Shepherd is currently collecting donations of white socks, as we sock it to homelessness in October.
- Low Income Housing Institute Building – Groundbreaking and demolition is expected to be in September. Please pray for a speedy process.
- Prayer Requests – To update or add any prayer requests, please contact us at (206) 325-2733 or lcgs22un@outlook.com
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Our Mission Statement
Led by the Holy Spirit,
the mission of the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd is to give glory to God
for the building of His Kingdom by proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ,
worshipping the Triune God, and reaching out in love to the community.