MAY 28th SERVICE Passcode required: @ria?79O
or click on SERMON below, in the Order of Service, to hear weekly sermons
Zoom Meeting, Sundays @ 11:00 a.m.:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83025269997?pwd=VW1ZUXlsSTdkcWl0SC90SWRvK2dHUT09
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PhoneNumber: 1 253 215 8782
Meeting ID: 830 2526 9997
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May 28, 2023
“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.”
Worship Theme: It’s Pentecost Sunday! Let us recount the many ways the Holy Spirit moves within and around us!
Pastor: Nathan Whittaker
First Reading: Steve Tucker
Second Reading: Quiana Montgomery
Assisting Minister: Clato Barnes
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
P: Blessed be ✝ God, who creates and sustains all life; who redeems and restores us to new life; and who works within us and this world,
C: Amen.
Confession and Forgiveness
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 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, God still loves you. Even more, 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 TFF 104– Holy Spirit, Light Divine
Holy Spirit, light divine,
shine upon this heart of mine;
chase the shades of night away,
turn the darkness into day.
Holy Spirit, light divine,
shine upon this heart of mine;
chase the shades of night away,
turn the darkness into day.
Holy Spirit, joy divine,
cheer this saddened heart of mine;
yield a sacred, settled peace,
let it grow and still increase.
Holy Spirit, all divine,
dwell within this heart of mine;
cast down ev'ry idol throne,
reign supreme, and reign alone.
Greeting
Please stand, as able
P: The grace of God that is Christ’s gift to all, the love of God that sustains us all, and the unity of the Spirit who binds us in 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, on this day, you open the hearts of your people by sending us your Holy Spirit.
C: Direct us by the light of that Spirit, that we may have a right judgement in all things and always rejoice in your peace, in his name, we pray, amen.
You may be seated
First Reading Numbers 11:24-30
24 So Moses went out and told the people the Lord’s words. He assembled seventy men from the people’s elders and placed them around the tent. 25 The Lord descended in a cloud, spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was on him and placed it on the seventy elders. When the spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but only this once. 26 Two men had remained in the camp, one named Eldad and the second named Medad, and the spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they hadn’t gone out to the tent, so they prophesied in the camp. 27 A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”
28 Joshua, Nun’s son and Moses’ assistant since his youth, responded, “My master Moses, stop them!” 29 Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? If only all the Lord’s people were prophets with the Lord placing his spirit on them!” 30 Moses and Israel’s elders were assembled in the camp.
R: Word of God, word of life.
C: Thanks be to God.
Psalm of Response Psalm 104:24-35b
AM: Lord, you have done so many things!
You made them all so wisely!
C: The earth is full of your creations!
AM: And then there’s the sea, wide and deep,
with its countless creatures—
C: living things both small and large.
AM: There go the ships on it,
and Leviathan, which you made, plays in it!
C: All your creations wait for you
to give them their food on time.
AM: When you give it to them, they gather it up;
C: when you open your hand, they are filled completely full!
AM: But when you hide your face, they are terrified;
C: when you take away their breath,
they die and return to dust.
AM: When you let loose your breath, they are created,
C: and you make the surface of the ground brand- new again.
AM: When you give it to them, they gather it up;
C: when you open your hand, they are filled completely full!
AM: Let the Lord’s glory last forever!
C: Let the Lord rejoice in all he has made!
AM: I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
C: I will sing praises to my God while I’m still alive.
AM: Let my praise be pleasing to him; I’m rejoicing in the Lord!
C: Let my whole being bless the Lord! Praise the Lord!
Second Reading Acts 2:1-21
1 When Pentecost Day arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound from heaven like the howling of a fierce wind filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be individual flames of fire alighting on each one of them. 4 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them to speak.
5 There were pious Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd gathered. They were mystified because everyone heard them speaking in their native languages. 7 They were surprised and amazed, saying, “Look, aren’t all the people who are speaking Galileans, every one of them? 8 How then can each of us hear them speaking in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; as well as residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the regions of Libya bordering Cyrene; and visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism), 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the mighty works of God in our own languages!” 12 They were all surprised and bewildered. Some asked each other, “What does this mean?” 13 Others jeered at them, saying, “They’re full of new wine!”
14 Peter stood with the other eleven apostles. He raised his voice and declared, “Judeans and everyone living in Jerusalem! Know this! Listen carefully to my words! 15 These people aren’t drunk, as you suspect; after all, it’s only nine o’clock in the morning! 16 Rather, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
17 In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your young will see visions.
Your elders will dream dreams.
18 Even upon my servants, men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19 I will cause wonders to occur in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and a cloud of smoke.
20 The sun will be changed into darkness,
and the moon will be changed into blood,
before the great and spectacular day of the Lord comes.
21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
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 John 7:37-46
P: The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the 7th chapter.
C: Glory to you, O Lord!
37 On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and shouted,
“All who are thirsty should come to me!
38 All who believe in me should drink!
As the scriptures said concerning me,
Rivers of living water will flow out from within him.”
39 Jesus said this concerning the Spirit. Those who believed in him would soon receive the Spirit, but they hadn’t experienced the Spirit yet since Jesus hadn’t yet been glorified.
40 When some in the crowd heard these words, they said, “This man is truly the prophet.” 41 Others said, “He’s the Christ.” But others said, “The Christ can’t come from Galilee, can he? 42 Didn’t the scripture say that the Christ comes from David’s family and from Bethlehem, David’s village?” 43 So the crowd was divided over Jesus. 44 Some wanted to arrest him, but no one grabbed him.
45 The guards returned to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked, “Why didn’t you bring him?” 46 The guards answered, “No one has ever spoken the way he does.”
P: The Gospel of our Lord.
C: Praise to you, O Christ.
You may be seated
Hymn of the Day TFF 103 – Gracious Spirit, Heed Our Pleading
Gracious Spirit, heed our pleading,
fashion us all anew.
It's your leading that we're needing,
Help us to follow you.
Refrain:
Come, come, come, Holy Spirit, come.
Come, come, come, Holy Spirit, come.
Come to teach us, come to nourish
those who believe in Christ.
Bless the faithful, may they flourish,
strengthened by grace unpriced.
Refrain
Guide our thinking and our speaking
done in your holy name.
Motivate all in their seeking,
freeing from guilt and shame.
Refrain
Not mere knowledge, but discernment,
nor rootless liberty;
turn disquiet to contentment,
doubt into following.
Refrain
Keep us fervent in our witness,
unswayed by earth's allure.
Ever grant us zealous fitness,
which you alone assure.
Refrain
Sermon
Passcode: @ria?79O
Apostles’ Creed
Please stand, as able
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.
Music Group Selection
Prayers of the Congregation
Please stand, as able
AM: United in the hope and joy of the resurrection, let us pray for the church, the world, and all in need.
Silence
Passionate God, you sent your Spirit through the gifts of fire, wind, and word.
C: As you equipped the disciples for their work, equip us to bring the good news to all.
AM: Restoring God, wind and flame bring life and destruction throughout the world.
C: We pray for those who work to protect skies polluted by us and lands facing destructive fire. Renew the face of the earth.
AM: Ever-present God, your spirit embraces all. Send your spirit of understanding to immigrants, refugees, and any experiencing language barriers.
C: Bless the work of translators, ESL teachers, ambassadors, and international peace organizations. Safely guide those fleeing war and danger.
AM: You pour out your love on those who are oppressed. Support and comfort anyone who is marginalized by gender or sexuality, especially transgender and nonbinary people throughout our country.
C: Form this community to listen faithfully and lovingly to those who suffer from oppression and speak words of justice with them.
AM: Merciful God, you anoint us with your spirit. We pray for all who seek such comfort, especially those who still wrestle with COVID -19, and for those in our congregation: Cynthia Anne, Jerelene, Caryee, Ruby, Sharee, Rosa, Jeanie, and Ella.
C: Bless nurses, doctors, midwives, chaplains, counselors, and hospice workers who care for those in need.
AM: For what else do the people of God pray? We invite those joining us via zoom to offer their prayers first.
(Prayers to consider:
- Peace in Ukraine and Russia and all at war
- Women’s rights, especially in Iran
- LGBTQ+ safety and care
- End of racism in America
- Ceasing of gentrification in the Central District
- Low Income Housing Institute Project
- Those impacted by weather and nature)
AM: We now invite those in the sanctuary to offer up their prayers.
After the petitions:
AM: Lord, in your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: As we ponder the mystery of eternal love made flesh in Jesus, we commend all for whom we pray to your boundless compassion and mercy,
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 wind and flame: set us on fire this morning as we celebrate the explosion of your Holy Spirit coming into the world on the Day of Pentecost! Remind us that the gift you gave that day was not just the gift of speaking in different tongues, but also the gift of hearing your voice.
C: May your Holy Spirit keep us attuned to the voices all around us, to those who need us to be bearers of your love and compassion and may these gifts we give help meet those needs. In the holy name of Jesus, we pray.
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 brother; who gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit in truth and fire. And so, with the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven, 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: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
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
Please stand, as able
P: Let us pray. God of our ancestors and of all people, we thank you that as the broken bread was gathered into one loaf, the broken fragments of our history are gathered up and healed by this redeeming act of Christ.
C: Send us forth in peace and form us into what we just received: your love and grace for all people. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Blessing
P: Beloved in the Lord, God has shown you what is good. What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Do so with the love, grace, and power of the Father, Son ✝, and Spirit given to you.
C: Amen.
Sending Hymn TFF 241 – Every Time I Feel the Spirit
Refrain:
Ev'ry time I feel the spirit
moving in my heart, I will pray.
Ev'ry time I feel the spirit
moving in my heart, I will pray.
Upon the mountain my Lord spoke,
out of his mouth came fire and smoke.
Refrain
All around me looked so fine,
asked my Lord if all was mine.
Refrain
Jordan River, chilly and cold,
chills the body but not the soul.
Refrain
Acknowledgments
All songs come from This Far By Faith: An African American Resource for Worship (Minneapolis: Augsburg Press, 1999) reprinted with permission under onelicense.net license #A-738102, unless otherwise acknowledged. All Scripture passages are from Common English Bible © 2012. Elements taken from sundaysandseasons.com.; Copyright © 2022 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Holy Spirit, Light Divine (TFF 104), Text: Andrew Reed, 1787-1862; Tune: MERCY, Louis Moreau Gottschalk, 1829-1869, Edwin P. Parker, 1836-1925. Gracious Spirit, Heed our Pleading (TFF 103), Text: Wilson Niwagila, trans. Howard S. Olson, b. 1922; Tune: NJOO KWETU, ROHO MWEMA, Wilson Niwagila, arr. Egil Hovland, b. 1924; Arr. © Egil Hovland; © Lutheran Theological College, Makumira, Tanzania, admin. Augsburg Fortress. Every Time I Feel the Spirit (TFF 241) Text: African American spiritual; Tune: [Upon the mountain my Lord spoke], African American spiritual.
Announcements for May 28, 2023
- Welcome to our visitors. Please take a moment to sign our guest book in the narthex. You are always welcomed here!
- Portals of Prayer (July thru September) are available on the narthex table.
- Good Shepherd supportive housing information on construction updates are available monthly on the narthex table. They are provided by Walsh Construction.
- The Lamb’s Club - Young children are invited to be a part of The Lamb’s Club which meets in the library/office during the worship service. Thank you, Mahogany Tucker for volunteering to lead the children.
- The second questionnaire for the Good Shepherd Story project has gone out. Please take the time to complete if you have question contact Pastor Nate.
- Dads and Grads celebration coming up June 18th. Please let Pat Montgomery know if you have a 2023 graduate!
- Special Prayer requests and updates:
Rosa McFollie is in need of prayers, for guidance, clarity and healing.
God is in control,
Praise Him!
Prayer Requests –
To update/add prayer requests,
please contact us at (206) 325-2733
or lcgs22un@outlook.com
_____________________
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.