07 Aug BULLETIN – SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2022
WELCOME to MESSIAH & ST. PETER LUTHERAN CHURCHES
The Reverend Nancy Brody, Pastor
Greta Wright, Music Director
Sunday, August 7, 2022
Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
GREETING AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRELUDE
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS Page 56
ENTRANCE HYMN Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty #250
1 Open now thy gates of beauty,
Zion, let me enter there,
where my soul in joyful duty
waits for God who answers prayer.
Oh, how blessed is this place,
filled with solace, light, and grace!
2 Gracious God, I come before thee;
come thou also unto me;
where we find thee and adore thee,
there a heav’n on earth must be.
To my heart, oh, enter thou,
let it be thy temple now!
3 Here thy praise is gladly chanted,
here thy seed is duly sown;
let my soul, where it is planted,
bring forth precious sheaves alone,
so that all I hear may be
fruitful unto life in me.
4 Thou my faith increase and quicken,
let me keep thy gift divine;
howsoe’er temptations thicken,
may thy word still o’er me shine
as my guiding star through life,
as my comfort in all strife.
5 Speak, O God, and I will hear thee,
let thy will be done indeed;
may I undisturbed draw near thee
while thou dost thy people feed.
Here of life the fountain flows;
here is balm for all our woes.
RITE of HOLY BAPTISM
Pastor: Who presents this child to receive the Sacrament of Holy Baptism?
Parents & Sponsors: We do.
Pastor: Parents, listen closely. In Christian love you present this child for Holy Baptism. You should, therefore, faithfully bring her to services in God’s house; teach her the Lord’s Prayer, Creed, and Ten Commandments. As she grows, you should place the Holy Scriptures in her hands and provide instruction for her in the Christian faith, so that, living in the covenant of her Baptism and in communion with the Church, she may lead a godly life all her days. Do you promise to fulfill these obligations?
Parents & Sponsors: We do.
THANKSGIVING
Pastor: The Lord be with you.
All: And also with you.
Pastor: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All: It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Pastor: Holy God, mighty Lord, gracious Father: We give you thanks, for in the beginning your Spirit moved over the waters and you created heaven and earth. By the gift of water you nourish and sustain all living things. By flood waters you condemned the wicked, but saved those you chose, who believed in you, Noah and his family. You led Israel by a pillar of cloud and fire through the sea, out of slavery into freedom of the promised land. In waters of the Jordan your Son was baptized by John and anointed with the Spirit. By his death and resurrection your beloved Son set us free from bondage to sin and death, and opened the way to joy and freedom of everlasting life. He made water a sign of the kingdom, of cleansing and rebirth. In obedience to his command, we make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Pour out your Holy Spirit, so that the one here baptized may be given new life. Wash away the sin of she who is cleansed by this water. Bring her forth as an inheritor of your glorious kingdom. To you be praise, honor and worship through your Son, Jesus Christ, in unity with the Holy Spirit, now and forever.
All: Amen.
PROFESSION OF FAITH
(Baptismal group and the congregation respond in unison.)
Pastor: I ask you to profess your faith in Christ Jesus, reject sin, and confess the faith of the church, the faith in which we baptize. Do you renounce all the forces of evil, the devil, and all his empty promises?
All: I do.
Pastor: Do you believe in God the Father?
All: I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
Pastor: Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
All: I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and buried. He descended to the land of the dead and on the third day, he rose. Ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father. From there he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
Pastor: Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
All: I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen
BAPTISM
Pastor: I baptize you in the name of the Father, ☩ and of the Son, ☩ and of the Holy Spirit. ☩
All: Amen.
ANOINTING
Pastor: The Lord be with you.
All: And also with you.
Pastor: God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we give you thanks for freeing your sons and daughters from the power of sin and for raising them up to new life through this holy sacrament. Pour your Holy Spirit upon Piper Elizabeth: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord, the spirit of joy in your presence.
All: Amen.
Pastor: Child of God, you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever.
Parents: Amen.
Council Member: Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Pastor: Let us pray. O God, giver of all life, look with kindness upon the father and mother of this child, his sponsors, and relatives. Let this family ever rejoice in the gifts you have given them. Make Autumn and Curtis teachers and examples of righteousness. Strengthen them in their own Baptisms so they may eternally share salvation with those they love, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
WELCOME
Council Member: Through Baptism God has made this child our new sister, a member of the priesthood we all share in Christ Jesus. May we proclaim the praise of God, bear God’s creative redeeming Word, and offer God’s life-giving powerful love to all the world. We welcome you into the Lord’s family. We receive you as a fellow member of the body of Christ, a child of the same heavenly Father, and a worker with us in the kingdom of God.”
PEACE
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
And also with you.
KYRIE and HYMN OF PRAISE Pages 57-58
This Is the Feast… Page 60
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Almighty God, you sent your Holy Spirit to be the life and light of your church. Open our hearts to the riches of your grace, that we may be ready to receive you wherever you appear, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
FIRST READING GENESIS 15:1-6
After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.” But the word of the Lord came to him, “This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.” He brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” And he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.
PSALM 33:12-22
Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord! Happy the people chosen to be God’s heritage!
The Lord looks down from heaven, and sees all humankind.
God sits firmly enthroned and watches all who dwell on the earth.
God fashions all their hearts and observes all their deeds. Let your lovingkindness be upon us, as we place our hope in you.
A king is not saved by the size of the army, nor are warriors rescued by their great strength.
The horse gives vain hope for victory; despite its great strength it cannot save.
Truly, your eye is upon those who fear you, O Lord, upon those who wait for your steadfast love,
to deliver their lives from death, and to keep them alive in time of famine. Let your lovingkindness be upon us, as we place our hope in you.
Our innermost being waits for you, O Lord, our helper and our shield.
Surely, our heart rejoices in you, for in your holy name we put our trust.
Let your lovingkindness, O Lord, be upon us, even as we place our hope in you.
Let your lovingkindness be upon us, as we place our hope in you.
SECOND READING HEBREWS 11:1-3, 8-16
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old—and Sarah herself was barren—because he considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, “as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.” All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION Page 62
GOSPEL LUKE 12:32-40
Jesus said: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves. “But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”
SERMON
HYMN of the DAY Blessed Assurance WOV #699
1 Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.
Refrain
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior, all the day long:
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.
2 Perfect submission, perfect delight,
visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
angels descending bring from above
echoes of mercy, whispers of love. Refrain
3 Perfect submission, all is at rest;
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
watching and waiting, looking above,
filled with his goodness, lost in his love. Refrain
PRAYERS of INTERCESSION
Trusting in God’s extraordinary love, let us come near the Holy One in prayer. A brief silence.
Let lovingkindness be experienced by your church. Give Piper, Alyza, Brody, Brianna, Donovan and their families a sense of accomplishment. Help us all appreciate your words, actions and the means through which you offer forgiveness, cleansing and completion. Equip lambs, ewes and rams of this flock to live into your promises of hope. Merciful God, receive our prayer.
Let lovingkindness be upon creation. On land and within the atmosphere, balance amounts of dry and wet, hot and cold. Where life teems, or by contrast, perishes, balance numbers and populations so nothing spins out of control. Merciful God, receive our prayer.
Let your lovingkindness be upon the world. Be our helper and shield where strife and violence threaten or destroy. Raise up courageous leaders to govern with compassion and seek justice. End competition that causes oppression and dominance. Inspire cooperation, peace and sharing. Merciful God, receive our prayer.
Let lovingkindness be upon your children. Look upon all who wait for steadfast love. Console those who grieve and embrace those who cry with or without tears, with or without words (especially those on our prayer list). Help us trust your promises and not be afraid. Merciful God, receive our prayer.
Let lovingkindness be upon our memories. We give thanks for those who have died. Grow faith and confidence in you so we trust in your promises, especially our hope for transformation, renewal and everlasting new life. Merciful God, receive our prayer.
Your loving kindness is upon us. It precedes and follows not only your every word, but every prayer. Receive our words with mercy Lord, for you are mercy-full. Hear and see us through Jesus Christ, your son, our saving wisdom and hope. Amen.
OFFERING
OFFERTORY Page 66
“Let the vineyards…”
PRAYER Page 68
Blessed are You….
LITURGY of HOLY COMMUNION Pages 68-72
THE LORD’S PRAYER Page 71
POST COMMUNION CANTICLE Pages 72-73
POST COMMUNION PRAYER Page 74
CLOSING HYMN On What Has Now Been Sown #261
1 On what has now been sown
your blessing, Lord, bestow;
the pow’r is yours alone
to make it sprout and grow.
O Lord, in grace the harvest raise,
and yours alone shall be the praise!
2 To you our wants are known,
from you are all our pow’rs;
accept what is your own
and pardon what is ours.
Our praises, Lord, and prayers receive
and to your word a blessing give.
3 Oh, grant that each of us,
now met before you here,
may meet together thus
when you and yours appear,
and follow you to heav’n, our home.
E’en so, Amen! Lord Jesus, come!
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Love your neighbor.
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE
Revised Common Lectionary copyright © 1992 Consultation on Common Texts. Used by permission. Prayers adapted from Sundays and Seasons, copyright © 2019, Augsburg Fortress. Used with permission. Psalm readings from Lutheran Book of Worship, copyright © 1978. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual Subscription #SB160715 Other quotations from Scripture from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989, National Council of Churches in Christ in the United States of America. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Rite of Holy Baptism from sundaysandseasons.com. Copyright © 2020 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.
Altar flowers at St Peter have been presented by Ross and Nicole Miller in celebration of 4th anniversary.
Altar flowers at Messiah have been presented by Sandy and Dennis Dreibelbis, Thanks be to God!
A GOOD HOME FOR UNUSED COVID TESTING KITS
Medical personnel are still being tested every shift before work. Hospitals will reimburse the cost, but employees must supply the kits. If you have any unused, unexpired COVID test kits, they can be donated so they don’t go to waste. This will save the health care system added expense and workers the burden of purchasing their own. Please bring to church asap. Thanks!
TEEPEE TROT
The 2nd annual TeePee Trot 5K run/walk will be held on October 1st at 8:00 a.m. at Lake Tobias. Registration is $30 and includes a race T-shirt, designed by Pastor Brody’s husband Steve, as well as an admission pass to Lake Tobias! Anyone interested in participating or making a $30 donation to receive this year’s T-shirt can pick up a registration form at either church or visit the race website at sites.google.com/view/teepee-trot-5K/home.
Half of the race proceeds will be donated to the Alzheimer’s Association in memory of J. R. Tobias. Last year the race made a little over $2,700! We are looking for donations and volunteers to help run the event. If interested please contact Katie Jury at KAJ1211@comcast.net.
Volunteers will be needed on the day of the race.
MORE INFO
Please visit our website: halifaxmessiah.church for weekly updates and archived materials, bulletins with hymn lyrics, articles, descriptions of various programs and ministries, newsletters, recorded services, text versions of sermons, a monthly calendar, and way to give online.
Our 10am (and joint services) are available every week as a live streamed event via Facebook and available later in the day on YouTube. Please let us know if you watch online, have any questions, or would like to meet with the pastor in person.
We give thanks and feel blessed that you have chosen to worship with us today.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR AUGUST
12 – FREE BACK-to-SCHOOL YARD SALE
10:00 AM to 7:00 PM) and 13th (10:00 AM to 2:00 PM)
Location: Halifax High School.
LET US PRAY
Prayer knits the waiting, expectant community together. It isn’t just for those being prayed for. It’s an act of faith where others are lifted up and entrusted to God.
New prayer requests:
Please fill out prayer request cards from now on and provide your name, the person for whom you are requesting prayer, their contact information and a few details.
Continuing to add names verbally will lead to persons being left off the prayer list. And without written notes, the pastor cannot remember/connect names with specific needs for prayer.
Filling out a card will allow the pastor to make contact, initiate pastoral care, and request permission to place a person’s name on the prayer list. Alternatively, you may email or text as long as you provide the same details. Following this plan will assure consistency, improve communication and help those for whom we pray. Please email concerns and/or requests including your name and theirs, contact information, and a few specifics to: elsiebbrody@gmail.com Or text (443)-974-5558. Thank you.