04 Sep Bulletin – Sunday, September 6, 2026
WELCOME to MESSIAH & ST. PETER LUTHERAN CHURCHES
Rev. Nancy Brody, Pastor
Greta Wright, Organist
Sunday, September 6, 2026
Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost
Creation in Christ Sunday
ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRELUDE
ORDER OF CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Blessed be the Holy Trinity, ☩ one God, our hope, our heart, our home. Amen. Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another. Everlasting God, the Alpha and the Omega,the beginning and the end, we confess that we participate in systems that perpetuate oppression and injustice. We are often numb to the pain of the world, resistant to change that costs us something, and reluctant to love our neighbors as ourselves. We sin against your good creation, failing to be faithful stewards of the land, the sea, and all their creatures. Make your home among us once more, O God, naming us beloved and opening our hearts to do your will. Amen.
All you saints and sinners, this good news is for you:
God knows you, forgives you by the self-giving of ☩ Jesus Christ, and frees you to love the world as you have been loved. Creation’s story will not end until mourning, crying, and pain are no more. When everything else changes, God’s love is steadfast and sure. Nothing can ever separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Glory to you, O God: you speak a word of power, and so you create the world. We praise you, O God: We praise you, O God.
For the Spirit hovering to bring forth life, for the earth ordered from chaos, and for light and dark, we bless you, O God: We bless you, O God.
For the cosmos beyond our earth, for the sky above our heads, and for the cycle of evening and morning, we exalt you, O God: We exalt you, O God.
For the seas, the lakes, and the rivers, for the land with its mountains and plains, and for the trees, the plants, and their fruits, we magnify you, O God: We magnify you, O God.
For the sun to rule the day, for the moon to brighten the night, and for the shining stars, we extol you, O God: We extol you, O God.
For the fish in the sea, for the birds of the air, and for the monsters in the deep, we glorify you, O God: We glorify you, O God.
For wild animals and creatures of all kinds, for cattle and all livestock, and for everything that creeps on the earth, we adore you, O God: We adore you, O God.
For humankind made in your image, for setting us on your good earth, and for providing us food to eat, we worship you, O God: We worship you, O God.
Bless us, your creatures. Accept our praise, and make us worthy of your marvelous creation. We praise you, O God: We praise you, O God.
Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to you, our God, forever and ever. Amen.
ENTRANCE HYMN
God Himself Is Present #249
PRAYER OF THE DAY
O Blessed Trinity, we worship you, the Source, Savior and Strength of all the worlds. We laud you for your wondrous creation. Breathe your blessing on us and on all that you have made, and form us by your wisdom to be caregivers of your gift of this good earth. Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and unto ages of ages. Amen.
FIRST READING Genesis 2:4b-25
In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no vegetation of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no one to till the ground, but a stream would rise from the earth and water the whole face of the ground—then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Andthe Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. A river flows out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it divides and becomes four branches. The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one that flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold, and the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one that flows around the whole land of Cush. The name of the third river is Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.” Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.” So out of the ground the Lord God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air and brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all cattle and to the birds of the air and to every animal of the field, but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken.” Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.
PSALM 148
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise God in the heights.
Praise the Lord, all you angels; sing praise, all you hosts of heaven.
Praise the Lord, sun and moon; sing praise, all you shining stars.
Praise the Lord, heaven of heavens, and you waters above the heavens.
Let them praise the name of the Lord, who commanded, and they were created,
who made them stand fast forever and ever, giving them a law that shall not pass away.
Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps;
fire and hail, snow and fog, tempestuous wind, doing God’s will;
mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars;
wild beasts and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds;
sovereigns of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the world;
young men and maidens, old and young together.
Let them praise the name of the Lord, whose name only is exalted, whose splendor is over earth and heaven.
The Lord has raised up strength for the people and praise for all faithful servants, the children of Israel, a people who are near the Lord. Hallelujah!
SECOND READING Acts of the Apostles 17:22a, 24-28
Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, “The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. From one ancestor he made all peoples to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, so that they would search for God and perhaps fumble about for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us. For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we, too, are his offspring.’
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
🎶Alleluia, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia. Alleluia.
The Holy Gospel according to Saint John, the 1st chapter.
🎶Glory to you, O Lord.
GOSPEL John 1:1-5
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.
🎶Glory to you, O Christ.
SERMON
HYMN OF THE DAY
Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee #551
PRAYERS of INTERCESSION
Let us join with Christians everywhere to pray for the earth and those in need to God the Father Almighty who created us, to Jesus Christ, Son of the living God who redeemed us, and to the Holy Spirit poured out upon us. Merciful Triune God, we pray that churches and all the baptized will collaboratively nurture a zeal for creation’s well being. O God, source of life [and ground of our being] hear us.
Merciful Triune God, we pray for the earth’s continued divine blessing, that the air be wholesome, that water be plenteous and clean, that land be treasured, and animals protected. Heal what has been spoiled. O God, our creator [and fruitful garden] hear us.
Merciful Triune God, we pray for the nations: that farmers, herders, foragers, fishers, and grocers be able to provide needed food, that legislators strive for the common good, that science and technology lead us toward more responsible ways to live. O God, our stronghold [and sun of justice] hear us.
Merciful Triune God, we pray for our country: that national parks, forests, and wildlife refuges be safeguarded, that natural resources benefit the whole population, and that everyone learns respect for nature. O God, our guardian [and rainbow of promise] hear us.
Merciful Triune God, we pray for those in need: that humankind be sheltered from pandemic and extreme weather, that all who are sick or suffering receive medical attention and communal support. Give comfort to those who call out to you (especially those on our prayer list). O God, our healer [and heart of the universe] hear us.
Merciful Triune God, we praise you for Hildegard of Bingen, Francis of Assisi, and all who have lived and died in communion with the earth. In your good time, all creatures on earth and in heaven will join your presence forever. O God, the beginning and the end, hear us.
Into the hands of God the Father Almighty who created us, Jesus Christ, Son of the living God who redeemed us, and the Holy Spirit poured out upon us, we commend ourselves and all of creation, trusting in you our maker and keeper, Amen.
EXCHANGE of PEACE
OFFERING
OFFERTORY
🎶Let the vineyards be fruitful, Lord and fill to the brim our cup of blessing. Gather a harvest of the seeds that were sown, that we may be fed with the bread of life. Gather the hopes and the dreams of all; unite them with the prayer we offer now. Grace our table with your presence, and give us a foretaste of the feast to come.
OFFERING PRAYER
LITURGY OF HOLY COMMUNION
🎶The Lord be with you.
🎶And also with you.
🎶Lift up your hearts.
🎶We lift them to the Lord.
🎶Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
🎶It is right to give him thanks and praise.
🎶It is indeed right and salutary….we praise your name and join their unending hymn.
🎶Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might; heaven and earth are full of your glory, Hosana, Hosana, Hosana in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosana in the highest.
INVITATION TO COMMUNION
LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
POST-COMMUNION CANTICLE
🎶Thank the Lord and sing his praise; tell everyone what he has done. Let all who seek the Lord rejoice and proudly bear his name. He recalls his promises and leads his people forth in joy with shouts of thanksgiving. Aleluia, Aleluia.
POST-COMMUNION PRAYER
BLESSING
CLOSING HYMN
For the Bread Which You Have Broken #200
DISMISSAL
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.
Altar flowers at St. Peter are presented by Linda Lucas in memory of John Lucas.