The Virtual Service for September 26, 2021
Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Worship and Holy Communion 9:00 a.m.
The congregation reads the boldface responses.
PRELUDE
We Shall Overcome - Charles Albert Tindley
GATHERING
ANNOUNCEMENTS
INTRODUCTION
Someone who isn’t part of Jesus’ own circle is casting out demons in Jesus’ name, and the disciples want him stopped. They appeal to Jesus, as Joshua did to Moses about the elders who prophesied without official authorization. Like Moses, Jesus refuses to see this as a threat. Jesus welcomes good being done in his name, even when it is not under his control. The circle we form around Jesus’ word must be able to value good being done in ways we wouldn’t do it, by people we can’t keep tabs on.
The congregation stands.
GATHERING HYMN
Oh Sing to the Lord (WOV 795)
1. Oh, sing to the Lord, oh, sing God a new song.
Oh, sing to the Lord, oh, sing God a new song.
Oh, sing to the Lord, oh, sing God a new song.
Oh, sing to our God, oh, sing to our God.
2. For God is the Lord, and God has done wonders.
For God is the Lord, and God has done wonders.
For God is the Lord, and God has done wonders.
Oh, sing to our God, oh, sing to our God.
3. So dance for our God and blow all the trumpets.
So dance for our God and blow all the trumpets.
So dance for our God and blow all the trumpets,
Oh, sing to our God, oh, sing to our God.
4. Oh, shout to our God, who gave us the Spirit.
Oh, shout to our God, who gave us the Spirit.
Oh, shout to our God, who gave us the Spirit.
Oh, sing to our God, oh, sing to our God.
5. For Jesus is Lord! Amen! Alleluia!
For Jesus is Lord! Amen! Alleluia!
For Jesus is Lord! Amen! Alleluia!
Oh, sing to our God, oh, sing to our God.
Text: Brazilian folk song; tr. Gerhard M. Cartford, b. 1923, Spanish and English
Spanish and English text © Gerhard Cartford, admin. Augsburg Fortress.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
Blessed be the holy Trinity,☩ one God,
the God of manna,
the God of miracles,
the God of mercy.
Amen.
Drawn to Christ and seeking God’s abundance,
let us confess our sin.
Silence is kept for reflection.
God, our provider,
help us.
It is hard to believe there is enough to share.
We question your ways when they differ from the ways
of the world in which we live.
We turn to our own understanding
rather than trusting in you.
We take offense at your teachings and your ways.
Turn us again to you.
Where else can we turn?
Share with us the words of eternal life
and feed us for life in the world.
Amen.
Beloved people of God:
in Jesus, the manna from heaven,
you are fed and nourished.
By Jesus, the worker of miracles,
there is always more than enough.
Through Jesus, ☩ the bread of life,
you are shown God’s mercy:
you are forgiven and loved into abundant life.
Amen.
GREETING
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
The love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
O God, through suffering and rejection you bring forth our salvation, and by the glory of the cross you transform our lives. Grant that for the sake of the gospel we may turn from the lure of evil, take up our cross, and follow your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
The congregation is seated
WORD
FIRST READING
Numbers 11:4-6,10-16,24-29
A reading from Numbers.
What constitutes legitimate need and legitimate leadership is the focus of this reading. God provides manna in the wilderness, yet the people crave meat. What is truly needful? God bestows the spirit on seventy elders, yet two men not designated as leaders prophesy in the power of God’s spirit. What constitutes real leadership?
4The rabble among them had a strong craving; and the Israelites also wept again, and said, “If only we had meat to eat! 5We remember the fish we used to eat in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; 6but now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”
10Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, all at the entrances of their tents. Then the Lord became very angry, and Moses was displeased. 11So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you treated your servant so badly? Why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? 12Did I conceive all this people? Did I give birth to them, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a sucking child, to the land that you promised on oath to their ancestors’? 13Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they come weeping to me and say, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14I am not able to carry all this people alone, for they are too heavy for me. 15If this is the way you are going to treat me, put me to death at once—if I have found favor in your sight—and do not let me see my misery.”
16So the Lord said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tent of meeting, and have them take their place there with you.”
24So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord; and he gathered seventy elders of the people, and placed them all around the tent. 25Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do so again.
26Two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested on them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. 27And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28And Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, “My lord Moses, stop them!” 29But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord‘s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!”
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
PSALMODY
Psalm 19:7-14
(Read responsively.)
The teaching of the Lord is perfect and revives the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure and gives wisdom to the simple.
The statutes of the Lord are just and rejoice the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear and gives light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is clean and endures forever;
the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, more than much fine gold,
sweeter far than honey, than honey in the comb.
By them also is your servant enlightened,
and in keeping them there is great reward.
Who can detect one’s own offenses?
Cleanse me from my secret faults.
Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins; let them not get dominion over me;
then shall I be whole and sound, and innocent of a great offense.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.
SECOND READING
James 5:13-20
A reading from James.
Marks of the Christian community include praying for those who are sick and in need, celebrating with those in good health, restoring those who have strayed, confessing sins to one another, and offering forgiveness to each other.
13Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. 14Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. 16Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. 17Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth yielded its harvest.
19My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, 20you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The congregation stands.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
GOSPEL
Mark 9:38-50
The holy gospel according to Mark.
Glory to you, O Lord.
38John said to [Jesus,] “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39But Jesus said, “Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40Whoever is not against us is for us. 41For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.
42“If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. 43If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 45And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell. 47And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, 48where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.
49“For everyone will be salted with fire. 50Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
The congregation is seated.
SERMON
In Jesus’ Name!
Pastor Brown
The congregation stands.
HYMN OF THE DAY
Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart (LBW 486)
1. Spirit of God, descend upon my heart;
wean it from earth, through all its pulses move;
stoop to my weakness, strength to me impart,
and make me love you as I ought to love.
2. I ask no dream, no prophet ecstasies,
no sudden rending of the veil of clay,
no angel visitant, no op'ning skies;
but take the dimness of my soul away.
3. Have you not bid me love you, God and King;
all, all your own, soul, heart, and strength, and mind?
I see your cross; there teach my heart to cling.
Oh, let me seek you and, oh, let me find!
4. Teach me to love you as your angels love,
one holy passion filling all my frame:
the baptism of the heav'n-descended dove,
my heart an altar, and your love the flame.
Text: George Croly, 1780-1860
The congregation is seated.
CALL COMMITTEE INSTALLATION
President: The following persons, having been appointed by Church Council to serve on the Call Committee of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, are asked to come forward as their names are called: Laurie Elia (chair), Morgan Layfield, Carl Robinson, Steve Schroeder, Dave Smith, Mary Robeson (alternate) & Jennifer Trotter (alternate)
The congregation stands.
Pastor Brown: In Holy Baptism, our Lord Jesus Christ liberated you from sin and death and made you members of the church. Through Word and Sacrament, you have been nurtured in faith. I ask you, together with all who are here gathered, to confess the faith of the church, the faith in which we are baptized.
Congregation: I believe in God, the father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.*
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 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.
*Or, “he descended into hell,” another translation of this text in widespread use.
The congregation is seated.
President: St. Paul writes: “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit gives them. There are different ways of serving, but the same Lord is served. There are different abilities to perform service, but the same God gives to everyone ability for particular service. The Spirit’s present is shown in some way in each person, for the good of all” (1 Cor. 12: 4-7)
You have been appointed to a position of trust in this congregation. It will be your duty, in consultation with the Bishop’s office, to seek out an appropriate candidate for the position of Senior Pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.
You have been asked to give generously of your time. You have been entrusted with this responsibility on behalf of the entire congregation. You must be faithful in your efforts – always respecting the concerns of the congregation while maintaining the integrity of the process. Above all else, you must be diligent in prayer so that God’s will is done and it is God who is glorified by your efforts.
Pastor Brown: On behalf of your brothers and sisters in Christ, I ask you: Are you ready to accept and faithfully carry out the duties of this appointment, support one another in meetings, and call upon the Holy Spirit for guidance and direction?
Call Committee: Yes, with the help of God.
Pastor Brown: People of God, I ask you: Will you support these members of the Call Committee? Will you remember them in your prayers, respect their responsibilities, support them in their work and honor their efforts?
Congregation: Yes, with the help of God.
President: Let us pray. Lord, bless this committee, its work and guide its decisions, that through them we might all be strengthened to serve you. Bless each member of this Call Committee, that he or she might have the compassion, wisdom and energy to fulfill this responsibility. Keep us strong in faith and resolute in proclaiming the gospel to all people. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Pastor Brown: I now declare you installed as the Call Committee of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. God bless you with his Holy Spirit, that you may prove faithful servants of Christ.
The congregation stands.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Made children and heirs of God’s promise, we pray for the church, the world, and all in need.
A brief silence.
The response to “Lord, in your mercy,” is “hear our prayer.”
The prayers conclude:
Receive these prayers, O God, and those in our hearts known only to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The congregation is seated.
MEAL
OFFERING
OFFERTORY
Be Still My Soul - Jean Sibelius
Robert Prester
The congregation stands.
OFFERING PRAYER
Let us pray. God of abundance,
you cause streams to break forth in the desert
and manna to rain from the heavens.
Accept the gifts you have first given us.
Unite them with the offering of our lives
to nourish the world you love so dearly;
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
DIALOGUE
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 our thanks and praise.
PREFACE
It is indeed right, our duty and our joy,
that we should at all times and in all places
give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God,
through our Savior Jesus Christ;
who on this day overcame death and the grave,
and by his glorious resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting life.
And so, with all the choirs of angels,
with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven,
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.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
THANKSGIVING AT THE TABLE
Holy, mighty, and merciful Lord,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
In great love you sent to us Jesus, your Son,
who reached out to heal the sick and suffering,
who preached good news to the poor,
and who, on the cross, opened his arms to all.
Hold up your communion kits.
In the night in which he was betrayed,
our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;
broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take and eat; this is my body, given for you
Do this for the remembrance of me.
Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks,
and gave it for all to drink, saying:
This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
Remembering, therefore, his death, resurrection, and ascension,
we await his coming in glory.
Pour out upon us the Spirit of your love, O Lord,
and unite the wills of all who share this heavenly food,
the body and blood of Jesus Christ, our Lord;
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be all honor and glory, now and forever.
Amen.
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 us 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.
INVITATION TO COMMUNION
All who hunger and thirst, come.
The table is ready.
COMMUNION
Holy Communion will be consumed together
by the congregation at your seats.
When giving the bread and cup, the pastors will say:
The body of Christ given for you. The blood of Christ shed for you.
Everyone may respond by saying: Amen.
POST-COMMUNION BLESSING
The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace. Amen.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Lord of life,
in the gift of your body and blood
you turn the crumbs of our faith into a feast of salvation.
Send us forth into the world with shouts of joy,
bearing witness to the abundance of your love
in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
SENDING
BLESSING
People of God,
you are Christ’s body,
bringing new life to a suffering world.
The holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
bless you now and forever.
Amen.
SENDING HYMN
Lord whose Love in Humble Service (LBW 423)
1. Lord, whose love in humble service
bore the weight of human need,
who upon the cross, forsaken,
worked your mercy's perfect deed:
we, your servants, bring the worship
not of voice alone, but heart;
consecrating to your purpose
ev'ry gift which you impart.
2. Still your children wander homeless;
still the hungry cry for bread;
still the captives long for freedom;
still in grief we mourn our dead.
As you, Lord, in deep compassion
healed the sick and freed the soul,
by your Spirit send your power
to our world to make it whole.
3. As we worship, grant us vision,
till your love's revealing light
in its height and depth and greatness
dawns upon our quickened sight,
making known the needs and burdens
your compassion bids us bear,
stirring us to ardent service,
your abundant life to share.
4. Called by worship to your service,
forth in your dear name we go,
to the child, the youth, the aged,
love in living deeds to show;
hope and health, good will and comfort,
counsel, aid and peace we give,
that your servants, Lord, in freedom
may your mercy know and live.
Text: Albert F. Bayly, 1901-1984
Text © 1961 Oxford University Press.
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. The living Word dwells in you.
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE
What a Friend We Have in Jesus - William Bolcom, Charles Crozat Converse
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