Virtual Worship for August 1, 2021
Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
Worship/Baptism at 10:00 a.m.
The congregation reads the boldface responses
PRELUDE
Morning Has Broken, Eleanor Farjeon
GATHERING
ANNOUNCEMENTS
INTRODUCTION
Apparently not satisfied by Jesus’ feeding of thousands, some who were there press him for a sign of his power; perhaps it is daily manna they want. As always in John’s gospel when people want a sign, Jesus offers himself. He is the bread come from heaven to give life to the world. He calls us to come to him and believe in him, and through that relationship to know the one who sent him.
The congregation stands.
A PRAYER FOR GOOD SHEPHERD DURING OUR VISIONING PROCESS
Dear God, Help us to trust in you in this time of transition. We know you have called Good Shepherd to do your work in this place and time. Open our hearts and minds to hear what you are calling us to do, who you are calling us to be. If we listen to your voice, we will be able to do your will, even if it's new, or scary, or we think we don't have the resources. Especially open the hearts of the visioning team and church council to hear your voice. Give us all faith, and help us to trust in you during this transition process. Amen.
GATHERING HYMN
Glorious Things of You Are Spoken, (LBW 358)
1. Glorious things of you are spoken,
Zion, city of our God!
He whose word cannot be broken
formed you for his own abode.
On the Rock of Ages founded,
what can shake your sure repose?
With salvation's walls surrounded,
you may smile at all your foes.
2. See, the streams of living waters,
springing from eternal love,
well supply your sons and daughters,
and all fear of want remove.
Who can faint, while such a river
ever will their thirst assuage?
Grace which, like the Lord, the giver,
never fails from age to age.
3. Round each habitation hov'ring,
see the cloud and fire appear
for a glory and a cov'ring,
showing that the Lord is near.
Thus deriving from their banner
light by night and shade by day,
safe they feed upon the manna
which God gives them on their way.
4. Savior, since of Zion's city
I through grace a member am,
let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in your name.
Fading are the world's vain pleasures,
all their boasted pomp and show;
solid joys and lasting treasures
none but Zion's children know.
Text: John Newton, 1725-1807, alt.
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, eternal goodness, immeasurable love, you place your gifts before us; we eat and are satisfied. Fill us and this world in all its need with the life that comes only from you, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
The congregation is seated.
WORD
FIRST READING
Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15
A reading from Exodus.
A food crisis becomes a faith crisis for the Israelites in the wilderness. The hungry people forget God’s saving work in the exodus, and they wish for the food they had in Egypt. Nevertheless, God miraculously meets their needs, with manna for bread and quail for meat.
2The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
4Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not.”
9Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, ‘Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.’ ” 10And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. 11The Lord spoke to Moses and said, 12“I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ”
13In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.”
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
PSALMODY
Psalm 78:23-29
(Read responsively.)
So God commanded the clouds above
and opened the doors of heaven,
raining down manna upon them to eat
and giving them grain from heaven.
So mortals ate the bread of angels;
God provided for them food enough.
The Lord caused the east wind to blow in the heavens
and powerfully led out the south wind,
raining down flesh upon them like dust
and flying birds like the sand of the seas,
letting them fall in the midst of the camp
and round about the dwellings.
So the people ate and were well filled,
for God gave them what they craved.
SECOND READING
Ephesians 4:1-16
A reading from Ephesians.
Christians share fundamental unity and diversity. Our unity consists in the one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God. Our diversity is expressed in various forms of ministry whose goal is equipping the saints and building up Christ’s one body.
1I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
7But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8Therefore it is said, “When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people.”
9(When it says, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) 11The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. 14We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. 15But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The congregation stands.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
GOSPEL
John 6:24-35
The holy gospel according to John.
Glory to you, O Lord.
24When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were [beside the sea,] they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
25When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.” 28Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” 29Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30So they said to him, “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? 31Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” 32Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
35Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
The congregation is seated.
SERMON
Bound Together
Pastor Brown
The congregation stands.
HYMN OF THE DAY
Blest Be the Tie that Binds, (LBW 370)
1. Blest be the tie that binds
our hearts in Christian love;
the unity of heart and mind
is like to that above.
2. Before our Father’s throne
we pour our ardent prayers;
our fears, our hopes, our aims are one,
our comforts and our cares.
3. We share our mutual woes,
our mutual burdens bear,
and often for each other flows
the sympathizing tear.
4. From sorrow, toil, and pain,
and sin we shall be free;
and perfect love and friendship reign
through all eternity.
Text: John Fawcett, 1740-1817, alt.
HOLY BAPTISM
PRESENTATION
In baptism our gracious heavenly Father frees us from sin and death by joining us to the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are born children of a fallen humanity; by water and the Holy Spirit we are reborn children of God and made members of the church, the body of Christ. Living with Christ and in the communion of saints, we grow in faith, love, and obedience to the will of God.
Sponsors for the candidate, in turn, present the candidate:
Response: I present Nash Michael Cataldi for baptism.
The presiding minister addresses parents:
Called by the Holy Spirit, trusting in the grace and love of God, do you desire to have your child baptized into Christ?
Response: I do.
As you bring your child to receive the gift of baptism, you are entrusted with responsibilities:
to live with him among God's faithful people,
bring him to the word of God and the holy supper,
teach him the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments,
place in his hands the holy scriptures,
and nurture him in faith and prayer,
so that your child may learn to trust God,
proclaim Christ through word and deed,
care for others and the world God made,
and work for justice and peace.
Do you promise to help your child grow in the Christian faith and life?
Response: I do.
The presiding minister addresses sponsors:
Sponsors, do you promise to nurture these persons in the Christian faith as you are empowered by God's Spirit, and to help them live in the covenant of baptism and in communion with the church?
Response: I do.
The presiding minister addresses the assembly:
People of God, do you promise to support Nash Michael and pray for him in his new life in Christ?
Response: We do.
The congregation stands.
PROFESSION OF FAITH
The presiding minister addresses the parents and sponsors of young children. The assembly joins in the responses.
I ask you to profess your faith in Christ Jesus, reject sin, and confess the faith of the church.
Do you renounce the devil and all the forces that defy God?
Response: I renounce them.
Do you renounce the powers of this world that rebel against God?
Response: I renounce them.
Do you renounce the ways of sin that draw you from God?
Response: I renounce them.
Do you renounce the devil and all the forces that defy God,
the powers of this world that rebel against God,
and the ways of sin that draw you from God?
Response: I renounce them.
The presiding minister addresses the candidates and the assembly.
Do you believe in God the Father?
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
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.
Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
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.
*Or, “he descended into hell,” another translation of this text in widespread use.
THANKSGIVING AT THE FONT
Water may be poured into the font before or during the thanksgiving. At the font, the presiding minister begins the thanksgiving:
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
We give you thanks, O God, for in the beginning your Spirit moved over the waters and by your Word you created the world, calling forth life in which you took delight. Through the waters of the flood you delivered Noah and his family, and through the sea you led your people Israel from slavery into freedom. At the river your Son was baptized by John and anointed with the Holy Spirit. By the baptism of Jesus' death and resurrection you set us free from the power of sin and death and raise us up to live in you.
Pour out your Holy Spirit, the power of your living Word, that he who is washed in the waters of baptism may be given new life. To you be given honor and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever.
Amen.
BAPTISM
The presiding minister baptizes the candidate, as the presiding minister says:
Nash Michael, I baptize you in the name of the Father,*
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
The presiding minister continues:
Let us pray.
We give you thanks, O God, that through water and the Holy Spirit you give your daughters and sons new birth, cleanse them from sin, and raise them to eternal life.
Laying both hands on the head of each of the newly baptized, the minister prays for each:
Sustain Nash Michael with the gift of your Holy Spirit: 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, both now and forever.
Amen.
The presiding minister marks the sign of the cross on the forehead of the baptized with oil. As the sign of the cross is made, the minister says:
Nash Michael, child of God, you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever.
Amen.
WELCOME
A lighted candle may be given to a sponsor of a young child.
Let your light so shine before others
that they may see your good works
and glorify your Father in heaven.
Let us welcome the newly baptized.
We welcome you into the body of Christ and into the mission we share:
join us in giving thanks and praise to God
and bearing God's creative and redeeming word to all the world.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Rooted in Christ and sustained by the Spirit, we offer our prayers for the church, the world, and all of creation.
A brief silence.
The response to “Lord, in your mercy,” is “hear our prayer.”
The prayers conclude:
We lift these and all our prayers to you, O God, confident in the promise of your saving love; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The congregation is seated.
OFFERING
OFFERTORY
Take My Life, Chris Tomlin, Frances Ridley Haveragal, Henri Abraham Cesar Malan, Louie Giglio
Beverly Haines and Jonathan Haines
The congregation stands.
OFFERING PRAYER
Let us pray. Jesus, Bread of life,
you have set this table with your very self,
and called us to the feast of plenty.
Gather what has been sown among us,
and strengthen us in this meal.
Make us to be what we receive here,
your body for the life of the world. 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.
SENDING
BLESSING
The blessing of God,
who provides for us, feeds us, and journeys with us,
☩ be upon you now and forever.
Amen.
SENDING HYMN
What Feast Of Love, (WOV 701)
1. What feast of love is offered here,
what banquet come from heaven?
What food of everlasting life,
what gracious gift is given?
This, this is Christ the king,
the bread come down from heaven.
Oh, taste and see and sing!
How sweet the manna given!
2. What light of truth is offered here,
what covenant from heaven?
What hope of everlasting life,
what wondrous word is given?
This, this is Christ the king,
the sun come down from heaven.
Oh, see and hear and sing!
The Word of God is given!
3. What wine of love is offered here,
what crimson drink from heaven?
What stream of everlasting life,
what precious blood is given?
This, this is Christ the king,
the sweetest wine of heaven.
Oh, taste and see and sing!
The Son of God is given!
Text: Delores Dufner, OSB, b. 1939
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. You are the body of Christ.
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE
They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love, Fr. Peter Scholtes
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