Virtual Worship for November 14, 2021
Twenty Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
Worship at 9:00 a.m.
The congregation reads the boldface responses.
Once the prelude has begun, please cease all conversation
as we prepare our hearts and minds for worship.
PRELUDE
Love Divine All Loves Excelling - Charles Wesley
GATHERING
ANNOUNCEMENTS
INTRODUCTION
November begins with All Saints Day and ends in or near Advent, when we anticipate Christ’s coming again. It is fitting, then, that the readings today tell of the final resurrection and the end time. In the turmoil of hope, fear, and disbelief that these predictions provoke in us, Hebrews sounds a note of confident trust. Christ makes a way for us where there is no way, and we walk it confidently, our hearts and bodies washed in baptismal water, trusting the one who has promised forgiveness. The more we see the last day approaching, the more important it is to meet together to provoke one another to love.
Please stand if you are able.
GATHERING HYMN
Give to Our God Immortal Praise (LBW 520)
1. Give to our God immortal praise!
Mercy and truth are all his ways;
wonders of grace to God belong;
repeat his mercies in your song.
2. He sent his Son with pow’r to save
from guilt and darkness and the grave.
Wonders of grace to God belong;
repeat his mercies in your song.
3. Give to the Lord of lords renown;
the King of kings with glory crown.
His mercies ever shall endure
when lords and kings are known no more!
Text: Isaac Watts, 1674-1748
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
whose teaching is life,
whose presence is sure,
and whose love is endless.
Amen.
Let us confess our sins to the one who welcomes us with an open heart.
Silence is kept for reflection.
God our comforter:
like lost sheep, we have gone astray.
We gaze upon abundance and see scarcity.
We turn our faces away from injustice and oppression.
We exploit the earth with our apathy and greed.
Free us from our sin, gracious God.
Listen when we call out to you for help.
Lead us by your love to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Amen.
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
By the gift of grace in ☩ Christ Jesus, God makes you righteous.
Receive with glad hearts the forgiveness of all your sins.
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
Almighty God, your sovereign purpose brings salvation to birth. Give us faith to be steadfast amid the tumults of this world, trusting that your kingdom comes and your will is done through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
A PRAYER FOR THE CALL COMMITTEE
Dear God, We thank you for your continued guidance as we look for the next pastor to lead, inspire, and help our church grow. We ask that you bless our call committee. Keep their hearts open and their eyes looking to you, so that you may direct all that they do towards the vision and plan you have for us. Again, we thank you Lord for all your blessings of wisdom, knowledge, and strength during this time of transition and your plentiful blessings unbeknown to us in the future. We pray this in your name. Amen.
Please be seated.
WORD
FIRST READING
Daniel 12:1-3
The book of Daniel is an example of apocalyptic literature, which is full of strange visions and symbolism. Arising during times of great persecution, apocalyptic literature is concerned with God’s revelation about the end time and the coming kingdom of God, when God will vindicate the righteous who have been persecuted.
1“At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. 2Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
PSALMODY
Psalm 16
(Read responsively.)
Protect me, O God, for I take refuge in you;
I have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord, my good above all other.”
All my delight is in the godly that are in the land,
upon those who are noble among the people.
But those who run after other gods
shall have their troubles multiplied.
I will not pour out drink offerings to such gods,
never take their names upon my lips.
O Lord, you are my portion and my cup;
it is you who uphold my lot.
My boundaries enclose a pleasant land;
indeed, I have a rich inheritance.
I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel
my heart teaches me night after night.
I have set the Lord always before me;
because God is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
My heart, therefore, is glad, and my spirit rejoices;
my body also shall rest in hope.
For you will not abandon me to the grave,
nor let your holy one see the pit.
You will show me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy, and in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
SECOND READING
Hebrews 10:11-25
Images of worship and sacrifice are used throughout Hebrews to highlight what Christ has uniquely accomplished through his death. Because we have received forgiveness through Christ’s death, we live with sincere hearts by trusting in God’s promises and encouraging love and good works from each other.
11Every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, “he sat down at the right hand of God,” 13and since then has been waiting “until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet.” 14For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.
15And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying,
16“This is the covenant that I will make with them
after those days, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds,”
17he also adds,
“I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”
18Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
19Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, 25not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Please stand if you are able.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
GOSPEL
Mark 13:1-8
The holy gospel according to Mark.
Glory to you, O Lord.
1As [Jesus] came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” 2Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.”
3When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, 4“Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” 5Then Jesus began to say to them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. 6Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. 7When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. 8For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.”
The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Please be seated.
SERMON
God has Forgotten My Sins?
Pastor Brown
Please stand if you are able.
HYMN OF THE DAY
All Creatures of Our God and King (LBW 527, verses 1,4,5,7)
1. All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
O burning sun with golden beam,
And silver moon with softer gleam!
Refrain :
Oh praise Him! Oh praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
4. Dear mother earth, who day by day
Unfolds rich blessings on our way,
Oh praise Him! Alleluia!
The fruits and flow’rs that verdant grow,
Let them His praise abundant show. Refrain
5. O ev’ryone of tender heart,
Forgiving others, take your part,
Oh praise him! Alleluia!
All you who pain and sorrow bear,
Praise God and lay on him your care. Refrain
7. Let all things their Creator bless,
And worship God in humbleness,
Oh praise Him! Alleluia!
Oh praise the Father, praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three in One. Refrain
Text: Francis of Assisi, 1182-1226; tr. William H. Draper
APOSTLES’ CREED
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.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Set free from sin and death and nourished by the word of truth, we join in prayer for all of God’s creation.
A brief silence.
The response to “Lord, in your mercy,” is “hear our prayer.”
The prayers conclude:
Confident that you hear us, O God, we boldly place our prayers into your hands; through Jesus Christ, our truth and life. Amen.
Please be seated.
COMMISSIONING OF STEPHEN MINISTERS
Meghan Korb, Jean Pavela and Holly Shank
OFFERING
OFFERTORY
I Want Jesus to Walk With Me
Linda Dillinger, soloist
Please stand if you are able.
OFFERING PRAYER
Holy God,
the earth is yours and everything in it,
yet you have chosen to dwell among your creatures.
Come among us now in these gifts of bread and wine,
and strengthen us to be your body for the world
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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
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
He Leadeth Me (LBW 501)
1. He leadeth me: oh, blessed thought!
Oh, words with heav’nly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where’er I be,
still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.
Refrain
He leadeth me, he leadeth me,
by his own hand he leadeth me.
His faithful foll’wer I would be,
for by his hand he leadeth me.
2. Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom,
sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom,
by waters calm, o’er troubled sea,
still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me. Refrain
3. Lord, I would clasp thy hand in mine,
nor ever murmur nor repine
content, whatever lot I see,
since ’tis my God that leadeth me. Refrain
4. And when my task on earth is done,
when by thy grace the vict’ry’s won,
e’en death’s cold wave I will not flee,
since God through Jordan leadeth me. Refrain
Text: Joseph H. Gilmore, 1834-1918
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. The living Word dwells in you.
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE
I Know That My Redeemer Lives - Samuel Medley
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