August 16, 2015
Okemos MI 48864-2203
517-349-0620
Pastor Ellen Schoepf
prellen@faithlutheranokemos.org
Website
www.faithlutheranokemos.org
Email
faith@faithlutheranokemos.org
FaceBook
facebook.com/faithlutheranokemos
Life-giving Bread
Communion, or the Lord’s supper, may feel like a very familiar and natural part of worship to us. But for someone who isn’t familiar with Christianity, it may come across as strange, even frightening. Some of the earliest Christians were thought to be cannibals who ate actual human flesh and blood.
The crowds listening to Jesus were confused by his words, wondering why Jesus would tell them to eat his flesh. They didn’t understand how he could be “living bread that came down from heaven” (John 6:51). When their ancestors, the Israelites, were wandering in the wilderness, God provided them with bread from heaven, the gift of manna that would sustain them for the day. But this was something different.
God works in unexpected ways, often taking something sinful and broken and turning it into something good and sacred. A horrible death on a cross becomes salvation. The eating and drinking of flesh and blood becomes the promise of eternal life. Ordinary bread and wine become gifts of grace. And we humans, broken by sin, become holy children of God.
Like manna, Jesus is also bread from heaven, but he is more than that. This gift from God isn’t just bread, but a person, and not just a person, but God in the flesh. While regular bread sustains us for our earthly life, Jesus, the living bread, sustains us for eternal life.
It is interesting that in John, the only gospel that does not include a last supper scene, we find Jesus explaining the importance of this shared meal. Just as bread is necessary for physical life, Jesus, the living bread, is necessary for eternal life. The next time you partake of the Lord’s supper, remember that God’s promise of grace and eternal life is for you, and that nothing could ever take that promise away.
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Twelfth Sunday after
Pentecost
Holy Communion
Introduction to the day
Wisdom prepares a feast, sets her table, and invites all to come and eat her bread and drink her wine. The first chapter of John’s gospel owes much to the biblical tradition that imagined Wisdom as existing before anything was created and having a role in the work of creation. Christ, the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24), today invites us to eat his flesh and drink his blood. John’s gospel includes no account of the institution of the Lord’s supper, but here we can't help hearing Jesus’ words as an invitation to the meal of bread and wine we share.
If hearing assistance is needed, please ask an usher
for a personal PA receiver.
The ushers also have large print copies of today’s
worship folder available.
If it will be difficult for you to stand along with
the congregation during
any part of the worship service, please feel free to
remain seated.
There is a nursery available during the worship
service for those who wish
to use it. It is located at the end of the hall beyond
the coat racks.
WELCOME
We cordially greet all who
have come to worship today.
Please register your attendance
and join us in fellowship after the service.
Announcements and Prayer Requests
PRELUDE
The pre-service music signals
the beginning of the worship service.
Silence during the
pre-service music enables
worshipers to prepare for worship through quiet meditation.
Gathering
The Holy Spirit calls us together as the
people of God
The assembly stands
Confession and ForgivenesS
All may make the sign of
the cross, the sign that is
marked at baptism, as the
presiding minister begins.
P Blessed
be the holy Trinity, ☩one
God,
the creator of wind and rain, field and ocean,
the bread of life coming down from above,
the power at work within us and this world.
C Amen
P Before
God and in the company of our
sisters and brothers, let us confess our sin.
Silence
is kept for reflection
P God
and Father of all,
C we confess that we have sinned against you in
thought, word and deed. We have thought better of ourselves than others. We
have told lies, said hurtful things, acted in ways
we wish we could
take back, and looked the other way when action was needed. In your mercy, O
God, forgive us, cleanse us, and heal us, for the sake of Jesus, our Savior.
Amen
P If
anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation:
everything old has passed away;
everything has become new!
In Christ, ☩you
are a new creation;
your sins are taken away and you are made new.
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving
one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.
C Amen
Gathering Song
#822
Text: Brazilian folk song; tr. Gerhard M. Cartford,
b.1923, Spanish and English
Music:
Brazilian folk tune
Text
© Gerhard Cartford, admin.
Translation
printed under OneLicense.net license A-708005
Greeting
A The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
C And also with you.
Canticle of Praise
Prayer of the Day
A Let us pray.
Ever-loving God, your Son gives himself as living bread for the life of the world. Fill us with such a knowledge of his presence
that we may be strengthened and sustained by his risen life to
serve you continually, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
C Amen
The assembly is seated
Word
God speaks to us in scripture reading,
preaching, and song
First
A A reading from Proverbs.
Wisdom is portrayed as a
woman who invites people to partake of her banquet.
Just as ordinary food is
necessary for physical life, Wisdom’s food—insight and understanding—is
necessary for fullness of life with God. Partaking of Wisdom’s
banquet is the way to life.
1 Wisdom
has built her house,
she has hewn her seven pillars.
2 She has
slaughtered her animals, she has mixed her wine,
she has also set her table.
3 She has sent
out her servant-girls, she calls
from the highest places in the town,
4 “You that are
simple, turn in here!”
To those without sense she says,
5 “Come, eat of
my bread
and drink of the wine I have mixed.
6 Lay aside
immaturity, and live,
and walk in the way of insight.”
A The word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Second
A A reading from Ephesians.
True wisdom integrates our new
reality in Christ with our Christian fellowship and daily conduct. Because we
are filled with the Spirit, Christians regularly rejoice together, give thanks
to God for one another, and care for one another. In this way we revere our
Lord Jesus Christ.
15 Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, 16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 17 So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, 20 giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
A The word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
The
assembly stands to welcome the gospel
Gospel Acclamation
Gospel: John 6:51-58
P The holy gospel according to John.
C Glory to you, O Lord.
In John’s gospel, the feeding
of the five thousand leads to extended teaching in which Jesus identifies
himself as the true “bread of life.” Finally, in these verses, he makes a connection
that would not be understood until after his death, in light of the church’s
celebration of holy communion.
[
Jesus said,] 51 “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; 55 for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. 56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.”
P The gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to you, O Christ.
The
assembly is seated
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE
Sermon
The
assembly stands to proclaim the word of God in song
Hymn of the Day #485
Text and
music printed under OneLicense.net license A-708005
APOSTLES’ Creed
C 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
A With confidence in God’s compassion and generosity, let
us pray for the church, the world, and all of God’s creation.
Prayers
of intercession are prayed.
To
each petition, the assembly responds:
A Lord, in your mercy,
C hear our prayer.
The
presiding minister concludes the
prayers,
and the assembly responds:
P Into your loving hands, gracious God, we commend
all for whom we pray, trusting in your abundant mercy;
through Jesus Christ, our Savior.
C Amen
Peace
P The peace of Christ be with you always.
C And also with you.
The people may greet one
another with a sign of Christ’s peace,
and may say, “Peace be with
you,” or similar words.
The assembly is seated
Meal
God feeds us with the presence of Jesus
Christ
OFFERING
An offering is gathered for the mission of the church,
including the care of those
in need.
Bob Nelson, solo “We’re a Fellowship of Believers” Althouse
The assembly stands
Offering Prayer
A Let us pray.
God of all creation, all you have made is good, and your love endures forever. You bring forth bread from the earth and fruit from the vine. Nourish us with these gifts, that we might be for
the world signs of your gracious presence in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
C Amen
Great Thanksgiving
Dialogue
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Preface
P 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
Thanksgiving at the Table
P 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.
Lord’s Prayer
P Gathered into one by the Holy
Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us.
C Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen
Invitation to Communion
P Jesus said, “Whoever comes to me will never be hungry,
and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
The assembly is seated
Communion
When giving the bread and
cup, the communion ministers say
The body of Christ, given for you.
The blood of Christ, shed for you.
and each person may respond
Amen
WE WELCOME ALL GUESTS worshiping with us today and invite all baptized Christians to come to the Lord’s table. Children who have not yet received First Communion instruction are invited to come forward with their families to receive a blessing. There will be one chalice (cup) of wine, as well as trays of individual cups. In the center of each tray, there are a few glasses filled with white grape juice for those who prefer juice rather than wine.
Communion Song
CONGREGATIONAL SONG
“Come, Let Us Eat” #491
The assembly stands
P The body and blood of
our Lord Jesus Christ
strengthen you and
keep you in his grace.
C Amen
Prayer after
Communion
A Let us pray.
O God, our life, our strength, our food, we give you thanks for sustaining us with the body and blood of your Son. By your Holy Spirit, enliven us to be his body in the world, that more and more we will give you praise and serve your earth and its many peoples, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
C Amen
Sending
God blesses us and sends us in mission to
the world
Blessing
P Almighty and merciful God,
Father, ☩ Son,
and Holy Spirit,
bless, preserve, and keep you
this day and forevermore.
C Amen
Sending Song #881
Text printed under OneLicense.net license A-708005
Dismissal
P Go in peace. Life in love, as Christ loved us.
C Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE
Copyright
© 2015 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.
Reprinted by permission under
Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #20803.
New Revised Standard Version
Bible, copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National
Council of the Churches of Christ in the
Used by permission. All rights
reserved.
Clipart
copyright © 2015 by Communication Resources. All rights reserved. Used by
permission.
Welcome to this time set aside for worship and Christian fellowship. We need this break from the busyness of the world—even in summer. Pause and relax in the arms of Jesus.
SUNDAY WORSHIP AND HOLY COMMUNION: 9:30 A.M.
Pastor Ellen
Schoepf prellen@faithlutheranokemos.org
Guest
organist Mark
Mitchell
Secretary Rita Barry rbarry@faithlutheranokemos.org
Director
of Christian Education Melinda
Schultz
Director
of Music Debra
Borton-McDonough
Organist/Pianist Bruce
Williams
August
9 worship attendance: 130
Serving
Faith Today August 23rd
Altar care Gretchen Bills and
Becky Bills
Communion assistants Mike Eschelbach Bob Shorman
Natalie Dingledine Harold Sollenberger
Greeters Mike Eschelbach Jeff and Melinda Schultz
Lay assistants Mike Eschelbach Bob Shorman
Readers Natalie
Dingledine Harold
Sollenberger
Usher John McCracken John McCracken
Nursery Becky Bills Heidi Bowers