January 17, 2016
Turning water to wine at the wedding
at Cana
is described
as the first of Jesus’ signs.
Through many such epiphanies, Jesus
reveals that he
bears God’s creative power
and joyful
presence into the world.
4515 Dobie Road
Okemos MI 48864-2203
517-349-0620
Pastor Ellen Schoepf
prellen@faithlutheranokemos.org
Email
faith@faithlutheranokemos.org
Website
www.faithlutheranokemos.org
Facebook facebook.com/faithlutheranokemos
Magic or Miracle?
Stage magicians are amazing to watch. David Blaine became famous in the late 90s through his show, Street Magic. His show was unique for showing street magic up close, as well as Blaine’s ultra-cool style throughout his tricks. David Copperfield’s long, illustrious career has allowed him to become the most successful solo entertainer in history. In his TV specials, Copperfield floated over the Grand Canyon, made the Statue of Liberty disappear, and walked through the Great Wall of China.
During his ministry, people were in awe of the miracles Jesus could perform. When he turned water into wine, healed the sick, restored sight to people who were blind, or made a few loaves of bread and fish feed a multitude, people were amazed. There is amazement, awe, and wonder at the thought of these kinds of inexplicable acts. So what is the difference between magic and a miracle?
There are many differences. Stage magic can be used just for fun, but Jesus never performed miracles just for fun. Miracles were visible signs of the power of God. Stage magic can be used to deceive while miracles are never about deception. Jesus performed miracles to teach vital spiritual lessons and to help people. However, the most important difference is that while stage magic is intended for entertainment and to show off the talent and showmanship of the magician, Jesus performed miracles in order to show people something about God.
Magic tricks are still popular—but do miracles still happen? Albert Einstein famously said, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” How will you live your life today?
Sunday, January 17, 2016
Second Sunday after Epiphany
Holy Communion
INTRODUCTION TO THE DAY
The Sundays after Epiphany continue to celebrate the revelation of the glory of God to us as it was made known to the magi and to those on Jordan’s banks at the baptism of Jesus—today using wedding imagery. Our God rejoices over God’s people “as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride.” By the power of the Spirit there are gifts galore for everyone. In Christ Jesus the best wine is saved for last. Taste and see.
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 AND
ANNOUNCEMENTS
We cordially greet all who
have come to worship today.
Please register your
attendance and join us in fellowship after the service.
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.
“Jesus, Come for We Invite You”
arr. Robert Lind
Reference today’s Hymn of the Day on P. 12, ELW Hymn #312
GATHERING
The Holy Spirit
calls us together as the people of God
Entrance Hymn
#303
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.
Kyrie
-5-
Hymn of Praise
ð
-6-
Prayer of the Day
A The Lord be with you.
C And also
with you.
A Let us pray.
Lord God, source of every blessing, you showed forth your
glory and led many to faith by the
works of your Son, who
brought gladness and salvation to
his people. Transform us
by the Spirit of his love, that we
may find our life together
in him, Jesus Christ, our Savior
and Lord. C Amen
The assembly
is seated
WORD
God speaks to
us in scripture reading, preaching and song
First Reading: Isaiah 62:1-5
The people’s return to
Judah after the exile was marred by economic and
political troubles. Nevertheless, the prophet declares, Jerusalem and Judah will be restored. God will rejoice over Jerusalem as a
bridegroom rejoices over his bride; and the people are called
to the celebration.
A A reading from Isaiah.
1For
Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,
until her vindication shines out like the dawn,
and her salvation like a burning torch.
2The nations shall
see your vindication,
and all the kings your glory;
and you shall be called by a new name
that the mouth of the Lord will
give.
3You shall be a
crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
4You shall no more
be termed Forsaken,
and your land shall no more be termed Desolate;
but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,
and your land Married;
for the Lord delights in you,
and your land shall be married.
5For as a young
man marries a young woman,
so shall your builder marry you,
and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
so shall your God rejoice over you.
A The word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
-8-
Psalm: Psalm 36:5-10
We feast upon the abundance of your house, O Lord. (Ps. 36:8)
Refrain:
First Choir
sings refrain
Second Choir
and congregation sing refrain together
Sing responsively
Psalm tone:
5Your love, O Lord, reaches | to the heavens,
and your
faithfulness | to the clouds.
6Your righteousness is like the
strong mountains, your justice like | the great deep;
you save humankind and ani- | mals, O Lord.
7How priceless is your |
love, O God!
All people take
refuge under the shadow | of your wings.
8They feast upon the
abundance | of your house;
you give them drink from the
river of | your delights.
9For with you is the |
well of life,
and in your light | we see light.
10Continue your lovingkindness to |
those who know you,
and your favor to those who are
| true of heart.
Second Reading: 1
Corinthians 12:1-11
The congregation
at Corinth experienced division as people were comparing one another’s
spiritual gifts, thinking some to be superior to others. Paul invites this
fractured community to trust that God’s Holy Spirit has gifted them all perfectly
for their mission together.
A A reading from 1 Corinthians.
1Now
concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be
uninformed. 2You
know that when you were pagans, you were enticed and led astray to idols that could
not speak. 3Therefore
I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says
“Let Jesus be cursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is
Lord” except by the Holy Spirit.
4Now there are
varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5and there are varieties of services, but the same
Lord; 6and there
are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who
activates all of them in everyone. 7To each is given the
manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8To one is given through the
Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge
according to the same Spirit, 9to
another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one
Spirit, 10to
another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the
discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the
interpretation of tongues. 11All these are activated by one and
the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit
chooses.
A The word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
The
assembly stands to welcome the gospel
-10-
Gospel Acclamation
Gospel: John 2:1-11
Turning water to wine at
the wedding at Cana is described as the first of
Jesus’ signs. Through many such epiphanies, Jesus reveals that he bears God’s creative
power and joyful presence into the world.
P The Holy Gospel according to John, the second chapter.
C Glory to you, O Lord.
1On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of
Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2Jesus
and his disciples had also been invited to the
wedding. 3When the wine gave out,
the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is
that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” 5His
mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6Now standing there were six
stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding
twenty or thirty gallons. 7Jesus
said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they
filled them up to the brim. 8He said
to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it. 9When
the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it
came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward
called the bridegroom 10and said to
him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the
guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in
Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
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 #312
text and music printed under OneLicense.net license A-708005
-12-
APOSTLES’ Creed
C I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again 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
The Prayers
P Giving thanks for God’s great gifts, we pray
for the church, the world, and all those in need.
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 Trusting your love and healing, O God, we commend
to you all for whom we pray, knowing you will hear and
answer, through Christ our Lord.
C Amen
-13-
Peace
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C And also
with you.
The ministers and
congregation may greet one another
with a gesture of peace, using these or similar words:
Peace be with you.
The assembly
is seated
MEAL
God feeds us with the present of Jesus
Christ
OFFERING
An
offering is gathered for the mission of the church,
including the care of those in need.
Chancel Choir “Morning Star” Larson
The assembly stands
OfferING Prayer
A
Let us
pray.
Merciful God, as grains of wheat scattered upon the hills were gathered together to become one bread, so let your church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into your kingdom,
for yours is the glory through Jesus Christ, now and forever.
C Amen
DIALOGUE
P The Lord be with you.
C And also
with you.
P Lift
up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
-14-
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 and salutary that we should at all times
and in all places offer thanks and praise to you, O Lord, holy Father, through Christ our Lord. Sharing our life, he lived
among us to reveal your glory and love, that our darkness
should give way to his own brilliant light. And so, with the
Church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name
and join their unending hymn:
Sanctus
-15-
Great Thanksgiving
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 Let us pray with confidence in
the words our Savior gave 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 Come to the table. Feast on
God’s abundant life for you.
The assembly is seated
Communion
As the ministers
give the bread and cup
to each communicant, they say these words:
The body of Christ, given for you.
The blood of Christ, shed for you.
The communicant may say:
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
-17-
CONGREGATIONAL SONG
“What Feast of
Love” #487
CONGREGATIONAL SONG #460
Text and music printed under OneLicense.net license
A-708005
-18-
The assembly stands
P The body and blood of
our Lord Jesus Christ
strengthen you and keep you in his grace.
C Amen
Post-Communion Prayer
A Let us pray.
We thank you, O God, that you have fed us at your banqueting table with bread and wine beyond compare, the very life of Christ for us. Send your Spirit with us now, that we may set the captive free, use your gifts to build one another up, and in everything reflect your glory revealed in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
C Amen
SENDING
God blesses us and sends us in mission to
the world
Blessing
P God Almighty send you light and truth
to keep you all the days of your life.
P The hand of God protect you;
the holy angels accompany you;
and the blessing of almighty God,
the Father, the ☩ Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be with you now and forever.
C Amen
-19-
SENDING SONG #310
Dismissal
A Go in peace. Remember the poor.
C Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE
“Spiritoso” Samuel
Wesley
Copyright © 2016 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.
Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress
Liturgies Annual License #SAS000803.
New Revised Standard
Version Bible, copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the
National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.
Used by permission. All rights
reserved.
Clipart copyright © 2016 by Communication Resources. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Brothers and sisters through Jesus¾children of God
with whom he is well pleased¾welcome to worship!
Sunday School 9:00 a.m.
SUNDAY WORSHIP 10:00 a.m.
Pastor Ellen
Schoepf
Secretary Rita Barry
Director
of Christian Education
Director
of Music Debra
Borton-McDonough
Organist/Pianist Bruce
Williams
January
10 worship attendance: 116
Serving
Faith Today January 24
Acolytes Owen
Kadrofske Haley Towl
Altar care Cecelia Kramer and
Carol Towl
Communion assistants Doug Hirt Bob
Shorman
Natalie Dingledine Elaine Harrison
Owen Kadrofske Haley Towl
Greeters Jack and Natalie Dingledine Marla Holle
Lay assistants Doug Hirt Bob Shorman
Readers Natalie
Dingledine Elaine Harrison
Ushers Nussdorfer family Nussdorfer family
Nursery Kim O’Brien Melinda and Lauren
Schultz