This Week's Bulletin

July 25, 2010

Season after Pentecost

Service of Word and Prayer: With One Voice

GATHERING

Welcome and Announcements

Prelude “Air” J.S. Bach

-Pastor Snyder

*Gathering Song "Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty” ELW No. 533

*Greeting and Dialog (Col. 3) Page 46

*Scripture Song (sung in unison) Page 47

*Prayer of the Day

Almighty and ever-living God, you are always more ready to hear than we are to pray, and you gladly give more than we either desire or deserve. Pour upon us your abundant mercy. Forgive us those things that weigh on our conscience, and give us those good things that come only through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

WORD

The First Reading: Genesis 18:20–32

In today's reading, Abraham undertakes the role of a mediator between God and sinful humanity. Appealing to God's justice, Abraham boldly asks for mercy for the city of Sodom, for the sake of the few righteous people who are in it, including Abraham's nephew, Lot.

The LORD said, "How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin! ²¹I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know."

²²So the men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the LORD. ²³Then Abraham came near and said, "Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?" ²⁴Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it? ²⁵Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?" ²⁶And the LORD said, "If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake." ²⁷Abraham answered, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the LORD, I who am but dust and ashes. ²⁸Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?" And he said, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there." ²⁹Again he spoke to him, "Suppose forty are found there." He answered, "For the sake of forty I will not do it." ³⁰Then he said, "Oh do not let the LORD be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there." He answered, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there." ³¹{fs22 He said, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the LORD. Suppose twenty are found there." He answered, "For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it." ³²Then he said, "Oh do not let the LORD be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there." He answered, "For the sake of ten I will not destroy it."

(Response: Thanks be to God)

Psalm: Psalm 138 (sung responsively; cong. sings antiphon & bold face words)

Your steadfast love endures forever; do not abandon the works of your hands. (Ps. 138:8)

I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with ^| my whole heart;

before the gods I will ^| sing your praise.

²I will bow down toward your holy temple and praise your name,

because of your steadfast ^| love and faithfulness;

for you have glorified your name

and your word a- ^| bove all things. R

³When I called, you ^| answered me;

you increased my ^| strength within me.

⁴All the rulers of the earth will praise ^| you, O LORD,

when they have heard the words ^| of your mouth.

⁵They will sing of the ways ^| of the LORD,

that great is the glory ^| of the LORD.

⁶The LORD is high, yet cares ^| for the lowly,

perceiving the haughty ^| from afar. R

⁷Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you ^| keep me safe;

you stretch forth your hand against the fury of my enemies;

your right ^| hand shall save me.

⁸You will make good your pur- ^| pose for me;

O LORD, your steadfast love endures forever;

do not abandon the works ^| of your hands. R

The Second Reading : Colossians 2:6–15 [16–19]

Paul warns his congregation in Colossae about "the empty lure" of philosophies and traditions that compromise faith. Through the gift of faith, the church is mystically connected with Christ in his death and resurrection, which is enacted in baptism.

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, ⁷rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

⁸See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. ⁹For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, ¹⁰and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority. ¹¹In him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision, by putting off the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ; ¹²when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. ¹³And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses, ¹⁴erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it.[¹⁶Therefore do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or sabbaths. ¹⁷These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. r18Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, dwelling on visions, puffed up without cause by a human way of thinking, ¹⁹and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God.]

(Response: Thanks be to God)

*Gospel Acclamation "Word of Life" Page 48

*Holy Gospel: Luke 11:1–13 Response: Glory to you, O Lord.

In teaching his disciples this prayer, Jesus also reminds them to focus on God's coming reign, God's mercy, and the strengthening of the community. Jesus encourages his disciples to child-like trust and persistence in prayer.

[Jesus] was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." ²He said to them, "When you pray, say:

Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. ³Give us each day our daily bread. ⁴And forgive us our sins,

for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial." ⁵And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; ⁶for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.' ⁷And he answers from within, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.' ⁸I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.⁹"So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. ¹⁰For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. ¹¹Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? ¹²Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? ¹³If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

(Praise to you, O Christ )

Children’s Sermon

Sermon

*Hymn of the Day "Savior, Like A Shepherd Lead Us” ELW No. 789

*Response to the Word, Peace Page 49-50

(Exchange greeting of peace with one another)

THANKSGIVING

Offering “Martin” G. Young

*Offertory (line 3) “Glory to you, God.” Page 50-51

*Prayer (col. 3) Let us pray. God, our creator. Page 51

*The Prayers

* Lord's Prayer (Col. 1) Page 52

*Benediction C: Amen

SENDING

*Sending Song: "Lord, Dismiss Us with your Blessing” ELW No. 545

*Meditation with Chimes

*Dismissal Go in peace. Serve the Lord Thanks be to God.

Postlude "Cortege” G. Young

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*standing if able

WE ARE GLAD you've come to worship with us today. We pray that your worship has been meaningful and joyous.

THANKS to Pastor Pat for sharing her music with us today.

LWR HEALTH KIT ITEMS are being collected through September. LWR has made a special emergency request for them due to the recent disasters in the world. A box is in the gathering area and a list is available for needed items. Only donate these items! The Social Ministry committee will assemble the items collected according to LWR regulations. Thanks for your support.

VOLUNTEERS FROM TRINITY are needed to work at the Harvest of Hope Food Pantry, packaging food for the Children's Summer Lunch Program. Trinity's date is Monday, August 9th from 12:00 Noon to 2:00 or 2:30 p.m. (5 or 6 volunteers) and again from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. (1 volunteer). (This program is in addition to our regular "work" schedule at the Food Pantry.) If you can help, please sign the volunteer list on the bulletin board.

SERVING TODAY

Ushers/Greeters: Frank Darney & Donnie Rohrbaugh

Acolyte: Emily Thompson

Lay Reader: Emily Thompson

Nursery: Courtney Mong & Jamie Tome

Altar Guild: Linda Tome & Donnie Rohrbaugh

Organist: Linda Krebs

Lord, Teach Us to Pray

Having recently learned the most important commandment—love God and love your neighbor as yourself—through the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), the disciples now have the presence of mind to ask Jesus how to pray. They are learning their catechism.

Christians can give thanks that the disciples asked the question, because all those who have memorized and prayed the prayer Jesus taught are beneficiaries. It is a prayer of comfort, grace, and strength, fathomless in its depths and multifaceted like a diamond. It is a beautiful prayer.

It is likely the words of this prayer, the Lord's Prayer, are some of most prayed in human history. And for good reason. They teach us to praise God, invite the kingdom, stay focused on daily bread, seek forgiveness, forgive others, and seek relief from temptation and suffering.

The catechism class on prayer continues with instructions to be persistent and focused in prayer. Keep praying, be confident, and be specific. Don't leave a prayer unprayed because you doubt it will be answered. Persist. Pray it.

And then, in a surprise turn, instructions on what specifically to pray for: pray for the Holy Spirit, because God will not deny the Spirit to those who ask. This second part may be in at least some of our communities a less-often-prayed prayer. "Come, Holy Spirit," a prayer sometimes sung through the words of the hymn "Veni Sancte Spiritus" (Evangelical Lutheran Worship, #406). Set to music by the Taizé community, a song like this goes deeper and becomes a profound prayer through repetition, much like the Lord's Prayer when prayed as a meditation.

Lord, keep teaching us to pray this way. Come, Holy Spirit.

Used by permission of Augsburg Fortress.

Don't Pity the Samaritan

Remember the Samaritan village of two weeks ago that the disciples wanted to destroy (Luke 9:51-56)? Through the parable of the good Samaritan, Jesus offers instruction to his disciples on how they ought rather to think about their Samaritan neighbors. He puts a fine point on it—your neighbors are the Samaritans, and they are good neighbors to you because they often show you mercy (10:37).

Then Jesus puts an even finer point on it. "Go and do likewise." According to the Gospel of John, Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans (4:9). As if it were not enough for Jesus to offer as the obvious hero of his parable a man from an ethnic community that the Jews to which he was speaking did not like, he goes a step further and encourages them to imitate a Samaritan.

To get the point, we may need to engage in a thought-experiment. Take some time to think of a group of people you basically dislike or distrust. Be honest. Most of us, if we are open to confessing our sin, can identify some group that has this status in our hearts.

Now, once you have this group in mind, imagine that Jesus tells a story that portrays a person from this group doing precisely the kinds of godly things you thought were reserved for people closer to you who you like and respect. Go a step further and imagine that in Jesus' story it is the people you look up to and respect who fail to do what they should do.

Finally, at the end of the story, you learn that you are supposed to go and be like the group you dislike and have little to do with. This is what it means to love your neighbor: to imagine yourself in their place and learn mercy from them. This is the gospel.

Used by permission of Augsburg Fortress.