THE CELEBRATION OF THE GOSPEL
September 11, 2016 —17th Sunday after Pentecost
What woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them,
does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?
— Luke 15.8
________ We Gather as the Body of Christ______
GREETING
PRELUDE Hiding In Thee Ira D. Sankey, arr: Anna Laura Page
[As we listen to the music we quiet our minds and bodies,
listen for our hearts’ deepest desires,
and become present to the Holy One who is lovingly present for us.]
* CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Eternal God we come before you because we are searching for you.
All: Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Loving Christ, we give thanks that you search us out and bring us home.
Rejoice, for the lost is found!
Holy Spirit, keep working in us to reach out for you and for all who are lost.
for in your love we discover one another; we enter our own lives; we meet you at last.
It is your will to seek and to save.
So we worship you. Alleluia
* SONG Be Thou My Vision Blue hymnal # 451
(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME
___________We Attend to the Word___________
(10:30) THE WORD IN SONG My Shepherd Will Supply My Need Virgil Thomson
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Loving God you have sent Christ to seek and to save the lost. Without your Word we are lost and wandering. Speak to us, find us in our various places, and bring us to your heart, in the power of your Spirit. Amen.
NEW TESTAMENT 1 Timothy 1.12-17
[Paul thanks God that God has patiently sought him out even though he is “the foremost” of sinners, affirming that “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.” ]
I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, given me this work and judged me faithful. I used to be a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man. Because of my lack of faith I acted ignorantly. But God treated me with mercy, and in grace the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus overflowed for me.
The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And I am the worst. But for that very reason I received mercy. So in me, the worst sinner, Jesus Christ displayed the utmost patience, making me an example so others could trust in Christ for eternal life. To the Ruler of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
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GOSPEL Luke 15.1-10
[Some Pharisees criticize Jesus for welcoming sinners. He responds with images of God as a woman and a shepherd devotedly seeking something that’s lost, and rejoicing when it is found. God does not exclude us or forget us, but deeply desires us.]
Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So he told them a parable: “Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until you find it? When you have found it, you lay it on your shoulders and rejoice. And when you come home, you call together your friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. “
Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
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SERMON
SONG I Sought the Lord Blue hymnal # 341
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
[Anyone who wishes may share a prayer concern at the microphone.]
RESPONSE: This is my prayer. All: This is our prayer.
THE PRAYER OF JESUS
Our Mother, 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. Amen.
PASSING THE PEACE
______ We Are Sent in Ministry to the World_____
(10:30) BLESSING OUR TEACHERS AND LEARNERS
CELEBRATING OUR GIFTS AND MINISTRY
OFFERING OUR GIFTS AND MINISTRY
I’ll Go Where You Want Me To Go Tune: “MANCHESTER”, arr: David Paxton
* BLESSING OUR GIFTS AND MINISTRY Move Me Blue hymnal #471
* PRAYER
Gracious God, we give you these gifts as symbols of our lives. Receive them with love, bless them with grace and use them according to your will. You bless us that in our giving is our receiving; in our searching is our finding; in our living for you we find your purpose for us. God of love, send us out in ministry for the sake of the healing of the world, in the name of Christ. Amen.
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD
* SONG Seek Ye First Blue hymnal #405
* THE BLESSING AND SENDING FORTH
* RESPONSE We stand and sing to our neighbors:
May the grace and peace of Christ be with you my friends.
Go and share the love of God, love that never ends.
POSTLUDE Finale from Symphony No. 3 Camille Saint Saëns, arr: Albert Zabel