You have to wrestle

The Celebration of the Gospel

August 6, 2017 —9th Sunday after Pentecost
I will not let you go unless you bless me. 
 — Genesis 32.26

  ________ We Gather as the Body of Christ______

GREETING
PRELUDE  Beside Still Waters  Howard Starks

[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:  God of grace, you meet us in mystery.
All:    Help us to bear your grace.
God of abundance, you meet us in our need.
Help us to bear your grace.
God of power, you pour your blessing into us.
Help us to bear your grace.
Help us to worship.  Amen.

* SONG     Holy, Holy, Holy    Blue hymnal # 64, vv. 1-3

CHILDREN’S TIME

___________ We Attend to the Word___________

PRAYER
Loving God, the mysteries of life confound us.  The challenges of life engulf us. Yet you feed us abundantly with your grace.  The angels we wrestle with bless us, and we are made new.  We open our hearts to your Spirit as we worship.  Feed us your grace, and empower us to bear the bread of life to others in the name of Christ.  Amen.

OLD TESTAMENT     Genesis 32..22-31
Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. Jacob was left alone.  And a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.”   So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.”   Then the man said, “You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.”

Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.” The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the thigh muscle that is on the hip socket, because he struck Jacob on the hip socket at the thigh muscle.
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GOSPEL      Matthew 14.13-21
Now when Jesus heard that John the Baptist had been executed, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” Jesus said to them, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They replied, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.” Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
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SERMON

SONG    Story of Grace    Steve G-H

Though we can’t see at the time,
God is here in this place.
No matter the mountain we climb,
this is a story of grace.

CALL TO PRAYER   Spirit of the Living God   Blue hymnal # 393
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
[Anyone who wishes may share a prayer concern at the microphone.]
SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST

__________We Share at Christ’s Table __________

OFFERING OUR GIFTS
Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ    arr by Michael Herman

* COMMUNION SONG     Here Is Bread, Here Is Wine    Black hymnal #2266

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING                                                                                                       
Beloved, God is with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to our God.
Let us give thanks to the Faithful One, our God.
It is good to give God thanks and praise.

[The  Blessing  and  Covenant…]

Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me.”
As often as we break this bread and share this cup
we remember his death and resurrection until he comes again.
Remembering these, your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving
as a living and holy sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
Christ has died.  Christ is Risen.  Christ will come again.

Pour out your holy Spirit on these gifts of food,
that those who receive them may experience your love and grace.
… Pour out your Holy Spirit on these gifts of bread and cup,
that they may be for us the body and blood of Christ.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on us,
that we may be made new by your grace,
to bear your grace to the world as the Body of Christ,
in the power of your Spirit.
All glory is yours, now and forever.  Amen.

THE PRAYER OF JESUS
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.

SHARING THE HOLY MEAL          [Everyone is welcome at the table of Christ’s self-giving love.
The bread is wheat-, soy- and dairy free.  We dip the bread in the juice.
]

PRAYER OF BLESSING
Gracious God, we thank you for this mystery in which you have given yourself to us.  You have graced our fear and despair with abundance and power.  You have fed us with your love. Send us into the world to feed the hungry, trusting in your grace.,
going in the name of Christ and the power of your Holy Spirit.  Amen.

______We Are Sent in Ministry to the World_____

THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD

*  SONG
Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee”  Blue hymnal #89 vv. 1-3

*  THE BLESSING AND SENDING FORTH
RESPONSE    Please stand and sing to your 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   A Festive Rondo    Michael Herman

[During the postlude there are people ready to pray with you at the candles in the corners.]

 

 

 

 

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