The Celebration of the Gospel
October 13 , 2019 — 18th Sunday after Pentecost
Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed,
turned back, praising God with a loud voice.
He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him.
And he was a Samaritan.
—Luke 17.15-16
_____ We Are Received as Children of God_____
GREETING
PRELUDE – Adagio from Symphony No. 3 – Camille Saint-Saëns, arr: Albert Zabel
[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: What wondrous gifts our Creator has given us!
All: God, we are in awe, and we praise you!
What amazing love Christ has offered us
Christ, we are healed, we are changed, and we thank you!
What blessings and powers the Holy Spirit has given us!
You have given us new life! We turn to you in gratitude,
to give you our thanks and praise, to give you our lives!
* SONG – Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee – Blue hymnal # 89
_____ We Are transformed by the Love of Christ____
(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME
THE WORD IN SONG
8:15: He Is Lord Kevin McChesney — (Ringtones, Sebastian Quist conducting)
10:30: Morning Light — Stephanie Berryman (Bells of St. Matthew’s)
PRAYER
God of love and mercy, you have blessed us in so many ways. We thank you. We come to you in gratitude and humility and offer our lives and thanks, knowing even in our giving we receive. Speak your Word to us, that we may live our thanks all our days, in the name and the Spirit and the presence of Christ. Amen.
(10:30) HEBREW BIBLE – Jeremiah 29.1, 4-7
[God promises to bring the exiles home and heal their wounds. Cities shall be rebuilt, and “out of them shall come thanksgiving.”]
The word that came to Jeremiah from God: Thus says the Holy One, the God of Israel: The days are surely coming when I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel and Judah, says God, and I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their ancestors and they shall take possession of it.
Alas! it is a time of distress for Jacob;
yet you shall be rescued from it.
On that day, says God Omnipotent,
I will break the yoke from off your neck,
and I will burst your bonds,
and strangers shall no more make a servant of you.
For I am with you, says the Holy One, to save you.
I will chastise you in just measure,
and I will by no means leave you unpunished.
But I will restore health to you,
and your wounds I will heal, says God.
Thus says the Holy One:
I am going to restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob,
and have compassion on your dwellings;
the city shall be rebuilt upon its mound,
and the citadel set on its rightful site.
Out of them shall come thanksgiving,
and the sound of merrymakers.
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(10:30) * PSALTER – Psalm 66.8-20
[We celebrate God’s gracious care even in adversity (“we went through fire and water, yet you have brought us out…”). In gratitude, the Psalmist says, “I will make an offering.” ]
Bless our God, O peoples,
let the sound of God’s praise be heard,
who has kept us among the living,
and has not let our feet slip.
For you, O God, have tested us;
you have tried us as silver is tried.
You brought us into the net;
you laid burdens on our backs;
you let people ride over our heads;
we went through fire and through water;
yet you have brought us out to a spacious place.
I will come into your house with burnt offerings;
I will pay you my vows,
those that my lips uttered
and my mouth promised when I was in trouble.
I will offer to you burnt offerings of fatlings,
with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams;
I will make an offering of bulls and goats.
Come and hear, all you who fear God,
and I will tell what God has done for me.
I cried aloud to God,
and extolled God with my tongue.
If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
God would not have listened.
Thank you, God, for you have truly listened;
you have given heed to the words of my prayer.
Bless you, for you have not rejected my prayer
or removed your steadfast love from me.
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NEW TESTAMENT – Philippians 4.4-9
[Paul encourages us to be joyful, gentle, thankful and prayerful, and rooted in the peace of God, trusting God to provide, and grounded in what is good.]
Rejoice in the Savior always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Savior is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
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GOSPEL – Luke 17.11-19
[Jesus heals ten lepers and sends them to show themselves to the priest (to fulfill the law, and perhaps as part of their healing, and a prophetic witness). But only one of them, the one who is a Samaritan, a despised enemy, returns to give thanks before going away. Jesus asks, “Where are the other nine?”]
On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.”
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SERMON – Gratitude
SONG – What Gift Can We Bring – Blue hymnal # 87
A PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Leader: Creator God, for the gifts of Creation, for earth and sea, sky and stars,
for plants and animals and all living creatures, and for food that you give us,
All: we give you thanks!
For the gifts of beauty, for art and music, for literature and drama, for the beauty of each culture and every language,
we give you thanks!
For the gifts of community, for all those who have come before us, for those who have taught us and provided for us, for all those who have helped us in our life’s journey,
we give you thanks!
For family and loved ones, for love that has not failed us, for friends who have stood by us in hard times,
we give you thanks!
For the gift of Christ, your love embodied among us,, and for the gift of faith, for our traditions, for scripture and teachings of wisdom, for the whole Body of Christ, all people who seek union with you throughout the world,
we give you thanks!
For your grace, walking with us each moment of our lives, for your forgiveness and your guidance, for your blessings even in the hardest of times, and your abiding presence,
for your amazing love poured out into us and through us,
we give you thanks! May we always be grateful.
May our lives be songs of humble, joyful praise!
SONG – Alleluia
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
THE PRAYER OF JESUS
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.
SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST
______ We Are Sent in the Power of the Holy Spirit____
OFFERING OUR GIFTS – The Lord’s Prayer – J. S. Bach
* OFFERING SONG – Doxology – Blue hymnal #95
* PRAYER
Gracious God, we give you our lives, symbolized in these gifts. Receive them with love, bless them with grace and use them according to your will. You have given us the gift of our lives. Send us now as gifts from you, humbly and joyfully grateful, serving the world in love, in the name of Christ. Amen.
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD
* SONG – We, Your People Thank You – Steve G-H
We, your people thank you, thank you, God of every blessing!
We, your people thank you, thank you, God, abundant Giver!
For our healing, our salvation, for your presence for our sake,
in our neighbor, in Creation, every breath we take,
we your people thank you, thank you, thank you every day!
We, your people thank you, thank you, God of every blessing!
We, your people thank you, thank you, God, abundant Giver!
Blessing hidden in each moment—grace abounds in every thing—
lifts our hearts in gratitude to humbly, gladly sing:
we your people thank you, thank you, thank you every day!
* 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 Praise, My Soul, The King Of Heaven — Tune: LAUDA ANIMA, arr: Matt Hyzer