The Celebration of the Gospel

September 13, 2015 — 16th Sunday after Pentecost

“If any want to become my followers,
let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me”.
— Mark 3.34
_______ We Gather as The Body of Christ_______

GREETING
PRELUDE   As The Deer   Martin Nystrum, arr: Mark Hayes

[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: Loving God, heart of our being, you encompass us in grace.
All:  Praise be to you! Alleluia!
Loving Christ, you embrace us in love and forgiveness.
Praise be to you! Alleluia!
Holy Spirit, you fill us with your humility, compassion and self-giving.
May our whole lives be praise to you. Alleluia!

* SONG   All Praise to Thee   Blue hymnal #166

(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME

___________ We Attend to the Word___________

(10:30) THE WORD IN SONG   Sunshine in my Soul John Sweney

PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Pastor:   The grace of God be with you.
Congregation: And also with you.
Trusting in God’s tender mercy, let us confess our sin to God with one another.
God of love, help us to see ourselves with the eyes of love,
to see all that is in us that is loving,
and all that is not loving.
By the grace that we know in Christ,
forgive us, heal us, and perfect your love in us.
SILENT PRAYER …   THE WORD OF GRACE

RESPONSE   More Like You   Black hymnal #2167

PRAYER OF THE DAY
God of all life, God of new life,
let your wakening Word come to us like morning
and call us up out of our little selves
to become your people, great with love.
Call us, revive us, and make us new,
in the grace of Christ. Amen.

NEW TESTAMENT     James 3.13-18
[There are two kinds of wisdom, one born of selfish desire and one from God which is “willing to yield.” ]

Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.
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PSALTER     Psalm 25
[We pray that God will guide us in God’s ways, forgive our shortcomings, and help us live as God’s Spirit enables us to live.]

R  [sung response:]
Lead me, Lord, lead me in your righteousness;
make your way plain before my face.

I place my soul in your hands, O God.
      I trust in you completely.

Make me to know your ways, O Lord.
Teach me your paths.
Show me your way and lead me in it,
for you are my only salvation.

I wait for you; I rely on you.
      Be steadfast in your love and your mercy;
as you have been forever.

                                                                        R
Do not think of me according to my sins
or tie me to my past:
regard me with your steadfast love,
for the sake of your infinite goodness.

You are life-giving goodness, O God,
       you show us, weak and imperfect as we are,
how to live in your Way.
When we are humble you show us the way.
Show us the way.
Your path is always steadfast love and faithfulness.
       In your grace, show us your way.

                                                                       R
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GOSPEL           Mark 8.27-38
[When Peter says Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus gives a new image of what that means: he will suffer and die. He teaches the crowd that if you “take up your cross,” that is, lose your life for the sake of love, you will gain it. ]

Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.
Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life?
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SERMON

SONG   Make Me a Channel of Your Peace Black hymnal #2171

* AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
We give our hearts to you, O God,
Creator of all that is, and all that is to come.
We follow Jesus, your Word made flesh, who loved without limits.
For his love he was crucified; but in love you raised him from the dead.
He calls us to follow him, and so we pray that you enlarge our lives
and set us free from ourselves, that with his Spirit alive in us
we may love without limit, take up our cross, and join him.
We trust your Spirit in us to give us this life of love,
to lead us in forgiveness and healing,
to enter into the mystery of eternal life
in the name and the company of Christ. Amen.

* SONG   I Take Up My Cross     Steve G-H

Letting go, I am held. I take up my cross and follow.

THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
[Anyone who wishes may share a prayer concern at the microphone.]

THE PRAYER OF JESUS   [Ecumenical version]
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.

PASSING THE PEACE

______ We Are Sent in Ministry to the World_____

OFFERING OUR GIFTS Reflection On “Schmücke Dich O Liebe Seele” Robert Lau

* OFFERING SONG Doxology   Blue hymnal #94

* 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. By your Spirit in us may we take up our cross and follow Jesus; may we transcend our selves and become one with Christ, infinite in love, for the sake of the healing of the world. Amen.

THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD

* SONG   I Have Decided to Follow Jesus   Black hymnal #2129

* 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   Voluntary on LAUDA ANIMA    Robert Lau

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