Announcements
Confession and Forgiveness
Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
who pours love into our hearts
and healing upon the earth.
Amen.
Confident that God justifies us by grace through faith,
let us confess our sin.
Silence is kept for reflection.
Compassionate God,
we confess that we struggle to embody your goodness
in the world and in our own hearts.
Creation groans from overuse.
Jealousy and bitterness strain our relationships.
Indifference keeps us from seeking justice.
Divisions disrupt your call to show genuine love
to others.
Turn our hearts back to you.
Restore our world and reconcile us to one another.
Renew us to live as your holy people,
following the way of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Hear this good news:
We have peace with God through ☩ Jesus Christ,
in whom there is no condemnation,
but only forgiveness and the promise of eternal life.
Receive freely this healing gift of grace.
Amen.
Opening Hymn
ELW 532 - Gather Us In (vs. 1 & 2)
Greeting
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
Prayer of the Day
Sovereign God, raise your throne in our hearts. Created by you, let us live in your image; created for you, let us act for your glory; redeemed by you, let us give you what is yours, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
Hymn of Praise
ELW 525 - You Are Holy
First Reading: Isaiah 45:1-7
1 Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus,
whose right hand I have grasped
to subdue nations before him
and to strip kings of their robes,
to open doors before him—
and the gates shall not be closed:
2 I will go before you
and level the mountains;
I will break in pieces the doors of bronze
and cut through the bars of iron;
3 I will give you the treasures of darkness
and riches hidden in secret places,
so that you may know that it is I, the Lord,
the God of Israel, who call you by your name.
4 For the sake of my servant Jacob
and Israel my chosen,
I call you by your name;
I give you a title, though you do not know me.
5 I am the Lord, and there is no other;
besides me there is no god.
I arm you, though you do not know me,
6 so that they may know, from the rising of the sun
and from the west, that there is no one besides me;
I am the Lord, and there is no other.
7 I form light and create darkness,
I make weal and create woe;
I the Lord do all these things.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 96
Ascribe to the Lord honor and power. (Ps. 96:7)
1 Sing to the Lord | a new song;
sing to the Lord, | all the earth.
2 Sing to the Lord, bless the name | of the Lord;
proclaim God’s salvation from | day to day.
3 Declare God’s glory a- | mong the nations
and God’s wonders a- | mong all peoples.
4 For great is the Lord and greatly | to be praised,
more to be feared | than all gods. R
5 As for all the gods of the nations, they | are but idols;
but you, O Lord, have | made the heavens.
6 Majesty and magnificence are | in your presence;
power and splendor are in your | sanctuary.
7 Ascribe to the Lord, you families | of the peoples,
ascribe to the Lord hon- | or and power.
8 Ascribe to the Lord the honor due the | holy name;
bring offerings and enter the courts | of the Lord. R
9 Worship the Lord in the beau- | ty of holiness;
tremble before the Lord, | all the earth.
Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace to you and peace.
2 We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly 3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of persons we proved to be among you for your sake. 6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy from the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia but in every place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it. 9 For they report about us what kind of welcome we had among you and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation
ELW Setting 8
Gospel: Matthew 22:15-22
This is the holy gospel according to Matthew the 22nd chapter.
Glory to you, O Lord.
15 The Pharisees went and plotted to entrap [Jesus] in what he said. 16 So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one, for you do not regard people with partiality. 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. 20 Then he said to them, “Whose head is this and whose title?” 21 They answered, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” 22 When they heard this, they were amazed, and they left him and went away.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon
Hymn of the Day
ELW 705 - God of Grace and God of Glory (vs. 1 & 4)
The Apostle's Creed
Prayers of Intercession
Seeking the Spirit of God who makes all things new, we pray for the church and the world.
A brief silence.
Living and true God, you inspire us to share the message of the gospel. Give your spirit of love to seminarians and those beginning their lives in ordained ministry (local seminarians or newly called ministers may be named). Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
We give you thanks for the majesty of our oceans. Protect the abundant life within them and sustain all those who work to preserve them. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
We seek your wisdom in all things. Direct all who hold positions of authority around the world, that they act with compassion, seeking the good of all. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
We pray for all people who work in dangerous or degrading environments. Grant them safety and courage, and heal all those who are injured, sick, or suffering (especially). Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
We ask your blessing on those who do the quiet, unseen work of the church (congregational ministries may be named). Encourage them in their work of faith and labor of love. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Here other intercessions may be offered.
We thank you for our ancestors who have been called home to you (especially). Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Trusting in your boundless grace, O God, we lift up these spoken prayers and those in our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Passing of Peace
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
And also with you.
Anthem
Give Thanks (Henry Smith)
Offertory Hymn
ELW 677 - This Little Light of Mine (vs. 1 & 2)
Offertory Prayer
God of creation,
you send rain and the earth springs forth abundantly.
All blessings are from you;
make us generous with what we have.
Use our gifts, our abilities, and our hearts
in service to you and in love to our neighbors,
today and always.
Amen.
The Great Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all
times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, almighty
and merciful God, for the glorious resurrection of our Savior Jesus
Christ, the true Paschal Lamb who gave himself to take away our
sin; who in dying has destroyed death, and in rising has brought
us to eternal life.
And so, with Mary Magdalene and Peter and all the witnesses of
the resurrection, with earth and sea and all their creatures, and
with angels and archangels, cherubim and seraphim, we praise
your name and join their unending hymn:
ELW Setting 8
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of pow’r and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory, full of your glory.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
Thanksgiving at the Table
Holy, living, and loving God, we praise you for creating the
heavens and the earth.
We bless you for bringing Noah and his family through the waters
of the flood, for freeing your people Israel from the bonds of
slavery, and for sending your Son to be our Redeemer.
We give you thanks for Jesus who, living among us, healed the
sick, fed the hungry, and with a love stronger than death, gave
his life for others.
In the night in which he was betrayed,
our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;
broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take and eat; this is my body, given for you.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks,
and gave it for all to drink, saying:
This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
Remembering, therefore, his life-giving death and glorious
resurrection, we await your promised life for all this dying world.
Breathe your Spirit on us and on this bread and cup: carry us in
your arms from death to life, that we may live as your chosen
ones, clothed in the righteousness of Christ.
Through him all glory and honor is yours, Almighty Father,
with the Holy Spirit, in your holy Church, both now and forever.
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Lord remember us in your kingdom and teach us to pray:
Our Father, Who art in heaven,
Hollowed by 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 and ever. Amen.
Heaven has come near.
Come, share in the feast!
Lamb of God
ELW Setting 8
Communion Hymns
ELW 479 - We Come to the Hungry Feast
ELW 471 - Let Us Break Bread Together
The Table Blessing
Christ invites you to this table.
All who are thirsty, all who are hungry, come!
Post Communion
ELW 801 - Change My Heart, O God
Prayer After Communion
Sustaining God,
with this bread and cup,
you nourish us with mercy and abundant life.
By your Spirit, send us from this table to serve a needy world.
Make us living signs of your liberation, healing, and love,
following the way of Jesus, in whose name we pray.
Amen.
Blessing
The God of love
draw you into full accord and one mind,
in the body of Christ Jesus.
Amen.
The God of hope
grant you strength and joy in all circumstances
through the interceding of the Spirit.
Amen.
The God of grace
☩ bless you now and forever.
Amen.
Sending Hymn
ELW 544 - Praise the Lord, Rise Up Rejoicing (all)
Dismissal
Go out in joy. Be led forth in peace.
Thanks be to God.
Photo by Erika Giraud on Unsplash
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