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Zion Lutheran Church, ELCA
Building on the
1st
100 Years!
Nineteenth Sunday after
Pentecost
Love is spoken here! Be the living Eucharist!
GATHERING
The Holy Spirit calls us in community as the people of God.
PRELUDE
Hymn to joy
October 19, 2014
CALL TO WORSHIP
The assembly stands to collectively center for worship and contemplate God’s graciousness.
Come, people of God, into the realm of God’s reign unfolding as we speak.
We come with awe and wonderment.
Come, people of God, into the clash of empires, hopeful and fearful at the same time.
We come wanting to believe in an empire of tough l0ve and an economy of costly grace.
Come, people of God, into choices that only the eyes of faith can discern.
We come with hope that God will grant us spiritual wisdom and the courage of faith.
GATHERING SONG
O God beyond all praising
ELW (red book) 880
GREETING The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all!
And also with you!
CANTICLE OF PRAISE
Now the feast and celebration
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Now the feast and cel-e-bra-tion, all of cre-a-tion sings for joy
To the God of life and love and free-dom; praise and glo-ry for-ev-er-more! REFRAIN
1) Now is the feast of the Lamb once slain,
whose blood has freed and u-nit-ed us to be one great people of God.
2) Pow-er and rich-es, wis-dom and might, all hon-or and glo-ry to Christ for-ev-er.
3) For God has come to dwell with us, to make us peo-ple of God; to make all things new.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray: Sovereign God, please 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!
WORD
God speaks to us in poetry, creative writing, scripture, preaching, and song.
A READING FROM CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURE: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
The Message*
1 I, Paul, together here with Silas and Timothy, send greetings to the church at Thessalonica, Christians assembled by
God the Father and by the Master, Jesus Christ. God’s amazing grace be with you! God’s robust peace!
2-5
Every time we think of you, we thank God for you. Day and night you’re in our prayers as we call to mind your work of
faith, your labor of love, and your patience of hope in following our Master, Jesus Christ, before God our Father. It is clear
to us, friends, that God not only loves you very much but also has put his hand on you for something special. When the
Message we preached came to you, it wasn’t just words. Something happened in you. The Holy Spirit put steel in your
convictions.
5-6
You paid careful attention to the way we lived among you, and determined to live that way yourselves. In imitating us,
you imitated the Master. Although great trouble accompanied the Word, you were able to take great joy from the Holy
Spirit!—taking the trouble with the joy, the joy with the trouble.
7-10
Do you know that all over the provinces of both Macedonia and Achaia believers look up to you? The word has gotten
around. Your lives are echoing the Master’s Word, not only in the provinces but all over the place. The news of your faith
in God is out. We don’t even have to say anything anymore—you’re the message! People come up and tell us how you
received us with open arms, how you deserted the dead idols of your old life so you could embrace and serve God, the
true God. They marvel at how expectantly you await the arrival of his Son, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who
rescued us from certain doom.
Response Holy Wisdom, Holy Word! Thanks be to God!
pg. 1
PSALM 96:1-9
read responsively
96 Sing to the LORD a new song! Sing to the LORD, all the earth!
2
Sing to the LORD! Bless his name! Share the news of his saving work every single day!
3
Declare God’s glory among the nations; declare his wondrous works among all people
4
because the LORD is great and so worthy of praise. He is awesome beyond all other gods
5
because all the gods of the nations are just idols, but it is the LORD who created heaven!
6
Greatness and grandeur are in front of him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
7
Give to the LORD, all families of the nations—give to the LORD glory and power!
8
Give to the LORD the glory due his name! Bring gifts! Enter his courtyards!
9
Bow down to the LORD in his holy splendor! Tremble before him, all the earth!
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
ELW 512
The assembly stands to welcome Jesus, the living Word, in song.
Lord, let my heart be good soil, o-pen to the seed of your word.
Lord, let my heart be good soil, where love can grow and peace is understood.
When my heart is hard, break the stone a-way.
When my heart is cold, warm it with the day.
When my heart is lost, lead me on your way.
Lord, let my heart, Lord, let my heart, Lord, let my heart be good soil.
Preface The Holy Gospel according to Matthew! Glory to you, O Lord!
A READING FROM THE HOLY GOSPELS (Good News): Matthew 22:15-22
The Message*
[The] Pharisees plotted a way to trap [Jesus] into saying something damaging [about his ministry]. They sent their
disciples, with a few of [King] Herod’s followers mixed in, to ask, “Teacher, we know you have integrity, teach the way of
God accurately, are indifferent to popular opinion, and don’t pander to your students. So tell us honestly: Is it right to pay
taxes to Caesar or not?”
18-19
Jesus knew they were up to no good. He said, “Why are you playing these games with me? Why are you trying to trap
me? Do you have a coin? Let me see it.” They handed him a silver piece.
20
“This engraving—who does it look like? And whose name is on it?”
21
They said, “Caesar.”
“Then give Caesar what is his, and give God what is his.”
22
The Pharisees were [amazed and] speechless. They went off shaking their heads.
15-17
Response The Gospel of the Lord! Praise to you, O Christ!
MESSAGE
Pastor Andrew
SONG OF THE DAY
Take my life, that I may be
CONFESSION OF FAITH – The Apostles Creed
ELW 583
God has made us his people through our Baptism into Christ. Living together in trust and hope, we confess our faith.
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified,
died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he
is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the
resurrection + of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
With the whole people of God in Christ Jesus, let us pray for the church, those in need, and all of God's creation.
A brief silence
Petitions follow:
The responses are… Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
Trusting in Your mercy and goodness, we bring before You these prayers and whatever else You see that we need, in the
name of the one who sets us free, Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.
CONFESSION
Friends, come as you are. Don’t wait to tidy up your mind or wash your feelings, God’s love in Christ can do that far better
than is humanly possible. Come as you are and put yourself at the mercy of redeeming love.
Silence for reflection
pg. 2
Let us pray.
God our Savior, here we are with many faults together with our few gifts and loves.
Here we are with the fruits of some wisdom but also with the weeds of our folly.
Here we are bearing the gratitude for a small victories yet shame for soft defeats.
Here we are aware of some sins but blind to other aspects of evil in our lives.
Here we are wanting you to know it all, to forgive the ugly and rescue the beautiful.
God our Savior, here we are totally dependent on your gift of salvation,
through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen!
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
This is what the most + holy Judge says to those who repent and believe.
‘My daughter, my son, your sins are forgiven. Go in peace.’
That word is meant for you and for me; in its graciousness we are set free. Thanks be to God!
SHARING OF THE PEACE
All are encouraged to greet others in Christ’s name.
The peace of Christ be with you always! And, also with you!
MEAL
God feeds us with the presence of the risen and ascended Christ!
GATHERING OF GIFTS
God’s child
Senior & Junior Choir
As the gifts of bread, wine, and currency are brought forward, the assembly stands.
OFFERTORY
Come to the ta-ble of mer-cy, pre-pared with the wine and the bread.
All who are hun-gry and thirst-y, come and your souls will be fed.
Come at the Lord’s in-vi-ta-tion; re-ceive from his nail-scarred hand.
Eat of the bread of sal-va-tion; drink of the blood of the Lamb.
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PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Let us pray: We bring these gifts this day, O God, confessing that we do not give our all. We hold back in our giving,
deceiving ourselves into thinking that most of what we have deservedly belongs to us. We beg Your forgiveness and
patience. Please open us to the freedom of living as though all things belong to You. We ask You to help us let this act of
giving be a fresh start in making available to You all that we are and all that we have. By your persistent grace may we
become increasingly self-emptying as modeled for us in our Lord Jesus the Christ. Amen.
THANKSGIVING FOR JESUS’ LIFE AND OUR SALVATION
The Lord be with you! And also with you!
Open up your hearts! We open them up to the Lord!
Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God! It is right to give God thanks and praise!
Pastor Andrew gives thanks for God’s salvation in Jesus Christ.
… And so, with all the choirs of angels, with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join
their unending song:
SANCTUS
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You are holy, you are whole. You are always ever more that we ever understand! You are always at hand.
Blessed are you coming near. Blessed are you coming here to your church in wine and bread,
raised from soil, raised from dead.
You are holy, you are wholeness, you are present. Let the cosmos praise you, Lord!
Sing hosanna in the highest! Sing hosanna! Sing hosanna to our God!
CHRIST’S WORDS OF INSTITUTION
Pastor Andrew prays for the Spirit’s presence in us who are gathered and the meal we share.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
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 and ever. Amen.
INVITATION TO COMMUNION
The reign of God is at hand! Come, taste the joy prepared for us! Thanks be to God!
PSALM 136:1
Confitemini Domino
Come and fill our hearts with your peace. You a-lone, O Lord, are ho-ly.
Come and fill our hearts with your peace. Al-le-lu-ia! (repeat all once)
pg. 3
ELW 528
THE EUCHARIST
(intinction-dipping of host into the chalice of wine or grape juice)
Believing in the real presence of Christ, this church practices Eucharistic hospitality. All baptized persons, having previously received
communion, are welcomed to The Meal. Those who do not wish to commune may come forward for a blessing signified by crossed arms.
SONGS DURING THE EUCHARIST
POST EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
ELW 822, 583
Let us pray: O God, the host at every meal, at this table You spread out a feast for all peoples, the bread of life and the
cup of salvation. Send us from this banquet to invite others into these good things, to let justice roll down like waters, and
to care for the least of our sisters and brothers; through Jesus Christ, our Sovereign and our Savior. Amen.
BLESSING The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
The Lord look upon you + with favor and grant you peace! Amen!
SENDING
God blesses us and sends us in mission to the world.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
SENDING SONG
At the Lamb’s high feast we sing
DISMISSAL
Go in peace, to love and serve the Lord and each other! Thanks be to God!
POSTLUDE
Christ, the sure foundation
ELW 362
From Sundays and Seasons.com, Copyright 2014 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies
Annual License #28372. CCLI license #313059, Logos Productions
*Scripture translations are in the public domain and sourced through http://www.biblegateway.com
ALLERGY NOTICES
NOTE 1: The chalice next to Pastor Andrew with the Assisting Minister contains wine while the small chalice on the outside with the
Acolyte contains grape juice.
NOTE 2: If you require a rice wafer, uncontaminated by wheat, and uncontaminated wine, please let Pastor Andrew and the Assisting
Minister know as they are available.
Serving at worship today are:
Will Toombs - Assisting Minister
Emily White & Lauren Wiinikka – Ushers
Elizabeth Berglund – Reader
The Toombs family – Greeters
Derek Fountaine – Acolyte
Virginia Carlson & Nancy Hallstrom – Counters
This coming week at Zion
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
7PM
2PM-4PM
Evening Prayer w/Holy Eucharist
Pastor’s Office Hours @ Panera Bread on Gold Star
The-Community-of-Zion-Lutheran-Worcester.org
41 Whitmarsh Avenue, Worcester, MA 01606-3296
Office: 508-853-2009 zionlutheranworc@verizon.net
The Rev. Andrew H. Borden, Pastor
pastor_andrew.b@verizon.net
http://GodTalk-Worcester.ning.com
Sally Bond, Director of Music
Stephanie Harms, Sunday School Superintendent
Donna Hayes, Council President
You may also find us on FACEBOOK @ Zion Lutheran – Worcester, MA
A RECONCILING IN CHRIST COMMUNITY
pg. 4