January 28th and 29th, 2017

The Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

Holy Communion

THE ORDER OF WORSHIP

PRELUDE

Chorale Partita on We Are Called

Wells

INVOCATION

ELW 4

You are invited to stand for the invocation.

INTRODUCTION TO THE DAY

Who are the blessed ones of God? For Micah, they are those who do
justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God. For Paul, they are the
ones who find wisdom in the weakness of the cross. For Jesus, they are the
poor, mourners, the meek, those who hunger for righteousness, the
merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers. In baptism we find our
blessed identity and calling in this countercultural way of living and
serving.
CHILDREN are always welcome to our Worship Service. Rainbow bags
and a cry room are available. A staffed nursery is also available if needed.
An usher will gladly provide you with assistance.
As a worship courtesy, we ask that you please turn off or set to vibrate
all cellular telephones and pagers during the worship service.
We ask that all present today please fill out the Attendance and Communion
registration card found in your bulletin and place it in the offering plate so
that we may record your presence with us.
PRAYER UPON ENTERING THE PEW
Almighty and ever-living God, increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and
love; and that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you
command, through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

In the name of the Father, and of the +Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
GATHERING SONG:

We Are Called

(ELW 720)

GREETING
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of
the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
CANTICLE OF PRAISE

that you may know the saving acts of the LORD.

6With what shall I come before the LORD,
and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
7Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the LORD require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Let us pray.
Holy God, you confound the worlds wisdom in giving your kingdom to the
lowly and the pure in heart. Give us such a hunger and thirst for justice, and
perseverance in striving for peace, that in our words and deeds the world
may see the life of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.
PSALM 15
Refrain:

Please be seated.
FIRST READING: Micah 6:1-8
1Hear what the LORD says:
Rise, plead your case before the mountains,
and let the hills hear your voice.
2Hear, you mountains, the controversy of the LORD,
and you enduring foundations of the earth;
for the LORD has a controversy with his people,
and he will contend with Israel.
3O my people, what have I done to you?
In what have I wearied you? Answer me!
4For I brought you up from the land of Egypt,
and redeemed you from the house of slavery;
and I sent before you Moses,
Aaron, and Miriam.
5O my people, remember now what King Balak of Moab devised,
what Balaam son of Beor answered him,
and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal,

Tone:

LORD, who may dwell in your | tabernacle?

Who may abide upon your | holy hill?
2
Those who lead a blameless life and do | what is right,
who speak the truth | from their heart; R
3

they do not slander with the tongue, they do no evil | to their friends;
they do not cast discredit up- | on a neighbor.
4

In their sight the wicked are rejected, but they honor those who | fear
the LORD. They have sworn upon their health and do not
take | back their word.
5
They do not give their money in hope of gain, nor do they take bribes
a- | gainst the innocent. Those who do these things shall never
be | overthrown. R

SECOND READING 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

18

The message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but
to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19For it is written,
I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.
20
Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater
of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For
since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom,
God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those
who believe. 22For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, 23but we
proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to
Gentiles, 24but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the
power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For Gods foolishness is wiser than
human wisdom, and Gods weakness is stronger than human strength.
26Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were
wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble
birth. 27But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God
chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28God chose what is
low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing
things that are, 29so that no one might boast in the presence of God. 30He is
the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from
God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31in order that,
as it is written, Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.

GOSPEL: Matthew 5:1-2

The holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Matthew.
Glory to you, O Lord.
1
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat
down, his disciples came to him. 2Then he began to speak, and taught them,
saying:
3Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they
will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter
all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the
prophets who were before you.
The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Please be seated.
SERMON

Pastor Charles Peterson

Please stand for the reading of the gospel.

Silence for reflection, then we invite you to stand and sing:
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
All sing the Alleluia. The choir will sing the verse, all repeat the Alleluia

HYMN OF THE DAY Blest Are They (ELW 728)

CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

Verse: Rejoice | and be glad,*

for your reward is |great in heaven. (Matt 5:12)

I believe in Jesus Christ, Gods 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.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Called to be a light to the nations, let us pray for Gods justice, peace, and
healing.
Please sit or kneel as you are able.
Each petition ends with:
Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Receive these prayers in the name of Christ, the light of the world, who is
one with you and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
CONFESSION OF SINS AND PROCLAMATION OF FORGIVENESS

Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
Most merciful God,
we confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. We
have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have
done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our
whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the
sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us,
and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for
his sake God forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of
the church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the
entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the +
Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

ORDER OF ANNOINING WITH OIL FOR HEALING

The order for healing is an expression in worship of the churchs ministry
of healing. Each person may come to receive a word of blessing and prayer
for healing and forgiveness, along with laying on of hands and an
anointing. These signs, first given in baptism, tell us again that we are
sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked forever with the cross of Christ, who
is health and salvation for the world.
In its ministry of healing, the church does not replace the gifts of God that
come through the scientific community nor does it promise a cure. Rather
the church offers and celebrates gifts such as these: Gods presence with
strength and comfort in time of suffering, Gods promise of wholeness and
peace and Gods love embodied in the community of faith.
Brothers and sisters, James writes: Is any one of you sick? Let him call the
elders of the church to prayer over him and anoint him with oil in the name
of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well;
the Lord will raise him up.
I invite you to come forward for anointing and prayer in the name of the
Lord.
Worshippers may come forward.
The minister will anoint each with the sign of the cross, praying:
Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit uphold you, fill you with grace,
and heal your every ill. Amen.
When all have returned to their seats, the congregation stands.
PEACE
The peace of Christ be with you always.
And also with you.
Please be seated.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
ANTHEM AT THE OFFERING

Offertory

We invite you to please stand.

John Ness Beck

OFFERTORY HYMN

Let All Things Now Living (ELW 881)

OFFERING PRAYER
God of all creation, all you have made is good, and your love endures
forever. You bring forth bread from the earth and fruit from the vine, they
are signs of your love for us. Nourish us with these gifts and move us with
your Holy Spirit that we might be for the world signs of your gracious
presence in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
DIALOGUE

PREFACE
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY

Christ as the community of the baptized, so if you would like to become

part of the Body of Christ, we encourage you to seek baptism. If you cant
or dont wish to receive today, we encourage you to hold your hands over
your chest for a blessing as you come forward.
LAMB OF GOD

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
Holy God, Creator of all and Source of lifeAlmighty Father, with the
Holy Spirit, in your holy Church, both now and forever. Amen.
COMMUNION HYMN:

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
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Please be seated.
All baptized people are welcome to the table to receive Christs body and
blood. If you have not been baptized, you are also welcome to the table as
Gods guest; we are honored by your presence. We recognize the Body of

Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross (ELW 335)

After all have communed, we invite you to stand and sing.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
We give you thanks, O God, with our eyes we have seen your salvation. In
this bread and cup of Christ's very body and blood you give us food for our
journey. As you led the magi by a star, as you brought the holy family home
again, guide us on the way unfolding before us. Wherever we go, may our
lives proclaim good news of great joy in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
BLESSING
God Almighty send you light and truth to keep you all the days of your life.
The hand of God protect you; the holy angels accompany you; and the
blessing of almighty God, Father, + Son, and Holy Spirit, be upon and
remain with you forever. Amen.

POSTLUDE
We invite you to please stand.
SENDING SONG:

Rise Up, O Saints of God! (ELW 669)

DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Christ is with you.
Thanks be to God.

Prelude in g

J. S. Bach

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN BECOMING A MEMBER OF

TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH?
We receive members throughout the year by Baptism, Affirmation of Faith,
Confirmation, Letter of Transfer, and New Member Instruction. Please
contact the church office with any questions. 224-6818.