August 16, 2020

 Morning Worship Text: August 16, 2020

Ordinary Time - A Season for Spiritual Growth
Before we begin, gather a candle or small light, your Bible, a cross,  a piece of bread and a cup of juice or water. Place them at the center of a calm area in your home and gather comfortable seating for all who will join you. Place your phone, tablet  or computer where you can see and hear it. You may want to connect a charger, rather than rely on battery. Today you may want a picture or a model of a boat in your worship area.

Welcome

Musical Meditation

Focus

Lighting the Christ Candles      We light our candles or lights.
Voice One: In the beginning, God said,
Voice Two: "Let there be light," and there was light!
Voice One: We light these candles today,
Voice Two: Because God is with us in this time and in all these places!



Call to Worship  

Voice One: Come and worship,
Voice Two: all you who love and serve the Lord—
Voice One:outsiders and insiders,
Voice Two: old-timers and new-comers,
Voice One: the young, old and the in-between.
Voice Two: Come as you are,
Voice One: for this is God’s house—a house of prayer for all people,
Voice Two: and God welcomes each one who comes.


Invocation    We pray together in unison.
How very good and pleasant it is, Lord God, to be drawn together by you as sisters and brothers in Christ. Pour your empowering Spiritupon us,  a healing oil. Let your message today be dew on a grassy field, enriching and refreshing our minds and hearts for a new week. Open our eye to the blessing of your calling in this moment. Open our noses to the fragrance of mercy and grace in all these challenges. Make us a blessing to our world. Amen.

— written by Lisa Caldwell-Reiss, based on Psalm 133


Scripture:  Psalm 133
How very good and pleasant it is
    when kindred live together in unity!
It is like the precious oil on the head,
    running down upon the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
    running down over the collar of his robes.
It is like the dew of Hermon,
    which falls on the mountains of Zion.
For there the Lord ordained his blessing,
    life forevermore.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Sermon


Invitation to the Table The bread and cup and placed on the table for the Lord’s Supper.

Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people.

Prayer of Communion Elders this month are Will Bondurant and Judy Halstead.


Words of Institution We break the bread and lift the cup as the words are spoken.


The Lord's Supper We share in the bread and cup as we hear the music.






Prayer of Thanksgiving "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.  Amen.


Prayers of the People
Holy Spirit, help your scattered people to be of one heart and soul, that our proclamation will resonate with great power, and great grace may be upon us all.

Set our minds on heavenly things. Fill us with your joy.

Lord Jesus Christ, you prayed that we would be one church. Help us receive you like morning dew upon the mountains, valleys and prairies. Help us rely upon your precious promise of life forevermore. 

Set our minds on heavenly things. Fill us with your joy.

Word of Life, eternal life, make our joy complete with the God of light, in whom there is no darkness at all.

Set our minds on heavenly things. Fill us with your joy.

Merciful God,  forgiver of our every sin, help us look to Jesus Christ, your beloved Son, as our advocate and redeemer, not only for ourselves, but for your whole world.

Set our minds on heavenly things. Fill us with your joy.

Lord Jesus Christ, when fear fills us, give us strength to constantly return to your church, until we can again speak words of faith.

Set our minds on heavenly things. Fill us with your joy.

We bring before you people we know with special needs...burdens too heavy to bear alone, disease that will not be healed on this earth, and afflictions that can be healed by your precious touch ____.

Set our minds on heavenly things. Fill us with your joy.

Help us listen closely to your Word,
even as you listen closely to our prayers. Amen.

— written by Paul Sauer, and posted on the Lutheran Forum website.


Challenge for Discipleship

Blessing     We speak in unison.

The Light that was in one place and at one time, is now in all places and all times, for God has placed the light in us.   We abide in peace!