17th Sunday after Pentecost

A little faith goes a long way is our Lord’s point in the gospel. A mustard seed’s-worth has miraculous potential. The patience, tenacity, and endurance required for the life of faith are the blessings received in water and the word (holy baptism), bread and wine (holy communion), the word read and proclaimed in this assembly. Anticipate them. Receive them with thanksgiving.

Welcome to All Our Guests and Visitors: The people of First Lutheran Church extend a very sincere welcome to you. For this morning’s worship we will be using the Red Book (Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW)).

P: Pastor A: Assisting Minister C: Congregation * Please stand as you are able

Per CDC Guidelines: facemasks are now optional indoors (this may change). It’s never inappropriate to wear a mask. Please do what makes you feel comfortable.

PRELUDE: “Now Thank we All our God” ~ Lani Smith

*GATHERING SONG: “God Is Here!” ELW # 526

+ GATHERING +

BRIEF ORDER FOR CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS:

P Blessed be the holy Trinity, + one God, who is eager to forgive and who loves us beyond our days.

C Amen.

P Dear friends, together let us acknowledge our failure to love this world as Jesus does.

Silence is kept for reflection.

God of mercy and forgiveness,

C we confess that sin still has a hold on us. We have harmed your good creation. We have failed to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with you. Turn us in a new direction. Show us the path that leads to life. Be our refuge and strength on the journey, through Jesus Christ, our redeemer and friend. Amen.

P Beloved of God: your sins are forgiven + and you are made whole. God points the way to new life in Christ, who meets us on the road. Journey now in God’s abiding love through the power of the Holy Spirit.

C Amen.

*GREETING:

A The grace given to us in Christ Jesus, the power of God who calls us with a holy calling, and the help of the Holy Spirit living in us be with you all.

C And also with you.

*HYMN OF PRAISE: “Now the Feast and Celebration” ELW # 167

Refrain: Now the feast and celebration, all of creation sings for joy to the God of life and love and freedom; praise and glory forever more!

Vs. 1 Now is the feast of the Lamb once slain, whose blood has freed and united us to be one great people of God.

Refrain

Vs. 2 Power and riches, wisdom and might, all honor and glory to Christ forever.

Refrain

Vs. 3 For God has come to dwell with us, to make us people of God; to make all things new.

Refrain

PRAYER OF THE DAY:

A Benevolent, merciful God: When we are empty, fill us. When we are weak in faith, strengthen us. When we are cold in love, warm us, that with fervor we may love our neighbors and serve them for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

C Amen

JUST FOR KIDS — Kids please meet up front with Pastor Dennis

Sunday School ~ all children age 3 on up may go with the teacher to the classroom.

+ WORD +

FIRST READING: Habakkuk 1:1–4; 2:1–4

Injustice and violence in the time leading up to the Babylonian exile move this prophet to lament: How can a good and all-powerful God see evil in the world and seemingly remain indifferent? God answers by proclaiming that the wicked will perish, but the righteous will live by faith.

The oracle that the prophet Habakkuk saw.

²O LORD, how long shall I cry for help,

and you will not listen?

Or cry to you "Violence!"

and you will not save?

³Why do you make me see wrongdoing

and look at trouble?

Destruction and violence are before me;

strife and contention arise.

⁴So the law becomes slack

and justice never prevails.

The wicked surround the righteous—

therefore judgment comes forth perverted.

^2:1I will stand at my watchpost,

and station myself on the rampart;

I will keep watch to see what he will say to me,

and what he will answer concerning my complaint.

²Then the LORD answered me and said:

Write the vision;

make it plain on tablets,

so that a runner may read it.

³For there is still a vision for the appointed time;

it speaks of the end, and does not lie.

If it seems to tarry, wait for it;

it will surely come, it will not delay.

⁴Look at the proud!

Their spirit is not right in them,

but the righteous live by their faith.

PSALM: Psalm 37:1–9, Read Responsively

Commit your way to the LORD; put your trust in the LORD. (Ps. 37:5)

Do not be provoked by ^| evildoers;

do not be jealous of those ^| who do wrong.

²For they shall soon wither ^| like the grass,

and like the green grass ^| fade away.

³Put your trust in the LORD ^| and do good;

dwell in the land and ^| find safe pasture.

⁴Take delight ^| in the LORD,

who shall give you your ^| heart's desire.

⁵Commit your way to the LORD; put your trust ^| in the LORD,

and see what ^| God will do.

⁶The LORD will make your vindication as clear ^| as the light

and the justice of your case like the ^| noonday sun.

⁷Be still before the LORD and wait ^| patiently.

Do not be provoked by the one who prospers,

the one who succeeds in ^| evil schemes.

⁸Refrain from anger, leave ^| rage alone;

do not be provoked; it leads on- ^| ly to evil.

⁹For evildoers shall ^| be cut off,

but those who hope in the LORD shall pos- ^| sess the land.

SECOND READING: 2 Timothy 1:1–14

This message written from Paul to Timothy is a personal message of encouragement. In the face of hardship and persecution, Timothy is reminded that his faith is a gift of God. He is encouraged to exercise that faith with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,

²To Timothy, my beloved child:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

³I am grateful to God—whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did—when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. ⁴Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. ⁵I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. ⁶For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; ⁷for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.

⁸Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, ⁹who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, ¹⁰but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. ¹¹For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher, ¹²and for this reason I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him. ¹³Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.

*GOSPEL ACCLAMATION: ELW # 177

Glory to you, O Word of God, Lord Jesus Christ.

*HOLY GOSPEL: Luke 17:5–10

P The Holy Gospel according to Luke, the seventeenth chapter.

C Glory to you, O Lord

On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus instructs his followers about the power of faith and the duties of discipleship. He calls his disciples to adopt the attitude of servants whose actions are responses to their identity rather than works seeking reward.

The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" ⁶The Lord replied, "If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.

⁷"Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, 'Come here at once and take your place at the table'? ⁸Would you not rather say to him, 'Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink'? ⁹Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? ¹⁰So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, 'We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!'"

P The Gospel of the Lord.

C Praise to you, O Christ

SERMON: Pastor Dennis Hickman

HYMN OF THE DAY: “My Faith Looks Up to Thee” ELW # 759

APOSTLES’ CREED:

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

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again 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

* catholic means universal

SHARING OF THE PEACE:

P The peace of the Lord be with you always.

C And also with you.

(The congregation greets one another in the name of the Lord: “Peace be with you.”)

OFFERING: “O Sing to the Lord” ~ Krenz Organ

(Download Vanco Mobile app to give via your phone)

*OFFERTORY: “O Master, Let Me Walk with You” ELW # 818 vs. 1

O Master, let me walk with you in lowly paths of service true;

tell me your secret; help me bear the strain of toil, the fret of care.

*OFFERTORY PRAYER:

A Gracious God, in your great love you richly provide for our needs. Make of these gifts a banquet of blessing, and make us ready to share with all in need; through Jesus Christ, who sets a table for all.

C Amen.

+ PRAYERS +

A God hears the cry of the poor and is near to all in need. Let us pray for our neighbors, our world, and ourselves, trusting in God's mercy and love.

Prayer Petitions...

P All this we ask, gracious God, together with all that is known to you alone, in the name of your risen and anointed Son, through the power of your life-giving Spirit.

C Amen

+ THE LORD’S SUPPER +

*THE GREAT THANKSGIVING:

P The Lord be with you.

C And also with you.

P Lift up your hearts.

C We lift them to the Lord.

P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

C It is right to give our thanks and praise.

P It is indeed right, our duty and our joy... we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

“Holy, Holy, Holy” ELW # 190 (first 6 lines)

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, holy, holy, holy Lord God of power and might, Heaven and earth are full, full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest, hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest, hosanna in the highest.

THE WORDS of INSTITUTION

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

COMMUNION DISTRIBUTION

The Lord invites to His table to receive his Body and Blood those who are baptized and believe the words, “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sin.” Children who have not yet received their first Holy Communion are invited forward for a blessing. Children who do receive the bread and wine, please hold out your hands so we know to serve you. We are aware that alcohol is not a choice for some people; therefore, we offer white grape juice as an alternative choice. The white grape juice is in the center of each tray of glasses, the wine is red. Feel free to stand if kneeling is a hardship for you. Communion assistants please come forward also and kneel at the altar rail. Pre-sealed cups are still available on the little table in the center.

OTHER HYMNS DURING DISTRIBUTION: ELW #639

*POST-COMMUNION BLESSING:

P The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.

C Amen.

*POST-COMMUNION PRAYER:

A God of the abundant table, you have refreshed our hearts in this meal with bread for the journey. Give us your grace on the road that we might serve our neighbors with joy; for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

C Amen.

+ SENDING +

*BLESSING:

P God, who gives life to all things and frees us from despair, bless you with truth and peace. And may the holy Trinity, + one God, guide you always in faith, hope, and love.

C Amen.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

*SENDING SONG: “Hallelujah! We Sing Your Praises” ELW # 535

DISMISSAL:

A Go in peace. Remember the poor.

C Thanks be to God.

*POSTLUDE: “March” ~ Fux