16th Sunday after Pentecost

Consideration of and care for those in need (especially those "at our gate," visible to us, of whom we are aware) is an essential component of good stewardship. It is in the sharing of wealth that we avoid the snare of wealth. It is the one whom death could not hold—who comes to us risen from the dead—who can free us from the death grip of greed.

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: "Give Me Jesus" ~ Billingham

*GATHERING SONG: “Gather Us In” ELW #532

+ 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.

PRAYER OF THE DAY:

A O God, rich in mercy, you look with compassion on this troubled world. Feed us with your grace, and grant us the treasure that comes only from you, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

C Amen

SPECIAL MUSIC: “Pie Jesu” ~ Weber

Duet: Laurae Lygre & Maureen Roth

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: Amos 6:1a, 4–7

The prophet Amos announces that Israel's great wealth is a cause not for rejoicing but rather sorrow, because God's people have forgotten how to share their wealth with the poor. The wealthy will be the first to go into exile when judgment comes.

Alas for those who are at ease in Zion,

and for those who feel secure on Mount Samaria!

⁴Alas for those who lie on beds of ivory,

and lounge on their couches,

and eat lambs from the flock,

and calves from the stall;

⁵who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp,

and like David improvise on instruments of music;

⁶who drink wine from bowls,

and anoint themselves with the finest oils,

but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!

⁷Therefore they shall now be the first to go into exile,

and the revelry of the loungers shall pass away.

PSALM: Psalm 146, Read Responsively

The LORD gives justice to those who are oppressed. (Ps. 146:7)

Hal- ^| lelujah!

Praise the LORD, ^| O my soul!

²I will praise the LORD as long ^| as I live;

I will sing praises to my God while I ^| have my being.

³Put not your ^| trust in rulers,

in mortals in whom there ^| is no help.

⁴When they breathe their last, they re- ^| turn to earth,

and in that day ^| their thoughts perish.

⁵Happy are they who have the God of Jacob ^| for their help,

whose hope is in the ^| LORD their God;

⁶who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that ^| is in them;

who keeps promis- ^| es forever;

⁷who gives justice to those who are oppressed, and food to ^| those who hunger.

The LORD sets the ^| captive free.

⁸The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; the LORD lifts up those who ^| are bowed down;

the LORD ^| loves the righteous.

⁹The LORD cares ^| for the stranger;

the LORD sustains the orphan and widow,

but frustrates the way ^| of the wicked.

¹⁰The LORD shall ^| reign forever,

your God, O Zion, throughout all generations. ^| Hallelujah!

SECOND READING: 1 Timothy 6:6–19

Timothy is reminded of the confession he made at his baptism and of its implications for daily life. His priorities will be different from those of people who merely want to be rich.

Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; ⁷for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; ⁸but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. ⁹But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.

¹¹But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. ¹²Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. ¹³In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you ¹⁴to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵which he will bring about at the right time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. ¹⁶It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

¹⁷As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. ¹⁸They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, ¹⁹thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.

*HOLY GOSPEL: Luke 16:19–31

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

C Glory to you, O Lord

Jesus tells a parable in which the poor one is "lifted up" and the rich one is "sent away empty." Jesus makes it clear that this ethic of merciful reversal is not new but is as old as Moses and the prophets.

[Jesus said:] "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. ²⁰And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, ²¹who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man's table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. ²²The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. ²⁴He called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.' ²⁵But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. ²⁶Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.' ²⁷He said, 'Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father's house— ²⁸for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.' ²⁹Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.' ³⁰He said, 'No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' ³¹He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"

P The Gospel of the Lord.

C Praise to you, O Christ

SERMON: Pastor Dennis Hickman

HYMN OF THE DAY: “Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life” ELW #719 vs. 1, 2, 5 & 6

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: “I will Sing of My Redeemer” ~ Page

(Download Vanco Mobile app to give via your phone)

*OFFERTORY: “We Come to the Hungry Feast” ELW # 479

We come to the hungry feast hungry for a word of peace.

To hungry hearts unsatisfied the love of God is not denied.

We come, we come to the hungry feast.

We come to the hungry feast hungry for a world released

from hungry folk of ev’ry kind, the poor in body, poor in mind.

We come, we come to the hungry feast.

We come to the hungry feast hungry that the hunger cease,

and knowing, though we eat our fill, the hunger will stay with us;

still we come, we come to the hungry feast.

*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:

THE WORDS of INSTITUTION

THE LORD’S PRAYER:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. 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 #712

*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: “Jesus, the Very Thought of You” ELW #754

DISMISSAL:

A Go in peace. Remember the poor.

C Thanks be to God.

*POSTLUDE: “Allegro” ~ Handel