Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Lectionary 22b)August 29 and 30, 2015Holy Communion

INTRODUCTION

Jesus protests against human customs being given the weight of divine law, while the essence of God’s law is ignored. True uncleanness comes not from external things, but from the intentions of the human heart. Last week Jesus told us “the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” Now James says God has given us birth by the word of truth. We, having been washed in the word when we were born in the font, return to it every Sunday to ask God to create in us clean hearts.

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

GRACE TO RECEIVE THE WORD

Blessed Lord, you speak to us through the Holy Scriptures. Grant that we may hear, read, respect, learn, and make them our own in such a way that the enduring benefit and comfort of the word will help us grasp and hold the blessed hope of everlasting life, through our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

THE ORDER OF WORSHIP

PRELUDE Chorale Prelude on O Gott, du frommer Gott Op. 122, #7 (O God, Thou Faithful God) Johannes Brahms

WELCOME

INVOCATION

In the name of the Father, and of the (+) Son, and of the Holy Spirit.Amen.

CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS

Brothers and sisters, if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

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.

GATHERING SONG:   Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee (ELW 836)

GREETING

The grace of our 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 Now the Feast and Celebration (ELW 167)

PRAYER OF THE DAY

O God our strength, without you we are weak and wayward creatures. Protect us from all dangers that attack us from the outside, and cleanse us from all evil that arises from within ourselves, that we may be preserved through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

Please be seated.

A MESSAGE FOR OUR CHILDREN

FIRST READING:  Song of Solomon 2:8-13

  8 The voice of my beloved!     Look, he comes,   leaping upon the mountains,     bounding over the hills.  9 My beloved is like a gazelle     or a young stag.   Look, there he stands     behind our wall,   gazing in at the windows,     looking through the lattice.  10 My beloved speaks and says to me:   “Arise, my love, my fair one,     and come away;  11 for now the winter is past,     the rain is over and gone.  12 The flowers appear on the earth;     the time of singing has come,   and the voice of the turtledove     is heard in our land.  13 The fig tree puts forth its figs,     and the vines are in blossom;     they give forth fragrance.   Arise, my love, my fair one,     and come away.”

The word of the Lord.Thanks be to God.

PSALM 45:1-2, 6-9

Refrain:

Tone:

1 My heart is stirring with a noble song; let me recite what I have fashioned | for the king; my tongue shall be the pen of a | skillful writer.

2 You are the noblest a- | mong the people; grace flows from your lips, because God has blessed | you forever.  R

6 Your throne, O God, endures forev- | er and ever, a scepter of righteousness is the scepter | of your kingdom.   

7 You love righteousness and | hate iniquity; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above | your companions.

8 All your garments are fragrant with myrrh, al- | oes, and cassia, and the music of strings from ivory palaces | makes you glad.  

9 Kings’ daughters stand among the ladies | of the court; on your right hand is the queen, adorned with the | gold of Ophir.  R

SECOND READING: James 1:17-27

17 Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

  19 You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen,

slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. 21 Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.  22 But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. 23 For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; 24 for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. 25 But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing.  26 If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

The word of the Lord.Thanks be to God.

Please stand for the reading of the gospel. GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

VERSE: God gave us birth by the | word of truth* so that we would become a kind of first fruits | of creation. (James 1:18)

GOSPEL Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

The holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Mark.Glory to you, O Lord.

1 Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around [Jesus], 2 they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. 3 (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; 4 and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) 5

So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” 6 He said to them, “Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written,    ‘This people honors me with their lips,     but their hearts are far from me;  7 in vain do they worship me,     teaching human precepts as doctrines.’8 You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.”  14 Then he called the crowd again and said to them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand: 15 there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.”  21 For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, 22 adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

The gospel of the Lord.Praise to you, O Christ.

Please be seated.

SERMON Pastor Charles Peterson

Please stand to sing:

HYMN OF THE DAY Earth and All Stars! (ELW 731)

CREED

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 INTERCESSION With confidence in God’s compassion and generosity, let us pray for the church, the world, and all of God’s creation.

Please sit or kneel as you are able:

Each petition ends with:Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Into your loving hands, gracious God, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your abundant mercy; through Jesus Christ, our Savior.Amen.

HEALING

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 to greet one another in the peace of the risen Christ.

PEACE

The peace of Christ be with you always.And also with you.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

MUSIC AT THE OFFERING Blessed Be the God of Israel

OFFERTORY HYMN: Create in Me a Clean Heart (ELW 186)

OFFERING PRAYER

Let us pray. O God, ruler of heaven and earth, all that we have and all that we are come through you. We offer back in thanksgiving a portion of what you have given us: our time, our work, and our wealth. With them we dedicate our lives to the care and redemption of all that you have made, through Jesus Christ, who gave himself for the salvation of the world. Amen.

DIALOGUE

PREFACE

HOLY, HOLY, HOLY Holy, Holy, Holy (ELW 190a)

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER

Holy, mighty, and merciful Lord, heaven and earth are full of your glory.In great love you sent to us Jesus, your Son, who reached out to heal the sick and suffering, who preached good news to the poor, and who, on the cross, opened his arms to all. In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.

Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.Remembering, therefore, his death, resurrection, and ascension, we await his coming in glory. Pour out upon us the Spirit of your love, O Lord, and unite the wills of all who share this heavenly food, the body and blood of Jesus Christ, our Lord; to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory, now and forever.Amen.

LORD'S PRAYER

Risen Lord, remember us in your kingdom, and teach us to pray: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

All who desire to leave their old lives behind and live in Christ, come to the feast!

All baptized people are welcome to the table to receive Christ’s body and blood. If you have not been baptized, you are also welcome to the table as God’s guest; we are honored by your presence. We recognize the Body of 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 can’t or don’t wish to receive today, we encourage you to hold your hands over your chest for a blessing as you come forward.

COMMUNION

The body of Christ, given for you.The blood of Christ, shed for you.Amen.

LAMB OF GOD O Christ, Lamb of God (ELW 196)

SONG DURING DISTRIBUTION Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

Almighty God, you gave your Son Jesus Christ both as a sacrifice for sin and a model of godly life. Move us by your Holy Spirit to receive him always with thanksgiving and conform our lives to his; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.Amen.

BLESSING

Almighty God, Father, +Son, and Holy Spirit bless you and keep you, now and forever.Amen.

SENDING HYMN   Shine, Jesus, Shine (ELW 671)

DISMISSAL

Go in peace. Love as God has loved you.Thanks be to God.

POSTLUDE Chorale Fantasy on Shine, Jesus, Shine     Wells

The flowers on the altar are given to the Glory of God and in honor of the 53rd wedding anniversary of Frank and Dorothy Bazell on August 31st.

Presented by Chris and Debbie Bazell

COMMEMORATIONS FOR THE WEEK

Nikolai F.S. GrundtvigWednesday, September 02, 2015

Grundtvig was, with Søren Kierkegaard, one of the two great Danish theologians of the nineteenth century. As a pastor, he battled the prevalent idea that Christianity was more a philosophy than divine revelation. He wrote over a thousand hymns.

The Altar flowers are administered by the worship committee.  The 2015 Altar Flower chart is posted on the bulletin board in the lower lobby and there is attached to it a tear-off sheet for donors to complete and hand into the office or place in the offering plate for proper publication in the bulletin.

If you would like to purchase flowers for worship in memory of or in honor of someone, please sign up. The cost is $35 per arrangement, and checks should be made out to Trinity Lutheran Church. The contact person is Mary in the church office (614) 224.6818 or email: oldtrinityoffice@gmail.com

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.

Please feel free to take your bulletin and happenings with you. If you wish to discard your bulletin, a recycling box is located at the exit.

Thank you.