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August 2, 2020 + Ninth Sunday after Pentecost Bethlehem Lutheran Church

Pemberville, Ohio ANNOUNCEMENTS CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Let us confess our sins… We keep silence for confession and meditation. Faithful and just God,

We have sinned against you and our neighbors. We are a people broken by our sin and the sins of others. Have mercy on us. Forgive our sins. Heal our brokenness. Make our lives new by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

May Almighty God have mercy on you and forgive you all your sins, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. HYMN Be Thou My Vision #793 1 Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; naught be all else to me, save that thou art: thou my best thought by day and by night, waking or sleeping, thy presence my light. 2 Be thou my wisdom, & thou my true word I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord. Thou my soul’s shelter, thou my high tower, raise thou me heav’nward, O Pow’r of my pow’r.

3 Riches I heed not, nor vain, empty praise, thou mine inheritance, now and always: thou, and thou only, first in my heart, great God of heaven, my treasure thou art. 4 Light of my soul, after victory won, may I reach heaven’s joys, O heaven’s Sun! Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, still be my vision, O Ruler of all.

APOSTOLIC 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. PRAYER OF THE DAY Let us pray… Glorious God, your generosity waters the world with goodness, and you cover creation with abundance. Awaken in us a hunger for the food that satisfies both body and spirit, and with this food fill all the starving world; through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

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CHILDREN’S MESSAGE MEMORY VERSE: John 20:21 (spoken together) Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” FIRST READING Isaiah 55:1-5 A reading from Isaiah: 1Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. 3Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. 4See, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. 5See, you shall call nations that you do not know, and nations that do not know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. PSALM 145:8-9, 14-21 We sing the refrain, then speak the Psalm responsively, singing the refrain where indicated.

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8The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9LORD, you are good to all, and your compassion is over all your works. Refrain 14The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up those who are bowed down. 15The eyes of all wait upon you, O LORD, and you give them their food in due season. 16You open wide your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. 17You are righteous in all your ways and loving in all your works. Refrain 18You are near to all who call upon you, to all who call upon you faithfully. 19You fulfill the desire of those who fear you; you hear their cry and save them. 20You watch over all those who love you, but all the wicked you shall destroy. 21My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD; let all flesh bless God’s holy name forever and ever. Refrain SECOND READING Romans 9:1-5 A reading from Romans: 1I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit—2I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh. 4They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; 5to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Messiah, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. GOSPEL ACCLAMATION: Celtic Alleluia #174

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. Glory to you, O Lord. GOSPEL Matthew 14:13-21 13Now when Jesus heard [about the beheading of John the Baptist], he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. 15When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a

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deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16Jesus said to them, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” 17They replied, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.” 18And he said, “Bring them here to me.” 19Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. 21And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ. SERMON Sermon Notes: Following time for silence and reflection, we sing. HYMN Lord, Whose Love in Humble Service #712 1 Lord, whose love in humble service bore the weight of human need, who upon the cross, forsaken, worked your mercy's perfect deed: we, your servants, bring the worship not of voice alone, but heart; consecrating to your purpose ev'ry gift which you impart. 2 Still your children wander homeless; still the hungry cry for bread; still the captives long for freedom; still in grief we mourn our dead. As you, Lord, in deep compassion healed the sick and freed the soul, by your Spirit send your power to our world to make it whole.

3 As we worship, grant us vision, till your love's revealing light in its height and depth and greatness dawns upon our quickened sight, making known the needs and burdens your compassion bids us bear, stirring us to ardent service, your abundant life to share. 4 Called by worship to your service, forth in your dear name we go, to the child, the youth, the aged, love in living deeds to show; hope and health, good will and comfort, counsel, aid and peace we give, that your servants, Lord, in freedom may your mercy know and live.

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APOSTLES’ 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 Each petition ends: Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. PEACE The peace of the Lord be with you always. And also with you. We remain standing for the offering impact stories and the rest of the worship service. OFFERING PRAYER Let us pray…

The eyes of all look to you, O Lord, and you give them their food in due season. You open wide your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. Amen.

LORD’S PRAYER 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.

BLESSING HYMN Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness #843 1 Praise the One who breaks the darkness with a liberating light; praise the One who frees the pris'ners, turning blindness into sight. Praise the One who preached the gospel, healing ev'ry dread disease, calming storms and feeding thousands with the very bread of peace.

2 Praise the One who blessed the children with a strong yet gentle word; praise the One who drove out demons with a piercing, two-edged sword. Praise the One who brings cool water to the desert's burning sand; from this well comes living water quenching thirst in ev'ry land. (next page)

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3 Praise the one true love incarnate: Christ, who suffered in our place; Jesus died and rose for many that we may know God by grace.

Let us sing for joy and gladness, seeing what our God has done. Praise the one redeeming glory; praise the One who makes us one.

DISMISSAL What is our mission?

Transformed by the crucified and risen Jesus we are a loving community of disciples making disciples.

Go in peace. Remember the poor. Thanks be to God! CONNECTION CARD Please fill out a connection card in person (place them in the offering plates) or online at http://tinyurl.com/bethlehemcard. These are especially important if you are joining us in person, as they help with COVID-19 tracing if needed. FAITH STEPS I will pray for an end to hunger in our community. I will read Ma hew 14:13-21. I will discern what “loaves” I have to offer and be mul plied by our Lord.

ALTAR FLOWERS AND RADIO BROADCAST The altar flowers are given to the glory of God and in memory of Wilson and Bernice Witker’s wedding anniversary August 10, 1940, from Jim Witker and family.

The radio broadcast is given to the glory of God and in honor of Anna Smearsoll’s 105th birthday, thanking God for his continued presence in her life, from her family. PRAYERS FOR HEALING: Karen O’Brien, Karen Williams, Lloyd Daman, Jim Opelt, Bess Matthews, Diane Swartz, Helen Bushman, Anna Smearsoll, Jerry Meiring OFFICE HOURS Monday – Thursday, 9 am – 2 pm Friday, 9 am – 12 noon A special congregational meeting of Bethlehem Lutheran Church will be held on Sunday, August 9, 2020, following morning worship (approximately 9:45 am). The purpose of this meeting will be to discuss and approve the repair and revitalization of the fellowship hall roof. The project will cost approximately $50,000 and will come from the Capital Improvement Fund. PASTOR MATT will be on vacation from this afternoon through August 9. Pastor Jim Miller will be available for pastoral care and will be preaching next Sunday.

Copyright Licenses: Augsburg Fortress #20800, OneLicense #A-723236.