Sunday, February 7, 2021 – website
Fifth Sunday of Epiphany
Prelude: Meditation on “Picardy”
Welcome and Announcements
Gathering Hymn: “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” LBW # 543,
vs 1 - 4
Confession & Forgiveness
Greeting & Kyrie
Canticle of Praise: “Glory to God…”
Prayer of the Day
First Reading, Isaiah 40:21-31
Psalm # 147:1-12
Second Reading, 1 Corinthians 9:16-27
Holy Gospel, Mark 1:29-39
Sermon
Hymn of the Day: “I Love to Tell the Story” – LBW # 390, vs 1
- 3
Nicene Creed
Prayers of the Church
The Lord’s Prayer
Blessing
Dismissal
Sending Hymn: “Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life” - LBW # 429,
vs 1 - 4
Postlude: Voluntary on “Nun Danket Alle
Gott”
(Congregational responses are in bold
print)
The community of faith comes together in worship to praise
God and be nurtured by His Word and Sacrament. As the prelude begins, prepare
to worship, use opportunities during the service to practice silence, to focus
upon God, and to offer prayer.
Prelude Meditation on “Picardy” Mark Hurley
Welcome and Announcements Pastor
John
Gathering Hymn “Praise
to the Lord, the Almighty” LBW # 543, vs 1 - 4
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation! O my
soul, praise him, for he is your health and salvation! Let all who hear Now to
his temple draw near, Joining in glad adoration!
Praise to the Lord, who o'er all things is wondrously reigning And,
as on wings of an eagle, uplifting, sustaining. Have you not seen All that is
needful has been Sent by his gracious ordaining?
Praise to the Lord, who will prosper your work and defend you; Surely
his goodness and mercy shall daily attend you. Ponder anew What the Almighty
can do If with his love he befriend you.
Praise to the Lord! Oh, let all that is in me adore him! All
that has life and breath, come now with praises before him! Let the amen Sound
from his people again. Gladly forever adore him!
Confession
& Forgiveness (Pastor)
Blessed be the holy Trinity, one God, who spoke light
into creation, who calls us to listen and follow, who sends us to shine like
stars. Amen.
Let us come before God, confessing our sin…
Holy and merciful God, we confess that we have sinned
against our sisters and brothers and against you. We cherish the values of this
world. We cause others to stumble. The earth is wounded by our excess. Have
mercy, O God. Forgive us, renew us, and raise us up on eagle’s wings, that we
may do your will with courage and delight. Amen.
Hear the voice from heaven: “You are my own, my
beloved.” God gives power to the weary and strengthens the powerless. Be
cleansed, be healed, for in the name of Jesus Christ, I declare to you the
forgiveness of your sins and the revealing of God’s reign. Amen.
Greeting (Pastor)
The grace of Jesus
Christ, the mercy of the Holy One, and the Spirit of the living God be with you
all. And also
with you.
Kyrie (Worship
Assistant)
In peace, let us pray
to the Lord. Lord, have mercy. For the peace from above, and for our
salvation, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy. For the peace
of the whole world, for the well-being of the church of God, and for the unity
of all, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy. For this holy house, and for all
who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord. Lord,
have mercy. Help,
save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord. Amen.
Canticle of Praise “Glory to
God…” (Worship Assistant)
Glory to God in
the highest, and peace to God’s people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you
thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the
Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy
on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For
you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory
of God the Father. Amen.
Prayer of the Day (Pastor)
First Reading: Isaiah 40:21-31 (Worship
Assistant)
21Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told
you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the
earth? 22It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its
inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; 23who
brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness. 24Scarcely
are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the
earth, when he blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off
like stubble. 25To whom then will you compare me, that I should be
like him? says the Holy One. 26Lift up your eyes on high and see:
who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by
name; by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one
is missing. 27Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, “My way
is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God”? 28Have
you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator
of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is
unsearchable. 29He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no
might he increases strength. 30Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted; 31but they who wait for the Lord
shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they
shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. This is the word of the Lord,
thanks be to God.
Psalm: Psalm # 147 - read responsively (Worship Assistant)
The Lord is worthy to be praised, sang the psalmist,
for he builds up the weak, restores the exiles, and binds the brokenhearted. He
has named all the stars and knows each one intimately. Our God is peaceful and he provides for all our needs.
Hallelujah! How good it is to sing praises to our God!
how pleasant it is to honor him with praise!
The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of
Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
He counts the number of the stars and calls them all
by their names.
Great is our Lord and mighty in power; there is no
limit to his wisdom.
The Lord lifts up the lowly, but
casts the wicked to the ground.
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make music to our
God upon the harp.
He covers the heavens with clouds and prepares rain
for the earth;
He makes grass to grow upon the mountains and green
plants to serve mankind.
He provides food for flocks and herds and for the
young ravens when they cry.
He is not impressed by the might of a horse; he has no
pleasure in the strength of a man;
But the Lord has pleasure in those who fear him, in
those who await his gracious favor.
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 9:16-27 (Worship
Assistant)
Paul
discussed his duty to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. He said he must do it,
even though he may be free not to. It was his compulsion to proclaim Christ so
that all people might know this saving grace, and yet it was not his will, but
Christ’s. Paul urged believers to run the race in such a way as to win, with
discipline and purpose, striving for the heavenly prize.
16For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground
for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the
gospel! 17For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if
not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. 18What
then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of
charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel. 19For
though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might
win more of them. 20To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one
under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those
under the law. 21To those outside the law I became as one outside
the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I
might win those outside the law. 22To the weak I became weak, that I
might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23I do it all for
the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. 24Do
you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the
prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25Every
athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a
perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26So I do not run aimlessly; I do
not box as one beating the air. 27But I discipline my body and keep
it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself
should be disqualified. This is the Word of
God, word of life, thanks be to God.
Holy Gospel: Mark 1:29-39 (Pastor)
The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the 1st
Chapter. Glory to you, O Lord.
Soon after Jesus called his disciples to come and
follow him, he healed Peter’s mother-in-law of a severe fever. After sunset
many came to find him, bringing loved ones who were ill
or demon possessed to be healed by Jesus. Jesus forbade any of the demons to
speak to his true identity.
29Immediately Jesus left the synagogue and entered the
house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30Now Simon’s
mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31And
he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and
she began to serve them. 32That evening at sundown they brought to
him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. 33And the whole city
was gathered together at the door. 34And he
healed many who were sick with various diseases, and
cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they
knew him. 35And rising very early in the
morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place,
and there he prayed. 36And Simon and those who were with him
searched for him, 37and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is
looking for you.” 38And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next
towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” 39And
he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out
demons. This is the gospel of the Lord, praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon Pastor
John
Hymn of the Day “I Love to Tell the Story” LBW # 390, vs 1 - 3
I love to tell the story Of unseen
things above, Of Jesus and his glory, Of Jesus and his love. I love to tell the
story, Because I know its true; It satisfies my
longings As nothing else would do.
(Refrain):
I love to tell the story; I'll sing this theme in glory And
tell the old, old story Of Jesus and his love.
I love to tell the story: How pleasant to repeat What seems, each
time I tell it, More wonderfully sweet! I love to tell the story, For some have never heard The message of salvation From
God's own holy Word. (Refrain)
I love to tell the story, For those who
know it best Seem hungering and thirsting To hear it like the rest. And when,
in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song. I'll sing
the old, old story That I have loved so long. (Refrain)
Nicene Creed (Pastor)
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being
with the Father; through him all things
were made. For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and
the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the
giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and
glorified. He has spoken through the
prophets. We believe in one holy catholic
and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one
Baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We
look for the resurrection of the dead, and
the life of the world to come. Amen.
Prayers
of the Church (Pastor
& WA)
(P):
As God’s beloved people, made radiant by the light of Christ, let us pray for
the church, the whole human family, and God’s good creation. A brief
silence.
(W): God of all good gifts, you have called the baptized to
serve in your name in the world. Bless all who carry the good news to others,
especially those who minister in prison, the military, nursing homes, camps,
hospitals, and police departments. May their presence bring strength and
comfort to all who serve the public. Lord
in your mercy, hear our prayer.
(W): Father God, we pray for those who are sick,
hospitalized, preparing for surgery, or suffering in any way; that they would
be consoled and strengthened to endure through their faith in Jesus Christ our
Lord and Savior. We also pray for their loved ones that they find comfort
through you. Lord in
your mercy, hear our prayer.
(W): God of
Mercy, you know our deepest thoughts and fears that sometimes get in the way of
spending time with you; help us to remember that you alone can sustain us
through whatever we are facing. Help us remember that it is through our times
of trial where we can learn to trust you and be a witness to your healing
power. We pray that the church would be a beacon of hope to the world with all
its concerns. Lord in your mercy, hear
our prayer.
(W): Gracious
Father, we do not always seek you first in times of gratitude, trouble, or
counsel. We ask today that we would be ever mindful that you are always here
for us. We also pray for those who do not know you; may we be a light of hope
to them through our prayers, words, and deeds. We ask that you pour out your
Holy Spirit upon us that we may know what we are to pray at
all times and in all situations. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
(P):
Holy God, we lift our prayers to you in hope, entrusting all for whom we pray
to your great goodness and mercy, made known to us in Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer (Pastor)
Let us pray the prayer our Savior taught us…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 (Pastor)
The Lord bless you and
keep you. The Lord’s face shine on you with grace and mercy. The Lord look upon
you with favor and give you peace. Amen.
Dismissal (Worship
Assistant)
Go in peace. Christ is
with you. Thanks be to God.
Sending
Hymn “Where
Cross the Crowded Ways of Life” LBW # 429, vs 1 - 4
Where cross the crowded ways of life, Where sound the cries of race and clan, Above the noise of
selfish strife, We hear your voice, O Son of Man.
In haunts of wretchedness and need, On shadowed thresholds dark with fears, From paths where
hide the lures of greed, We catch the vision of your tears.
From tender childhood's helplessness, From human grief and burdened toil, From famished souls,
from sorrow's stress, Your heart has never known recoil.
The cup of water giv'n
for you Still holds the freshness of your grace; Yet long these multitudes to
view The strong compassion in your face.
Postlude Voluntary
on “Nun Danket Alle Gott” Mark
Hurley