The livestream may be found here.
February 20, 2022
The Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany
Reconciliation
THE SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY
The color green, used for the paraments and
vestments on the Sundays after the Epiphany, symbolizes growth and life in the
Holy Spirit.
FIRST
READING: Joseph’s brothers have good reason to fear his wrath.
The one they had sold into slavery is not only still alive, but is a person
with rank and the power of life and death. But Joseph forgives his brothers. He
sees, in the positive outcome of his story, the mercy of God towards his entire
family, to preserve the promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
SECOND READING: Paul
anticipates the objections of the Corinthians to the doctrine of the
resurrection. He depicts the difference between the pre-Resurrection body and
the post-Resurrection body as like a seed which hardly resembles the grown
plant, and yet is organically inseparable from it. Christ’s human body, which
was sown in death, is raised in glory. Our pre-Resurrection body is of normal
human provenance; since we are in Christ, our post-Resurrection body will be a
reflection of Christ’s resurrection glory.
GOSPEL: In this passage, Jesus shows us the shape of the
blessed life. It is the life of imitation of the Father – his constant and
consistent mercy towards human beings. Jesus points out that it is not unusual
when people love those who love them first. It is unusual when people love with
the love of God: that is, when people love their enemies and do good to those
who hate them. Such love is only possible in the Spirit.
OPENING MUSIC
Where
Charity and Love Prevail — James F. Cox
Now
that the Daylight Fills the Sky — Carl Schalk
Stand
BRIEF
ORDER FOR CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
In the name of the Father,
and of the X Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Almighty God, to whom all hearts
are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the
thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may
perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ
our Lord.
Amen
If we say we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God who is
faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Silence for reflection and
self-examination.
Most merciful God,
we confess that we are in
bondage 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
Almighty God, in his mercy, has
given his Son to die for us and, for his
sake, 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 X Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
THE HOLY
COMMUNION
WHYMN Now that the
Daylight Fills the Sky Green LBW 268
1 Now
that the daylight fills the sky,
we
lift our hearts to God on high,
that
he, in all we do or say,
would
keep us free from harm today;
2 Would
guard our hearts and tongues from strife;
from
anger’s din would shield our life;
from
evil sights would turn our eyes,
and
close our ears to vanities;
3 So
we, when this new day is gone
and
night in turn is drawing on,
with
conscience by the world unstained
shall
praise his name for vict’ry gained.
4 “All
praise to you, creator Lord!
All
praise to you, eternal Word!
All
praise to you, O Spirit wise!”
we
sing as daylight fills the skies.
Text: Latin hymn, 7th or 8th cent.; tr.
John Mason Neale, 1818-1866, alt.
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.
WHYMN OF PRAISE Gloria in excelsis Deo
PRAYER OF
THE DAY
The Lord be with you.
And also
with you.
you are kind to the ungrateful,
merciful even to the wicked.
Pour out your love upon us,
that with good and generous hearts
we may keep from judging others
and learn your way of compassion;
through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen
CALL TO THE WORD
Be still before the LORD and wait
patiently for him. Psalm
37:7
Let us hear the Word of the Lord.
FIRST READING Genesis
45:3-11
3Joseph said to his brothers, “I am
Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, so
dismayed were they at his presence.
4Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me.” And they
came closer. He said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5And
now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here;
for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6For the famine has
been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there
will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7God sent me before you to
preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. 8So
it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh,
and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9Hurry
and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made
me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. 10You shall
settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children
and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that
you have. 11I will provide for you there—since there are five more
years of famine to come—so that you and your household, and all that you have,
will not come to poverty.’ ” 15And he kissed all his
brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to
God.
PSALM 37:1-12, 41-42
The lowly shall possess the land;
they will delight in abundance of grace.
(vs. 12)
1 Do not fret yourself because of | evildoers;*
do
not be jealous of those | who do wrong.
2 For they shall soon wither | like
the grass,*
and
like the green grass | fade away.
3 Put your trust in the Lord
| and do good;*
dwell
in the land and feed | on its riches.
4 Take delight | in the Lord,*
and
he shall give you your | heart's desire.
5 Commit your way to the Lord
and put your | trust in him,*
and
he will bring | it to pass.
6 He will make your righteousness
as clear | as the light*
and your just dealing | as the noonday.
7 Be still be- | fore the Lord*
and
wait patient- | ly for him.
8 Do not fret yourself over the |
one who prospers,*
the
one who succeeds in | evil schemes.
9 Refrain from anger, leave | rage alone;*
do
not fret yourself; it leads on- | ly to evil.
10 For evildoers shall | be cut
off,*
but
those who wait upon the Lord shall
pos- | sess the land.
11 In a little while the wicked shall | be no more;*
you
shall search out their place, but they will | not be there.
12 But the lowly shall pos- | sess
the land;*
they
will delight in abun- | dance of peace.
41 The deliverance of the righteous comes | from the Lord;*
he
is their stronghold in | time of trouble.
42 The Lord will help them and | rescue them;*
he
will rescue them from the wicked and deliver them,
because
they seek ref- | uge in him.
The lowly shall possess the land;
they will delight in abundance of grace.
(vs. 12)
SECOND READING 1 Corinthians 15:
35-38, 42-50
35But someone will ask, “How are the
dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” 36Fool! What you
sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37And as for what you sow,
you do not sow the body that is to be, but a bare seed, perhaps of wheat or of
some other grain. 38But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to
each kind of seed its own body.
42So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable,
what is raised is imperishable. 43It is sown in dishonor, it is
raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. 44It
is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical
body, there is also a spiritual body. 45Thus it is written, “The
first man, Adam, became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving
spirit. 46But it is not the spiritual that is first, but the
physical, and then the spiritual. 47The first man was from the
earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48As was the
man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man of heaven, so
are those who are of heaven. 49Just as we have borne the image of
the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.
50What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: flesh and blood
cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the
imperishable.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Stand
VERSE Sung by the choir
John 17:17 Setting by David Schack
Alleluia.
Your Word, O Lord, is truth. Sanctify us in the truth. Alleluia.
Gospel Luke 6:27-39
The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke.
Glory to you, O
Lord.
[Jesus said:] 27“But I
say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless
those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29If anyone
strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away
your coat do not withhold even your shirt. 30Give to everyone who
begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. 31Do
to others as you would have them do to you.
32“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For
even sinners love those who love them. 33If you do good to those who
do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34If
you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you?
Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35But love
your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will
be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the
ungrateful and the wicked. 36Be merciful, just as your Father is
merciful.
37“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and
you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38give,
and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together,
running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the
measure you get back.”
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise
to you, O Christ.
Sit
Choir Anthem
Servants
of Peace
Text/
James Quinn, SJ (based on a prayer attributed to Francis of Assisi)
Music/
K. Lee Scott
Lord, make us servants of your peace:
where there is hate, may we sow love;
where there is hurt, may we forgive;
where there is strife may we make one.
Where all is doubt, may we sow faith;
where all is gloom, may we sow hope;
where all is night, may we sow light;
where all is tears, may we sow joy.
Jesus, our Lord, may we not seek to be consoled,
but to console,
nor look to understanding hearts,
but look for hearts to understand.
May we not look for love’s return,
but seek to love unselfishly.
For in our giving we receive,
and in forgiving are forgiven.
Dying, we live
and are reborn through death’s dark night to endless day.
Lord, make us servants of your peace,
to wake at last in heaven’s light.
SERMON Pastor Frontz
W Hymn of the DaY
Where Charity and
Love Prevail
Green
LBW 126
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 X the life everlasting. Amen
Gracious and loving Father, creator of all, hear
the prayers we offer in the power of the Spirit, that your Church may be strengthened,
your world healed, and the poor and needy be lifted up.
A brief silence
Father, we pray for the Church. Help us to listen
to and trust your word, that we may be merciful as you are merciful. Lord, in
your mercy,
hear our
prayer.
We pray for this congregation, that we may hold
fast to your Church’s teaching and reach out to others in love. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our
prayer.
We pray for our enemies.
Convert them to do your will, and restrain them from evil, that one day
together we may celebrate your love for sinners. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our
prayer.
We pray for our nation and its leaders. Fill us
with wisdom and direct us into ways of integrity and justice. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our
prayer.
We pray for the world. Let your saving health be
known among all nations. (The pastor reads the names of countries and
situations submitted for prayer.) Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We pray for the poor, the hungry, the cold, and
those without shelter. Lift their burdens from them and restore them to
wholeness. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We pray for all who suffer persecution for their
Christian faith. Help them to bless those who curse them and to pray for those
who abuse them. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We pray for the sick, the dying, the grieving, and
those who are alone. Show them signs of your favor in the midst of their
troubles.
The pastor reads the names and
situations submitted for prayer.
The people may offer spoken or
silent intercessions.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
hear our prayer.
The pastor concludes the prayers:
Into your
hands, Father, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your steadfast love,
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
The peace of the Lord be with you
always.
And also with
you.
The people exchange a sign of peace
with the simple words, Peace be with you.
Sit
The Lord’s Table is prepared.
Stand
OFFERTORY Sung by the choir
Romans 12:1 Setting
by Barry L. Bobb
I appeal to you, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
PRAYER OF PREPARATION
Open the heavens, Lord our God,
and send your transforming Spirit
upon us and upon these gifts.
May we, who
are baptized into Christ,
be ready to share his cup of suffering
and strengthened to serve him forever.
GREAT THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to
the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
It is indeed right and salutary that we
should at all times and in all places offer thanks and praise to you, O Lord,
holy Father, through Christ our Lord. He is the man from heaven who raises us
from the dust of death to live his life of mercy on earth and to share in his resurrection
in the life to come. And so, with the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we
praise your name and join their unending hymn:
Holy, holy, holy LORD, God of power and might!
Heaven and earth
are full of your glory.
Hosanna
in the highest!
Blessed is
he who comes in the name of the LORD!
Hosanna
in the highest!
(Isaiah 6:3, Matthew 21:9)
The pastor
leads the people in praying the Eucharistic canon:
You are indeed holy,
almighty and merciful God;
you are most holy, and great is
the majesty of your glory.
You so loved the
world that you gave your only Son,
that whoever believes in him
may not perish but have eternal life.
Having come into
the world, he fulfilled for us your holy will
and accomplished our salvation.
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 salutary command,
his life-giving Passion and
death,
his glorious resurrection and ascension,
and his promise to come again,
we give thanks to you, Lord God
Almighty,
not as we ought, but as we are
able;
and we implore you mercifully
to accept our praise and thanksgiving,
and, with your Word and Holy
Spirit,
to bless us, your servants,
and these your own gifts of
bread and wine;
that we and all who share
in the body and blood of your Son
may be filled with heavenly peace
and joy,
and, receiving the forgiveness
of sin,
may be sanctified in soul and body,
and have our portion with all
your saints.
All honor and
glory are yours, O God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
in your holy Church, now and
forever. Amen
In the presence of Christ, we pray to his Father
using the words he gave us.
Christ is in our midst.
By the power of the
Spirit,
we pray to his
Father, saying:
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 Matthew
6:9-15
A good measure, pressed down,
shaken together, running over,
will be given to you.
Thanks be to God.
from Luke 6:38
We adore Christ, present in bread
and wine.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; grant us peace.
Sit
DISTRIBUTION
Admission to the Sacrament is by
invitation of the Lord, presented through the Church to those who are baptized.
They may receive the
Lord’s Body and Blood who are baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit, who commune in their home churches, and who believe
that Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, is truly present in, with, and under the
forms of bread and wine for the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.
The
communicants will be invited forward one family unit at a time. Please do not
come forward until the pastor directs you to come forward, do not approach all
the way to the table until the pastor has retreated.
When the pastor says ‘The body of Christ,
given for you,’ eat the bread. When the pastor says, ‘The blood of Christ, shed
for you,’ drink the wine. Please take
the plate and the glass(es) and place them on the table that is indicated.
WDISTRIBUTION HYMN
In Adam We Have All Been One
Green LBW 372
St.
1, 3, 5/ Choir
(The text may not be reproduced here.)
When all have received, the congregation stands at
the direction of the pastor.
The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ
strengthen you and keep you in his grace.
Amen
We give you thanks, almighty God, that you have refreshed us
through the
healing power of this gift of life; and we pray that in your mercy you would
strengthen us through this gift, in faith toward you and fervent love toward
one another; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
BENEDICTION
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor X and give you peace.
Amen
WCLOSING HYMN
Praise and
Thanks and Adoration Green
LBW 470
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
THIS WEEK FOR THE FAITH
FAMILY
Sun/
Feb 20 Choir rehearsal 9:30 AM
WORSHIP 10:30 AM
Prayer at the Close of the Day (livestream)
9:30 PM
Mon/
Feb 21 Morning Prayer (livestream)
8:30 AM
Wed/
Feb 23 Evening Prayer (livestream)
7:00 PM
Bible Study (ZOOM)
7:30 PM
Fri/
Feb 25 Morning Prayer (livestream)
8:30 AM
Sat/
Feb 26 NA Meeting 11 AM
Set up for
Pre-Lenten Potluck, 1:00 PM
WORSHIP 6:30 PM
Sun/
Feb 27 Choir rehearsal 9:30 AM
WORSHIP 10:30 AM
Pre-Lenten Potluck Dinner, after
worship
Prayer at the Close of the Day (livestream)
9:30 PM
From Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright
2022 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.
Reprinted by permission under Augsburg
Fortress Liturgies Annual License #20540.
New Revised Standard Version Bible,
copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the
Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All
rights reserved.
Additional liturgical material from
Common Worship: Times and Seasons, copyright the Church of England.
Supuni, Amos. Reconciliation, from Art in the Christian Tradition,
a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=57340 [retrieved
February 14, 2022]. Original source:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Reconciliation_Amos_Supuni_Woerden.jpg.
Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org
