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THE SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Courageous faith, humble faith
The color green, used for the vestments and paraments in the season
after Pentecost, symbolizes growth and life in the Holy Spirit.
FIRST
READING: The prophet Habakkuk writes in a time when evil is ascendant
and the fulfillment of the promises of God seem far off. The LORD assures him that
there is a positive future, commanding him to write down the vision of God’s
future kingdom so that it may be preserved for others to read and ponder. The
righteous person lives by faith in God’s coming future kingdom, no matter how
dark the present looks or how impossible the problems seem to be to solve.
SECOND
READING: In a second letter to Timothy, Paul restates themes of
the first letter; he exhorts Timothy to keep the faith and to exercise his
ministry with confidence. But there is also a mention to the personal relationship
Paul has with Timothy; his prayer for Timothy, his longing to see him and his
relationship with the family. We remember that we are not simply reading a list
of instructions or religious platitudes, but instead we are ‘eavesdropping’ on
a communication from Paul, a spiritual father, to Timothy, a spiritual son.
GOSPEL: Two seemingly unrelated stories coexist in our Gospel lesson. Perhaps the link between them can be understood thus: the disciples are asking to do great things for God. If, by an increase in their faith, the disciples are able to do great deeds, they ought not to become haughty or proud, as if the power came from them. Instead, they are to remember that they are simply doing what the Master commands. Both great courage and great humility are required of the one who would serve the Lord.
OPENING MUSIC
O Spirit of Life - J. M. Strobel
God Is Here! - Richard Proulx
BRIEF ORDER FOR CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Stand
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
Blessed be God: Father, X Son, and Holy Spirit;
And blessed be his kingdom, now and forever. Amen
Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 4:14-16
Let us confess our sins in the presence of God and of one another.
Silence for reflection and self-examination.
I confess to God Almighty, before the whole company of heaven, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned in thought, word, and deed by my fault, by my own fault, by my own most grievous fault; wherefore I pray God Almighty to have mercy on me, forgive me all my sins, and bring me to everlasting life. Amen
The almighty and merciful Lord grant you pardon, forgiveness,
and remission of all your sins. Amen
I confess to God Almighty, before the whole company of heaven,
and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned in thought,
word, and deed by my fault, by my own fault, by my own most
grievous fault; wherefore I pray God Almighty to have mercy on
me, forgive me all my sins, and bring me to everlasting life. Amen
The almighty and merciful Lord grant you pardon, forgiveness, and remission of all your sins. Amen
THE HOLY COMMUNION
I will go to the altar of God;
the God of my joy and gladness.
We include in the online order of worship all hymns which are in the public domain. Texts which are copyrighted may not be included in the online order of worship. If you need a copy of the hymnals for your home use, please contact us so that we may provide you with one. Thank you!
WHymn God Is Here! Blue WOV 719
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. 2 Corinthians 13:13
HYMN OF PRAISE
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
O God, the Rock of our salvation,
your
gifts can never fail.
Deepen the
faith you have already bestowed upon us
and let its
power be seen in our lives.
We ask
this through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
now and forever.
Amen
There is still a vision for the appointed time.
Let us hear
the Word of the Lord.
Habakkuk 2:3a
Sit
First READING Habakkuk
1:1-4; 2:1-4
1The oracle that the prophet
Habakkuk saw.
2O Lord, how long
shall I cry for help,
and you will not listen?
Or cry to you “Violence!”
and you will not save?
3Why do you make me see wrongdoing
and look at trouble?
Destruction and violence are before me;
strife and contention arise.
4So the law becomes slack
and justice never prevails.
The wicked surround the righteous—
therefore judgment comes forth perverted.
2:1I will stand at my watchpost,
and station myself on the rampart;
I will keep watch to see what he will say to me,
and what he will answer concerning my complaint.
2Then the Lord
answered me and said:
Write the vision;
make it plain on tablets,
so that a runner may read it.
3For there is still a vision for the appointed time;
it speaks of the end, and does not lie.
If it seems to tarry, wait for it;
it will surely come, it will not delay.
4Look at the proud!
Their spirit is not right in them,
but the righteous live by their faith.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to
God.
PSALM 37:1-10
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.
Antiphon
SECOND READING 2 Timothy 1:1-14
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for
the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,
2To Timothy, my beloved child:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3I am grateful to God—whom I worship with a clear conscience, as
my ancestors did—when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4Recalling
your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. 5I
am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother
Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. 6For
this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through
the laying on of my hands; 7for God did not give us a spirit of
cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.
8Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me
his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the
power of God, 9who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not
according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace
was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10but it has
now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who
abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11For
this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher, 12and
for this reason I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in
whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day
what I have entrusted to him. 13Hold to the standard of sound
teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ
Jesus. 14Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of
the Holy Spirit living in us.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks
be to God.
Stand
VERSE Hebrews 2:12 Setting by Paul D. Weber
Alleluia. I will proclaim your name to my people; in the
midst of the congregation I will praise you. Alleluia.
Gospel Luke 17:5-10
The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke. Glory to you, O Lord.
5The apostles
said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6The Lord replied, “If you
had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be
uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
7“Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from
plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here at once and take your place
at the table’? 8Would you not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for
me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and
drink’? 9Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? 10So
you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, ‘We are
worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!’ ”
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
Sit
Sermon
Stand
WHYMN OF THE DAY
O Spirit of Life Blue WOV 680
CONFESSION OF FAITH 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
Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus,
and for all people according to their needs.
That, as
your disciples, we may faithfully serve you as we ought, asking nothing in
return but the blessing of your love; Lord, in your mercy,
hear our
prayer.
That
pastors may faithfully proclaim the Gospel, relying on the power of God; Lord,
in your mercy,
hear our
prayer.
That our
congregation may faithfully bear witness to Christ’s grace, having a spirit of
power and of love and of self-discipline; Lord, in your mercy,
hear our
prayer.
That
peace may descend upon our nation and the nations of the world, and that
leaders may serve with integrity and wisdom; Lord, in your mercy,
hear our
prayer.
That
those who suffer illness, grief, hunger, homelessness, and all in any need would
be healed and given your vision for the appointed time.
The pastor reads the names and situations submitted for prayer.
The people may offer spoken or silent petitions or praises.
Lord, in
your mercy,
hear our prayer.
That,
with saints and angels and all who have faithfully served you, we may stand and
praise your name when the harvest of your kingdom is brought forth; Lord, in your
mercy,
hear our prayer.
Into your
hands, Father, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your steadfast
love; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
PEACE
The peace
of the Lord be with you always.
And also with you.
The
people exchange the sign of peace with the simple words, Peace be with you.
Sit
The Lord’s Table is prepared.
Stand
OFFERTORY Psalm 34:8-10 Setting by Richard
W. Gieseke
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Happy are those who
take refuge in him! Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him
have no want! The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the
Lord lack no good thing.
PRAYER OF PREPARATION
Hear us, O Lord Jesus Christ, from your dwelling place,
from the glorious throne of your kingdom, and come and cleanse us.
You are seated on high with
the Father,
and you dwell also with us here, although
unseen.
By your mighty hand render us worthy to receive in holy communion
your spotless body and your precious blood.
Amen
GREAT THANKSGIVING
The pastor leads the people in praying the Eucharistic canon:
Lord, you are holy indeed.
All creation gives you thanks and praise.
In the wonder of your love for us,
you created life through your Word made flesh,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
by the power of the Holy Spirit.
From every time and place
you gather a people to yourself,
so that those you claim as your own
may glorify your wondrous grace and mercy.
As we now gather this Table to celebrate the Supper of your Son,
we ask that by the power of your Spirit
these gifts of bread and wine may be for us
the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
That same Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed,
took bread; when he had given thanks,
he broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said;
Take and eat, for this is my body, which is given for you.
Do this for my remembrance.
When supper had ended, he took the cup;
when he had given thanks, he gave it to them and said:
All of you, drink from this,
for this cup is my blood of the new covenant,
shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this for my remembrance.
Let us proclaim the mystery of faith:
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
Mighty Lord, Gracious Father:
As we call to mind the death your Son endured for us,
his glorious resurrection and ascension,
and his promise to come again,
we offer you our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.
Grant that we who gather for this holy supper
may be filled with the Holy Spirit,
united in Christ as his living body in the world,
awaiting the world to come where his love will be fulfilled.
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
This is the bread that comes down from heaven
and gives life to the world.
Lord, give us this bread always.
John 6:33, 34
We adore Christ, present in bread and wine.
Sit
DISTRIBUTION
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.
Please come forward, take a communion cup from the tray, and kneel at the altar rail on your ‘side’ of the worship space. Please make an effort to leave some distance between your family unit and the next family unit. When your side has finished communing, please place your empty cup in the tray provided.
WDISTRIBUTION HYMN
Choir Lord, for Thy Tender Mercies’ Sake
Text/
Henry Bull; Music/ J. Hilton, R. Farrant, arr. K. Lee Scott
Lord, for thy tender mercies’ sake, lay not our sins to our
charge,
but forgive that is
past, and give us grace to amend our sinful lives,
to decline from sin
and incline to virtue,
that we may walk with
a perfect heart before thee now and evermore.
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
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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 in fervent love toward one another;
for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen
Sit
ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE FAITH FAMILY
Stand
The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
the Lord look upon you with favor and X give you peace.
Amen Numbers 6:24-26
WCLOSING HYMN
For the Fruit of All Creation Blue WOV 760
Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
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.
Prayer of the Day from Opening Prayers: Collects in Contemporary Language: Norwich, UK: Canterbury Press, 2001.
Additional material from Foretaste of the Feast to Come: Devotions on Holy Communion, by Philip Pfatteicher, copyright 1987 Augsburg Publishing House.
Eucharistic Canon reprinted by permission from A Little Book of Canons, Rod L. Ronneberg, STS, copyright 1997 and 2010.
Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org
St Stephen Lutheran Church
55 Forsythe Road
Pittsburgh PA 15220
(412) 279-5868
office@ststephenpittsburgh.org
Saturday Evening Worship – 6:30 pm
Sunday Morning Worship – 10:30 am
