Seventh Sunday after Epiphany
Sunday, February 20th, 2022
PRELUDE
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
*Thanksgiving for Baptism
In the name of the Father,
and of the ☩ Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Joined to Christ in the waters of baptism,
we are clothed with God’s mercy and forgiveness.
Let us give thanks for the gift of baptism.
We give you thanks, O God,
for in the beginning your Spirit moved over the waters
and by your Word you created the world,
calling forth life in which you took delight.
Through the waters of the flood you delivered Noah and his family.
Through the sea you led your people Israel from slavery into freedom.
At the river your Son was baptized by John and anointed with the Holy Spirit.
By water and your Word you claim us as daughters and sons,
making us heirs of your promise and servants of all.
We praise you for the gift of water that sustains life,
and above all we praise you for the gift of new life in Jesus Christ.
Shower us with your Spirit,
and renew our lives with your forgiveness, grace, and love.
To you be given honor and praise
through Jesus Christ our Lord
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever.
Amen.
Gathering Song God, When Human Bonds Are Broken” ELW 603
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 Glory to God
Prayer of the Day
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray. Almighty and ever-living God, increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and love; and that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command, through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
CHILDREN’S TIME
Children’s Chapel
First Reading: Genesis 45:3-11,15
A reading from Genesis.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm: Psalm 37:1-11,39-40
Spoken in unison
1Do not be provoked by evildoers;
do not be jealous of those who do wrong.
2For they shall soon wither like the grass,
and like the green grass fade away.
3Put your trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and find safe pasture.
4Take delight in the Lord,
who shall give you your heart’s desire. R
5Commit your way to the Lord; put your trust in the Lord,
and see what God will do.
6The Lord will make your vindication as clear as the light
and the justice of your case like the noonday sun.
7Be still before the Lord and wait patiently.
Do not be provoked by the one who prospers, the one who succeeds in evil schemes.
8Refrain from anger, leave rage alone;
do not be provoked; it leads only to evil. R
9For evildoers shall be cut off,
but those who hope in the Lord shall possess the land.
10In a little while the wicked shall be no more;
even if you search out their place, they will not be there.
11But the lowly shall possess the land;
they will delight in abundance of peace.
39But the deliverance of the righteous comes from you, O Lord;
you are their stronghold in time of trouble.
40You, O Lord, will help them and rescue them;
you will rescue them from the wicked and deliver them, because in you they seek refuge. R
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50
A reading from 1 Corinthians.
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.
*Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia. Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia.
*Gospel: Luke 6:27-38
The holy gospel according to Luke. Glory to you, O Lord.
The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon Pastor Eric
Hymn of the Day “O Day Of Peace” ELW 711
Sacrament of Holy Baptism
God, who is rich in mercy and love, gives us a new birth into a living hope through the sacrament of baptism. By water and the Word God delivers us from sin and death and raises us to new life in Jesus Christ. We are united with all the baptized in the one body of Christ, anointed with the gift of the Holy Spirit, and joined in God’s mission for the life of the world.
Sponsors Response: I present Lucy for Baptism.
Called by the Holy Spirit, trusting in the grace and love of God, do you desire to have Lucy baptized into Christ?
Parents Response: I do.
As you bring Lucy to receive the gift of baptism, you are entrusted with responsibilities:to live with her among God’s faithful people, bring her to the word of God and the holy supper, teach her the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments, place in her hands the holy scriptures, and nurture her in faith and prayer, so that Lucy may learn to trust God, proclaim Christ through word and deed,care for others and the world God made, and work for justice and peace.
Do you promise to help Lucy grow in the Christian faith and life?
Response: I do.
Sponsors, do you promise to nurture Lucy in the Christian faith as you are empowered by God’s Spirit, and to help him live in the covenant of baptism and in communion with the church
Response: I do.
People of God, do you promise to support Lucy and pray for her in her new life in Christ?
We do.
I ask you to profess your faith in Christ Jesus, reject sin, and confess the faith of the church. Do you renounce the devil and all the forces that defy God, the powers of this world that rebel against God, the ways of sin that draw you from God?
Parents and Sponsors Respond: I renounce them.
*Do you believe in God the Father? – All respond…
I believe i God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
*Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
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.
*Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
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.
Baptism
Pastor: Lucy, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Let us pray. We give you thanks, O God, that through water and the Holy Spirit you give your daughters and sons new birth, cleanse them from sin, and raise them to eternal life.
Sustain Lucy with the gift of your Holy Spirit: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord, the spirit of joy in your presence, both now and forever. Amen.
Lucy, child of God, you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever.nAmen.
Welcome
Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Let us welcome the newly baptized.
All – We welcome you into the body of Christ and into the mission we share: join us in giving thanks and praise to God and bearing God’s creative and redeeming word to all the world.
Prayers of Intercession
Response: Hear our prayer.
Peace
The peace of Christ be with you always.
And also with you.
Moment for Mission
Rancocas Nature Center
Our offering is a form of worship, taking part in God’s transforming mission in this world. Each dollar we give contributes to changing lives. Each week we will take a moment to remember one way that our offerings do that. This week, we remember the Rancocas Nature Center, which is situated on a 210 acre piece of the Rancocas State Park and provides year-round environmental education for all ages. We will now receive our offering.
Offering Prayer
Let us pray. God of mercy and grace, the eyes of all wait upon you, and you open your hand in blessing. Fill us with good things at your table, that we may come to the help of all in need, through Jesus Christ, our redeemer and Lord. Amen.
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 our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right, our duty and our joy,
that we should at all times and in all places
give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God,
through our Savior Jesus Christ;
who on this day overcame death and the grave,
and by his glorious resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting life.
And so, with all the choirs of angels,
with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven,
we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
Holy, Holy, Holy
We give you thanks, Father,
through Jesus Christ, your beloved Son,
whom you sent in this end of the ages
to save and redeem us and to proclaim to us your will.
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.
In the same way 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, then, his death and resurrection,
we take this bread and cup,
giving you thanks that you have made us worthy
to stand before you and to serve you as your priestly people.
Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
Lord, remember us in your kingdom and teach us to pray.
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.
Invitation to Communion
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
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, grant us peace.
Communion Hymns
“All Creatures Worship God Most High” ELW 835
“Bring Peace to Earth Again” ELW 700
*Post-Communion Blessing
May the body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in God’s grace. Amen
*Prayer After Communion
Let us pray. O God, our life, our strength, our food, we give you thanks for sustaining us with the body and blood of your Son. By your Holy Spirit, enliven us to be his body in the world, that more and more we will give you praise and serve your earth and its many peoples, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Sending Song “Lord of Glory, You Have Brought Us” ELW 707
Dismissal
Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE