6TH Sunday After Pentecost

Sunday, July 4, 2021

PRELUDE  America, The Beautiful arr. T. Keesecker

Welcome

Confession and Forgiveness (ELW p. 94)
Blessed be the holy Trinity, one God,
who forgives all our sin,
whose mercy endures forever.
Amen.

God of all mercy and consolation, come to the help of your people, turning us from our sin to live for you alone. Give us the power of your Holy Spirit that we may confess our sin, receive your forgiveness, and grow into the fullness of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.

Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
The assembly kneels or stands. Silence is kept for reflection.

Gracious God, have mercy on us. We confess that we have turned from you and given ourselves into the power of sin. We are truly sorry and humbly repent. In your compassion forgive us our sins, known and unknown, things we have done and things we have failed to do. Turn us again to you, and uphold us by your Spirit, so that we may live and serve you in newness of life through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake God 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 Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Gathering Song  888 O Beautiful for Spacious Skies

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 This is the feast of victory for our God.

Prayer of the Day
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray. Almighty and merciful God, we implore you to hear the prayers of your people. Be our strong defense against all harm and danger, that we may live and grow in faith and hope, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.

CHILDREN’S TIME

First Reading:  Ezekiel 2:1-5

1[A voice] said to me: O mortal, stand up on your feet, and I will speak with you.2And when he spoke to me, a spirit entered into me and set me on my feet; and I heard him speaking to me. 3He said to me, Mortal, I am sending you to the people of Israel, to a nation of rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have transgressed against me to this very day. 4The descendants are impudent and stubborn. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, “Thus says the Lord God.” 5Whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house), they shall know that there has been a prophet among them.

The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Psalm 123  Spoken in unison

1To you I lift up my eyes,
  to you enthroned in the heavens.
2As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, and the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
  so our eyes look to you, O Lord our God, until you show us your mercy. R
3Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy,
  for we have had more than enough of contempt,
4too much of the scorn of the indolent rich,
  and of the derision of the proud. R

Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 12:2-10

2I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows. 3And I know that such a person—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows—4was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat. 5On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. 6But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than what is seen in me or heard from me, 7even considering the exceptional character of the revelations. Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. 8Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, 9but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation (ELW p. 151)
Alleluia. Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia.

Gospel: Mark 6:1-13
Glory to you, O Lord.

1[Jesus] came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him.2On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! 3Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4Then Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house.” 5And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. 6And he was amazed at their unbelief.
  Then he went about among the villages teaching. 7He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; 9but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. 10He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. 11If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” 12So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. 13They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon (ELW p. 151)           

Hymn of the Day  579 Lord, You Give the Great Commission

Prayers of Intercession
Each portion of the prayers ends with these or similar words:
Response: Hear our prayer.

Peace (ELW p. 152)
The peace of Christ be with you always.
And also with you.

Announcements (ELW p. 155)

Offering Prayer (ELW p. 152) invite congregation to stand
Let us pray.

God of all creation, all you have made is good, and your love endures forever. You bring forth bread from the earth and fruit from the vine. Nourish us with these gifts, that we might be for the world signs of your gracious presence in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.

Thanksgiving at the Table (ELW p. 153)
Let us pray:
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, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life.

We give you thanks for his coming into the world to fulfill for us your holy will and to accomplish all things for 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.

For as often as we eat of this bread and drink from this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. To you, O God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory in your holy church, now and forever. Amen.

Lord’s Prayer (ELW p. 154)
Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us.
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 (ELW p. 154)
Come to the banquet, for all is now ready.

Communion (ELW p. 154)
The body of Christ, given for you.
The blood of Christ, shed for you.

Anthem – Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory arr. K.L. Phillips

Prayer after Communion (ELW p. 155)
Let us pray.

Gracious God, in this meal you have drawn us to your heart, and nourished us at your table with food and drink, the body and blood of Christ. Now send us forth to be your people in the world, and to proclaim your truth this day and evermore, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.

Sending Song  890 Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory

Dismissal (ELW p. 155)
Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

POSTLUDE  This Is My Song