June 19, 2016
Fifth Sunday after Pentecost / Proper 7
Color: Green
Lectionary Readings
Semicontinuous
1 Kings 19:1–4 (5–7) Elijah meets God—not in wind, earthquake, or fire—but in silence.
8–15a
Psalms 42 and 43 My soul longs for you, O God; where are you? My hope is in you.
Complementary
Isaiah 65:1–9 The Lord says: I will repay their iniquity, but I will not destroy them.
Psalm 22:19–28 The Lord did not despise or forsake me; I will praise the Lord.
Galatians 3:23–29 In Christ there is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female.
Luke 8:26–39 Jesus casts out a man’s demons and they enter a herd of swine.
— Gathering —
Call to Worship
When shall we behold the face of God?
Through earthquake, wind, and fire,
we listen for God’s voice.
By day, God offers steadfast love.
By night, God’s song is with us.
Let us worship God.
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Prayer of the Day
Sovereign God, you sent Jesus
to deliver us from evil powers.
Drive out the demons that torment us
and set us free to worship you,
giving you thanks and praise
for all that you have done for us;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Call to Confession
At the baptismal font:
Who are we that God is mindful of us?
Yet God loves us, cares for us, and forgives us.
Psalm 8:4
Trusting in God’s grace,
let us confess our sin.
Prayer of Confession
God of the prophets, we confess
that we have failed to heed your word.
You break down barriers among people,
but we separate ourselves from others.
You are ever faithful in your promise,
but we turn away from others in fear.
Forgive us, God of grace.
Stir up that still, small voice in us
and speak to us through the silence
with a message of hope and welcome;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Declaration of Forgiveness
Lifting water from the baptismal font:
God loves us, cares for us, forgives us,
and even crowns us with honor and glory.
Psalm 8:4–5
In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!
Thanks be to God.
— Word —
Prayer for Illumination
At the lectern or pulpit:
Spirit of truth, Breath of life,
as the Word is read and proclaimed,
teach us what we need to know.
Inspire us; breathe in and through us.
Lead us with your fiery presence,
so that we may follow you without fear.
Amen.
Scripture
Before the readings:
At the crossroads wisdom calls.
Proverbs 8:1–2
After the readings:
The wisdom of God for all people;
the call of God for all who live.
Thanks be to God.
Proverbs 8:4
Sermon
Ascription of Praise
After the sermon:
How majestic is the name
of the Lord our God! Amen.
Psalm 8:1
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Affirmation of Faith
General Use / Time after Pentecost
We believe that God is the one
who wishes to bring about justice
and true peace among people.
We believe that God,
in a world full of injustice and enmity,
is in a special way
the God of the destitute,
the poor, and the wronged.
Adapted from the Confession of Belhar
Prayers of the People
Holy God, One-in-Three and Three-in-One,
hear us as we pray for your blessing,
saying: Holy, triune God, have mercy on us.
We pray for the church . . .
Help us when we are feeling hopeless.
Raise us up to face the journey before us
as the body of Christ in the world.
Holy, triune God, have mercy on us.
We pray for the world . . .
Stand with those who feel forgotten or alone.
Give refuge to those who have been cast aside.
Convert those whose gods are hate and fear.
Holy, triune God, have mercy on us.
We pray for this community . . .
Let us be no longer divided
by our race, our status, or our gender.
Unite us in compassion for one another.
Holy, triune God, have mercy on us.
We pray for loved ones . . .
Comfort those whose struggles and fears
weigh heavily on our hearts this day.
Show them your healing and steadfast love.
Holy, triune God, have mercy on us.
All this we ask of you, Lord God,
through Jesus Christ our Savior,
and in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
— Eucharist —
Invitation to Offering
At the communion table:
As the grace of Jesus Christ
has been poured out for us,
let us pour out our lives for others,
offering our gifts and ourselves to God.
Luke 7:44–48; Romans 5:5
Prayer of Dedication
At the communion table:
Creating God,
how manifold are your works!
You open your hand with generosity and love
and our lives are filled with good things.
You send your Spirit, giving life to all.
We praise you!
In giving you these gifts
we long to be generous, as you are.
By the power of your Spirit
let the gifts we give today
become a source of life
and blessing to others. Amen.
Eucharistic Prayer
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.
Blessed are you, O Lord our God:
You stand with the downtrodden, offering them strength.
You give a mission and purpose to your people.
You turn fear into hope by your very presence.
Therefore we praise you, joining the song
of the universal church and the heavenly choir:
A Sanctus (“Holy, holy, holy”) is sung.
Blessed is Jesus Christ, our Savior:
Jesus commanded demons and unclean spirits.
He was feared by those who did not understand him,
but embraced by those who knew what you could do for them.
The words of institution are included here.
Remembering your goodness and grace,
we offer ourselves to you with gratitude
as we share this joyful feast.
A Memorial Acclamation (e.g., “Christ has died”) is sung.
Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us
and upon this bread and cup;
make us one in the body and blood
of Jesus Christ our Lord.
By your Spirit, unite us in one covenant with you,
so that we may be counted as your children through faith,
heirs to the promise you made with Abraham.
Through the Lord Jesus Christ,
in the unity of the Spirit,
we bless you, God of glory,
now and forever.
An Amen is sung.
Lord’s Prayer
Breaking the Bread
Communion of the People
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Prayer after Communion
At the communion table:
Holy and eternal God,
you are as far away as the distant stars
and as close as our breath.
You meet us at this table
and we discover our hearts burning within us.
Go with us as we leave this place,
so that your light and your life
may burn brightly within us
for all to see. Amen.
— Sending —
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Blessing and Charge
At the doors of the church:
May the God of glory,
the Lord of life,
and the Spirit of truth
be with you all. Alleluia!
John 16:12–15
Live by the Spirit,
the giver of life. Amen.
Galatians 5:16