May 29, 2016
Second Sunday after Pentecost / Proper 4
Color: Green
Lectionary Readings
Semicontinuous
1 Kings 18:20–21 Elijah defeats the prophets of Baal in a contest; the Lord is God.
(22–29) 30–39
Psalm 96Sing a new song to the Lord; all other gods are merely idols.
Complementary
1 Kings 8:22–23, 41–43Solomon prays at the Lord’s altar: foreigners will hear of your name.
Psalm 96:1–9Sing a new song to the Lord; all the earth will declare God’s glory.
Galatians 1:1–12 Paul writes the Galatians: the gospel I proclaim is from Jesus Christ.
Luke 7:1–10 Jesus heals the slave of a centurion and praises the centurion’s faith.
— Gathering —
Call to Worship
Sing a new song to the Lord.
Let all the earth declare God’s glory,
God’s marvelous work among the peoples.
Great is our God, and greatly to be praised.
Honor and reverence belong to God;
beauty and strength are God’s sanctuary.
Let us worship God.
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Prayer of the Day
Loving God, as Jesus found faith
in a centurion of Capernaum,
give us such faith in you today
so that we may hear the word you speak
and receive your gift of healing;
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 stand as our all-powerful God,
yet we are lured away by other powers.
You offer to help, heal, and guide us,
yet we want to rely on our own efforts.
Forgive us, God of grace.
Set us free from the idols of our culture.
Reveal to us your presence and path
so that we may know and follow you;
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 . . .
Set us free from evil powers that divide—
false teachers, false prophets, and false idols.
Keep us focused on your good news.
Holy, triune God, have mercy on us.
We pray for the world . . .
Turn the hearts of those who seek to control,
to kill, to plant fear and misunderstanding.
Knit this world together in humility and peace.
Holy, triune God, have mercy on us.
We pray for this community . . .
Give us a common vision and a single purpose:
to declare your glory through our service,
our mission, our worship, and our prayer.
Holy, triune God, have mercy on us.
We pray for loved ones . . .
Help us to rejoice with those who celebrate.
Shower your care on those who need healing.
Console those who have lost family or friends.
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 are sovereign over the fire and water.
The heavens are glad and the earth rejoices
for you judge with righteousness and truth.
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 heard the cries of people in need
and received those who came to him in faith,
welcoming them without partiality or judgment.
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, reveal your presence to all people
and set us free to proclaim the gospel in every place,
bearing witness to the good news we have in you.
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