St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church

The 23rd Sunday after Pentecost
November 8, 2009



Prelude Simple Gifts Kenneth T. Kosche

Welcome

We’re delighted to greet everyone in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, who takes away our sin and offers grace to all people. If you are a guest, please fill out the Guest Form. If you’re looking for a meaningful ministry with which to become involved, you are encouraged to speak with the Pastor.


Gathering

(We stand)
Brief Order for Confession & Forgiveness
P We gather in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit.
C Amen.
 P 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.
C Amen

Confession (We kneel)
 P Most merciful God,

C we confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.

Absolution

P 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 ς Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen

Entrance Hymn (We stand) For the Fruit of All Creation Hymn 679

Greeting
P The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all!
C And, also with you.





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Kyrie (Music on page 138)
P In peace, let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
 P For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
P For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
P For this holy house, and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
 P Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
C Amen.

Hymn of Praise Music on page 140

This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain, whose blood set us free to be people of God.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Power, riches, wisdom, and strength, and honor, blessing, and glory are his.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Sing with all the people of God, and join in the hymn of all creation:
Blessing, honor, glory, and might be to God and the Lamb forever. Amen.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
For the Lamb who was slain has begun his reign. Alleluia.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Prayer of the Day
P O God, you show forth your almighty power chiefly by reaching out to us in mercy. Grant us the fullness of your grace, strengthen our trust in your promises, and bring all the world to share in the treasures that come through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

C Amen.

Word

(We sit)
Children’s Message (8:30 am)

Anthem (11:00 am) God Made Us All Anna Laura Page
 Alleluia Choir - Danelle Welzig, director
First Reading 1 Kings 17:8–16

This chapter begins the story of Elijah. God sends a drought on Israel because of the sins of King Ahab. This passage depicts God’s saving acts not only on behalf of Elijah, but also on behalf of those who are associated with the prophet, even a foreigner, the widow of Zarephath.

Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, Go now to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and live there; for I have commanded a widow there to feed you. So he set out and went to Zarephath. When he came to the gate of the town, a widow was there gathering sticks; he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, so that I may drink.” As she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.”

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But she said, “As the LORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of meal in a jar, and a little oil in a jug; I am now gathering a couple of sticks, so that I may go home and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.” Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid; go and do as you have said; but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterwards make something for yourself and your son. For thus says the LORD the God of Israel: The jar of meal will not be emptied and the jug of oil will not fail until the day that the LORD sends rain on the earth.” She went and did as Elijah said, so that she as well as he and her household ate for many days. The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by Elijah.

P The Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.

Psalm Psalm 46




God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved,
and though the mountains shake in the depths of the sea;
though its waters rage and foam,
and though the mountains tremble with its tumult.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be shaken;
God shall help it at the break of day.
The nations rage, and the kingdoms shake;
God speaks, and the earth melts away. R
The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Come now, regard the works of the LORD,
what desolations God has brought upon the earth;
behold the one who makes war to cease in all the world;
who breaks the bow, and shatters the spear,
and burns the shields with fire.
"Be still, then, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.”
The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob | is our stronghold. R









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Second Reading Hebrews 9:24–28

The letter to the Hebrews describes Christ as a high priest who offers himself as a sacrifice for our sin. Christ does not die again and again each year. He died once, is alive with God, and will reveal himself on the last day.

For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Holy Place year after year with blood that is not his own; for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

P The Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.


Gospel Acclamation (Music on Page 142)
Alleluia. Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Gospel Mark 12:35-44
P The Holy Gospel according to Saint Mark, the twelth chapter.
C Glory to you, O Lord.

After engaging in a series of public arguments with religious leaders in the temple, Jesus contrasts the proud and oppressive ways of those leaders with the sacrificial humility and poverty of the widow.

While Jesus was teaching in the temple, he said, “How can the scribes say that the Messiah is the son of David? David himself, by the Holy Spirit, declared, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.” David himself calls him Lord; so how can he be his son?” And the large crowd was listening to him with delight. As he taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.” He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

P The Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to you, O Christ.


Sermon (We sit) Going “All In” Pastor Robert Wallace

(We stand)
Hymn of the Day As Saints of Old Hymn 695

Baptism (11:00 am) Page 227


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Apostles’ Creed (8:30 am)
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
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.
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.

The Prayers of the People (We kneel)
After each prayer petition:
P Lord in your mercy
C Hear our prayer.

The prayers conclude:
P Receive our prayers, holy God, and give us all we need for this day and the days to come, through the power of the Holy Spirit, and in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
C Amen.

Peace (We stand)
 P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C And also with you.

(Please feel free to move about and share God’s Peace with one another!)

Meal

Offering (We sit)

Anthem (8:30am) My Faith Looks Up to Thee Lowell Mason

Family Choir

(11:00am) Lord of Feasting and of Hunger arr. Carl Schalk
Gallery Choir

Offering Response (We stand) Tune: Lasst uns erfreuen
 C O friends, in gladness let us sing,
 Supernal anthems echoing: Alleluia! Alleluia!
To God the Father, God the Son
And God the Spirit, Three in One:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia, alleluia.


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Offering Prayer
 P God of majesty, in your might you have created all things, and you entrust to our care what you have made. Receive our offerings, and make them a sign of our dedication to provide for the needs of all people and creatures, in the name of the one who sustains all things by his word, Jesus Christ our Lord.
C Amen.


The Great Thanksgiving Music on page 144
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
 C It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Proper Preface

Sanctus Music on page 144

Holy, holy, holy Lord. God of pow’r and might
heaven and earth are full of your glory, Hosanna, Hosanna.
Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.


Words of Institution
 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.

Lord’s Prayer
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.


Communion
All baptized Christians are invited to share in the Eucharist. Those who are not baptized, or wish to receive only a blessing,
are asked to fold their arms over their chest. Communion will be by intinction (dipping). Please follow the usher’s direction.

Music at the Distribution (We sit)


Agnus Dei Music on page 146
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.
Hymns during Communion 461, 796


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Post Communion Blessing and Prayer (We stand)

 P Loving God, in this meal you sustain the weary and heal the broken. May the gift of your word made flesh,
the body and blood of Christ, inspire our tongues to praise you and proclaim to the entire world the Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord.
C Amen.
 P The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord’s face shine on you with grace and mercy. The Lord look upon you with favor and ς give you peace.
C Amen.

Sending Hymn Eternal Father, Strong to Save Hymn 756

Dismissal
P Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.

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Reproduced with permission by Augsburg Fortress.
Liturgies License #23349






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St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church * 405 King Street * Charleston, SC * 843.723.1611