St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church



Baptism of Our Lord
January 10, 2010




Prelude Let All Together Praise Our God J.S. Bach
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

(Please 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.

(Please kneel)
Confession
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.

(Please stand for our Gathering Hymn)

Gathering Hymn Christ, When for Us You Were Baptized Hymn 304

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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.

Prayer of the Day
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Let us pray: Thanks be to you, Lord Jesus Christ, most merciful redeemer for the countless blessings and benefits you give. May we know you more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly, day by day raising you, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

(Please sit)
Children’s Message

Scripture

Lesson
Deuteronomy 1:18, 26-33

(Moses said to the people,) “And I commanded you at that time all the things that you should do.

Yet you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the LORD your God. And you murmured in your tents and said, ‘Because the LORD hated us he has brought us out of the land of Eqypt, to give us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. Where are we going up? Our brothers have made our hearts melt, saying, “The people are greater and taller than we. The cities are great and fortified up to heaven. And besides, we have seen the sons of the Anakim there.”’ Then I said to you, ‘Do not be in dread or afraid of them. The LORD your God who goes before you will himself fight for you, just as he did for you in Eqypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness, where you have seen how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, all the way that you went until you came to this place.’ Yet in spite of this word you did not believe the LORD your God, who went before you in the way to seek you out a place to pitch your tents, in fire by night and in the cloud by day, to show you by what way you should go.

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

Lesson
Acts 10:1-23

In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian Cohort, as it was called. He was a devout man who feared God with all his household; he gave alms generously to the people and prayed constantly to God. One afternoon at about three o’clock he had a vision in which he clearly saw an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius.” He stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” He answered, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. Now send men to Joppa for a certain Simon who is called Peter; he is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside.” When the angel who spoke to him had left, he called two of his slaves and a devout soldier from the ranks of those who served him, and after telling them everything, he sent them to Joppa. About noon the next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat; and while it was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw the heaven opened and something like a large sheet coming down, being lowered to the ground by its four corners. In it were all kinds of four-footed creatures and reptiles and birds of the air. Then he heard a voice saying, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is profane or unclean.” The voice said to him again, a second time, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.” This happened three times, and the thing was suddenly taken up to heaven. Now while Peter was greatly puzzled about what to make of the vision that he had seen, suddenly the men sent by Cornelius appeared. They were asking for Simon’s house and were standing by the gate. They called out to ask whether Simon, who was called Peter, was staying there. While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Look, three men are searching for you. Now get up, go down, and go with them without hesitation; for I have sent them.”

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So Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for your coming?”
They answered, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say.” So Peter invited them in and gave them lodging. The next day he got up and went with them, and some of the believers from Joppa accompanied him.

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

(Please stand)

Gospel Acclamation





Gospel
Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

P The Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke, the third chapter.
C Glory to you, O Lord.

The reading opens with questions about the identity of the Messiah. John the Baptist insists that he is not the Messiah; instead he points ahead to one who is coming. And whether the voice of God was heard by all or only by Jesus, God settles the matter: Jesus is God’s beloved Son.

As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

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

(Please sit)
Sermon The Expectation of Mission Pastor Wallace

(Please stand)
Hymn of the Day Crashing Waters at Creation Hymn 455
(During the last verse the Council members come forward)

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Service of Recommitment and Installation of Council

Profession of Faith
p. 234-235

(Please sit)
Installation of Council


(Please stand)
Affirmation by the Assembly p. 237
(Please kneel)

The Prayer of the People

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.


(Please stand)
Peace
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

(Please sit)
Offering


Anthem (8:30 am) Baptized in Water Irish Folk Song
Family Choir


Anthem (11:00 am) Dear Lord and Father C.H.H. Parry Gallery Choir


(Please stand)
Offering Response Tune: Old Hundreth

C Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him all creatures here below,
Praise Him above ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.






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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 152
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 153

Holy, holy, holy Lord,
Lord God of pow’r and might:
Heav’n and earth are full of your glory. 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 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.


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.
(Please sit)

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Music at the Communion

Agnus Dei Music on page 154

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.


Communion Hymns 800, 445


(Please stand)
Post Communion Blessing and Prayer

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 Rise, Shine, You People! Hymn 665

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



Music reproduced with permission by Augsburg Fortress.
Liturgies License # 23349



You may use this Bulletin to cover your parking in the
Francis Marion or Hutson Street Garage.











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





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