Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost 9/11
FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
SEPTEMBER 11, 2022
ST. PAUL’S LUTHERAN CHURCH, FALLS CHURCH, VA
8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
✠ ✠ ✠
THE ENTRANCE RITE
PRELUDE Shepherd of Tender Youth Setting:1. Jeffery Blersch; 2. Richard Proulx
WELCOME
ENTRANCE HYMN #864 (Stand) Shepherd of Tender Youth
1 Shepherd of tender youth,
Guiding in love and truth
Through devious ways;
Christ, our triumphant king,
We come Your name to sing
And here our children bring
To join Your praise.
2 You are the holy Lord,
O all-subduing Word,
Healer of strife.
Yourself You did abase
That from sin’s deep disgrace
You so might save our race
And give us life.
3 You are the great High Priest;
You have prepared the feast
Of holy love;
And in our mortal pain
None calls on You in vain;
Our plea do not disdain;
Help from above.
4 O ever be our guide,
Our shepherd, and our pride,
Our staff and song.
Jesus, O Christ of God,
By Your enduring Word
Lead us where You have trod;
Make our faith strong.
5 So now, and till we die,
Sound we Your praises high
And joyful sing:
Infants and all the throng,
Who to the Church belong,
Unite to swell the song
To Christ, our king!
INVOCATION
In the name of the Father, and of the ✠ Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
God of all mercy and consolation, come to the aid of your people, turning us from our sin to live for you alone. Give us the power of your Holy Spirit that, attentive to your Word, we may confess our sins, receive your forgiveness, and grow into the fullness of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
Kneel. Silence is observed for reflection and self-examination.
Gracious God,
have mercy on us. In your compassion forgive us our sins, known and unknown, things done and left undone. Uphold us by your Spirit so that we may live and serve you in newness of life, to the honor and glory of your holy name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life.
Amen.
KYRIE (Stand)
For the peace from above and for our salvation: Kyrie Eleison; Christe Eleison; Kyrie Eleison. (This means “Lord, have mercy.”)
For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all: Kyrie Eleison; Christe Eleison; Kyrie Eleison.
For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise: Kyrie Eleison; Christe Eleison; Kyrie Eleison.
Help, save, comfort and defend us, gracious Lord. Kyrie Eleison; Christe Eleison; Kyrie Eleison.
HYMN OF PRAISE #950 Splendor and Honor
1 Splendor and honor, majesty and power
Are Yours, O Lord God, fount of ev’ry blessing,
For by Your bidding was the whole creation
Called into being.
2 Praised be the true Lamb, slain for our redemption,
By whose self-off’ring we are made God’s people:
A priestly kingdom, from all tongues and nations,
Called to God’s service.
3 To the Almighty, throned in heav’nly splendor,
And to the Savior, Christ our Lamb and Shepherd,
Be adoration, praise, and glory given,
Now and forever.
THE PRAYER OF THE DAY
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray. Lord Jesus,
You are the Good Shepherd, without whom nothing is secure. Rescue and preserve us that we may not be lost forever but follow You, rejoicing in the way that leads to eternal life; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
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THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
FIRST LESSON (Be seated) Ezekiel 34:11-24
“For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.
“As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and male goats. Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and to drink of clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet? And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet?
“Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you push with side and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad, I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep. And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the Lord; I have spoken.”
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
(8:00) PSALM 119:169-176 (Sung responsively)
(10:30) SOLO ANTHEM Tamara Brown – soloist Savior Like a Shepherd, Lead Us
Text: Dorothy Ann Thrupp; Music: William Bradley Roberts
Savior, like a shepherd lead us; much we need thy tender care;
In thy pleasant pastures feed us; for our use thy folds prepare.
Blessed Jesus! Blessed Jesus! Thou hast bought us, thine we are.
Early let us seek thy favor, early let us learn thy will;
Do thou, Lord our only savior, with thy love our bosoms fill.
Blessed Jesus! Blessed Jesus! Thou hast loved us, love us still.
SECOND LESSON 1 Timothy 1:12-17
I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
(10:30) CHILDREN’S SERMON
ALLELUIA VERSE (Stand)
Alleluia.
Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL Luke 15:1-10
The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the 15th chapter
Glory to You, O Lord.
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear [Jesus]. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
So he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to You, O Christ.
SERMON (Be seated)
Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus. Amen. Dear friends in Christ:
A number of years ago I was approached by a man who wanted the church’s help with a project. He had stopped by the office to speak with me, and although I was able to get a basic understanding of what he wanted at that time, I still felt I needed to hear more. So, I asked if I could meet him for lunch in a few days, and he eagerly agreed.
When I showed up for lunch, I quickly discovered that the man assumed I was all in with his project. To him, the act of sharing a meal and breaking bread together signaled agreement and alignment. I, on the other hand, had assumed this would just give us a chance to talk further. Looking back, it seems that perhaps there were some cultural differences at play. Meal fellowship can mean different things to different people.
Today’s Gospel reading shows us that Jesus’ thoughts on meal fellowship differed than that of the religious leaders of his day. And especially in one regard. Those leaders felt that eating a meal with sinners gave the wrong message and was thus to be forbidden. But Jesus disagreed.
Jesus ate with sinners. He did this not as a means of showing approval, but rather of reaching out to them. His thinking, as explained to the Pharisees back in chapter five when they first criticized him for this, was that “those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick [do].” And then he added: “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (5:31-32).
When confronted by the Pharisees a second time, Jesus explained himself through the telling of three parables – each about something lost being found. We read the first two of these parables today – the ones about the lost sheep and the lost coin. If we were to read further, we would have read Jesus’ great story of the lost (or prodigal) son and the son’s forgiving father. That parable, however, we normally read during the season of Lent.
To address the teachings of Jesus in today’s reading, I will be breaking the sermon down into two parts. The first part will explore what this text tells us about God and Jesus. The second part will ask what this text tells us about how we are to live.
Regarding what is told about God and Jesus, these verses make very clear to us that both God and Jesus are passionate about seeking and saving lost sinners. The man in the first parable risks leaving ninety-nine of those who are safe in order to find just one who is lost. The woman in the second parable lights a lamp, sweeps the house and searches diligently until she finds what she is looking for. These parables are told to the question of what God thinks about sinners, and their message is quite clear: sinners are important enough to God that they must be pursued.
This teaching of Jesus, as you may know, is not universally held. In fact, it serves as a challenge to all of us. That’s because we often feel that sinners should be avoided.
We feel this way because we know sinners can be dangerous. Avoiding them reduces the chance of us getting hurt. Plain and simple.
We also feel this way because we hold out hope that sinners might stop sinning if they face the consequence of being shunned. Our avoiding of them can reinforce that what they have done is wrong. This seems especially important to us in cases where other consequences don’t occur.
Jesus’ teaching on eating with sinners can seem short-sighted, naïve or even irresponsible. However, that’s not the case. Instead, Jesus’ teaching tells us that we have a God of great mercy – one that knows that the way of love is the better way. This, in turn, helps us live in this better way.
To flesh out this understand this further, let’s consider some of the details of the parables.
Regarding the lost sheep, we don’t know how the sheep got lost. Maybe it got distracted. Maybe it was rebellious. What we do know is that sheep are not very bright. And this reminds us that sinning isn’t a bright thing to do.
Still, how the state of lostness happened isn’t really the point. The point is that the sheep has been separated from its community and is now in great danger.
That’s what happens when we sin too. Sin breaks us apart from our community and puts our life at great risk.
In today’s second reading, we heard Paul talk about his past sins. He said he was a “blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent.” Indeed, the book of Acts tells us how Paul, before he became a follower of Jesus, persecuted Christians and worked to have them arrested. Because of this, Paul calls himself, twice, the “foremost” of sinners – sometimes translated as “chief” of sinners.
Paul certainly looked back at his past sins with regret. Sometimes even with shame. But he didn’t let that regret and shame lead him to despair. Rather, Paul embraced the message of the cross – trusting that Jesus died for his sins.
Paul tells how critical the element of faith is in all of this. He says that he committed his great sins because, quote: “I acted ignorantly in unbelief.” Indeed, sin is always a case of not trusting that God’s ways are best. And such lack of trust is ignorance.
God’s love and mercy, however, led Paul to faith. As he explained: “But I received mercy… and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.”
God’s love and mercy are best understood in the actions and teachings of Jesus. Jesus is the one who not only paid for our sins but also shepherds us in the ways we need to go.
Our first reading today, from Ezekiel, gives the same message Jesus does about God seeking out his lost sheep. In it, God says: “Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.”
As that reading progresses, we notice that God suddenly introduces a new character, a shepherd, whom he calls David – hearkening back to the time of Israel’s greatest kingdom. He says: “And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the LORD; I have spoken.” These are words which prophesy the coming of Jesus – God’s very Son – and speak to his role in doing the work of God.
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus tells us about God’s desire to save sinners and also hints at his own role in this. Indeed, the scriptures record how Jesus referred to himself several times as a shepherd, and at one point said very directly: “I am the Good Shepherd.” Today’s reading aligns with these statements.
Jesus does the work of God, and Jesus is God. He is the one who shepherds his people in mercy and love. He finds the lost, brings them back to the fold, and causes rejoicing in heaven as they turn to God in repentance.
Today’s text tells us important things about God and Jesus. It also tells us important things about how we are to live.
Jesus has called us to live as his disciples. Last Sunday, we heard words from him which explain that there will be a cost to this discipleship. And because today’s reading immediately follows those words, we know that one of those costs is that we, too, are to eat with sinners.
We’ve already mentioned the fear that is involved in being with sinners. Hearing about the cost reminds us that we may very well take some lumps when going about this mission.
Some years ago, when my son was in eighth grade, I decided to attend a basketball game at the local high school. David and I both loved basketball and I wanted to see what the program was like in anticipation of his attending there the next year. When I entered the gym, I saw a bunch of parents I knew from my neighborhood and from my kid’s sports teams, so I started to head over in that direction to sit with them. But then, glancing in the other direction, I noticed a man who I had played pickup basketball with, sitting by himself, opposite the parents I knew. He recognized me, we waved, and I decided that I’d sit with him instead. I’m a pastor. That’s the kind of thing we do.
I knew that this guy had a bit of a temper on the ball court, but then again, a lot of us show emotion out there. No big deal. I didn’t think anything about it… until the game started, and he then proceeded to yell loudly, first at the refs, then at his son, then at his son’s coach. There I was sitting right next to him, with a whole gym full of people looking at us. I can’t remember ever feeling so embarrassed.
I decided not to get up and leave. I’m a pastor, right? I tried to calm him as best I could and set a good example myself. Maybe I had a positive effect; perhaps on him, perhaps on those parents who saw me and knew me. I’m not sure.
What I do know is that sometimes eating with sinners gets messy. And sometimes we have no idea what we’re getting into.
Regardless, we are to be people of mission. Despite the cost. A little embarrassment is a very small price to pay for doing the work of the Lord.
Being in mission means seeking out those who are lost. This will often be difficult. It will involve standing up for what is right, even in the face of painful consequences. And it will involve efforts of rescue with some who are convinced that they have no need of it.
Yes, we must be careful with our confrontations. Remember, the ways of God are love and mercy. But we must not shrink from our mission either.
Sometimes we will be blessed to see the success of our mission. And when that happens, then we must remember something else too. We must make sure to rejoice when that sinner repents. As Jesus reminds us, there is joy in heaven when this happens! There should be joy on earth too.
Let’s face it, there’s a part of us that isn’t necessarily so happy when sinners come to faith. We’re often skeptical. And there’s a part of us that would rather see the sinner go down in flames then turn it around. That’s especially the case when the sinner has hurt us or those we love.
But the way of God is the way of forgiveness. Those who are sincere in their repentance and turn to God in faith will be forgiven. Jesus has assured it. Therefore we must celebrate this forgiveness and welcome the sinner back into the flock.
Of course, that welcoming attitude is also important because we’re people who need it too. Sometimes we’re the welcomer but other times we’re the one who needs the welcome. Sometimes we’re the saint; sometimes we’re the sinner.
I may have once been embarrassed by a sinner at a basketball game, but that story reminds me that sometimes I was the one yelling at the ref, and at my son, and at my son’s coach. I may not have always done it so vocally, nor so boldly by myself. But those are just matters of degree. A sin is a sin.
You have done these things too. Maybe not the yelling. Maybe something less embarrassing. Perhaps something that only you know. But you have sinned and fallen short too. We all have.
Thanks be to God for his forgiveness. And thanks be to God for those who know his forgiveness and can thus welcome us back.
The sinners in today’s reading came to hear Jesus. They knew they could sit with him and talk with him. There they discovered that he was full of mercy and love, willing to help, patient and encouraging.
Whether those sinners repented of their sin or not we do not know. Some probably did. Some probably didn’t.
What we do know is that those who did repent were received into his arms of mercy. And that he rejoiced over them.
In the verses just before today’s text, Jesus speaks to the task of discipleship by saying: “Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away.” Here Jesus encourages us to be in mission to the world by living a good and pure life.
Then Jesus concludes by saying: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
In the very next verse – the first verse of today’s reading – we’re told that sinners were drawing near to Jesus to hear him! The connection is unmistakable. We’re to hear him. We’re to hear his call to repentance. And we’re to hear his call to mission.
Disciples of Jesus are called to both of these ways. May God lead us in them always. Amen.
HYMN OF THE DAY #569 (Stand) In Adam We Have All Been One
1 In Adam we have all been one,
One huge rebellious man;
We all have fled that evening voice
That sought us as we ran.
2 We fled Thee, and in losing Thee
We lost our brother too;
Each singly sought and claimed his own;
Each man his brother slew.
3 But Thy strong love, it sought us still
And sent Thine only Son
That we might hear His Shepherd’s voice
And, hearing Him, be one.
4 O Thou who, when we loved Thee not,
Didst love and save us all,
Thou great Good Shepherd of mankind,
O hear us when we call.
5 Send us Thy Spirit, teach us truth;
Thou Son, O set us free
From fancied wisdom, self-sought ways,
To make us one in Thee.
6 Then shall our song united rise
To Thine eternal throne,
Where with the Father evermore
And Spirit Thou art one.
APOSTLES’ CREED Hymnal, back cover
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His 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 into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life ✠ everlasting. Amen.
OFFERING
Offerings support the church’s mission work – both here and through our many partners. Offerings may be placed in the box at the sanctuary entrance or sent to the church through our website or the mail. Fellowship Cards help us welcome new people and track participation. Please fill one out and place it in the offering box following the service.
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
[Said to the people…] Our Lord Jesus came down from heaven to seek after us lost sheep and bring us home rejoicing. Let us call upon Him in prayer, for ourselves and all people.
O Father in heaven, we pray to You through the Son and the Spirit that we may daily recognize Your provision for our every need of body and soul. For these gifts we praise you; and for your faithfulness in bestowing them we bless Your holy name. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, You call pastors to the task of shepherding Your people. Bless them in their work and give to all who serve with them your continued guidance and care. Bless especially the work of these servants in seeking those who are lost, that many more would turn to you in faith and receive the saving and joy-filled life you give through your Son. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious Lord, look with favor on the households of this congregation, and grant that all may live in the love that issues from a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord our King, extend your grace upon the rulers of the nations and all those You have placed in authority over us, granting that they might fulfill their responsibilities according to Your Word and for the good of Your people. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord of life, You heal us, deliver us and bind up our wounds. Hear our cries for all who are in need of strength and rescue, especially those on our prayer list and those we name before you in our hearts at this time… Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Father in heaven, Your Son drew near to eat with sinners and now feeds His people with His own body and blood. Gather Your people as a shepherd gathers lost sheep and remove from them whatever is contrary to sound doctrine, giving them repentant hearts so that they might rejoice with the angels in heaven. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Most merciful God, remember Your baptized children who have wandered from the household of faith. Pursue them as a shepherd who seeks lost sheep and strengthen their families to persist in prayer and confidence in Your faithfulness. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, all things are Yours, and You have promised to well supply us with all that we need. Give us courage and faith, that we may give a confident “amen” to these prayers, certain that You will give us all that is good and beneficial to our salvation and preserve us from all things harmful, for the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, through whom, with whom and in whom be all honor and glory, both now and forever. Amen.
OFFERTORY #955 (Stand) Let the Vineyards Be Fruitful
Let the vineyards be fruitful, Lord,
And fill to the brim our cup of blessing.
Gather a harvest from the seeds that were sown,
That we may be fed with the bread of life.
Gather the hopes and the dreams of all;
Unite them with the prayers we offer now.
Grace our table with Your presence, and give us
A foretaste of the feast to come.
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SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT
PREFACE
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 Him thanks and praise.
It is truly good, right and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to you, hold Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify your glorious name, evermore praising you and saying:
SANCTUS #961
Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth;
heav’n and earth are full of Your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessèd, blessèd, blessèd is He
who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Blessed are you, Lord of heaven and earth. In mercy for our fallen world you gave your only Son, that all those who believe in him should not perish but have eternal life. We give thanks to you for the salvation you have prepared for us through Jesus Christ. Send now your Holy Spirit into our hearts, that we may receive our Lord with a living faith as he comes to us in his holy supper.
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
WORDS OF OUR LORD
THE 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.
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Amen.
AGNUS DEI — I #962
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 Your peace,
grant us Your peace,
grant us Your peace.
THE COMMUNION (Be seated)
The Communion Assistant will come forward to receive first, then those from the pulpit side – by order of pew, front to back. Communicants will come up the center aisle and return via the side aisle. When all from the pulpit side have communed, the baptismal font side will commune in the same manner. We ask that the wine be consumed away from the tray table. Empty cups should be dropped into the receptacles.
DISTRIBUTION MUSIC Music Elegiac Pastorale Franklin D. Ashdown
NUNC DIMITTIS #937 (Stand)
1 Lord, bid Your servant go in peace,
Your word is now fulfilled.
These eyes have seen salvation’s dawn,
This child so long foretold.
2 This is the Savior of the world,
The Gentiles’ promised light,
God’s glory dwelling in our midst,
The joy of Israel.
3 With saints of old, with saints to come,
To You we lift our voice;
To Father, Son, and Spirit blest
Be honor, love, and praise.
PRAYER (Stand)
BENEDICTION
SENDING HYMN #802 Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise
DISMISSAL 1 Immortal, invisible,
God only wise,
In light inaccessible
hid from our eyes,
Most blessèd, most glorious,
the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious,
Thy great name we praise.
2 Unresting, unhasting,
and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting,
Thou rulest in might;
Thy justice like mountains
high soaring above
Thy clouds which are fountains
of goodness and love.
3 To all life Thou givest—
to both great and small—
In all life Thou livest,
the true Life of all;
We blossom and flourish
as leaves on the tree
And wither and perish—
but naught changes Thee.
4 Great Father of glory,
pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore Thee,
all veiling their sight;
All laud we would render:
O help us to see
’Tis only the splendor
of light that hides Thee.
Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise Setting: Michael Burkhart
FLOWERS: “With thankfulness to God for his many blessings during my many years of marriage with Jack.” By Marge Glass
Those serving:
Sunday, September 11:
8:00 a.m.:
Greeter: Steve Berg
Comm. assist: Judy Koucky
Reader: Norm Williams
10:30 a.m.:
Greeter: Christine M. Bell
Comm. assist: Dan Buuck
Reader: Dan Buuck
Acolyte: Noah Starck
Acknowledgments
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2022 Concordia Publishing House.
Shepherd of Tender Youth Text: attr. Clement of Alexandria, c. 170–c. 220; tr. Henry M. Dexter, 1821–90, alt. Tune: Felice de Giardini, 1716–96 Text & Tune: Public domain
In Adam We Have All Been One Text: Martin H. Franzmann, 1907–76
Tune: Southern Harmony, 1835, New Haven Text: © 1969 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326 Tune: Public domain
Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise Text: W. Chalmers Smith, 1824–1908, alt.
Tune: Welsh Text and tune: Public domain
ST. PAUL’S LUTHERAN CHURCH
7426 IDYLWOOD ROAD
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA 22043
A member congregation of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod
CONTACT US
Web site: www.stpaulsfallschurch.org
Office email: Secretary@stpaulsfallschurch.org
Business Manager email: stpaulstaff@yahoo.comPastor’s email: pastormark@stpaulsfallschurch.orST.
Safety Ministry: stpaulsafety@gmail.com
Office phone: 703-573-0295
