Worship for the Third Sunday after the Epiphany
Prepare for worship with a bowl of water, candles, bread, and wine. Join us on Zoom at 9 am on Sundays for worship.
Gathering
Welcome to Worship
Lowell
Prelude Music
Thanksgiving for Baptism[1]
Joined to Christ in the waters of baptism,
clothed with God’s mercy and forgiveness,
let us give thanks for the gift of baptism.
Holy God, fountain of living water,
source of mercy, tender and mighty,
you are clothed with majesty and splendor.
Your steadfast love fills the earth.
Your steadfast love fills the earth.
Your love flows through water,
satisfying the thirst of all living things,
sustaining life in this community,
nourishing and delighting us.
We bless you for these gifts of water:
Penn’s Creek and the Susquehanna River.
Your steadfast love fills the earth.
Your steadfast love fills the earth.
Your love flows through water,
a sign of your saving power:
Noah and the animals survive the flood,
Hagar discovers your well.
The Israelites escape through the sea,
and they drink from your gushing rock.
Naaman washes his leprosy away,
and the Samaritan woman will never be thirsty again.
Your steadfast love fills the earth.
Your steadfast love fills the earth.
Your love flows through the water of baptism
joined to your life-giving Word:
your well of mercy and cleansing flood,
your sea of deliverance from death into life,
your healing river washing sin away,
your living water springing up to eternal life.
Your steadfast love fills the earth.
Your steadfast love fills the earth.
Shower us with your Holy Spirit.
Fill us with your love.
Clothe us and all your people with grace.
Embolden us to do justice.
Bless us to love mercy.
Guide us to walk humbly with you,
whom we thank and praise, through Jesus Christ,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever.
Amen
Gathering Song – ACS 978 – “God Welcomes All”
Tom and Miriam
Greeting
Lowell
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
Prayer of the Day
Let us pray,
A period of silence for reflection.
Almighty God, by grace alone you call us and accept us in your service. Strengthen us by your Spirit, and make us worthy of your call, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen
Word
First Reading – Jonah 3:1-5, 10
Miriam
A reading from Jonah.
1The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, 2“Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.” 3So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days’ walk across. 4Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s walk. And he cried out, “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” 5 And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth.
10When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God had second thoughts about the calamity that God had said would be done to them; and God did not do it.
Word of God, word of life.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm – Psalm 65:5-12
Tom and Miriam
Refrain – Sing twice at the beginning and once at the ℟
God alone is my rock and my salvation.
5For God alone I | wait in silence;
truly, my hope | is in God.
6God alone is my rock and | my salvation,
my stronghold, so that I shall nev- | er be shaken.
7In God is my deliverance | and my honor;
God is my strong rock | and my refuge.
8Put our trust in God al- | ways, O people,
pour out your hearts before the one who | is our refuge. ℟
9Those of high degree are but a fleeting breath; those of low estate can- | not be trusted.
Placed on the scales together they weigh even less | than a breath.
10Put no trust in extortion; in robbery take no | empty pride;
though wealth increase, set not your | heart upon it.
11God has spoken once, twice | have I heard it,
that power be- | longs to God.
12Steadfast love belongs to | you, O Lord,
for you repay all according | to their deeds. ℟
Second Reading – 1 Corinthians 7:29-31
Miriam
A reading from 1 Corinthians:
29Brothers and sisters, the appointed time has grown short; from now on, let even those who are married be as though they were not, 30and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no possessions, 31and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.
Word of God, word of life.
Thanks be to God.
Gospel – Mark 1:14-20
Lowell
The holy gospel according to St. Mark.
14Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, 15and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the dominion of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”
16As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. 17And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for human beings.” 18And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19As Jesus went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20Immediately Jesus called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.
The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Homily
Hymn of the Day –ELW 817 – “You Have Come Down to the Lakeshore”
Jillian and Hannah
Prayers of Intercession
Lowell
All are invited to unmute on Zoom and join in the prayers, responding to each petition with “Have mercy, O God.”
Peace
Lowell
The peace of Christ be with you always.
And also with you.
All share the peace of Christ with one another.
Meal
Announcements
Lowell
Offertory – ELW 593, Refrain – “Drawn to the Light”
Tom and Miriam
Offering Prayer
Tom
O God,
receive these gifts as you receive us:
like a mother receives her child, with arms open wide.
Nourish us anew in your tender care,
and empower us in faithful service
to tend to others with this same love,
through Jesus Christ, our saving grace.
Amen.
Great Thanksgiving
Lowell
All are encouraged to unmute and join in the responses in bold.
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.
It is indeed right, our duty and our joy,
that we should at all times and in all places
give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God,
through our Savior Jesus Christ;
who on this day overcame death and the grave,
and by his glorious resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting life.
And so, with all the choirs of angels,
with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven,
we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven 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.
Blessed are you, O holy God:
you are the Life and Light of all.
By your powerful word you created all things.
Through the prophets you called your people to be a light to the nations.
Blessed are you for Jesus, your Son.
He is your Light, shining in our darkness
and revealing to us your mercy and might.
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.
Remembering, therefore,
his preaching and healing,
his dying and rising,
and his promise to come again,
we await that day when all the universe
will rejoice in your holy and life-giving light
as we proclaim the mystery of faith:
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
By your Spirit bless us and this meal,
that, refreshed with this heavenly food,
we may be light for the world,
revealing the brilliance of your Son.
Through him all glory and honor is yours,
Almighty Father, with the Holy Spirit,
in your holy Church,
both now and forever.
Amen
Lord’s Prayer
Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us.
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.
Invitation to the Table
These are indeed the gifts of God for you, the very much beloved people of God. Taste and see that God is good.
Communion
All distribute to one another saying:
The body of Christ, given for you.
The blood of Christ, shed for you.
After communing Tom distributes to Lowell
Blessing at the Table
Lowell
May the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in eternal life.
Prayer after communion
Tom
Christ Jesus,
at this table we have feasted on your very life
and are strengthened for our journey.
Send us forth from this banquet
nourished in body and in spirit
to proclaim your good news
and serve others in your name.
Amen
Sending
Sending of Communion
Lowell
Gracious God, as we gather as one body this day and feast at your table, our assembly is incomplete for there are many unable to join us today. We long for the day when we are reunited as one body around a common table and we pray that you extend our gathering into homes and campsites, yards and porches, and strengthen all who hear your Word and feast at your table with the abiding presence of your son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen
Blessing
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 ☩ give you peace.
Amen.
Sending Song – ELW 866 – “We Are Marching in the Light of God”
Jillian and Hannah
Dismissal
Tom
Go in peace. Be the light of Christ.
Thanks be to God.
Join us on Zoom for Coffee Hour.
Liturgy from Evangelical Lutheran Worship and Sundays and Seasons © Augsburg Fortress. Used by permission under Augsburg Fortress Annual Liturgies License SBT002156. Music is used by permission under OneLicense.net # A-715196.
[1] All Creation Sings – Form E © 2020 Augsburg Fortress.