Fifth Sunday of Epiphany
Sunday, February 8, 2015
FIFTH SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY
February 8, 2015 8:15 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
Lutheran Church of the Cross, Nisswa, MN
Rev. Andy Smith, Pastor
Rev. Kari Williamson, Pastor
GOOD MORNING & WELCOME TO LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE CROSS!
Welcome to worship as we come together in praise and thanksgiving to our living Savior!
With Christ as our brother, we are family to one another. What a gift!
In Isaiah it is the one God who sits above the earth and numbers the stars—it is that God who
strengthens the powerless. So in Jesus' healing work we see the hand of the creator God, lifting
up the sick woman to health and service (diakonia). Like Simon's mother-in-law, we are lifted
up to health and diakonia. Following Jesus, we strengthen the powerless; like Jesus, we seek to
renew our own strength in quiet times of prayer.
PRELUDE
"Ciacona in D Minor," Johann Pachelbel
WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS
TEMPLE TALK
CALL TO WORSHIP
"O Splendor of God's Bright Glory"
CONFESSION & FORGIVENESS
Blessed be the holy Trinity, † one God,
who spoke light into creation,
who calls us to listen and follow,
who sends us to shine like stars. Amen.
Let us come before God, confessing our sin.
Holy and merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against our sisters and brothers and against you.
We cherish the values of this world.
We cause others to stumble.
The earth is wounded by our excess.
Have mercy, O God.
Forgive us, renew us, and raise us up on eagles' wings,
that we may do your will with courage and delight. Amen.
Hymn 559
Hear the voice from heaven:
"You are my own, my beloved."
God gives power to the weary and strengthens the powerless.
Be cleansed, be healed, for in the name of † Jesus Christ,
I declare to you the forgiveness of your sins and the revealing of God's reign. Amen.
GATHERING HYMN
“Earth and All Stars"
Hymn 731
GREETING
From the one who is and who was and who is to come,
and from Jesus Christ, the first fruits of the resurrection,
grace and peace be with you all.
And also with you.
KYRIE
page 184
HYMN OF PRAISE
page 185
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray,
Everlasting God,
you give strength to the weak and power to the faint.
Make us agents of your healing and wholeness,
that your good news may be made known to the ends of your creation,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Pastor Kari Williamson
MUSICAL OFFERING
FIRST READING
Isaiah 40:21-31
The Judeans in exile have a good reason to be hopeful: the one who will bring them to freedom
is the God who created the world, the God who subdues the rulers of the earth and gives
strength to those who are weary.
Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;
who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
and spreads them like a tent to live in; who brings princes to naught,
and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing.
Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth,
when he blows upon them, and they wither,
and the tempest carries them off like stubble.
To whom then will you compare me, or who is my equal? says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes on high and see: Who created these?
He who brings out their host and numbers them, calling them all by name;
because he is great in strength, mighty in power, not one is missing.
Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel,
"My way is hidden from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God"?
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless.
Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted;
but those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary,
they shall walk and not faint.
Word of God, word of life.
Thanks be to God.
SECOND READING
1 Corinthians 9:16-23
God entrusted Paul with the responsibility of bringing the gospel to diverse people. Hence the
focus of Paul's ministry is not his own rights or privileges as an apostle but the privilege of
serving God by freely sharing the good news of Christ with others.
If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me,
and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward;
but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission. What then is my reward? Just this:
that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my
rights in the gospel.
For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win
more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I
became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those
under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free
from God's law but am under Christ's law) so that I might win those outside the law. To the
weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I
might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its
blessings.
Word of God, word of life.
Thanks be to God.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (please stand, as you are able)
GOSPEL
The holy gospel according to Mark
Glory to you , O Lord.
page 188
Mark 1:29-39
Everywhere Jesus goes, many people expect him to set them free from oppression. Everywhere
he goes, he heals them and sets them free. Disease, devils, and death are running for their lives.
The forces that diminish human life are rendered powerless by Jesus.
As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James
and John. Now Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at
once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she
began to serve them.
That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons.
And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with
various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak,
because they knew him.
In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and
there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they
said to him, "Everyone is searching for you." He answered, "Let us go on to the neighboring
towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do." And
he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out
demons.
The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
(please, be seated)
SERMON
Silence is kept for reflection.
Speaking Truth to Power
Pastor Andy Smith
HYMN OF THE DAY
“Great is Thy Faithfulness”
(please stand as you are able, during the last verse)
APOSTLES' CREED
Hymn 733
page 105
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Called to know, love, and follow you, O God, we pray for the church, the world, and all in need.
Everlasting God, deepen your church's commitment to proclaiming the gospel, that many will
hear, respond, and share in its blessings. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Everlasting God, rule over the nations and guide their paths toward the fulfillment of your
purpose, nurturing the common good, protecting the weak, providing justice, and caring for
the needy. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Strength for the powerless, lift up the weary and wounded, give endurance to those whose
struggle is unrelenting, heal the sick, and relieve the pain of those who suffer; Jana Campbell,
Ernie Teie, Randy Phillips, Brian Stumvoll, Ken Rasinski, Jim Sherwood, Randy Oestreich, Roy
Carter, Julie (sister of Jan Erickson), Teri Anderson (niece to Joy Potthoff), Mike Sullivan (father
of Jana Campbell), Betty Johnson (sister of Chuck Sather), Jon Rardin (brother of Jay Rardin),
Kathy Fargo (Vern Fargo's daughter-in-law), Sandy Mc Elwee (mother of Lori Reisdorf), Gayle
McMullen (sister of Gloria Thomas), Ron Maki (friend of Bob Beck), Jerry Salfer (brother of
Roger Salfer), Jim Bennett (son-in-law of Scott and Sandie Tricker), Katherine Benson (friend of
Erica and John Henke), Carl Anderson (son of Wes and Lorrie Anderson), Kathy Ennen (sister of
Cheryl Swanson), Brenda Sorensen (sister of Shawn Hansen), Joe Loney, Genevieve Brandt
(mother of Kathy Kosobud), Jeremy Sullivan (friend of Jim and Julie Raymo), and Megan Raymo
(daughter of Jim and Julie Raymo). Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Trusting your love and healing, O God, we commend to you all for whom we pray, knowing you
will hear and answer, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
(please be seated)
OFFERING
OFFERTORY
"Change My Heart O God"
Hymn 801
OFFERING PRAYER
Merciful God, as grains of wheat scattered upon the hills were gathered together to become
one bread, so let your church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into your
kingdom, for yours is the glory through Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen.
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.
BENEDICTION
God the Father, light-creator; God the Son, Light from Light;
and God the Holy Spirit, light-revealer, bless you and †give you peace. Amen.
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Share the good news.
Thanks be to God. We will!
SENDING HYMN
POSTLUDE
"O God Our Help in Ages Past"
Hymn 632
"Festival Toccata," Percy Fletcher
From Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2015 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies
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Directory
Thank You to our
Worship Assistants and Servers!
Organist/Pianist
Laura Raedeke
Greeters
8:15 Lois Jensen, Jo Zaiser
10:30 Tony, Mindy, Grace, and Alison
Whipple
Cantor
8:15 Cathy Taylor
10:30 Cathy Taylor
Musical Offering
8:15 Cathy Taylor, "How I Love Your
Word," Hayes
10:30 Senior Choir,
"On Eagles Wings," Hayes
Ushers
8:15 Don and Mickie Deline
10:30 Dave and Esther Endicott
Readers
8:15 Lois Jensen
10:30 Pauline Gustafson
Acolytes
8:15 Jacob Kruger
10:30 Marcus Klein
Worship
Coordinators
8:15 Darrell Paske
10:30 Sally Hodgson
Fellowship Time
Sound Room
Nursery
Attendant
9:15 Wes and Lorrie Anderson
Pete and Carol Christofferson
Steve Lanz, Bob Burns
8:15 Gail Goble
10:30 Gail Goble
5064 County Road 13 PO Box 29
Phone: 218-963-2564
Email: lcc@lccnisswa.org
Church of the Cross Office
218.963.2564
Office Hours
Monday - Friday
8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Email
lcc@lccnisswa.org
Web Site
lccnisswa.org
Pastors and Staff
Pastors
Rev. Andy Smith
Rev. Kari Williamson
Youth and Family Ministry
Stacy Johnson
Children and Family Ministry
Erin Karlgaard
Financial Secretary
Karen Wiele
Lay Ministries Coordinator
Sally Hodgson
Custodian
Clint Baker
Music Ministry/Organist
Cathy Taylor
Senior Choir Director
Brian Stubbs
Organist
Laura Raedeke
Bell Choir Director
Judy Rickbeil
ELCA Global Missionary
Pr. Bradn Buerkle
Office Manager
Joy Walter
Nisswa, MN 56468
Website: lccnisswa.org