September 7, 2025

September 7, 2025      11 A.M.

Welcome!

Introduction

Called to contemplate the cost of discipleship, we might be helped by translating Paul’s request to Philemon into our prayer of the day: Refresh my heart in Christ. Strengthened by the company and forgiveness of Christ in holy communion and recalling God’s grace in remembrance of baptism, we can be strengthened in this hour to “choose life”—to choose life in God as our own.

 (please stand for our opening song)

Opening Hymn:  Lift High the Cross    ELW 660

Confession and Forgiveness

Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God, our maker, our helper, and our keeper.

Amen.

Trusting in God’s mercy, let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.

Silence is kept for reflection.

Merciful and loving God,

we are your stiff-necked people. We trample on the needy. We grumble about your grace to others. We turn away from the poor. Have mercy on us and forgive our sins. Rejoice over us as ones who were lost and have been found. Amen.

Even when we are faithless, God remains faithful. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. You who were lost have been found. In the name of ☩ Jesus, your sins are forgiven!

Amen.

Prayer of the Day

Direct us, O Lord God, in all our doings with your continual help, that in all our works, begun, continued, and ended in you, we may glorify your holy name; and finally, by your mercy, bring us to everlasting life, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

(Please be seated for the readings)

First Reading: Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Moses speaks to the Israelites, who are about to enter the land promised to their ancestors. In this passage, he lays out the stark choice before them: choose life by loving and obeying the Lord; or choose death by following other gods.

R:   ¹⁵ “See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity. ¹⁶ If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you today, by loving the Lord your God, walking in his ways, and observing his commandments, decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live and become numerous, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess. ¹⁷ But if your heart turns away and you do not hear but are led astray to bow down to other gods and serve them, ¹⁸ I declare to you today that you shall certainly perish; you shall not live long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. ¹⁹ I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, ²⁰ loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him, for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.”

…This is the Word of the Lord

C: Thanks be to God

 

 

Psalmody: Psalm 1

They are like trees planted by streams of water. (Ps. 1:3)

 ¹ Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked, nor lingered in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seats of the scornful!
 ² Their delight is in the law of the Lord, and they meditate on God’s teaching day and night.
 ³ They are like trees planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither; everything they do shall prosper.
 ⁴ It is not so with the wicked; they are like chaff which the wind blows away.
 ⁵ Therefore the wicked shall not stand upright when judgment comes, nor the sinner in the council of the righteous.
 ⁶ For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall be destroyed. 

Second Reading: Philemon 1-21

Onesimus, a new Christian and a man enslaved by Philemon, has helped Paul, who is in prison. Paul writes this letter to his friend Philemon to encourage him to receive Onesimus, upon his return, as a sibling in Christ.

R:   ¹ Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
  To our beloved coworker Philemon, ² to our sister Apphia, to our fellow soldier Archippus, and to the church in your house:
  ³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

  ⁴ I thank my God always when I mention you in my prayers, ⁵ because I hear of your love for all the saints and your faith toward the Lord Jesus. ⁶ I pray that the partnership of your faith may become effective as you comprehend all the good that we share in Christ. ⁷ I have indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother.
  ⁸ For this reason, though I am more than bold enough in Christ to command you to do the right thing, ⁹ yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love—and I, Paul, do this as an old man and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus. ¹⁰ I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment. ¹¹ Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me. ¹² I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you. ¹³ I wanted to keep him with me so that he might minister to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel, ¹⁴ but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your good deed might be voluntary and not something forced. ¹⁵ Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for the long term, ¹⁶ no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
  ¹⁷ So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. ¹⁸ If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to me. ¹⁹ I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. I say nothing about your owing me even your own self. ²⁰ Yes, brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ. ²¹ Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

…This is the Word of the Lord

C: Thanks be to God

(please stand)

Gospel: Luke 14:25-33

C: <sung>                       

Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.

Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.

Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.

Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.

Jesus speaks frankly about the costs of discipleship. Those who follow him should know from the outset that completing the course of discipleship will finally mean renouncing all other allegiances.

D:   ²⁵ Now large crowds were traveling with [Jesus], and he turned and said to them, ²⁶ “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. ²⁷ Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. ²⁸ For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? ²⁹ Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, ³⁰ saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ ³¹ Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? ³² If he cannot, then while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. ³³ So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.”

…This is the Gospel of the Lord

C: Praise to you, oh Christ

Wee Worship & Blessing of the Backpacks

  

 We Sing: Jesus, Keep me Near the Cross  ELW 335

 with Jerry leFeber

(please stand)

Apostles’ Creed

C:  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. On 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

 

(please be seated for prayer)

Prayers of Intercession

Gracious God, we come to you in prayer for the church, the world, and all in need.

A brief silence.

We pray for the church to follow in your ways, that it may be a witness to your love for all people. Help us choose all that is life-giving and confront the forces of death. God of grace,

receive our prayer.

We pray for creation, that it may be cherished and nurtured. Sustain farmlands, animals, and waters; restore places affected by calamities; and shield coastlands from rising seas. God of grace,

receive our prayer.

We pray for those in authority. Grant them wisdom to govern justly and compassion to care for the marginalized. Equip them for actions that further the common good. God of grace,

receive our prayer.

We pray for those who are sick, hungry, unhoused, or lonely (especially). May they find healing through your love and the care of those around them. Lead us to be your hands and feet in the world. God of grace,

receive our prayer.

We pray for this congregation, that we may be united in love and faith. Refresh our hearts in Christ, and deepen our support of one another. We pray that our sharing of faith may transform lives. God of grace,

receive our prayer.

We thank you for those who have died and now dwell with the saints. Surround them with your divine mercy, that they find peace and rest in your loving embrace. God of grace,

receive our prayer.

We entrust these prayers to you, O God, in the name of Jesus Christ, our redeemer and friend.

Amen.

(please stand)

The Sharing of the Peace:

P: The peace of the Lord be with you always.          

C:  And also, with you.

P:  We greet one another with the Peace of Christ

We Sing:  Take My Life, That I May Be ELW 685

 

 

Offering Prayer

P: Lord of the harvest, we return to you a portion of what you have given to us. Turn us to set our hope not on the uncertainty of riches, but on you, who richly provides for us. Multiply what we have gathered to bless all who are suffering and in need, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Communion

P: The Lord be with you.             

C: And also with you.

P: Rejoice before your Lord.        

C: We lift them to the Lord.

P: Let us give thanks to our God. 

C: It is right to give our thanks and praise.

P:   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. You reveal your glory as the glory of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: equal in majesty, undivided in splendor, one Lord, one God, ever to be adored in your eternal glory. 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, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest.

P:  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.

P:  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.

P:  For as often as we eat of this bread and drink from this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

C: Christ has died:  Christ is risen:  Christ will come again.

P:   O God of resurrection and new life: Pour out your Holy Spirit on us and on these gifts of bread and wine. Bless this feast. Grace our table with your presence.

C:    Come, Holy Spirit.

P:   We pray as Jesus taught us: 

C: 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 Communion

The kingdom of God is set before you. Eat and rejoice.

(sit)

PowerPoint Video & Distribution

 

Prayer after Communion

O God, through this meal you have strengthened us and appointed us to be your servants. Send us to do good and to share our possessions with all in need.  We ask this in Jesus’ name.

Amen.

Blessing

The God of righteousness, who gives justice to the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry, who sets the prisoners free, ☩ bless you now and forever.

Amen.

Announcements…

Birthdays

11 – Joe Wolf

12 – Jim Schultz

13 – Jeanette McCoy

Weekly Calendar

Wednesday – 10 am – Bible study at Immanuel

                     5:30 – Council Meeting

    6 pm – Prayer Gathering

Thursday –     9 am – Quilting

Closing Hymn:  Oh, That the Lord Would Guide My Ways ELW 772

Dismissal

Go in peace. Do not lose heart.

Thanks be to God.