Cycle C Easter 5

4/28/2013 Confession

Sunday Title: All things New Sunday

Sermon Title: So what’s new?

Previously:

Sunday Title: Love Sunday

Sermon Title: He knew how hard it would be!

Sunday Title: Mother’s Day 

Sermon Title: “The Full Measure of Love”

Sunday Title: Mother's Day 

Sermon Title: "Changes, Great and Small."

Scripture Cuttings:

Acts 11:1-18 Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.

Psalm 148 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created.

Revelation 21:1-6 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

John 13:31-35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

Confession:

All may make the sign of the cross in remembrance of baptism

as the presiding minister begins:

P:  In the Name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen

P:  We think we know our God,

   but have we opened our hearts to listen? (pause for self-examination)

P:  Oh Lord...

C: we know you well enough,

  so you should let us choose,

    who can repent.

We have studied the bible,

  we know your rules,

    we understand your will,

      leave judgment to us.

We are your church,

  we can handle the mission,

    we will choose who to invite.

We can keep ourselves pure,

  and handle the hard decisions. (pause for self-examination)

P:  Oh Lord...

C: Forgive our sinful arrogance.

Save us from our sinful ignorance.

   (Pause for reflection)

P:  For the glory of Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ died for our sins. Our sins are forgiven. To the glory of God we have Christ's mandate to love one another. Through the power of the Holy Spirit everyone who sees our discipleship: discipleship of love for one another, receives the invitation of Christ's love. All to glory of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen. -wjw

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

C: And also with you!

Cycle C Easter 4

4/21/2013 Confession

Sunday Title: Shepherd Sheep Sunday

Sermon Title: Knowing that You Know (Faithing Faith)

Previously:

Sunday Title: Shepherd Sunday

Sermon Title: Who is Your Shepherd?

Sunday Title: Follow Sunday,

Sermon Title: “Following… the Shepherd or not the Shepherd.”

Sunday Title: Sheep Sunday 

Sermon Title: "Baa Ram Ewe, Sheep Be True,

to Your Breed, to Your Clan, to Your Flock, Sheep Be True."

Scripture Cuttings:

Acts 9:36-43 Tabitha, get up.

Psalm 23 The Lord is my shepherd….

Revelation 7:9-17 ...for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life….

John 10:22-30 My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.

Confession:

All may make the sign of the cross in remembrance of baptism

as the presiding minister begins:

P:  In the Name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen

P:  We know our shepherd,

  but we have forgotten to be his sheep. (pause for self-examination)

P:  Oh Lord...

C: we live our strong wills,

  so we do not follow where you lead us.

The world makes much noise,

  we don't listen to your voice.

    But we follow other voices without question.

We seek the greenest pastures,

 and do not notice your kingdom before us.

Our sins are many, we name a few.

  Forgive us Lord.

The sins we deny - you know them.

  Save us Lord. (Pause for reflection)

P:  For our sake Jesus Christ comes to claim our lives. The good shepherd is calling us to receive the forgiveness he gives. Our sins are forgiven. By the power of the Holy Spirit we may hear his voice and follow him to eternal life. To the glory of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen. -wjw

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

C: And also with you!

Cycle C Easter 3

4/14/2013 Confession

Sunday Title: Call Sunday

Sermon Title: Encountering the love of Christ.

Previously:

Sunday Title: Conversion Sunday

Sermon Title: Conversion Expectations

Sunday Title: Fishing Sunday

Sermon Title: “Gutted, Cleaned & Grilled”

Sunday Title: Follow Sunday, 

Sermon Title: "Do what you know, till you know Christ, then 'Follow me'"

Scripture Cuttings:

Acts 9:1-20 [Saul] asked, "Who are you, Lord?" The reply came, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do."

Psalm 30 O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. O Lord, you brought up my soul from the grave.

Revelation 5:11-14 Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!

John 21:1-19 Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, "Children, you have no fish, have you?"

Confession:

All may make the sign of the cross in remembrance of baptism

as the presiding minister begins:

P:  In the Name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen

P:  We are witnesses to the Resurrection,

  yet we do not follow Christ. (pause for self-examination)

P:  Merciful God...

C: How great your Easter triumph,

  how thin our Easter response.

You invite us to follow you,

  and we divert ourselves with the world's choices.

We admit our love when questioned,

  but don't live in obedience,

    and are not devoted to tending your flock.

Forgive us for the sins we see

Save us from the sins we hid from ourselves.

    (Pause for reflection)

P:  As we acknowledge the depth of our sin, we see glory in God's redemption. Worthy is the Lamb, slaughtered to redeem us. To him and to God be all blessing and honor and glory and might. And to us: our sins are forgiven for Christ's sake. And for his sake we are the instrument chosen to witness the resurrection. By the power of the Holy Spirit we may feed the lambs, tend the sheep and bring the name of Jesus Christ before all people saying "He is the Son of God"  To the glory of  the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen. -wjw

P:  Christ is risen!

C: He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

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

C: And also with you!

Cycle C Easter 2

4/7/2013 Confession

Sunday Title: Still! Resurrection Sunday!

Sermon Title: Carry the Resurrection forward!

Previously:

Sunday Title: Fai(do(se(believe)e)ubt)th Sunday

Sermon Title: Doubt in Faith

Sunday Title: Fear Sunday

Sermon Title: “Faith & Fear”

Scripture Cuttings:

Acts 5:27-32 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.”

Psalm 150 Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!

Revelation 1:4-8 …from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

John 20:19-31 When [Jesus] had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Confession:

All may make the sign of the cross in remembrance of baptism

as the presiding minister begins:

P:  In the Name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen

P:  God redeems!

Let us get ready by being honest about our fears.  (pause for self-examination)

P:  Merciful God...

C: we know we buckle to authority

to the government

  to the economic culture

    to the peer pressure we still face as grown ups.

      You understand: “You have to go along to get along.”

But we stand up and gripe hard for our own self interest.

  We stir our friends as advocates for our point of view.

    If we’ve been wronged,

      we reinforcing our selfishness with a course of gossip.

We “teach a lesson” long before forgiving.

So when it come to You…

  an Alleluia is quick on our lips Sunday morning

    and then your Holiness lags for a week.

Faithful intensity fades fast in our world of fear.

  We forget your faithfulness saves us.

Save us from our self-deception.

   forgive us our fears. (Pause for reflection)

P: The God of Peace greets us with the gift of grace in his Son our Lord Jesus the Christ. It is for Christ sake that our sins are forgiven! Our fears are blown away! We are sent powered by the Holy Spirit to be faithful witnesses of the first born of the dead,  we now serve as priest in the kingdom of the ruler of the rulers of the earth, so that all may come to know the glory of our faithful God. In the name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen. -wjw

P:  Christ is risen!

C: He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

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

C: And also with you!

Cycle C Resurrection of Our Lord

3/31/2013 Confession

Sunday Title: Resurrection of Our Lord

Sermon Title: Transcendence

Previously:

Sunday Title: Resurrection of Our Lord 

Sermon Title: “You are in the right place now!”

Scripture Cuttings:

Isaiah 65:17-25 For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating…

Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.

1 Corinthians 15:19-26 For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ.

Luke 24:1-12 Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.

Confession:

All may make the sign of the cross in remembrance of baptism

as the presiding minister begins:

P:  In the Name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen

P:  There is Good News here today,

but we need to be honest with God

to understand what it means for us. (pause for reflection: honest- without disguise)

  Lord God...

C: we are not like the first witnesses of the Resurrection.

We have not allowed You in the true center of our lives.

  The women going to the tomb early this morning,

    are prepared to face death.

We seek life: in places of death.

We hide in fear, forgetting your promise,

  and we wonder about Your witnesses,

    instead of witnessing to Your wonders.

Even early mornings, dilute our faithfulness.

Lord, we are not ready for Your Glory.

Forgive us for the sins we know,

save from the sins we hide. (pause for reflection and self-examination)

P:  There is Good News this morning, because we do not own a single fear, or doubt, or hesitation, the Lord our God does not overcome. It is by God’s own faithfulness that Jesus Christ died for our sins and that he was buried and that he was raised on the third day. For Christ's sake our sins are forgiven. By the power of the Holy Spirit we too are to become witnesses- apostles to proclaim the Resurrection of our Lord, so that all may believe. To the Glory of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen. -wjw

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

C: And also with you!

Cycle C Palm Sunday

3/24/2013 Confession

Sunday Title: Disciple Sunday

Sermon Title: Who Are You?  “If God is my God, who am I?” “Fan or Disciple”

Scripture Cuttings:

Isaiah 50:4–9a The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word.

Psalm 31:9–16 But as for me, I have trusted in you, O Lord.

I have said, "You are my God.

Philippians 2:5–11 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus….

Luke 19:28-40 …the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying,

    “Blessed is the king

    who comes in the name of the Lord!

    Peace in heaven,

    and glory in the highest heaven!”

Confession:

All may make the sign of the cross in remembrance of baptism

as the presiding minister begins:

P:  In the Name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen

P:  God is preparing to great things this week

    let us prepare our selves for God’s grace.

    (pause for self-examination)

P:  Have mercy on us, O Lord.

C: We count ourselves as your disciples

without an open willingness to follow you.

  We may have a personal devotion in private places,

    or a quiet response among a croud of believers;

      but when would we shout our blessing on your work,

        with so many others to listen.

We wait until the most testing of times

  to place ourselves in your hands.

    And do not seek your instruction morning by morning.

Forgive the sins we name.

Save us from the sins we hide.

 (Pause for reflection)

P: The Lord God helps us turn form rebuliousness to faithfuness, even to obedience; that we should not claim a righteousness of our own but that we might have the same mind as Jesus Christ. (For Christ's sake our sins are forgiven). In Christ’s faithfuness we might place our trust and declair that here is our our God. To the glory of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen. -wjw

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

C: And also with you!

during Lent the Absolution may be withheld

Cycle C Lent 5

3/17/2013 Confession

Sunday Title: Preparation Sunday

Sermon Title: Getting ready for what?

Previously:

Sunday Title: Reorder Sunday

Sermon Title: What’s new?

Sunday Title: Ready Sunday 

Sermon Title: “Jesus is Ready- You?”

Sunday Title: Pure Sunday 

Sermon Title: "A True Worship for a True Reason"

Scripture Cuttings:

Isaiah 43:16-21 Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

Psalm 126 Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.

Philippians 3:4b-14 ...not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith of Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith.

John 12:1-8 Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped his feet with her hair.

Confession:

All may make the sign of the cross in remembrance of baptism

as the presiding minister begins:

P:  In the Name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen

P:  The Lord is about to do a new thing,

  we his people are about to be rescued,

    let us prepare our selves for this grace.

    (pause for self-examination)

P:  Merciful God...

C: Oh how we are tempted by our religion,

filling our pockets with good deeds,

  putting our upright living on display,

   hiding our vice: "it is my only one." 

What zeal we have for our righteousness,

  laying claim to a spiritual heritage,

    placing confidence in understanding,

      and taking pride in faith.

We forget your faithfulness saves us.

Save us from our self-deception.

   forgive us our arrogance in sin. (Pause for reflection)

P: God is faithful. Christ is faithful. God does a new thing in Jesus Christ, making a way in the wilderness of our infidelity, for the restoration of right-relationship. (For Christ's sake our sins are forgiven). By the power of the Holy Spirit, with clean hearts, we may bow to our Lord in a worship of purest gratitude. In the name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen. -wjw

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

C: And also with you!

during Lent the Absolution may be withheld

Cycle C Lent 4

3/10/2013 Confession

Sunday Title: Hiding Place Sunday

Sermon Title: Who Are You?  “You are my hiding-place”

“Stranded in Grace”

Previously:

Sunday Title: Motivation Sunday

Sermon Title: Coming to Yourself -Will and Identity-

Sunday Title: Story Sunday

Sermon Title: Who are you in this story?

Sunday Title: Invitation Sunday 

Sermon Title: “The Religious and the Redeemed”

Scripture Cuttings:

Joshua 5:9-12 While the Israelites were camped in Gilgal they kept the passover in the evening on the fourteenth day of the month in the plains of Jericho.

consider: Genesis 33:1-4 But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.

Psalm 32 Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

2 Corinthians 5:16-21 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him.

Confession:

All may make the sign of the cross in remembrance of baptism

as the presiding minister begins:

P:  In the Name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen

P:  Let us come before the Lord who imputes no guilt, and in whose spirit there is no guile!

    (pause for self-examination)

P:  Merciful God...

C: We hide from the genuine nature of our relationships,

  glossing over disputes and disruptions,

    instead of confronting actual hurts,

      with compassionate listening and understanding.

Our apologies focus on the feelings of others

  caused by our actions and words,

    instead of our actions and words themselves.

Even at our most eloquent we insert a “but” into an apology

  followed by a further explanation of our “right-ness”

We escalate petty differences into moral outrage,

  in a personal quest for self importance,

And while we may serve with great integrity,

  we are resentful of those who do not meet our standards.

Claiming again our self-right-ness as just excuse

  and we create a false hiding place.

Help us come to ouselves.

Forgive us for the sins we name,

  save us from what we hide. (Pause for reflection)

P: God is faithful and reconciles us to himself through Jesus Christ. (For Christ's sake our sins are forgiven). We are a new creation in Christ. In God’s righteousness we have our true hiding place. Now we are commissioned to be ambassadors for Christ to the glory of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen. -wjw

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

C: And also with you!

during Lent the Absolution may be withheld

-or-

Psalm 32     The Joy of Forgiveness

P:  Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven,

C:    whose sin is put away.

P:  Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity,

C:    and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

                          (pause for self-examination)

P:  Let us confess:

C: While I kept silence, my body wasted away

     because of my groaning all day long.

  For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;

     my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.

P:  Then I acknowledged my sin to you,

C:    and I did not hide my iniquity;

  I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”

      and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

P:  Therefore let all who are faithful

C:    offer prayer to you; at a time of distress,

        the rush of mighty waters shall not reach them.

  You are a hiding place for me;

     you preserve me from trouble;

  you surround me with shouts of deliverance.

P:  Our Lord answers:

C: I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go;

     I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

  Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding,

     whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle,

  else it will not stay near you.

P:  We respond:

C: Many are the torments of the wicked,

     but mercy surrounds those who trust in the Lord.

  Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous,

     and shout for joy, all of you true in heart.

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

C: And also with you!

during Lent the Absolution may be withheld