FIRST SUNDAY IN CREATION
September 6, 2020
GATHERING
GREETING & WELCOME
L: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and Communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
All: And also with you.
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
L: Let us confess our sins to God, to one another, and to the creation that groans under our weight.
silence
L: For the times we have failed to think of the harm done to air, water, land, plants, and animals,
All: Lord have mercy.
L: For failing to conserve energy,
All: Lord have mercy.
L: For ignoring our civic responsibilities
All: Lord have mercy.
L: For allowing ourselves to be saturated by the allurements of a consuming culture,
All: Lord have mercy.
L: For not living more simply so others could simply live,
All: Lord have mercy.
L: For failing to ask for forgiveness from God and creatures,
All: Lord have mercy.
L: For not being thankful for the many gifts God has given,
All: Lord have mercy.
L: In Christ we are reconciled and re-created. Let us this day take the time to enjoy our relationship with our Creator made possible in our Savior Jesus Christ and to appreciate the goodness of the creation.
All: We declare this day to be a Sabbath unto God, a day of rest for all creation. Amen.
GATHERING HYMN “All Creatures, Worship God Most High!” ELW #835, vs. 1-3
September 6, 2020
GATHERING
GREETING & WELCOME
L: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and Communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
All: And also with you.
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
L: Let us confess our sins to God, to one another, and to the creation that groans under our weight.
silence
L: For the times we have failed to think of the harm done to air, water, land, plants, and animals,
All: Lord have mercy.
L: For failing to conserve energy,
All: Lord have mercy.
L: For ignoring our civic responsibilities
All: Lord have mercy.
L: For allowing ourselves to be saturated by the allurements of a consuming culture,
All: Lord have mercy.
L: For not living more simply so others could simply live,
All: Lord have mercy.
L: For failing to ask for forgiveness from God and creatures,
All: Lord have mercy.
L: For not being thankful for the many gifts God has given,
All: Lord have mercy.
L: In Christ we are reconciled and re-created. Let us this day take the time to enjoy our relationship with our Creator made possible in our Savior Jesus Christ and to appreciate the goodness of the creation.
All: We declare this day to be a Sabbath unto God, a day of rest for all creation. Amen.
GATHERING HYMN “All Creatures, Worship God Most High!” ELW #835, vs. 1-3
PRAYER OF THE DAY
L: God, our Creator, your glory fills our planet, and your presence vibrates through the leaves of the trees and the plants. Help us discern that presence and give us compassion to care for the many creatures who suffer from our ambivalence. Lift our hearts to sing your praise with all the creatures of the forest in the name of Christ, who reconciles and renews all things in creation.
All: Amen.
WORD
SCRIPTURE
Matthew 18:15-20
“If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”
Word of God; Word of Life.
Thanks be to God.
Isaiah 41:17-20
When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive; I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane and the pine together, so that all may see and know, all may consider and understand, that the hand of the Lord has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it.
Word of God; Word of Life.
Thanks be to God.
MESSAGE
HYMN OF THE DAY “This Is My Father’s World,” ELW #824
L: God, our Creator, your glory fills our planet, and your presence vibrates through the leaves of the trees and the plants. Help us discern that presence and give us compassion to care for the many creatures who suffer from our ambivalence. Lift our hearts to sing your praise with all the creatures of the forest in the name of Christ, who reconciles and renews all things in creation.
All: Amen.
WORD
SCRIPTURE
Matthew 18:15-20
“If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”
Word of God; Word of Life.
Thanks be to God.
Isaiah 41:17-20
When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive; I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane and the pine together, so that all may see and know, all may consider and understand, that the hand of the Lord has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it.
Word of God; Word of Life.
Thanks be to God.
MESSAGE
HYMN OF THE DAY “This Is My Father’s World,” ELW #824
CREATION CREED
We believe that God creates all things,
renews all things, and celebrates all things.
We believe Earth is a sanctuary,
a sacred planet filled with God’s presence, a
home for us to share with all creatures.
We believe every creature joins us in praising God.
We see many suffer with Earth
because of human crimes against creation.
We believe that God became incarnate
as a part of Earth, Jesus Christ,
that he lived and breathed and spoke among us,
suffered and died on a cross,
for all human beings and for all creation.
We believe that the risen Jesus Christ
fills the whole creation,
reconciling all things to God,
renewing all things.
We believe the Spirit renews life in creation,
groans in empathy with every suffering creature,
and waits with us for the rebirth of the whole creation.
We believe that with Christ we will rise
and with Christ we will celebrate a new creation,
reconciled, restored, and renewed. Amen.
MEAL
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
PASSING THE PEACE
L: The peace of Christ be with you always.
All: And also with you.
Giving--
OFFERING OF OUR GIFTS AND OUR LIVES
“For the Healing of Creation”, vs. 2
We believe that God creates all things,
renews all things, and celebrates all things.
We believe Earth is a sanctuary,
a sacred planet filled with God’s presence, a
home for us to share with all creatures.
We believe every creature joins us in praising God.
We see many suffer with Earth
because of human crimes against creation.
We believe that God became incarnate
as a part of Earth, Jesus Christ,
that he lived and breathed and spoke among us,
suffered and died on a cross,
for all human beings and for all creation.
We believe that the risen Jesus Christ
fills the whole creation,
reconciling all things to God,
renewing all things.
We believe the Spirit renews life in creation,
groans in empathy with every suffering creature,
and waits with us for the rebirth of the whole creation.
We believe that with Christ we will rise
and with Christ we will celebrate a new creation,
reconciled, restored, and renewed. Amen.
MEAL
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
PASSING THE PEACE
L: The peace of Christ be with you always.
All: And also with you.
Giving--
OFFERING OF OUR GIFTS AND OUR LIVES
“For the Healing of Creation”, vs. 2
HOLY COMMUNION—Words of Institution
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.
POST-COMMUNION BLESSING & PRAYER
L: The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.
All: Amen.
L: We thank you, Christ, for the meal we have celebrated with you, and we pray that through your body and blood we may be healed and become agents of healing for Earth. Amen.
All: Amen.
BENEDICTION
L: May every living creature abound in peace. May every living being, weak or strong, great of small, seen or unseen, far or near, all have peace. In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
SENDING
ANNOUNCEMENTS
SENDING HYMN “The Trees of the Field,”
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.
POST-COMMUNION BLESSING & PRAYER
L: The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.
All: Amen.
L: We thank you, Christ, for the meal we have celebrated with you, and we pray that through your body and blood we may be healed and become agents of healing for Earth. Amen.
All: Amen.
BENEDICTION
L: May every living creature abound in peace. May every living being, weak or strong, great of small, seen or unseen, far or near, all have peace. In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
SENDING
ANNOUNCEMENTS
SENDING HYMN “The Trees of the Field,”
DISMISSAL
L: Go in peace. Love Creation.
All: Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE
L: Go in peace. Love Creation.
All: Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE
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