+ God does not promise that the path of the disciple will be easy. Jeremiah feels the pain of rejection from those who do not want to hear what he has to say. Jesus declares that his words may bring stark division. Even so, we need not be afraid for God accounts for each hair on our heads. Though we may experience rejection, frustration, division, and death, God’s grace and love make us a new creation each day. Marked with the cross and filled with holy food, we are sent from worship to witness to Christ in the world. +
Special Music to Commemorate Juneteenth
Both of these songs are deeply rooted in the Black Church. If you haven’t heard them, I encourage you to do so.
The song is a prayer of thanksgiving for faithfulness and freedom, with imagery evoking the biblical Exodus from slavery to the freedom of the “promised land”.
This excerpt from “Ounce of Faith” by Darrell Grand Moultrie features Khalia Campbell of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Read more about the song here: “Till Victory Is Won: The Staying Power Of ‘Lift Every Voice And Sing'” https://www.npr.org/2018/08/16/638324920/american-anthem-lift-every-voice-and-sing-black-national-anthem
Gathering Hymn: Lift High the Cross (ELW #660 – All Verses)
Refrain
Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim
till all the world adore his sacred name.
1 Come, Christians, follow where our captain trod,
our king victorious, Christ, the Son of God. Refrain
2 All newborn servants of the Crucified
bear on their brows the seal of him who died. Refrain
3 O Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree,
as thou hast promised, draw us all to thee. Refrain
4 So shall our song of triumph ever be:
praise to the Crucified for victory! Refrain
Text: George W. Kitchin, 1827-1912; rev. Michael R. Newbolt, 1874-1956Text © 1974 Hope Publishing Company, Carol Stream, IL 60188. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Duplication in any form prohibited without permission or valid license from copyright administrator.
Hymn of Praise: Lord I Lift Your Name On High (ELW #857)
Confession and Forgiveness
All may make the sign of the cross, the sign marked at baptism, as the presiding minister begins.
As church, we confess the sin of racism and condemn racist rhetoric and the ideology of white supremacy. God, have mercy.
God, have mercy.
As church, we confess, repent, and repudiate the times when this church has been silent in the face of racial injustice. God, have mercy.
God, have mercy.
Racism is deeply ingrained within the ELCA, a predominantly white church. It is deeply embedded within the individual congregations whose members continue to foster stereotypes and support polices that actively hurt people of color. God, have mercy.
God, have mercy.
As church, we declare that the enslavement of black bodies and the removal of indigenous peoples established racism in the United States, a truth this nation and this church have yet to fully embrace. God, have mercy.
God, have mercy.
Rooted in slavery, racism is manifested through the history of Jim Crow policies, racial segregation, the terror of lynching, extrajudicial killings by law enforcement, and the disproportionate incarceration of people of color. God, have mercy.
God, have mercy.
As church we lament the institutional racism of discriminatory treatment within the call process; inequitable compensation of clergy of color; racial segregation; divestment from black communities and congregations; systemic policies and organizational practices; and a failure to fully include the gifts of leadership and worship styles of black people, indigenous people, and people of color. God, have mercy.
God, have mercy.
Confessions are empty promises without meaningful actions—actions that are grounded in prayer, education, and soul-searching repentance. The sin of racism separates us from one another. Though we trust that we are reconciled to God through Christ’s death and resurrection, we seek such life-giving reconciliation with one another. As we repent, let us not turn back to ideologies that promote white supremacy. We trust that God can make all things new.
Amen.
Opening Prayer
Teach us, good Lord God, to serve you as you deserve, to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labor and not to ask for reward, except that of knowing that we do your will, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Readings
Jeremiah 20:7-13
+ Jeremiah accuses God of forcing him into a ministry that brings him only contempt and persecution. Yet Jeremiah is confident that God will be a strong protector against his enemies and commits his life into God’s hands. +
The first reading comes from Jeremiah beginning at the 20th chapter.
7O Lord, you have enticed me,
and I was enticed;
you have overpowered me,
and you have prevailed.
I have become a laughingstock all day long;
everyone mocks me.
8For whenever I speak, I must cry out,
I must shout, “Violence and destruction!”
For the word of the Lord has become for me
a reproach and derision all day long.
9If I say, “I will not mention him,
or speak any more in his name,”
then within me there is something like a burning fire
shut up in my bones;
I am weary with holding it in,
and I cannot.
10For I hear many whispering:
“Terror is all around!
Denounce him! Let us denounce him!”
All my close friends
are watching for me to stumble.
“Perhaps he can be enticed,
and we can prevail against him,
and take our revenge on him.”
11But the Lord is with me like a dread warrior;
therefore my persecutors will stumble,
and they will not prevail.
They will be greatly shamed,
for they will not succeed.
Their eternal dishonor
will never be forgotten.
12O Lord of hosts, you test the righteous,
you see the heart and the mind;
let me see your retribution upon them,
for to you I have committed my cause.
13Sing to the Lord;
praise the Lord!
For he has delivered the life of the needy
from the hands of evildoers.
Word of God, Word of Life. Thanks be to God.
Psalm 69: 7-10 [11-15] 16-18
+ Answer me, O Lord, for your love is kind. (Ps. 69:16) +
Together we will read responsively from Psalm 69.
7Surely, for your sake I have suffered reproach,
and shame has covered my face.
8I have become a stranger to my own kindred,
an alien to my mother’s children.
9Zeal for your house has eaten me up;
the scorn of those who scorn you has fallen upon me.
10I humbled myself with fasting,
but that was turned to my reproach.
[11I put on sackcloth also,
and became a byword among them.
12Those who sit at the gate murmur against me,
and the drunkards make songs about me.
13But as for me, this is my prayer to you, at the time you have set, O Lord:
“In your great mercy, O God, answer me with your unfailing help.
14Save me from the mire; do not let me sink;
let me be rescued from those who hate me and out of the deep waters.
15Let not the torrent of waters wash over me, neither let the deep swallow me up;
do not let the pit shut its mouth upon me.] 16Answer me, O Lord, for your love is kind;
in your great compassion, turn to me.
17Hide not your face from your servant;
be swift and answer me, for I am in distress.
18Draw near to me and redeem me;
because of my enemies deliver me.
Romans 61b-11
+ In baptism we were incorporated into the reality of Christ’s death and resurrection. We have been made new in Christ through his death and resurrection to live freed from sin. +
The second reading comes from Romans beginning at the 6th chapter.
1bShould we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? 2By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? 3Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
5For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. 7For whoever has died is freed from sin. 8But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Word of God, Word of Life. Thanks be to God.
Children’s Message
For the Children’s message this week we invite you to check out Morning Watch by Pastor Matt and Pastor Jesse, who are good friends of mine and ELCA pastors in Greensboro, NC. Each week day they engage children and adults alike with scripture, music, and prayer. A link to their videos is linked in the interactive bulletin found at holytrinitybellerose.wordpress.com.
Matthew 10:24-39
+ Jesus warns his disciples that their ministry in his name will meet with opposition. However, he assures them that they need not fear for the truth will come to light. Life is found in Christ. +
The Holy Gospel according to Matthew beginning at the 10th chapter. Glory to you, O Lord.
[Jesus said to the twelve:] 24“A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; 25it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!
26“So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. 27What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. 28Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30And even the hairs of your head are all counted. 31So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.
32“Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; 33but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.
34“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
35For I have come to set a man against his father,
and a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
36and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.
37Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.”
The Gospel of the Lord, Praise to you O Christ.
Sermon:
Hymn of the Day: Let Us Ever Walk With Jesus (ELW #802 – All Verses)
1 Let us ever walk with Jesus,
follow his example pure,
through a world that would deceive us
and to sin our spirits lure.
Onward in his footsteps treading,
trav’lers here, our home above,
full of faith and hope and love,
let us do our Savior’s bidding.
Faithful Lord, with me abide;
I shall follow where you guide.
2 Let us suffer here with Jesus,
and with patience bear our cross.
Joy will follow all our sadness;
where he is there is no loss.
Though today we sow no laughter,
we shall reap celestial joy:
all discomforts that annoy
shall give way to mirth hereafter.
Jesus, here I share your woe;
help me there your joy to know.
3 Let us gladly die with Jesus.
Since by death he conquered death,
he will free us from destruction,
give to us immortal breath.
Let us mortify all passion
that would lead us into sin;
and the grave that shuts us in
shall but prove the gate of heaven.
Jesus, here with you I die,
there to live with you on high.
4 Let us also live with Jesus.
He has risen from the dead
that to life we may awaken.
Jesus, you are now our head,
we are your own living members;
where you live, there we shall be
in your presence constantly,
living there with you forever.
Jesus, let me faithful be;
life eternal grant to me.
Text: Sigismund von Birken, 1626-1681; tr. Lutheran Book of Worship, alt.
Text © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship, admin. Augsburg Fortress.
Duplication in any form prohibited without permission or valid license from copyright administrator.
Prayers of the People
Called into unity with one another and the whole creation, let us pray for our shared world.
A brief silence.
Expansive God, you bring diverse voices together to form your church. Open our hearts and unstop our ears to learn from one another, that differences might not overshadow our baptismal unity. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
Providing God, your creation shows us that life comes from death. Renew the places where our land, air, and waterways have been ill for too long. Direct the work of all who care for birds and their habitats. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
Protecting God, sustain and keep safe all who work to defend others across the world. Revive and strengthen organizations dedicated to caring for refugees and migrants while their homelands struggle for peace. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
Loving God, you promise to be with all who are persecuted for your sake. Guide all who speak your word of justice and console any who are tormented or targeted for being who they are. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
Compassionate God, you are with us and we are never alone. Bless all fathers and father figures who strive to love and nurture as you do. Comfort all who long to be fathers and all for whom this day is difficult. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
Healing God, we pray for those in pursuit of recovery and perseverance in the midst of the Coronavirus. We pray for all essential workers in New York City and around the world who continue to work and put their own wellbeing on the line to help us face this crisis. We pray for doctors, nurses, first responders, researchers, law enforcement, caregivers, sanitation and maintenance workers, and all working to combat COVID-19. Be with those who work in service and restaurant professions, those keeping stores stocked and making at home deliveries, for teachers both at home and online working tirelessly to give our children an education in the midst of crisis. We pray for those who transport goods to the places that need them, provide them with what they need along the journey. Keep them safe, keep them healthy, and help us to find ways to provide them with the supplies that they need to do their jobs well. We ask that you continue to be with employers and employees who are struggling to figure out how to keep things going during this time. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
Enduring God, we fervently pray for all who experience racism as part of their daily realities, those who feel fear for their own safety and that of those whom they love. We pray for all who are not treated with the respect they deserve, for we are all your children, created in your image. We pray for protestors who are scared and angry that they’re fighting a seemingly endless battle for safety. We pray for the families and friends of those who have been lost. We pray for wisdom and safety for public officials and law enforcement. We pray that no more harm come to our communities by anyone for any reason. We pray for peace, and we long for a future where the dignity of all God’s children is respected and upheld. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
Reigning God, you bless us with guides and caretakers in the faith. As we give thanks for those who have died, increase our care for one another until we walk with them in newness of life. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
Receive these prayers, O God, and those too deep for words; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Please consider continuing to mail in your offering or giving online! We continue to have expenses that need to be covered during this time. We are most grateful for your generosity.
Offertory Hymn We Are an Offering (ELW #692)
Thanksgiving for the Word
Let us pray.
O God of justice and love, we give thanks to you that you illumine our way through life with the words of your Son. Give us the light we need, awaken us to the needs of others, and at the end bring all the world to your feast; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory forever. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Lord, remember us in your kingdom and teach us to pray:
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.
Benediction
May the One who brought forth Jesus from the dead
raise you to new life, fill you with hope,
and turn your mourning into dancing.
Almighty God, Father, ☩ Son, and Holy Spirit,
bless you now and forever. Amen.
Sending Hymn: I Love to Tell the Story! (ELW #661 – All Verses)
1 I love to tell the story
of unseen things above,
of Jesus and his glory,
of Jesus and his love.
I love to tell the story,
because I know it’s true;
it satisfies my longings
as nothing else would do.
Refrain
I love to tell the story;
’twill be my theme in glory
to tell the old, old story
of Jesus and his love.
2 I love to tell the story:
how pleasant to repeat
what seems, each time I tell it,
more wonderfully sweet!
I love to tell the story,
for some have never heard
the message of salvation
from God’s own holy word. Refrain
3 I love to tell the story,
for those who know it best
seem hungering and thirsting
to hear it like the rest.
And when, in scenes of glory,
I sing the new, new song,
I’ll sing the old, old story
that I have loved so long. Refrain
Text: Katherine Hankey, 1834-1911
Sending
What is our mission? Welcoming all to grow in faith; living Christ’s message of serving and loving neighbors near and far.
Go in Peace, share the Good News! Thanks be to God!
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Bellerose 