Licensing
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church is covered under the following licenses:
- CCLI: 1510407
- OneLicense: 732293-A
- Augsburg Fortress: SAS006846
+ In today’s gospel reading, Jesus tells a vineyard parable, which serves as an image of Israel, the prophets’ mission, and Christ’s death. For Christians, the vineyard also speaks of God’s love poured out in the blood of Christ, given to us for the forgiveness of sin. Grafted onto Christ the vine at baptism, we are nourished with wine and bread so that we may share Christ’s sufferings and know the power of his resurrection. +
CONFESSION & FORGIVENESS
All may make the sign of the cross, the sign marked at baptism, as the presiding minister begins.
Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
who creates, redeems, and sustains us and all of creation.
Amen.
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
Silence is kept for reflection.
Faithful God,
have mercy on us.
We confess that we are captive to sin
and cannot free ourselves.
We turn from your loving embrace
and go our own ways.
We pass judgment on one another
before examining ourselves.
We place our own needs before those of our neighbors.
We keep your gift of salvation to ourselves.
Make us humble, cast away our transgressions,
and turn us again to life in you
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
God hears the cries of all who call out in need,
and through his death and resurrection,
Christ has made us his own.
Hear the truth that God proclaims:
Your sins are forgiven in the name of ☩ Jesus Christ.
Led by the Holy Spirit, live in freedom and newness
to do God’s work in the world.
Amen.
GATHERING HYMN: The Church’s One Foundation (ELW 654 – Verses 1 & 5)
1 The church’s one foundation
is Jesus Christ, her Lord;
she is his new creation
by water and the word.
From heav’n he came and sought her
to be his holy bride;
with his own blood he bought her,
and for her life he died.
5 Yet she on earth has union
with God, the Three in One,
and mystic sweet communion
with those whose rest is won.
Oh, blessed heav’nly chorus!
Lord, save us by your grace,
that we, like saints before us,
may see you face to face.
Text: Samuel J. Stone, 1839-1900
GREETING
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God, and the communion
of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
HYMN OF PRAISE: Lord I Lift Your Name On High (ELW #857)
Lord, I lift your name on high.
Lord, I love to sing your praises.
I’m so glad you’re in my life,
I’m so glad you came to save us.
You came from heaven to earth, to show the way.
From the earth to the cross, my debt to pay;
from the cross to the grave,
from the grave to the sky;
Lord, I lift your name on high.
Text and music © 1989 Maranatha Praise, Inc., admin. Capitol Christian Music Group
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Beloved God, from you come all things that are good. Lead us by the inspiration of your Spirit to know those things that are right, and by your merciful guidance, help us to do them, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
READINGS
Isaiah 5:1-7
+ The prophet sings a sad, parable-like love song about the relationship between God and Israel. In this song Israel is compared to a promising vineyard. Despite God’s loving care, the vineyard that is Israel has brought forth “wild grapes” of injustice and distress, when fine grapes of justice and righteousness were expected. +
The first reading comes from Isaiah beginning at the 5th chapter.
1Let me sing for my beloved
my love-song concerning his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard
on a very fertile hill.
2He dug it and cleared it of stones,
and planted it with choice vines;
he built a watchtower in the midst of it,
and hewed out a wine vat in it;
he expected it to yield grapes,
but it yielded wild grapes.
3And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem
and people of Judah,
judge between me
and my vineyard.
4What more was there to do for my vineyard
that I have not done in it?
When I expected it to yield grapes,
why did it yield wild grapes?
5And now I will tell you
what I will do to my vineyard.
I will remove its hedge,
and it shall be devoured;
I will break down its wall,
and it shall be trampled down.
6I will make it a waste;
it shall not be pruned or hoed,
and it shall be overgrown with briers and thorns;
I will also command the clouds
that they rain no rain upon it.
7For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts
is the house of Israel,
and the people of Judah
are his pleasant planting;
he expected justice,
but saw bloodshed;
righteousness,
but heard a cry!
Word of God, Word of Life. Thanks be to God.
Psalm 80:7-15
+ Look down from heaven, O God; behold and tend this vine. (Ps. 80:14, 15) +
Together we will read responsively from Psalm 80.
7Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine upon us, and we shall be saved.
8You have brought a vine out of Egypt;
you cast out the nations and planted it.
9You cleared the ground for it;
it took root and filled the land.
10The mountains were covered by its shadow
and the towering cedar trees by its boughs.
11You stretched out its tendrils to the sea
and its branches to the river.
12Why have you broken down its wall,
so that all who pass by pluck off its grapes?
13The wild boar of the forest has ravaged it,
and the beasts of the field have grazed upon it.
14Turn now, O God of hosts,
look down from heaven;
15behold and | tend this vine;
preserve what your right hand has planted.
Philippians 3:4b-14
+ Paul reviews some of his supposed credentials, which no longer have any bearing in comparison to the right relationship he has been given through the death of Christ. The power of Christ’s resurrection motivates him to press on toward the ultimate goal, eternal life with Christ. +
The second reading comes from Philippians beginning at the 3rd chapter.
[Paul writes:] 4bIf anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: 5circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
7Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. 8More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, 11if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
12Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of 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 back episodes of 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 21:33-46
+ Jesus tells a parable to the religious leaders who are plotting his death, revealing that their plans will, ironically, bring about the fulfillment of scripture. +
The Holy Gospel according to Matthew beginning at the 21st chapter. Glory to you, O Lord.
[Jesus said to the people:] 33“Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. 34When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. 35But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. 37Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.’ 39So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.”
42Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures:
‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord’s doing,
and it is amazing in our eyes’?
43Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. 44The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.”
45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. 46They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet.
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon
HYMN OF THE DAY: Jesus Loves Me! (ELW 595 Verses 1 & 3)
1 Jesus loves me! this I know,
for the Bible tells me so;
little ones to him belong,
they are weak, but he is strong.
Refrain
Yes, Jesus loves me,
yes, Jesus loves me,
yes, Jesus loves me,
the Bible tells me so.
3 Jesus loves me! he will stay
close beside me all the way;
when at last I come to die,
he will take me home on high. Refrain
Text: Anna B. Warner, 1820-1915, alt.
THE APOSTLES’ CREED
Let us confess our faith saying the words of the Apostles’ Creed in our hearts.
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s 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 to the dead.
On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Drawn together in the compassion of God, we pray for the church, the world, and all those in need.
+ A brief silence. +
You welcome us when we are weak in faith. Uphold your church throughout the world; make it a place of welcome. Strengthen faith through Bible studies and Sunday schools, confirmation classes and youth ministries. Nurture new ministries of education and growth. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
The heights of the heavens show us the vastness of your steadfast love. Have compassion on your creation. Where human selfishness has brought ruin and destruction, we look to you to heal, renew, and redeem your world. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy God, in you alone we find safety and shelter. Be a sure refuge to all suffering from wildfires. Grant courage, protection, and favorable weather to firefighters and emergency responders; embrace with supportive communities all who are newly displaced or homeless; comfort those grieving all that has been destroyed and give patience to those who are anxious, not knowing when relief will come. Heal your whole creation, that out of flame and ashes new growth will spring forth. We pray through Jesus Christ, our life and our strength. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer
Make your ways known to the nations. Speak kindness to our bitter grudges. Settle our hearts when we want to settle accounts with violence. Bless our leaders with patience and wisdom. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Bring healing and justice wherever harm is dealt. Provide vindication for all who are oppressed. Free victims of human trafficking and forced labor; deliver all who are bound by debt. Feed all who hunger, and guard refugees fleeing famine, poverty, and war. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Teach us to forgive. Remind us that you do not always accuse us. Still our tongues when we are tempted to pass judgment and argue over opinions. Make this congregation a community of mercy for one another and for all our neighbors. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Shelter all who are vulnerable in body, mind, or spirit especially Janice Rajbali-Rajgopaul, Larry Passalacqua, Al Zahner, Susan Nordhausen, the Family of Terry Wilbur, Bill Nouza, Barney Gallagher, Peter Klarman, Terry Pilosi, and all we name silently in our hearts, aloud in our homes, or in the comments below. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
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. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
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 those 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. Lord in you mercy, hear our prayer.
Whether we live or whether we die, we are yours. We thank you for those who have showed us faithfulness, for the knees that taught us how to bow to you and the tongues that taught us to praise you Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
All these things and whatever else you see that we need, we entrust to your mercy; through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
SHARING OF CHRIST’S PEACE
The peace of Christ be with you always!
And also with you!
Let us share Christ’s peace with one another.
OFFERING MESSAGE & PRAYER
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.
Blessed are you, O God, maker of all things.You have set before us these gifts of your good creation.Prepare us for your heavenly banquet, nourish us with this rich food and drink, and send us forth to set tables in the midst of a suffering world, through the bread of life, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
OFFERTORY HYMN: We Are an Offering (ELW #692)
We lift our voices, we lift our hands,
we lift our lives up to you: we are an offering.
Lord, use our voices, Lord, use our hands,
Lord, use our lives, they are yours: we are an offering.
All that we have, all that we are,
all that we hope to be, we give to you, we give to you.
We lift our voices, we lift our hands,
we lift our lives up to you: we are an offering, we are an offering.
Text and music © 1984 Word Music, LLC. All rights reserved. Used By Permission.
GREAT THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
PREFACE
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,
through our Savior Jesus Christ;
who on this day overcame death and the grave,
and by his glorious resurrection
opened to us the way of everlasting life.
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 in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
Holy, mighty, and merciful Lord,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
In great love you sent to us Jesus, your Son,
who reached out to heal the sick and suffering,
who preached good news to the poor,
and who, on the cross, opened his arms to all.
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.
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.
Remembering, therefore, his death, resurrection, and ascension,
we await his coming in glory.
Pour out upon us the Spirit of your love, O Lord, and unite the wills of all who share this heavenly food, the body and blood of Jesus Christ, our Lord; to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory, now and forever. Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray in our hearts as Jesus taught us:
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.
COMMUNION
All are welcome to share this meal in Holy Communion with God’s beloved community. It is because we are community called to care for one another that we wish to receive the elements as safely as possible. Once the service concludes the ushers will guide you toward the exit in the Narthex where you may receive bread and juice. You are invited to partake on the lawn, in your car, or at home, wherever you feel most comfortable. If you wish to bring Holy Communion to a neighbor who is not able to be with us in person, we will have pre-packaged elements for you to do so. Starting on October 4th online viewers may stop by the church from 11:30am-Noon in order to receive Communion. Thank you for doing your part to make this sacred meal a place where there is room for all.
TABLE BLESSING & COMMUNION PRAYER
The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.
Amen
Let us pray,
We give you thanks, gracious God,
that you have once again fed us with food beyond compare,
the body and blood of Christ.
Lead us from this place, nourished and forgiven,
into your beloved vineyard
to wipe away the tears of all who hunger and thirst,
guided by the example of the same Jesus Christ
and led by the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Carol Robinson
BLESSING
Mothering God,
Father, ☩ Son, and Holy Spirit,
bless you and lead you into the way of truth and life.
Amen.
SENDING HYMN: How Firm a Foundation (ELW 796 Verses 1 & 4)
1 How firm a foundation, O saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in Christ Jesus, the Word!
What more can he say than to you he has said
who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?
4 “Throughout all their lifetime my people shall prove
my sov’reign, eternal, unchangeable love;
and then, when gray hairs shall their temples adorn,
like lambs they shall still in my bosom be borne.”
Text: J. Rippon, A Selection of Hymns, 1787, alt.
DISMISSAL
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 