Sunday Worship + September 5, 2021

+ James tells us to stop showing favoritism in the assembly, treating the rich visitor with more honor than the poor one. Jesus himself seems to show partiality in his first response to the Syrophoenician woman in today’s gospel. Was he testing her faith in saying Gentiles don’t deserve the goods meant for God’s children? Or was he speaking out of his human worldview, but transcended those limits when she took him by surprise with her reply? Either way, the story tells us that God shows no partiality. Everyone who brings a need to Jesus is received with equal honor as a child and heir. +

CONFESSION & FORGIVENESS

Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
whose teaching is life,
whose presence is sure,
and whose love is endless.
Amen.

Let us confess our sins to the one who welcomes us with an open heart.

+ Silence is kept for reflection. +

God our comforter:
like lost sheep, we have gone astray.
We gaze upon abundance and see scarcity.
We turn our faces away from injustice and oppression.
We exploit the earth with our apathy and greed.
Free us from our sin, gracious God.
Listen when we call out to you for help.
Lead us by your love to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Amen.

All have sinned and fall short
of the glory of God.
By the gift of grace in ☩ Christ Jesus,
God makes you righteous.
Receive with glad hearts
the forgiveness of all your sins.
Amen.

GATHERING HYMN: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (ELW #858 + Verses 1 & 2)

1 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise him, for he is your health and salvation!
Let all who hear now to his temple draw near,
joining in glad adoration!M

2 Praise to the Lord, who o’er all things is wondrously reigning
and, as on wings of an eagle, uplifting, sustaining.
Have you not seen all that is needful has been
sent by his gracious ordaining?

Text: Joachim Neander, 1650-1680; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827-1878, alt.

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.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Gracious God, throughout the ages you transform sickness into health and death into life. Open us to the power of your presence, and make us a people ready to proclaim your promises to the whole world, through Jesus Christ, our healer and Lord. Amen.

READINGS

Isaiah 35:4-7a

+ These verses are a word of hope to the exiles in Babylon. Isaiah 34 portrays God’s vengeance on Edom, Israel’s age-old enemy, which makes the path from Babylon to Zion safe for the exiles’ return. The desert itself will flow with water to give drink to the returning exiles. +

The first reading comes from Isaiah beginning at the 35^th chapter.

⁴Say to those who are of a fearful heart,
  “Be strong, do not fear!
 Here is your God.
  He will come with vengeance,
 with terrible recompense.
  He will come and save you.”

 ⁵Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
  and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
 ⁶then the lame shall leap like a deer,
  and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.
 For waters shall break forth in the wilderness,
  and streams in the desert;
 ^7athe burning sand shall become a pool,
  and the thirsty ground springs of water.

Word of God, Word of Life. Thanks be to God.

Psalm 146

+ I will praise the Lord as long as I live. (Ps. 146:2) +

¹Hallelujah!
  Praise the Lord, O my soul!
 ²I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
  I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
 ³Put not your trust in rulers,
  in mortals in whom there is no help.
 ⁴When they breathe their last, they return to earth,
  and in that day their thoughts perish.
 ⁵Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help,
  whose hope is in the Lord their God;
 ⁶who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them;
  who keeps promises forever;
 ⁷who gives justice to those who are oppressed, and food to those who hunger.
  The Lord sets the captive free.
 ⁸The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
  the Lord loves the righteous.
 ⁹The Lord cares for the stranger;
  the Lord sustains the orphan and widow, but frustrates the way of the wicked.
 ¹⁰The Lord shall reign forever,
  your God, O Zion, throughout all generations. Hallelujah!

James 2:1-10, 14-17

Faithful Christians do not show partiality to the rich and powerful of the world, especially at the expense of the poor and weak. Likewise, faith does not pay mere lip service to God’s will. Instead, a living Christian faith expresses itself in acts of compassion and mercy for those in need. +

The second reading comes from James beginning at the 2^nd chapter.

¹My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? ²For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, ³and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Have a seat here, please,” while to the one who is poor you say, “Stand there,” or, “Sit at my feet,” ⁴have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? ⁵Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? ⁶But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? ⁷Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?
  ⁸You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ⁹But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. ¹⁰For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.
  ¹⁴What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? ¹⁵If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, ¹⁶and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? ¹⁷So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

Word of God, Word of Life. Thanks be to God.

Mark 7:24-37

+ In Mark’s gospel, encounters with women usually signify turning points in Jesus’ ministry. Here, a conversation with a Syrophoenician woman marks the beginning of his mission to the Gentiles. +

The Holy Gospel according to Mark beginning at the 7^th chapter. 
Glory to you, O Lord.

²⁴[Jesus] set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice,²⁵but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. ²⁶Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. ²⁷He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” ²⁸But she answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” ²⁹Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.” ³⁰So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.
  ³¹Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. ³²They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. ³³He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. ³⁴Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” ³⁵And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. ³⁶Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. ³⁷They were astounded beyond measure, saying, “He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

SERMON Pastor Analyse Triolo

HYMN OF THE DAY: What God Ordains is Good Indeed ( ELW #776 + Verses 1 & 4 )

1 What God ordains is good indeed,
for all life well providing.
The will of God is best for me,
the ground of my confiding.
My faithful God, 
on ev’ry road
you know the way unfolding
and my hand you are holding.

4 What God ordains is good indeed.
My Lord will never fail me
on danger’s path, in deepest need,
when death in grief shall veil me.
My God so dear
will draw me near,
in loving arms will hold me,
at last in light enfold me.

Text: Samuel Rodigast, 1649-1708; tr. Martin A. Seltz, b. 1951
Text © 2000 Augsburg Fortress.

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

Let us confess our faith saying the words of the Apostles’ Creed.

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

Made children and heirs of God’s promise, we pray for the church, the world, and all in need.

A brief silence.

Holy One, you bring your people together in worship. Enliven your church. Guide all evangelists, preachers, prophets, and missionaries who seek to share your love through word and deed. God, in your mercy,
receive our prayer.

You provide water for thirsty ground and sunshine to feed hungry plants. Bless all who advocate for healthy forests, unpolluted air, and clean waterways. Inspire all people to show care for the world you have made. God, in your mercy,
receive our prayer.

You show no partiality. Increase justice in all nations. Encourage leaders and governments to work with one another for the good of our common world. Especially as we celebrate Labor Day, unite us in seeking the health, safety, and dignity of all. God, in your mercy,
receive our prayer.

We pray for all who are in need.  We pray for the Afghan refugees seeking a place of safety in the midst of conflict in their homeland. We pray for peace in the midst of horrific violence. pray for the victims of Hurricane Ida this past weekend. God, in your mercy,
receive our prayer.

You accompany those who are most in need. Shelter all fleeing violence or persecution, protect any who are in danger, and sustain them through uncertain and unstable times. God, in your mercy,
receive our prayer.

You support the work of your disciples. Continue to nurture the leadership and ministries of this congregation. God, in your mercy,
receive our prayer.

Comforting God, we pray for those who cry out to you. Surround everyone in need of healing with your tender presence. Come to our aid in this Coronavirus pandemic, heal those who are sick, support and protect their families from being infected, grant access to vaccines for all. We pray for those who are sick or in need, especially Bob Sarro, Kara Innella, Peter Klarman, Al Zahner, Harry Lund, Evelyn Lund, Tim VanWormer, Kristina Turri,  Heather Nouza , Linda Schmitt, Daniel, Rachel, and Winn Potter, the family of Billy Gilroy, the family of Larry McEvoy, Linda Goropeuschek, and Kathy Gallagher. God, in your mercy,
receive our prayer.

God of justice, we pray for those who experience racism as part of their daily realities, who fear for their lives and that of those whom they love. May we do our part to learn about racism’s presence in our world, to accompany, and to advocate when members of your beloved community are not treated with the respect deserving of one created in your image. God, in your mercy,
receive our prayer.

You embrace all who have died in the faith and brought them into your glorious presence. We thank you for their example and rejoice in their lives.
God, in your mercy,
receive our prayer.

Receive these prayers, O God, and those in our hearts known only to you; through Jesus 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

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: Take My Life, That I May Be (ELW #685 + Verses 1 & 2)

1 Take my life, that I may be
consecrated, Lord, to thee;
take my moments and my days;
let them flow in ceaseless praise.

2 Take my hands and let them move
at the impulse of thy love;
take my feet and let them be
swift and beautiful for thee. 

Text: Frances R. Havergal, 1836-1879, alt.

OFFERTORY PRAYER

Let us pray.

God of abundance,
you cause streams to break forth in the desert
and manna to rain from the heavens.
Accept the gifts you have first given us.
Unite them with the offering of our lives
to nourish the world you love so dearly;
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

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 offer 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

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

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 birth and life among us, his death and resurrection, we await his coming again when all things will be restored in him.

By your Spirit bless us and this bread and cup, that, held and nourished by you, we may live as your children, shining with the light of your Son.

Through him all glory and honor is yours, Almighty Father, with the Holy Spirit, in your holy Church, now and 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.

INVITATION TO COMMUNION

All who hunger and thirst, come. The table is ready.

TABLE BLESSING & COMMUNION PRAYER

The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.
Amen

Lord of life,
in the gift of your body and blood
you turn the crumbs of our faith into a feast of salvation.
Send us forth into the world with shouts of joy,
bearing witness to the abundance of your love
in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

IN PERSON WORSHIP

In person services begin at 10:00am each Sunday. Reservations are not necessary, but masks are. We will continue to stream while we are open.

CONFIRMATION

Next Class is September 26th at 11:30am. Details forthcoming.

SUNDAY SCHOOL

Virtual Sunday School will take place on via Zoom at 11:30am. Julia Klarman will send out more information closer to that date so look out for her email. The expectation is that Sunday School will resume in person in the fall. Diane Gilroy will lead a summer program for kids over the summer. Stay tuned for more information.

FLOCKING
It’s Flocking Season at Holy Trinity! A flock of pink flamingos have begun gracing the yards of Holy Trinity members and friends. The fundraiser supports the Holy Trinity Youth Group trip to the ELCA Youth Gathering. Contact Diane Gilroy for more information on how to flock someone’s yard or to purchase Flocking insurance!

T-SHIRT FUNDRAISER

The Youth will be selling Holy Trinity t-shirts for $15 a shirt to raise money for the Youth Gathering. Please contact Sharon Seemadray to place your order. Her information is printed on the T-shirt order form below.

Flyers: https://drive.google.com/file/d/11PL5RD8ZjSRSmphletCrXnfulBfuCou6/view?usp=sharing

FIVE BELOW FUNDRAISER

With Back to School season in full swing and the Holy Trinity Youth begin a fundraising partnership with Five Below starting August 22 and going through September 19th. Present the fundraiser flyer at checkout and the Youth will receive 10% of your purchase total for the entire month! 

Flyers: https://drive.google.com/file/d/11PL5RD8ZjSRSmphletCrXnfulBfuCou6/view?usp=sharing

RALLY DAY

Sunday, September 12 is Rally Day! After the 10am service, you are invited to join us for a picnic on the church lawn. We will supply hot dogs and hamburgers, and ask that you bring a dish to share.

SNAP

SNAP Senior Center (Services Now for Adult Persons, Inc.) is open on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:00am-2:00pm. Reservations are required – 917-745-2203.

COFFEE HOUR
Downstairs after worship concludes. We ask that you wear your mask near food and while walking around. You may remove it while seated to eat.

COUNCIL MEETING
9/14 at 7:30pm + meeting at HTLC.

NEW PARAMENTS

We are in the process of buying some much needed paraments for the altar. We welcome any gifts to purchase them as they are quite expensive.

WOMEN’S GROUP

August 18^th @ 7:00pm

COVID VACCINE

As of May 13^th, 2021 all New York residents over the age of 16 are eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Residents over the age of 12 are eligible for the Pfizer vaccine only at this time.

To see if you qualify click here, find the location for your vaccination, and to make an appointment visit nyc.gov/vaccinefinder, turbovax.info, the NY State Vaccine website or you can call 1-877-VAX-4NYC (1-877-829-4692) NOTE: When you make an appointment you must fill out the form at https://forms.ny.gov/s3/vaccine.

Get real time updates for appointment openings straight to your phone by following TurboVax’s Twitter Account. ( Click the link, then the follow button and then click the notification bell). TurboVax tracks appointment availability for the 5 boroughs, Long Island, and Upstate.

If you need to find a COVID test, locations are updated by zip code weekly at nyc.gov/covidtest or by calling 1-212-COVID19 (1-212-268-4319).

Holy Trinity is happy to help you with this process. Please contact Pastor Analyse at pastoranalyse@holytrinitybellerose.org or 516-400-2438.

Other announcements are located in the downloadable bulletin at the top of this webpage.

BLESSING

People of God,
you are Christ’s body,
bringing new life to a suffering world.
The holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
bless you now and forever.

Amen.

SENDING HYMN: Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life (ELW #719 + Verses 1 & 3)

1 Where cross the crowded ways of life,
where sound the cries of race and clan,
above the noise of selfish strife,
we hear your voice, O Son of Man.

3 From tender childhood’s helplessness,
from human grief and burdened toil,
from famished souls, from sorrow’s stress,
your heart has never known recoil.

Text: Frank M. North, 1850-1935, alt.

DISMISSAL

What is our Mission?  Welcoming all to grow in faith; living Christ’s message of serving and loving neighbors near and far.
The living Word dwells in you.
Thanks be to God.

Contact Us

holytrinitybellerose.org