Licensing
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church is covered under the following licenses:
- CCLI: 1510407
- OneLicense: 732293-A
- Augsburg Fortress: SAS006846
CONFESSION & FORGIVENESS
Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
whose steadfast love endures forever.
Amen.
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
+ Silence is kept for reflection. +
Merciful God,
we confess that we have not followed your path
but have chosen our own way.
Instead of putting others before ourselves,
we long to take the best seats at the table.
When met by those in need,
we have too often passed by on the other side.
Set us again on the path of life.
Save us from ourselves
and free us to love our neighbors.
Amen.
Hear the good news!
God does not deal with us according to our sins
but delights in granting pardon and mercy.
In the name of ☩ Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven
You are free to love as God loves.
Amen.
GATHERING HYMN When the Morning Gilds the Skies (ELW #853+ Verses 1&4)
1 When morning gilds the skies,
my heart awaking cries:
may Jesus Christ be praised!
When evening shadows fall,
this rings my curfew call:
may Jesus Christ be praised!
4 Let all of humankind
in this their concord find:
may Jesus Christ be praised!
Let all the earth around
ring joyous with the sound:
may Jesus Christ be praised!
Text: German hymn, 19th cent.; tr. Robert Bridges, 1844-1930, 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.
Text and music © 1989 Maranatha Praise, Inc., admin. Capitol Christian Music Group
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Eternal God, you draw near to us in Christ, and you make yourself our guest. Amid the cares of our lives, make us attentive to your presence, that we may treasure your word above all else, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
READINGS
Amos 8:1-12
+ Amos announces God’s judgment upon the people of Israel who sin by oppressing the poor and engaging in deceitful business practices. Amos uses a Hebrew wordplay: a basket of summer fruit (qayits) symbolizes the end (qets) of Israel. That end will come through a famine of “hearing the words of the Lord.” +
The first reading is from Amos beginning at the 8th chapter.
1This is what the Lord God showed me—a basket of summer fruit.
2He said, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A basket of summer fruit.”
Then the Lord said to me,
“The end has come upon my people Israel;
I will never again pass them by.
3The songs of the temple shall become wailings in that day,”
says the Lord God;
“the dead bodies shall be many,
cast out in every place. Be silent!”
4Hear this, you that trample on the needy,
and bring to ruin the poor of the land,
5saying, “When will the new moon be over
so that we may sell grain;
and the sabbath,
so that we may offer wheat for sale?
We will make the ephah small and the shekel great,
and practice deceit with false balances,
6buying the poor for silver
and the needy for a pair of sandals,
and selling the sweepings of the wheat.”
7The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob:
Surely I will never forget any of their deeds.
8Shall not the land tremble on this account,
and everyone mourn who lives in it,
and all of it rise like the Nile,
and be tossed about and sink again, like the Nile of Egypt?
9On that day, says the Lord God,
I will make the sun go down at noon,
and darken the earth in broad daylight.
10I will turn your feasts into mourning,
and all your songs into lamentation;
I will bring sackcloth on all loins,
and baldness on every head;
I will make it like the mourning for an only son,
and the end of it like a bitter day.
11The time is surely coming, says the Lord God,
when I will send a famine on the land;
not a famine of bread, or a thirst for water,
but of hearing the words of the Lord.
12They shall wander from sea to sea,
and from north to east;
they shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord,
but they shall not find it.
Word of God, Word of life.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 52
+ I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. (Ps. 52:8) +
We will now read responsively from Psalm 82.
1You mighty, why do you boast of wickedness
against the godly all day long?
2Continually you plot ruin;
your tongue is like a sharpened razor that commits deceit.
3You love evil more than good
and lying more than speaking the truth.
4You love all words that devour,
O you deceitful tongue.
5Oh, that God would demolish you utterly,
topple you, and snatch you from your dwelling, and root you out of the land of the living!
6The righteous shall see and be awestruck,
and they shall laugh at you, saying,
7“This is the one who did not take God for a refuge,
but trusted in great wealth and found strength in destruction.”
8But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God;
I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever.
9I will thank you forever for what you have done;
in the presence of the faithful I will long for your name, for it is good.
Colossians 1:1-14
+ This letter offers a mystical teaching, that the great mystery of God is “Christ in you.” Because Christ is present in the church, Christians share in his life, suffering, and glory. +
The second reading is from Colossians beginning at the 1st chapter.
15[Christ Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;16for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. 17He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.
21And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him—23provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. I, Paul, became a servant of this gospel.
24I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. 25I became its servant according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints. 27To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
Word of God, word of life.
Thanks be to God.
Luke 10:38-42
+ During his visit to the home of Mary and Martha, Jesus reminds Martha that her concern for her many tasks distracts from the one thing that precedes all else: abiding in the presence of God. +
The Holy Gospel according to Luke beginning at the 10th chapter.
Glory to you, O Lord
38Now as [Jesus and his disciples] went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. 40But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” 41But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; 42there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
SERMON Vicar Hephzi Penumaka
HYMN OF THE DAY Open Your Ears, O Faithful People (ELW #519+ Verses 1&2)
1 Open your ears, O faithful people,
open your ears and hear God’s word.
Open your hearts, O royal priesthood,
God has come to you.
Refrain
Torah ora, Torah ora, hallelujah!
Torah ora, Torah ora, hallelujah!
Torah ora, Torah ora, hallelujah!
Torah ora, Torah ora, hallelujah!
God has spoken to the people, hallelujah!
God has spoken words of wisdom, hallelujah!
God has spoken to the people, hallelujah!
God has spoken words of wisdom, hallelujah!
2 They who have ears to hear the message,
they who have ears, now let them hear;
they who would learn the way of wisdom,
Text: Hasidic traditional; Willard F. Jabusch, b. 1930, English version Text © 1966, 1982 Willard F. Jabusch, admin. OCP Publications. 5536 NE Hassalo, Portland, OR 97213. All rights reserved. Used by permission
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
United in Christ and guided by the Spirit, we pray for the church, the creation, and all in need.
~ A brief silence. ~
Ever-present God, in Christ you fill all things. As your church gathers to hear your word, share your meal, and receive your blessing, teach us to welcome strangers as we have been welcomed by you. God of grace,
receive our prayer.
Through Christ you created all things, visible and invisible. Teach humankind to honor and protect all creation, including living things that remain hidden from our eyes such as air, atmosphere, molecules, and microscopic creatures. God of grace,
receive our prayer.
Through Christ you reconcile all things. Motivate those in power to end enslavement, dehumanization, or brutality of any kind and to protect and improve the lives of Indigenous peoples. God of grace,
receive our prayer.
Through Christ you bring peace. Assure all who are worried and distracted by many things of your constant presence. Soothe those suffering in mind, body, or spirit. Sustain all who are afflicted and those who serve as caregivers especially Harry Lund, Evelyn Lund, Karen Campbell, Janice Rajgopaul, Robert Jones, Richard Minogue, Danny Woods, Jimmy K., Pete S., Erica Ramos, Brian Sherwood, Darrell Weller, Diane Garofalo, Deven Guarriello, Thomas Sanfadele, Guenther Ukstinas and the family of Charlie Foster. We also pray for all impacted by senseless gun violence in our world. God of grace,
receive our prayer.
In Christ you make your word fully known. Inspire this worshiping community at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church to abide fully in your word as we sit at the feet of Jesus. Bless the ministry of teachers and Bible study leaders. God of grace,
receive our prayer.
We lift to You our concern for people at high risk of becoming severely ill from COVID-19 — the elderly and people with chronic health conditions. Protect them from the virus and be their comfort in this time of uncertainty. God of grace,
receive our prayer.
Place holy love at the center of all our relationships and communities. By your love heal us, convict us, and renew us. Bring an end to racism in our churches and communities. Let everyone know your goodness by the love we show one another. God of grace,
receive our prayer.
In Christ you brought forth the firstborn from the dead. We give thanks for the saints you have gathered at your table. Gather us with them in your eternal glory. God of grace,
receive our prayer.
God of every time and place, in Jesus’ name and filled with your Holy Spirit, we entrust these spoken prayers and those in our hearts into your holy keeping.
Amen.
SHARING OF CHRIST’S PEACE
The peace of the Lord be with you always!
And also with you!
Let us share a sign of 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 Jesus, the Very Thought of You (ELW #754 + Verses 1 & 3)
1 Jesus, the very thought of you
fills us with sweet delight;
but sweeter far your face to view
and rest within your light.
3 O Hope of ev’ry contrite soul,
O joy of all the meek,
how kind you are to those who fall!
How good to those who seek!
Text: attr. Bernard of Clairvaux, 1091-1153; tr. Edward Caswall, 1814-1878
OFFERTORY PRAYER
God of abundance:
you have set before us a plentiful harvest.
As we feast on your goodness,
strengthen us to labor in your field,
and equip us to bear fruit for the good of all,
in the name of Jesus.
Amen.
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
Gracious God, loving all your family with a mother’s tender care: As you sent the angel to feed Elijah with heavenly bread, assist those who set forth to share your word and sacrament with those who are gathered here this morning. In your love and care, nourish and strengthen those who will receive this sacrament, and give us all the comfort of your abiding presence through the body and blood of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
When our congregation gathers in worship, we hear again of God’s mighty acts and the love shown us in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. We share in the holy meal of the Lord’s supper. Now we bring to you this word of life, and this bread and cup of blessing, so that you may share in these same gifts and be strengthened in communion with all the people of God.
Merciful God, we do not presume to come to your table trusting in our own righteousness, but in your abundant mercy. Grant us, therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat and drink the body and blood of your dear Son, Jesus Christ, that we may live in him and he in us, 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.
COMMUNION
In Christ’s presence there is fullness of joy.
Come to the banquet.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
YARD SALE
Saturday, July 16th, from 10 am – 3pm. Spaces available for $25 and Holy Trinity tables are available to rent for $10 additional. Call or email to reserve a spot. Rain or shine event. Thank you to Linda for organizing.
SHOE DRIVE
The Women’s group is organizing a shoe drive fundraiser through August 10th. Please bring new and gently used shoes to the stage that you’d like to donate. Thank you to the Women’s group for organizing this effort.
SUMMER LEADERSHIP SCHEDULING
If you participate in worship leadership in any way, including readers, worship assistants, ushers, communion assistants, videography etc. Please let Ruth know any dates you will be unavailable in the months of August and September.
HTLC T-SHIRTS
There are a few Holy Trinity T-Shirts left in the office for purchase. Shirts are $15 and available in a variety of sizes and colors. Please contact Ruth for info.
YOGA PRACTICE
Yoga will begin soon on Thursdays, at 7 pm in Friendship Hall. One hour for only $10. Contact Carol Robinson, 917-208-7340, for additional information.
CHRIST IN OUR HOME
New issues of Christ in our Home are available on the table near the entrance doors.
COUNCIL MEETING
Tuesday, July 12th @ 7:30 pm
Other announcements are located in the downloadable bulletin at the top of this webpage.
BLESSING
The God of peace,
Father, ☩ Son, and Holy Spirit,
bless you, comfort you,
and show you the path of life
this day and always.
Amen.
SENDING HYMN Lord, Teach Us How to Pray Aright (ELW #745 + Verses 1, 2& 4)
1 Lord, teach us how to pray aright,
with rev’rence and with fear.
Though dust and ashes in your sight,
we may, we must draw near.
2 We perish if we cease from prayer;
oh, grant us pow’r to pray.
And when to meet you we prepare,
Lord, meet us on our way.
4 Faith in the only sacrifice
that can for sin atone;
to cast our hopes, to fix our eyes
on Christ, on Christ alone.
Text: James Montgomery, 1771-1854, 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. Love your neighbor.
Thanks be to God.
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Bellerose 