Welcome, and thank you for joining us again for worship this eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost! The livestream will begin at 10am on Sunday morning and available here and on YouTube afterwards. You can follow along with the service below the YouTube video.
If video does not show, please click the link to view it on YouTube.
At Cross of Christ, our basic worship order is based on worship patterns from Hebrew traditions and biblical accounts of the earliest Christians: We GATHER with songs and prayer, We HEAR God’s word, We SHARE a meal of bread and wine, We are SENT into the world to love and serve.
GATHERING HYMN
“O Christ, Our Light, O Radiance True“
1 O Christ, our light, O Radiance true,
shine forth on those estranged from you,
and bring them to your home again,
where their delight shall never end.
2 Fill with the radiance of your grace
the wand’rers lost in error’s maze.
Set free all those whose hearts and minds
some deep delusion haunts and binds.
3 Lord, open all reluctant ears
and take away the needless fears
of those who tremble to express
the faith their inmost hearts confess.
4 Lord, let your mercy’s gentle ray
shine down on others strayed away.
To those in conscience wounded sore
show heaven’s waiting, open door.
5 Make theirs with ours a single voice
uplifted, ever to rejoice
with wond’ring gratitude and praise
to you, O Lord, for boundless grace.
Text: Johann Heermann, 1585-1647; tr. Composite – Text © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship, admin. Augsburg Fortress.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Into your presence we come,
God of Grace and Peace,
who was, and is and ever shall be
the eternal One in Three,
Three in One,
Blessed Trinity.
Into fellowship we come,
bound together in the love
that died and rose again for us,
our Savior Jesus Christ,
who modeled servant leadership in our midst,
and calls us to go and do likewise,
caring for one another,
and for our neighbors near and far.
Into a fallen world we are sent,
Fallen ourselves, sinners redeemed and forgiven,
Made children of the Father,
Who calls and welcomes all,
And who sends us out,
To reflect Christ’s light and love,
Mercy and grace.
What we hear in this place,
What we learn, what is opened to us,
May we apply to our lives,
Day by day,
Through your leading and prompting,
Holy Spirit, our Comforter and Advocate.
Open us now,
Our ears, our eyes,
Our hearts, our minds,
That we may be shaped by you.
This we pray
In the name of the Father,
And of the Son,
And of the Holy Spirit,
Eternal One in Three,
Three in One,
Blessed Trinity.
Amen.
THIS WEEK’S LESSONS
Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29
The rabble among them had a strong craving; and the Israelites also wept again, and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we used to eat in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.” Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, all at the entrances of their tents. Then the Lord became very angry, and Moses was displeased. So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you treated your servant so badly? Why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? Did I conceive all this people? Did I give birth to them, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a sucking child, to the land that you promised on oath to their ancestors’? Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they come weeping to me and say, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ I am not able to carry all this people alone, for they are too heavy for me. If this is the way you are going to treat me, put me to death at once—if I have found favor in your sight—and do not let me see my misery.” So the Lord said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tent of meeting, and have them take their place there with you.” So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord; and he gathered seventy elders of the people, and placed them all around the tent. Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do so again. Two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested on them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” And Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, “My lord Moses, stop them!” But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord‘s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!”
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
James 5:13-20
Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth yielded its harvest. My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Gospel Song Alleluia Pillar Church Ben Fowler, soloist
THIS WEEK’S GOSPEL
Mark 9:38-50
John said to [Jesus,] “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us. For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward. If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched. For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
MESSAGE Pastor Judy Brennan
HYMN OF THE DAY
“Lord, Whose Love in Humble Service”
1 Lord, whose love in humble service
bore the weight of human need,
who upon the cross, forsaken,
worked your mercy’s perfect deed:
we, your servants, bring the worship
not of voice alone, but heart;
consecrating to your purpose
ev’ry gift which you impart.
2 Still your children wander homeless;
still the hungry cry for bread;
still the captives long for freedom;
still in grief we mourn our dead.
As you, Lord, in deep compassion
healed the sick and freed the soul,
by your Spirit send your power
to our world to make it whole.
3 As we worship, grant us vision,
till your love’s revealing light
in its height and depth and greatness
dawns upon our quickened sight,
making known the needs and burdens
your compassion bids us bear,
stirring us to ardent service,
your abundant life to share.
4 Called by worship to your service,
forth in your dear name we go,
to the child, the youth, the aged,
love in living deeds to show;
hope and health, good will and comfort,
counsel, aid and peace we give,
that your servants, Lord, in freedom
may your mercy know and live.
Text: Albert F. Bayly, 1901-1984 – Text © 1961 Oxford University Press.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Let us come before the triune God in prayer. Each petition today ends with “Father of all” to which you are invited to respond, “Listen to your children praying.” Let us pray:
We pray for the church, Lord, that we would be united in our love for you, for one another, and in loving our neighbors as ourselves. We thank you for leaders you call from our midst. Bless those in leadership positions at Cross of Christ with vision, wisdom, courage, and creativity as we continue to deal with the challenges of the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, and as we continue to move forward in faith. Father of all…
Listen to your children praying.
We pray for the world, Lord, that healing may come to our planet, to all places, and to all people. Remind us of our calling to be good stewards of creation, careful caretakers of limited natural resources and the environment, protectors of vulnerable lands and animals, and advocates and supporters of those most in need. Father of all…
Listen to your children praying.
We pray for the all in need, including those at peril dur to violence and war in their homelands, those impacted by natural disasters, those who are unsheltered, those who are hungry and thirsty, those who are mourning, depressed, or discouraged. Be the hope of all who call on you in their time of need, including our members and their loved ones who have asked for public prayers. Father of all…
Listen to your children praying.
We lift these and all our prayers to you, O God, confident in the promise of your saving love; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who taught his followers 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
Musical Offering during Communion Sarah Ordoña, keyboardist
On 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.
All are welcome to receive Christ’s Body and Blood in the Bread and Wine of the Eucharist.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
REFUGEE STARTER KITS – Pastor Judy and a small, dedicated team have been assembling “Refugee Starter Kits” from your donations. We’re working in partnership with Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services and Lutheran Community Services Northwest to assist the Afghan Refugee resettlement in our area. You can still make a donation of new items or financial support to buy needed items to fill out more kits through the end of the month – just a few more days. A list of bathroom, cleaning, and personal care items is available for those worshipping in person, or from Pastor Judy via email. Financial gifts in the form of checks made out to Cross of Christ with “Refugee Kits” in the memo section are most appreciated, or you can give online at https://www.crossofchristbellevue.org/giving/; please mention “Refugee Kits” in the notes. If you have questions, please talk with Pastor Judy. Thanks.
DAYS FOR GIRLS – Another way to help our global neighbors is by supporting Days for Girls, which helps women and girls that deal with obstacles for sustained hygiene and health education in various areas of the world. It is most well-known for providing reusable menstrual kits to these individuals. At the Women’s Spring Luncheon in 2019 we had speakers from Seattle that had been involved in providing these kits in Africa. Later we helped by donating money for kits to provide them to all the students at the MaaSAE Girls Lutheran School for students and staff, The Plaster House for mothers and staff, a nursing school and a couple of local schools near Arusha, Tanzania. We want to continue to support this mission by providing kits for the new girls in each location. An informational meeting is planned for 10 am on Wednesday, October 6. We encourage those that would like to help in any way and those that would like to learn more about Days for Girls to come. Both Pam Stoeffler and Liz Clark, co-coordinators, look forward to you attending this meeting and are available for your questions – feel free to call or email them.
P.A.C.K IS COMING – There is still time to participate in the fall P.A.C.K. – Practicing Acts of Christian Kindness. This simple gift-giving opportunity has proven to be a blessing to both givers and receivers. We’d encourage you to be a part of this joyful way of expressing our Christian love to one another and to folks beyond Cross of Christ as well. Here’s what’s involved: You will think about three “gifts” to offer to three other people – one gift per person. You could make, bake, draw, write, or buy something. If you buy something, think small and under $5. During October Pastor Judy will give you the names of two people at Cross of Christ – one of the names will be someone else in the P.A.C.K. and the other name will be another member of Cross of Christ (maybe someone who is homebound). The third gift will go to someone you choose who is not a member of Cross of Christ that could use a little thoughtfulness – a neighbor, a friend, a relative etc. You will give/mail/deliver your gifts to these three people within a month and let Pastor Judy know after your kindnesses have been offered. You can sign up through the end of the month – that’s coming soon, so sign up today so you don’t miss out. Gift giving will begin in October.
MEETINGS ON CAMPUS – More and more small groups are meeting on campus these days – mostly outdoors but some inside. You group can also meet at Cross of Christ – either indoors or out. If you are thinking about doing so, please contact Pastor Dave as much in advance of your proposed meeting as possible – and no less than 48 hours prior. All gatherings will need to comply with new state and federal regulations as well as Cross of Christ policies to protect everyone’s health, including the wearing of masks at all times while indoors. Thanks for your understanding and cooperation as we love our neighbors and one another by following such safeguards.
PASTOR DAVE OUT OF OFFICE – Pastor Dave will be away from the office Wednesday through Friday this week, but back with for worship next Sunday. In the event of a pastoral emergency while he’s away, please contact Pastor for Caring Ministries, Pastor Judy.
RETURN TO INDOOR WORSHIP UPDATE – As we shared last week, our Church Council has taken under consideration recommendations and options for our return to in-person, indoor weekly worship. Council met on Tuesday, and will meet again on October 5. As of now, we will continue to plan for outdoor worship per Council directions at least for the next two Sundays – September 26 and October 3. We will also continue to livestream these services so there is the option to watch from home along with those gathered in person each Sunday at 10 am, or watch a recording of the livestream on our Cross of Christ YouTube channel at a later time. To be clear, it is our plan to livestream Sunday services every week going forward, as long as we have personnel to do so, as we know it is a real blessing to so many who are unable to gather with us in person. Again, our thanks to our super volunteer and Congregational President Colin Walker for his work livestreaming and running our sound system each Sunday, and his tremendous leadership with Council.
BENEDICTION
May God Creator bless you and keep you.
May Christ be ever light for your life.
May the Spirit of Love be your guide and your path for all of your days.
In the name of the Father, and of the † Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
CLOSING HYMN
“Every Time I Feel the Spirit”
Refrain
Ev’ry time I feel the spirit
moving in my heart, I will pray.
Ev’ry time I feel the spirit
moving in my heart, I will pray.
1 Upon the mountain my Lord spoke,
out of his mouth came fire and smoke. Refrain
2 All around me looked so fine,
asked my Lord if all was mine. Refrain
3 Jordan river, chilly and cold,
chills the body but not the soul. Refrain
Text: African American spiritual
By God’s grace, through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, we are called to
Worship God
Grow in Faith
Share the Gospel
Serve others, and
Welcome all.
Thanks be to God!
Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from One License with license #A-712386.
