SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2020 3rd Sunday after Pentecost

introduction

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 we are sent from worship to witness to Christ in the world.

Prelude

Welcome AND announcements

GATHERing

Gathering hymn lw #660 Lift High The Cross

(Refrain, Verse 1, Refrain, Verse 2, Refrain)

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God, whose steadfast love is everlasting,

whose faithfulness endures from generation to generation. Amen.

Trusting in the mercy of God, let us confess our sin.

Reconciling God,

we confess that we do not trust your abundance, and we deny your presence in our lives.

We place our hope in ourselves and rely on our own efforts. We fail to believe that you provide enough for all. We abuse your good creation for our own benefit. We fear difference and do not welcome others

as you have welcomed us. We sin in thought, word, and deed. By your grace, forgive us; through your love, renew us; and in your Spirit, lead us; so that we may live and serve you in newness of life. Amen.

Beloved of God,

by the radical abundance of divine mercy we have peace with God through ☩ Christ Jesus, through whom we have obtained grace upon grace. Our sins are forgiven. Let us live now in hope. For hope does not disappoint,

because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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.

KyrieSetting 4

Hymn of Praise sETTING 4

Prayer of the Day

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.

WORD

First Reading: Jeremiah 20:7-13

 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: Psalm 69:7-10 [11-15] 16-18

 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 by word 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. 

Second Reading: Romans 6:1b-11

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.

Gospel Acclamation

Gospel: Matthew 10:24-39

The holy gospel according to Matthew. 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.

KID TALK

Sermon

Sermon Hymn:ELW 798 Will You Come and Follow Me (Verses 1,2,4, 5)

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 Intercession

After each prayer, please respond with the words “Your mercy is great.”

OFFERTORY HYMN: ELW 884 Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow (sing 2 times)

Offering Prayer

Merciful God, our ordinary gifts seem small for such a celebration, but you make of them an abundance,

just as you do with our lives. Empower us for service in your name, in the strength of the risen Christ. Amen.

Lord's Prayer

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.

SENDING

BLESSING

The holy Three, the holy One increase your hope, strengthen your faith, deepen your love, and ☩ grant you peace. Amen.

SENDING HYMN: ELW #661 I Love to Tell the Story

DISMISSAL

Go in peace. Christ is with you.

Thanks be to God.

POSTLUDE

From Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2016 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #35743. New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

This Week’s Events

· Pastor Miranda’s Day Off – Monday, June 22nd

· Theresa Vacation day – Monday, June 22nd

· South Conference and Text study – 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 23rd

· Staff Meeting – 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, June 23rd

· Executive Committee Meeting – 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 23rd

· Youth night via ZOOM – 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24th

· In-Person Worship – 5:15 p.m. on Saturday, June 27th

· Worship broadcast on our Facebook Page and on WPRE 104.3 FM and 980 AM -  9:00 a.m. on Sunday, June 28th

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Welcome to worship

· We are broadcasting worship live at 9am Sunday mornings via 104.3 FM and 980 AM and streaming through our Facebook page using a small team of people.

· For your convenience the bulletin is posted weekly on our website on Fridays for the Sunday worship service.

Prayer List Updates:

· Our deepest sympathy and prayers to Bob and Jackie Eckert and their family on the loss of Bob’s mother, Kate Eckert. A Prayer Service will be held on Wed. June 24, at 7 PM at the Garrity Funeral Home. Friends may call at the funeral home from 4:00 PM to the time of the service.

A Step Toward Returning to In-Person Gatherings during the Covid-19 Pandemic:

The Church Council has approved a plan to return to in-person gatherings on a limited basis. Our first in-person services will be on Saturdays only: beginning Saturday, June 27th at 5:15 pm. We will continue to broadcast worship on the Radio (104.3 FM & 980 AM) and Facebook on Sundays at 9 am (led by a small team). Members will be receiving a mailing with detailed information on what a return to in-person gatherings will look like. We will not be able to gather as if everything is back to normal; things will be different for some time. We all need to worship. At this time, in-person worship is for those that need to worship in the church building. If you are able to worship with us from home for a while longer, please continue to do so. Here are a few key points regarding modifications to in-person worship:

· While attendance at in-person worship will be open to all, those at high-risk for severe illness from COVID-19 should continue to shelter in place during Phase 1. The CDC defines those at high-risk as:

· people 65 years and older

· and people of all ages with underlying medical conditions, particularly if not well-controlled, including: people with chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma, people who have serious heart conditions, people who are immunocompromised, people with severe obesity, people with diabetes, people with chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis, and people with liver disease.

· Please self-evaluate for symptoms of illness, and rest at home if you are sick.

· Hand sanitizer is to be used as you enter the building.

· Masks will be required (please bring a mask). Exemptions: if medically problematic OR if age 2 and under.

· 6 feet of distancing between households is required. Ushers will seat households.

· Capacity is limited to 25% (75 people; then ushers will begin to seat in the Fellowship Hall).

· Because the coronavirus is most easily communicated through the dispersal of human breath, the following worship elements will not be practiced at this time: singing, congregational prayers, and congregational readings such as the Psalm response.

· We will begin to have Baptisms during worship again.

· We will continue to fast from Holy Communion during in-person worship at this time.

· For the children’s message, children will remain seated with their family.

· Offering plates and Hungry Jar “baskets” will be available at the exits.

· There will be no receiving line or shaking hands.

· Ushers will dismiss you. Please exit the building directly and continue to socialize outside while maintaining physical distancing.

· There will be no coffee or refreshments.

· Children’s bulletins will be available. Children’s activity bags will not be available.

· Please use the restroom before coming. To the extent possible, only the upstairs restroom will be available during worship. A designated usher will perform a simple cleaning after each use.

In-Person Feedback Small Groups (offered remotely via Zoom as well): We would love your input. Moving forward through the pandemic, we are confident that the message of God's hope and love we bring to the world will continue. As we plan for growing our ministries to serve more people, we would love your input. We want to know what is important to you. We will be facilitating small groups of 6-8 people over the next couple of weeks to have discussion and hear about what is important to you. These discussions will be in-person as permitted and offered remotely via Zoom as well. If you're interested in being part of a small group discussion, please contact Theresa in the office at (608)-326-6411 and let her know. You can join a group even if you've already responded to the survey!

Our congregation is planning a book study on the book Waking up White: and Finding Myself in the Story of Race by Debbie Irving.  

The book's publisher says:  Waking Up White is the book Irving wishes someone had handed her decades ago. By sharing her sometimes cringe-worthy struggle to understand racism and racial tensions, she offers a fresh perspective on bias, stereotypes, manners, and tolerance. As Irving unpacks her own long-held beliefs about colorblindness, being a good person, and wanting to help people of color, she reveals how each of these well-intentioned mindsets actually perpetuated her ill-conceived ideas about race. We've heard good things about the book as a starting place in talking about race, and hope we can use it to start some conversations about things we, in our Christian white enclave of Prairie du Chien, know little about.

We want to have an in-person study, held in a park setting if weather permits.  Tentatively thinking Wednesday nights at 5:45, starting July 1.  We currently have a limit of 10 people who can gather in person.  So if you're interested please call Theresa at the church (608)326-6411 or Cheryl Mader (608) 778-4246 ask questions or to sign up.   

Welcome Pastor discussion group: Our next discussion is June 28th at 10:30 a.m. via Zoom.

We are using the resource Welcome Pastor: Building a Productive Pastor-Congregation Partnership in 40 Days. The sessions help us to get to know one another, share faith honestly and authentically, discern what God expects of both the pastor and the people, and speak openly about differences in order to handle them constructively. If you would still like to join the group, please contact the church office at 608-326-6411. Our last discussion will be Sunday, July 12th at 10:30 a.m.

Outdoor Pastoral Home Visits: I am beginning in-person Outdoor Pastoral Home Visits (front porch, back deck, garage, or driveway). I would love to get to know you (and your family) better through these conversations. These will be 45-minute visits, with no need for refreshments to be offered (I will bring my own water bottle) and with the option of Home Communion (using elements that you provide: bread, wine, and/or juice). Please call the church office if you would like to set up a time for a visit. I look forward to these special times with you over the next few months.

CHANGES TO VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

Save the Date for Sugar Creek Bible Camp’s: Day Camp 2-Go: beginning on July 27th, 2020

We have decided to cancel in-person VBS for this summer.

We are going partner with Sugar Creek Bible Camp for Day Camp 2-Go. This is going to be a fun week of singing songs, doing arts and crafts, and learning about nature and God. Our Bible story theme for the week is “On Earth as in Heaven.” We are going to be learning about the Lord’s Prayer and how it connects to both the story of Jesus and your life. God loves us, and he invites us to love one another.

We will have a special kick-off on July 27th. Each family that registers will receive a “Day Camp 2-Go” bag with craft supplies and Bible studies. We will also connect you to fun worship times, skits, and Bible lessons that Sugar Creek is sharing with us online. It will be a great way to grow in faith as a family. Watch for more information via the newsletter and upcoming bulletins. (If you are not able to be there on July 27th, you can still sign-up and then arrange to pick up your materials from the church office at a later time.)

Call the church office today to register for Day Camp 2-Go at St. Peter: (608)326-6411

Youth Night via Zoom:

On June 24th, we will have our second Youth Night via Zoom (an opportunity to check-in, grow in faith, have fun, and pray for one another. This is for youth completing grades 6th-12th). We will announce July nights, too. If we are able to meet safely in-person later in the summer, we will do so. Please call the church office to be added to our list of emails that we send out the Zoom invitation to.

Email contact- If you receive any personal emails from Pastor Miranda or the church make sure that they come from one of the following email addresses before you click on any links or reply to them.

stpeterpdcpastormiranda@hotmail.com , mirandaeh@hotmail.com or stpeterpdc@hotmail.com

We need volunteers for one day a week, for 5 minutes, for four months (total commitment is about 65 minutes) Chore- would be to dump the three dehumidifiers (in the church basement) in the afternoon or early evening on your designated day. For example - Every Monday at 4:00 between June and Sept.

Sharing Your Offering During This Time:

Our congregation needs to feel your support not only through your prayers and your care for your neighbors, but also through your continued generosity in financial giving. There are four options for continuing to support the operations and ministries of St. Peter during these difficult and unprecedented times.

· You can mail your check to the church at PO Box 37, Prairie du Chien, WI 53821.

· You can give through Simply Giving, an automated online giving program we have used successfully for years here at St. Peter. An authorization form is included with the April newsletter, or you can find it online at https://htlcmpls.org/website/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/vanco_auth_form1.pdf 

· You can also set up an offering at your bank using free Bill Pay service to have the bank print and mail your check to the church.

· You can give online at stpeterpdc.org on the Home page, scroll down to GivePlus Online! Simply Giving through Vanco.

Hungry Jar

Also don’t forget the hungry jar in your giving:

The June Hungry Jar is: Coulee Cap Food Pantry

Thank you for your continued support. 

St Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church

201 S Michigan St., Prairie du Chien, WI 53821

(608)326-6411

stpeterpdc.org

stpeterpdc@hotmail.org