sunday, january 25, 2015 the conversion of paul

8/9/2019 Sunday, January 25, 2015 the Conversion of Paul

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“Paulus” (Paul) by Bertel Thorvaldsen. Carved in 1839 and depicted holding a sword.

Vor Frue Kirke (Church of Our Lady), Copenhagen, Denmark. National Cathedral of the Lutheran Church of Denmark.

The Conversion of PaulSunday, January 25, 2015



2 THE CONVERSION OF P AUL

Welcome to Worship at St. Paul’s!!

The community of believers at St. Paul Lutheran Church takes delight in having guests inits worship. Our congregation strives to present a witness to Christ that is faithful to the Word ofHoly Scripture and to the confessional heritage of the Lutheran tradition.

GUESTS: We encourage you to sign a “visitor” card located in the pews and our Guest Booklocated in the hall outside the worship space.

HOLY COMMUNION IS OFFERED by invitation of the Lord himself. All baptized believers whotrust that Christ is presented in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist are invited to come forward

and receive Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. Communion is distributed by coming up the centeraisle at the direction of the usher and returning along the side aisle. Those who do not wish toreceive the Sacrament may come forward with their arms crossed and receive a blessing. Those who, for any reason, cannot receive the wine may receive the Sacrament under the form of breadalone. In doing so, a communicant still receives the whole Christ.

TO THE PARENTS OF YOUNG CHILDREN —Relax! God put the wiggle in children; don’t feel

you have to suppress it in God’s house. All are welcome!Sit toward the front where it is easier for your little ones to see and hear what’s going on in

worship. They tire of seeing the backs of others’ heads.

Quietly and kindly explain the parts of the Liturgy and actions of the worship leaders. Share the worship folder with them at eye level.

Sing the hymns, pray and voice the responses. Children learn liturgical behavior by copying you.

If you have to leave worship with your child, feel free to do so, but please come back. Jesus said“Let the children come to me.”

Remember that the way we welcome children in church directly affects the way they respond to theChurch, to God, and to one another. Let them know that they are at home in this house of

worship.

Please let your child use this worship folder to draw and doodle.

The presence of children is a gift to the Church. Please welcome children and give a smile ofencouragement to their families.



THE CONVERSION OF P AUL 3

HOLY COMMUNION THE CONVERSION OF P AUL

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity concludesSunday, January 25, 2015 + 9:30 a.m.

LET THE PEOPLE PRAISE THEE O GOD In the days after the Epiphany of Our Lord we commemorate not only Paul's seeing the light but hissaintly effort thereafter at being the light. Our eyes are opened by the Spirit of God in Holy Baptism,having been enlightened by the Word read and proclaimed in the assembly, and having regained ourstrength in the Eucharist, we too are converted—turned again to follow in God's way.

+ + + + + + + + + + + +

The Liturgy (which means “the work of the people”) involves participation. The texts marked in plaintext are spoken by the worship leaders while the assembly responds with bold text.

ENTRANCE R ITE The GATHERING MUSIC

The WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTSThe READING OF THE MISSION STATEMENT

Let us join together and say our Mission Statement.Come and see, Follow me, The gift of God, Jesus Christ, Has set us free.

The THANKSGIVING FOR BAPTISMThe Thanksgiving for Baptism is celebrated during Time after EpiphanyThe sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of Holy Baptism as the presiding ministerbegins.

In the Name of the Father, and of the +Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

The presiding minister addresses the assembly.

Joined to Christ in the waters of baptism, we are clothed with God's mercy and forgiveness.Let us give thanks for the gift of baptism.




Water may be poured into the font as the presiding minister gives thanks. We give you thanks, O God,for in the beginning your Spirit moved over the watersand by your Word you created the world,calling forth life in which you took delight.

Through the waters of the flood you delivered Noah and his family.Through the sea you led your people Israel from slavery into freedom.

At the river your Son was baptized by John and anointed with the Holy Spirit.By water and your Word you claim us as daughters and sons,

making us heirs of your promise and servants of all.

We praise you for the gift of water that sustains life,and above all we praise you for the gift of new life in Jesus Christ.Shower us with your Spirit,and renew our lives with your forgiveness, grace, and love.

To you be given honor and praisethrough Jesus Christ our Lordin the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

The assembly faces the Cross as it enters the Nave. As a reminder of the gift of baptism, the assemblymay be sprinkled with water.

The GATHERING HYMN Dearest Jesus, at Your Word




The GREETINGThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of theHoly Spirit be with you all.

And also with you.

The KYRIE (“Lord, have mercy”)




The HYMN OF PRAISE Glory to God in the Highest




The PRAYER OF THE DAYLet us pray…the prayer concludes…one God, now and forever. Amen.

The assembly is seated.

LITURGY OF THE W ORD The FIRST READING Acts 9:1–22Three times the book of Acts describes Paul's conversion. This telling, coming between Philip with theEthiopian and Cornelius's conversion, sets the stage for extending the gospel to the Gentiles.

Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of theLord, went to the high priest 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues atDamascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, hemight bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3Now as he was going along andapproaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4He fellto the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecuteme?" 5He asked, "Who are you, Lord?" The reply came, "I am Jesus, whom you arepersecuting. 6But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are todo." 7The men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard

the voice but saw no one.8

Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes wereopen, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him intoDamascus. 9For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.




10Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." He answered, "Here I am, Lord." 11The Lord said to him, "Get upand go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man ofTarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, 12and he has seen in a vision aman named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain hissight." 13But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man,how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; 14and here he has authorityfrom the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name." 15But the Lord said tohim, "Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name beforeGentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; 16I myself will show him how

much he must suffer for the sake of my name."17

So Ananias went and entered thehouse. He laid his hands on Saul and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, whoappeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sightand be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18 And immediately something like scales fellfrom his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, 19andafter taking some food, he regained his strength.For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, 20and immediately hebegan to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is the Son of God." 21 All

who heard him were amazed and said, "Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem among those who invoked this name? And has he not come here for thepurpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?" 22Saul becameincreasingly more powerful and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus byproving that Jesus was the Messiah.

The reading concludes:The Word of the Lord.Thanks be to God.

The PSALMODY Psalm 67 After introduction, the choir or cantor will sing the refrain once, then repeated by all. The assemblysings the refrain after each verse.

1May God be merciful to | us and bless us;may the light of God's face | shine upon us.

2Let your way be known | upon earth, your saving health a- | mong all nations.

3Let the peoples praise | you, O God;




let all the | peoples praise you.4Let the nations be glad and | sing for joy,

for you judge the peoples with equityand guide all the na- | tions on earth. Refrain

5Let the peoples praise | you, O God;let all the | peoples praise you.

6The earth has brought | forth its increase;God, our own | God, has blessed us.

7May God | give us blessing,and may all the ends of the earth | stand in awe. Refrain

The SECOND READING Galatians 1:11–24Here Paul himself tells of the prologue to his becoming the great apostle to the Gentiles. He admitshis former blindness, seeing the contrast as an avenue for the greater glory of God.

11For I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimedby me is not of human origin; 12for I did not receive it from a human source, nor

was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.13

You have heard, no doubt, of my earlier life in Judaism. I was violentlypersecuting the church of God and was trying to destroy it. 14I advanced in Judaismbeyond many among my people of the same age, for I was far more zealous for thetraditions of my ancestors. 15But when God, who had set me apart before I wasborn and called me through his grace, was pleased 16to reveal his Son to me, so thatI might proclaim him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with any human being,17nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were already apostles before me, but I

went away at once into Arabia, and afterwards I returned to Damascus.18Then after three years I did go up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed withhim fifteen days; 19but I did not see any other apostle except James the Lord'sbrother. 20In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie! 21Then I went intothe regions of Syria and Cilicia, 22and I was still unknown by sight to the churchesof Judea that are in Christ; 23they only heard it said, "The one who formerly was

persecuting us is now proclaiming the faith he once tried to destroy."24

And theyglorified God because of me. The reading concludes:

The Word of the Lord.Thanks be to God.




The assembly stands to welcome the Gospel as it is proclaimed in the midst of the assembly.The GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The HOLY GOSPEL Luke 21:10–19The third gospel contains several short apocalyptic passages, which helped to encourage readers who,in the decades after the resurrection, were experiencing persecution for their faith. Paul had foundhimself on both sides of such persecution.

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

The Holy +1

Gospel according to Luke.Glory to you, O Lord.

10Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom againstkingdom; 11there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines andplagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.12"But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand

you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings andgovernors because of my name. 13This will give you an opportunity to testify. 14Somake up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; 15for I will give you

words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand orcontradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives andfriends; and they will put some of you to death. 17 You will be hated by all becauseof my name. 18But not a hair of your head will perish. 19By your endurance you willgain your souls."

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

The assembly is seated after the procession returns to its place.

1 Using the thumb, the people may make three small signs of the cross, one on the forehead, one on the lips, and one on the breast whilesilently using the traditional prayer, “May the Good News of Jesus Christ be in my mind, and on my lips, and in my heart. Amen”




The CHILDREN’S MESSAGE

The SERMON

Silence for reflection.

The assembly stands to proclaim the Word of God in song.The HYMN OF THE DAY Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word

The NICENE CREED With the whole people of God, let us confess our faith. We believe in one God,

the Father, the Almighty,maker of heaven and earth,of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,the only Son of God,eternally begotten of the Father,God from God, Light from Light,true God from true God,begotten, not made,of one Being with the Father.Through him all things were made.




For us and for our salvationhe came down from heaven;by the power of the Holy Spirit

he became incarnate 2 from the virgin Mary, and wasmade man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;he suffered death and was buried.On the third day he rose again

in accordance with the Scriptures;he ascended into heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.

He has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead,

and the life of the world to come. Amen

The PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLEReceiving the revelation of Jesus Christ in the Gospel on this day commemoratingthe Conversion of Paul, let us pray for the Church, for the world, and all those inneed.

After each petitionLord, in your mercy,hear our prayer.

The prayers conclude Almighty God by your Spirit you helped Paul the Apostle preach yourpower and glory. Fill us with the light of faith as we journey our road offaith. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

2 Martin Luther, in his Commentary on the Gospel of John encouraged the continuation of the ancient tradition of bowing during this portion of the Creed until “For our sake…” because “the Divine Majesty abased Himself and became like us poor bags of worms, andto thank God for the ineffable mercy and compassion reflected in the incarnation.” (Luther’s Works, Vol. 22, pp. 102, 105)




LITURGY OF THE EUCHARISTIC M EAL The PEACE

The peace of the Lord be with you always.

And also with you.The worship leaders and the assembly greet each other in the peace of the risen Christ.The assembly is seated.

The OFFERING

The assembly stands as the gifts are brought forward .

The OFFERTORY Now the Silence




The GREAT THANKGIVING

Preface for ApostlesIt is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all placesgive thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God, through the greatshepherd of your flock, our Savior Jesus Christ; who after his resurrection sentforth the apostles to preach the gospel and teach all nations, and promised to be

with them, even to the end of the age. And so, with Paul and the gloriouscompany of the apostles, with the choirs of angels and all the hosts of heaven, wepraise your name and join their unending hymn:




The EUCHARISTIC PRAYER (Epiphany)Blessed are you, O holy God:

you are the Life and Light of all.By your powerful word you created all things.Through the prophets you called your people

to be a light to the nations… the prayer continues, concluding…Through him all glory and honor is yours,

Almighty Father, with the Holy Spirit,in your holy Church,both now and forever.

Amen.

The LORD”S PRAYER (1789)Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray 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.

The BREAKING OF THE BREADCome to the table of mercy, where the feast of life is spread.Thanks be to God.

The assembly is seated




The DISTRIBUTION OF THE HOLY SACRAMENT

The MUSIC DURING DISTRIBUTION




After all have returned to their places, the assembly stands.The POST-COMMUNION BLESSING

The Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in hisgrace.

Amen.The POST-COMMUNION PRAYER

Let us pray… Lord God, you filled Paul the Apostle with love for all the churches;may the Sacrament we have received foster in us this love for your people. Grantthis through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.




LITURGY OF SENDING The BLESSING

Almighty God, Father, + Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever.

Amen.The SENDING HYMN Faith of Our Fathers

The DISMISSALGo in peace. Proclaim the Good News.

Thanks be to God.The SENDING MUSIC

Acknowledgements Unless indicated all hymns and liturgical music from Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright © 2015 by Augsburg Fortress. All rightsreserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #42251. Scripture texts from the New RevisedStandard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ inthe USA . Used by permission. All rights reserved.



Come and see. Follow me. The gift of God, J esus Christ, has set us free

ST. P AUL LUTHERAN CHURCH 515 E. Line Street • Minerva, Ohi o 44657

Office – (330) 868-4918 www.facebook.com/stpaulminerva

Pastor: The Rev. Steven Woyen, STS • Office Secretary: Becky DavisCustodian: Damin Clapper • Director of Music: Paula Patterson

Missionaries to the Republic of South Africa: The Rev. Tessa Moon Leiseth & Jon Leiseth

http://www.facebook.com/stpaulminerva



sunday, january 25, 2015 the conversion of paul

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