Prelude     Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten          setting by Sigfrid Karg-Elert

If thou but suffer God to guide thee

And hope in Him through all thy ways,

He'll give thee strength, whate'er betide thee,

And bear thee through the evil days. 

Welcome and Greeting

Preparation of Our Hearts

Call to Worship 

Hymn     Insert     Come Praise and Glorify

Confession of Sin and Assurance of Pardon

Psalter     Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23     (NRSVUE)          Bert Chapman

1Praise the LORD! O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.

2Who can utter the mighty doings of the LORD or declare all his praise?

3Happy are those who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times.

4Remember us, O LORD, when you show favor to your people; help us when you deliver them,

5that we may see the prosperity of your chosen ones, that we may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that we may glory in your heritage.

6Both we and our ancestors have sinned; we have committed iniquity, have done wickedly.

19They made a calf at Horeb and worshiped a cast image.

20They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass.

21They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt,

22wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.

23Therefore he said he would destroy them—had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him, to turn away his wrath from destroying them.

Prayer for Illumination

Old Testament Reading     Genesis 4:1-16

       4 Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have produced a man with the help of the LORD.” 

2Next she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground. 3In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4and Abel for his part brought of the firstlings of his flock, their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, 5but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. 6The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? 7If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.”

       8Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 9Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” 10And the LORD said, “What have you done? Listen, your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground! 11And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12When you till the ground, it will no longer yield to you its strength; you will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” 13Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear! 14Today you have driven me away from the soil, and I shall be hidden from your face; I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and anyone who meets me may kill me.” 15Then the LORD said to him, “Not so! Whoever kills Cain will suffer a sevenfold vengeance.” And the LORD put a mark on Cain, so that no one who came upon him would kill him. 16Then Cain went away from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Lector: This is the Word of the Lord.

Congregation: Thanks be to God for His Word.

Choral Anthem          Psalm 23

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The Lord is my shepherd 

I shall not want

He makes me lie down in green pastures

He restoreth my soul 

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness

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Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death

I will fear no evil

Thou art with me

Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me

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In the presence of my enemies 

Thou anointest my head with oil

My cup runneth over

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life

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I will dwell in the house of the Lord forevermore

Amen

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Children’s Sermon

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Hymn     # 14     Be Thou My Vision          (Supplemental Hymnal)

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New Testament Reading     Ephesians 2:11-21

       11So then, remember that at one time you gentiles by birth, called “the uncircumcision” by those who are called “the circumcision”—a circumcision made in the flesh by human hands—12remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us, 15abolishing the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, 16and might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. 17So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, 18for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19So then, you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, 20built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone; 21in him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

Sermon          Pastor Andrew Winter