January 24, 2010



Prelude Jesu, Priceless Treasure J. S. Bach
Welcome

We’re delighted to greet everyone in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, who takes away our sin and offers grace to all people. If you are a guest, please fill out the Guest Form. If you’re looking for a meaningful ministry with which to become involved, you are encouraged to speak with the Pastor.

Gathering

 (Please stand)
Brief Order for Confession & Forgiveness

 P We gather in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
 P God of all mercy and consolation, come to the help of your people, turning us from our sin to live for you alone. Give us the power of your Holy Spirit that we may confess our sin, receive your forgiveness, and grow into the fullness of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
C Amen.

 (Please kneel)
Confession
 P Most merciful God,
C we confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
 P In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake God forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of the church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the ς Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

(Please stand for our Gathering Hymn)

Gathering Hymn Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness Hymn 843

P The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all!
C And, also with you.



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Kyrie Music page 147

In peace, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, Have mercy.
For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the pece of the whole world, for the well-being of the church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For this holy house, and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
Help, save, comford, and defend us, gracious Lord.
Amen.

Hymn of Praise Music page 148
 P Glory to God in the highest, and peace to God’s people on earth.
 C Lord God, heavenly King, almighty god and Father, we worship you, we give you praise for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the
Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the
glory of God the Father. Amen.

Prayer of the Day
 P Let us pray. Blessed Lord God, you have caused the holy scriptures to be written for the nourishment of your people. Grant that we may hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that, comforted by your promises, we may embrace and forever hold fast to the hope of eternal life, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

(Please sit)
Children’s Message

Scripture

Lesson Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10

The exiles have returned and rebuilt Jerusalem. Now Ezra, the priest, reads the law of Moses to them in the public square. When they hear it, they weep for their sins and for the long years in exile, but Ezra reminds them that the joy of the Lord is their strength.

All the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had given to Israel. Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our LORD; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

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P The Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.

Psalmody Psalm 19




The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky proclaims its maker’s handiwork.
One day tells its tale to another, and one night imparts knowledge to another.
Although they have no words or language, and their voices are not heard,
their sound has gone out into all lands, and their message to the ends of the world,
where God has pitched a tent for the sun.
It comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber;
it rejoices like a champion to run its course.
It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens
and runs about to the end of it again; nothing is hidden from its burning heat. R

By them also is your servant enlightened,
and in keeping them there is great reward.
Who can detect one’s own offenses?
Cleanse me from my secret faults.
Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins;
let them not get dominion over me;
then shall I be whole and sound, and innocent of a great offense.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my strength and my redeemer. R

Lesson 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a

The apostle and pastor Paul uses the metaphor of the human body to describe how intimately connected we are in the church. For this struggling congregation in Corinth, Paul delivers a vital message of unity that is a mark of the church today.

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body — Jews or Greeks, slaves or free — and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many members, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer

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together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. Now you are the body of Christ and individually
members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But strive for the greater gifts.

P The Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.


(Please stand)
Gospel Acclamation





Gospel Luke 4:14-21

P The Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke, the fourth chapter.
C Glory to you, O Lord.

Near the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, he visits his hometown of Nazareth. In the words of Isaiah, he states and claims his identity, purpose, and mission.

Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

P The Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to you, O Christ.

 (Please sit)
Sermon The Reverend Russell Seabright

(Please stand)
Hymn of the Day He Comes to Us as One Unknown Hymn 737

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The Nicene Creed

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, begotten, not
made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the
Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human. 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 in glory to to judge the living and the dead, and this 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, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and
glorified, who 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 Prayer of the People

After each prayer petition:
P Lord in your mercy
C Hear our prayer.

The prayers conclude:
 P Receive our prayers, holy God, and give us all we need for this day and the days to come, through the power of the Holy Spirit, and in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
C Amen.


(Please stand)
Peace
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C And also with you.
(Please feel free to move about and share God’s Peace with one another!)


Meal

(Please sit)
Offering


Anthem (8:30 am) Oh, For a Thousand Tongues Charles Wesley
Family Choir


Anthem (11:00 am) Eternal Light Shine in My Heart Eugene Englert
 Gallery Choir


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(Please stand)
Offering Response Tune: Old Hundreth

 C Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him all creatures here below,
Praise Him above ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.


Offering Prayer

P God of majesty, in your might you have created all things, and you entrust to our care what you have made. Receive our offerings, and make them a sign of our dedication to provide for the needs of all people and creatures, in the name of the one who sustains all things by his word, Jesus Christ our Lord.
C Amen.

The Great Thanksgiving Music on page 152
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
 P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
 P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give our thanks and praise.


Proper Preface

Sanctus Music on Page 153

Holy, holy, holy Lord,
Lord God of pow’r and might:
Heav’n and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.


Words of Institution

In 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.”


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Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.


Communion
All baptized Christians are invited to share in the Eucharist. Those who are not baptized, or wish to receive only
a blessing, are asked to fold their arms over their chest. Communion will be by intinction (dipping). Please follow the usher’s direction.

(Please sit)
Music at the Communion

Agnus Dei Music on page 154

Lamb of God you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us.
Lamb of God you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us.
Lamb of God you take away the sin of the world: grant us peace.

Communion Hymns 310, 461


(Please stand)
Post Communion Blessing and Prayer

 P Loving God, in this meal you sustain the weary and heal the broken. May the gift of your word made flesh,
the body and blood of Christ, inspire our tongues to praise you and proclaim to the entire world the Savior,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
C Amen.
 P The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord’s face shine on you with grace and mercy. The Lord look upon you with favor and ς give you peace.
C Amen.

Sending Hymn Arise, Your Light Has Come! Hymn 314

Dismissal
P Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.

Postlude


Music reproduced with permission by Augsburg Fortress. Liturgies License # 23349
You may use this Bulletin to cover your parking in the Francis Marion or Hutson Street Garage.



St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church * 405 King Street * Charleston, SC 843.723.1611