Reformation

October 25, 2020
9:30 a.m.

Holy Spirit Lutheran Church
Lancaster, PA

Welcome

Welcome to worship in the time of both COVID-19 and fire recovery. Having worship in the narthex presents challenges that are unique. The most noticeable challenge is the one of spacing. While families may sit close together, the effort to maintain distance with others must be attempted as much as possible. That includes, if necessary sitting in the entrance area between the sets of doors.

Within the liturgy, we will maintain the following practices for the sharing of the peace and the distribution of the sacrament of Holy Communion.

When sharing the peace of Christ, remain at your seat, make eye contact with someone and wave and say “peace.” Your smile is visible beneath your mask.

As regards the Holy Communion, the Pastor and Assisting Ministers will bring the sacrament to you. The pastor will drop the host into your hand, followed by the assisting minister with the chalice of wine, followed by the other assisting minister with the receptible for your used cup. Those persons not receiving communion are welcome to receive a blessing.

At the conclusion of the service, if you took a paper bulletin, keep your bulletin with you, and exit the building by way of the designated exit doors. The pastor will greet you outside. Because of the spacing requirements if you wish to have a conversation with someone, do so outside.

Thank you for your attendance and consideration as we all work to keep each other healthy.. As the weeks go by you may notice some other changes in order to make our Sunday experience both worshipful and as safe as possible.

Stay well.

Welcome and Announcements

Gathering Music

The Brief Order for Confession and Forgiveness

Please stand

P
In the name of the Father and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
C
Amen

P
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
Silence is kept for reflection.
P
Faithful God, have mercy on us. We confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. We turn from your loving embrace and go our own ways. We place our own needs before those of our neighbors. Make us humble, forgive our sin, and turn us again to life in you through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
C
Amen.

P
Friends in Christ, God hears the cries of all who call out in need, and through his death and resurrection, Christ has made us his own. Your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
C
Amen.

The Apostolic Greeting & Prayer of the Day

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.

P
Let us pray. Almighty God, gracious Lord, we thank you that your Holy Spirit renews the church in every age. Pour out your Holy Spirit on your faithful people. Keep them steadfast in your word, protect and comfort them in times of trial, defend them against all enemies of the gospel, and bestow on the church your saving peace, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C
Amen.
Please be seated.

Children’s Message

The children remain at their seat as the pastor share a message with them.

First Reading

Romans 3:19-28
A reading from Romans: Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For “no human being will be justified in his sight” by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.
But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.
Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. By what law? By that of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law.
A
The word of the Lord
C
Thanks be to God

Please stand.

The Holy Gospel

John 8:31-36
P
The Holy Gospel according to Saint John the eighth chapter.
C
Glory to you, O Lord
Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, ‘You will be made free’?”
Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”
P
The Gospel of the Lord.
C
Praise to you, O Christ.
Please be seated.

The Sermon

Silence for reflection follows.

The Prayers of the Church

A
Drawn together in the compassion of God, we pray for the church, the world, and all those in need.

After each portion of the prayers:
A
Lord, in your mercy,
C
Hear our prayer.
The prayers conclude:
P
Into your hands, Gracious God, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Savior.
C
Amen.

The Peace

P
The peace of Christ be with you always.
C
And also with you.
Without leaving your seat offer a wave to your neighbor, sharing God’s peace., in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Please be seated.

Music as the Table is Prepared

Please stand.

The Offertory Prayer

A
Let us pray. Blessed are you, O God, maker of all things. You have set before us these gifts of your good creation. Prepare us for your heavenly banquet, nourish us with this rich food and drink, and send us forth to set tables in the midst of a suffering world, through the bread of life, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

The Great Thanksgiving

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.

Eucharistic Prayer

P
Holy, mighty, and merciful Lord,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
In great love you sent to us Jesus, your Son,
who reached out to heal the sick and suffering,
who preached good news to the poor,
and who, on the cross, opened his arms to all.

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.

Remembering, therefore, his death, resurrection, and ascension,
we await his coming in glory.
Pour out upon us the Spirit of your love, O Lord,
and unite the wills of all who share this heavenly food,
the body and blood of Jesus Christ, our Lord;
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be all honor and glory, now and forever.
C
Amen

The Lord’s Prayer

C
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 Fraction

P
Come to the banquet table where Christ gives himself as food and drink.
C
Thanks be to God.

Please be seated.

The Distribution of Holy Communion

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America practices open table hospitality. Baptized communicants of other Christian denominations, of all ages, are welcome to receive the sacrament. Today we will bring the sacrament to you. The pastor will drop the host into your hand, followed by the assisting minister with the chalice of wine, followed by the assisting minister with the receptacle for your used cup. Those persons not receiving communion are welcome to come forward to receive a blessing.

After all have communed, please stand for the prayers and blessing.

The Post Communion Blessing

P
The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.
C
Amen.

The Post Communion Prayer

A
Let us pray. We give you thanks, gracious God, that you have once again fed us with food beyond compare, the body and blood of Christ. Lead us from this place, nourished and forgiven, into your beloved vineyard to wipe away the tears of all who hunger and thirst, guided by the example of the same Jesus Christ and led by the Holy Spirit, now and forever.
C
Amen.

The Blessing

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 give you peace. In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
C
Amen.

Sending Music

Dismissal

A
Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
C
Thanks be to God. We will!

Postlude

+++

The flowers today are sponsored by
Sayre Turney and dedicated to the glory of God

Acknowledgments

Portions of this service are reprinted from Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2013 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #45652.

The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Gratitude Tree
Celebrate this years’ stewardship pledge campaign
by putting a leaf on the Gratitude Tree. Take a “leaf”
and write down one thing you are grateful for at
Holy Spirit and attach it to a branch of the tree.
The tree will be up throughout the month of October and
pledges are still being accepted.

We are grateful to Linda Rogers for creating the Gratitude Tree.