Midweek Service of Word and Sacrament
Telling Our Story : Living in Faith
August, 20 2025
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Standing CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
In the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
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.
Amen.
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another. Kneeling or Seated
Gracious God, have mercy on us. We confess that we have turned from you and given ourselves into the power of sin. We are truly sorry and humbly repent. In your compassion forgive us our sins, known and unknown, things we have done and things we have failed to do. Turn us again to you, and uphold us by your Spirit, so that we may live and serve you in newness of life through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
God, who is rich in mercy, loved us even when we were dead in sin, and made us alive together with Christ. By grace you have been saved. In the name of ☩ Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. Almighty God strengthen you with power through the Holy Spirit, that Christ may live in your hearts through faith.
Amen.
Standing HYMN: ELW 561
Joyous Light of Heavenly Glory
WORD: Genesis 17:15-21
And God said to Abraham, “As for your wife Sarai, you shall not call her Sarai, but her name shall be Sarah. I will bless her; indeed I will give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she shall give rise to nations; rulers of peoples shall issue from her.” Abraham threw himself on his face and laughed, as he said to himself, “Can a child be born to a man a hundred years old, or can Sarah bear a child at ninety?” And Abraham said to God, “O that Ishmael may live by Your favor!” God said, “Nevertheless, Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you shall name him Isaac; and I will maintain my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring to come. As for Ishmael, I have heeded you. I hereby bless him. I will make him fertile and exceedingly numerous. He shall be the father of twelve chieftains, and I will make of him a great nation. But my covenant I will maintain with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this season next year.”
CONVERSATION WITH PASTOR MARK
Standing HYMN: ELW 635
Kneeling or seated PRAYERS
We Walk by Faith
Gracious God, we come to you in prayer for the church, the world, and all in need.
Sustaining God, guide your church on the way. Give us patience in our journey, and protect us from division and doubt. May we look to the cross and live. God of grace, receive our prayer.
Creator God, renew the earth. Heal our planet from the venom of greed and exploitation, and direct us to respect all life as a gift from you. May we look to the cross and live. God of grace, receive our prayer.
God of wisdom, grant discernment to those in authority. Thwart the plans of the proud, bring low the mighty, and uphold those who work for peace. May they seek the way of the cross and live. God of grace, receive our prayer.
God of grace, alleviate suffering. Comfort the sick and the grieving (especially). Come to the aid of those who are hungry or needing shelter. May they find hope in the cross and live. God of grace, receive our prayer.
Good Shepherd, guide your flock. Protect us from the world’s lies and lead us in the way of truth. Strengthen us in our faith and inspire us to serve others. May we follow you to the cross and live. God of grace, receive our prayer.
Merciful God, you receive into your loving embrace those who have died. Giving thanks for them, may we find comfort in the cross and live in the hope of resurrection. God of grace, receive our prayer.
We entrust these prayers to you, O God, in the name of Jesus Christ, our redeemer and friend.
Amen.
PEACE
The peace of Christ be with you always. | And also with you.
HOLY COMMUNION
The Lord be with you. | And also with you. Lift up your hearts. | We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. |It is right to give our thanks and praise.
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 glory and honor, now and forever.
Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray…
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.
AFTER COMMUNION
The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace. Amen
Let us pray. | Mothering God, you gathered us to your table and we drank deeply of your grace. Send us out by your Spirit to love our neighbors as ourselves and proclaim your love in Jesus’ name. Amen
HYMN: ELW 632
O God, Our Help in Ages Past BLESSING
The love of God abound in you; the grace of our Savior Jesus Christ fill your hearts; and the life of the Spirit ☩ bless you and give you peace. | Amen.
Go in peace. Care for others as God cares for you. | Thanks be to God.