November 12th and 13th, 2016

Womens Thankoffering
Lectionary 33
Holy Communion (Now the Feast)
INTRODUCTION
The tone of todays texts is ominous. The end is near. There is no doubt
about it. The warnings are dire. But the baptized know how to live in the
meantimes. The baptized are strengthened for the living of these days in
word and sacrament. The baptized rally around the invitation of the
apostle: Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right.
Lutheran women have gathered in the setting of Thank Offering worship
since the early 1900s. To this day, many women practice the Thankoffering
daily by setting aside coins or small offerings to give thanks for blessings
in the ordinary and extraordinary moments of life. The Thankoffering
Service grounds this gratitude in a community of women, gathering
together joyfully to give thanks and praise for what God has given to them.
The liturgy today has been provided by the Women of the ELCA.
CHILDREN are always welcome to our Worship Service. Rainbow bags
and a cry room are available. A staffed nursery is also available if needed.
An usher will gladly provide you with assistance. As a worship courtesy,
we ask that you please turn off or set to vibrate all cellular telephones
and pagers during the worship service.
We ask that all present today please fill out the Attendance and Communion
registration card found in your bulletin and place it in the offering plate so
that we may record your presence with us.
PRAYER UPON ENTERING THE PEW
We thank you, Lord God, for brave and believing people who planted your
message in this place. We praise you for the gift of your Holy Spirit, who
worked in them to gather and give order to this community, and who still
sustain it. Remembering all those who have gone before us, we pray that
we may follow as they followed, in the way, the truth, and the life, Jesus
Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

THE ORDER OF WORSHIP

WELCOME AND COLLECTION OF PRAYERS
PRELUDE

Fairest Lord Jesus

INVOCATION
Blessed be the Holy Trinity: Father, +Son, and Holy Spirit, one God, who
creates and redeems and renews the face of the earth. Amen.
LITANY FOR GATHERING
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
O Lord my God, you are very great.
Today brings all we need to praise our loving God.
Creator, you have made us in your image.
Today brings all we need to live in peace and purpose.
Redeemer, you have called us to new life.
Today brings all we need to live abundantly.
Renewer, you have brought us together to sing your praise.
Today brings women of many generations who grow together in faith and
affirm and support one another.
Companion, you guide us to your beloved community.
Today brings a world in need of healing and wholeness.
Healer, you inspire us to ministry and action.
For the church, the society and the world,
Lord our God, we humbly enter into worship.
Prepare our hearts.
Amen.
GATHERING SONG: God of Tempest, God of Whirlwind (ELW 400)

GREETING
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of
the Holy Spirit be with you all!
And also with you!
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray. Holy God, because without you we would not be able to serve
you, mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and
guide our hearts and minds; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and
reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Please be seated.
FIRST READING

Isaiah 65:17-25

17For I am about to create new heavens

and a new earth;
the former things shall not be remembered
or come to mind.
18But be glad and rejoice forever
in what I am creating;
for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy,
and its people as a delight.
19I will rejoice in Jerusalem,
and delight in my people;
no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it,
or the cry of distress.
20No more shall there be in it
an infant that lives but a few days,
or an old person who does not live out a lifetime;
for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth,
and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed.
21They shall build houses and inhabit them;
they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22They shall not build and another inhabit;
they shall not plant and another eat;
for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be,
and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
23They shall not labor in vain,
or bear children for calamity;

for they shall be offspring blessed by the LORD

and their descendants as well.
24Before they call I will answer,
while they are yet speaking I will hear.
25The wolf and the lamb shall feed together,
the lion shall eat straw like the ox;
but the serpentits food shall be dust!
They shall not hurt or destroy
on all my holy mountain,
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
PSALMODY: Isaiah 12:2-6
Refrain:

Tone:

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not | be afraid,

for the LORD GOD is my strength and my might, and has become | my
salvation.
3With joy you | will draw water
from the wells | of salvation. R
4And you will say in that day: Give thanks to the LORD, call | on Gods
name;
make known the deeds of the LORD among the nations; proclaim that
this name | is exalted.
5Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done | gloriously;
let this be known in | all the earth.
6Shout aloud and sing for joy, O | royal Zion,
for great in your midst is the Holy | One of Israel. R
SECOND READING
6

2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to
keep away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to

the tradition that they received from us. 7For you yourselves know how you
ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, 8and we did
not eat anyones bread without paying for it; but with toil and labor we
worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you. 9This was
not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an example
to imitate. 10For even when we were with you, we gave you this command:
Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. 11For we hear that some of you
are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. 12Now such
persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work
quietly and to earn their own living. 13Brothers and sisters, do not be weary
in doing what is right.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
We invite you to please stand for the reading of the gospel.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.

Glory to you, O Lord.
5
When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned
with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, [Jesus] said, 6As for these
things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon
another; all will be thrown down.
7They asked him, Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign
that this is about to take place? 8And he said, Beware that you are not led
astray; for many will come in my name and say, I am he! and, The time is
near! Do not go after them.
9When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these
things must take place first, but the end will not follow
immediately. 10Then he said to them, Nation will rise against nation, and
kingdom against kingdom; 11there will be great earthquakes, and in various
places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great
signs from heaven.
12But 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 and governors because of my name. 13This will give you an
opportunity to testify. 14So make 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 or contradict. 16You will be betrayed
even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put
some of you to death. 17You will be hated by all because of my name. 18But
not a hair of your head will perish. 19By your endurance you will gain your
souls.
The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Please be seated.
SERMON Reverend Doctor Cheryl Meese Peterson
Silence for reflection and then we invite you to stand as we sing:

GOSPEL:

Luke 21:5-19

As the Gospel is announced, worshippers are invited to trace a cross upon

their forehead, then over their lips, and then over their hearts, silently
praying, May the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ be ever on my mind, on
my lips, and in my heart.

HYMN OF THE DAY: Gracious Spirit, Heed Our Pleading (ELW 401)
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
In the course of the silence after each bidding, the People offer their own
prayers, either silently or aloud.

With the whole people of Christ Jesus, let us call upon God for the sake of
the church, the world and all in need of prayer.

OFFERTORY HYMN: Praise and Thanksgiving (ELW 689)

Please sit or kneel as you are able.

OFFERING PRAYER

Each petition ends with:

We pray in abundance,
Creator, draw us in.
God who reaches every people, turn our hearts to see those with us now,
gathered at this Thankoffering service to give thanks and praise to you.
Urge us on to the fullness of life, in the name of Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Please rise and greet one another in the peace of the risen Christ.
PEACE
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
And also with you.
Please be seated.

God of grace, You have showered us with abundance and entrusted to

us the ministries of Women of the ELCA. Accept these offerings to
further your mission. Help us to grow in faith, affirm our gifts, support
one another in our callings, engage in ministry and action and promote
healing and wholeness in the church, the society and the world. Accept
these gifts and this prayer that, nurtured by your Word, filled with
your Spirit, and fed at your table, we may share with gladness all that
you have shared with us until all creation is satisfied. Amen.
God of all creation, all you have made is good, and your love endures
forever. You bring forth bread from the earth and fruit from the vine.
Nourish us with these gifts, that we might be for the world signs of
your gracious presence in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
DIALOGUE

OFFERING
As we give our Thankofferings today, we share in a tradition that goes back
at least to the 1800s, when Christian women formed mite or cent
societies to support the mission of the church. When others said there was
not enough money to carry out the churchs work, the women believed
otherwise and acted together. In these societies, each woman collected
offerings at home. On occasion, they would gather as we do today to
worship and make their offerings with thanks and praise. When Women of
the ELCA was formed 30 years ago, we committed to continue this
tradition of giving in gratitude for blessings. Each year, 20162017
Thankoffering Service Women of the ELCA Thankoffering Service
womenoftheelca.org in thousands of congregations, Thankofferings are
given to support the life-changing ministries of Women of the ELCA.
Together, we do more than we could ever do apart. In gratitude for all God
has given to us, and with hope for all that is to come, let us now give our
Thankoffering.
MUSIC AT THE OFFERING

Jesus the Very Thought of You

We invite you to stand and sing.

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
Worshippers are invited to bow with the consecration of the Lords body
and blood, each time the words Do this for the remembrance of me, are
spoken.
Holy, mighty, and merciful Lord, heaven and earth are full of your glory
with you and the Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory, now and forever.
Amen.
LORD'S PRAYER
PREFACE
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY
Worshippers are invited to bow through to the words Hosanna in the
highest!

Make us bold, O merciful God, to address you as our loving parent as we

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.
FRACTURE AND INVITATION TO COMMUNION
Come to the banquet, for all is now ready.
All baptized people are welcome to the table to receive Christs body and
blood. If you have not been baptized, you are also welcome to the table as
Gods guest; we are honored by your presence. We recognize the Body of
Christ as the community of the baptized, so if you would like to become part of
the Body of Christ, we encourage you to seek baptism. If you cant or dont
wish to receive today, we encourage you to hold your hands over your chest for
a blessing as you come forward.

LAMB OF GOD

Please sing all invocations.

TABLE BLESSING FOR THANKOFFERING MEAL

For all the faithful women who served in days of old,
To you shall thanks be given, to all their stories told.
They served with strength and gladness in tasks your wisdom gave.
To you their lives bore witness, proclaimed your power to save.
Now bless us as we gather to share our food in love,
Through them give us the courage to serve you, God above.
O Christ, send us, your Body, where people are in pain,
To bless and heal the hurting, to make them whole again.
All praise to God the Father! All praise to Christ the Son!
All praise to God the Spirit, who binds the Church as one!
With saints who went before us, with saints who witness still,
We sing glad alleluias and strive to do your will. Amen.
BLESSING
Children from the congregation will begin the blessing.
The Lord bless us and keep us.
The Lords face shine on us with grace and mercy.
The Lord look upon us with favor and give us peace.
The presiding minister concludes the blessing.

COMMUNION MUSIC:

Let Us Break Bread Together

We invite you to stand.

In the name of the Father, and of the (+) Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
SENDING HYMN
Let All Things Now Living (ELW 881)

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

DISMISSAL

O God, we give you thanks that you have set before us this feast, the body
and blood of your Son. By your Spirit strengthen us to serve all in need
and to give ourselves away as bread for the hungry, through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.

Go in peace. Serve the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

POSTLUDE

For the Beauty of the Earth

The flowers on the altar are given to the Glory of God and
in honor of Thankoffering Sunday.

poor, and after her husband's death she lived in cruel hardship until her own
death at age twenty-four.

Presented by the WTLC Board.

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN BECOMING A MEMBER OF
TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH?
COMMEMORATIONS FOR THE WEEK
Elizabeth of Hungary, renewer of society, died 1231
Thursday, November 17, 2016
Born in Hungary, Elizabeth was betrothed to the son of the Landgrave of
Thuringia, and at age four was taken to be raised with him at the Wartburg
Castle. Ten years later they were married. She was very generous to the

We receive members throughout the year by Baptism, Affirmation of Faith,

Confirmation, Letter of Transfer, and New Member Instruction. Please
contact the church office with any questions. 224-6818.
Please feel free to take your bulletin and happenings with you.
If you wish to discard your bulletin, a recycling box is located at the exit.
Thank you.