July 5, 2020 – Pentecost 5 – Christ the King Lutheran Church

Make sure to scroll down for the entire service.

Welcome to the CTK "At Home" church service. Feel free to join in anytime that is convenient for you!

Children's Worship Materials -- Coloring, word puzzles, and activities based on this week's readings.

Welcome & Greeting

The mystery of God’s ways is sometimes hidden from the wise and intelligent. Jesus associates with those often excluded from the religious community. Like Paul, we struggle with our own selfish desires and seek God’s mercy and forgiveness. We gather to be refreshed by Christ’s invitation: “Come to me, all you that are weary.” Gathered around word, water, and meal, we find rest for our souls.

Call to Worship

In mystery and grandeur
we see the face of God
in earthiness and the ordinary
we know the love of Christ
In heights and depths
and life and death:
the spirit of God
is moving among us
Let us praise God together!

Opening Song

Confession and Forgiveness

Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,

whose steadfast love is everlasting,

whose faithfulness endures from generation to generation.

Amen.

Trusting in the mercy of God, let us confess our sin.

Silence is kept for reflection.

Reconciling God,

we confess that we do not trust your abundance,

and we deny your presence in our lives.

We place our hope in ourselves

and rely on our own efforts.

We fail to believe that you provide enough for all.

We abuse your good creation for our own benefit.

We fear difference and do not welcome others

as you have welcomed us.

We sin in thought, word, and deed.

By your grace, forgive us;

through your love, renew us;

and in your Spirit, lead us;

so that we may live and serve you in newness of life. Amen.

Beloved of God,

by the radical abundance of divine mercy

we have peace with God through ☩ Christ Jesus,

through whom we have obtained grace upon grace.

Our sins are forgiven.

Let us live now in hope.

For hope does not disappoint,

because God’s love has been poured into our hearts

through the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Kyrie

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 peace 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, comfort and defend us gracious Lord.
Amen.

Canticle of Praise

Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you 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

You are great, O God, and greatly to be praised. You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you. Grant that we may believe in you, call upon you, know you, and serve you, through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

First Reading

Zechariah 9:9-12

The coming messianic king will inaugurate an era of disarmament and prosperity. Because of God’s covenant with Israel, the people are designated as “prisoners of hope.”

⁹Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem!
Lo, your king comes to you;
triumphant and victorious is he,
humble and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
¹⁰He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
and the war-horse from Jerusalem;
and the battle bow shall be cut off,
and he shall command peace to the nations;
his dominion shall be from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.

¹¹As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you,
I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
¹²Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope;
today I declare that I will restore to you double.

Psalm

Psalm 145:8-14

The Lord is gracious and full of compassion. (Ps. 145:8)

⁸The Lord is gracious and full | of compassion,
slow to anger and abounding in | steadfast love.
⁹Lord, you are | good to all,
and your compassion is over | all your works. R
¹⁰All your works shall praise | you, O Lord,
and your faithful | ones shall bless you.
¹¹They shall tell of the glory | of your kingdom
and speak | of your power,
¹²that all people may know | of your power
and the glorious splendor | of your kingdom.
¹³Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; your dominion endures through- | out all ages.
You, Lord, are faithful in all your words, and loving in | all your works.
¹⁴The Lord upholds all | those who fall
and lifts up those who | are bowed down.

Second Reading

Romans 7:15-25a

Life captive to sin is a catch-22 existence in which we know good but do not do it and do things we know to be wrong. Through Jesus Christ, God has set us free from such a futile existence.

¹⁵I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. ¹⁶Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. ¹⁷But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. ¹⁸For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. ¹⁹For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. ²⁰Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me.
²¹So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. ²²For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, ²³but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. ²⁴Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? ^25aThanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Gospel Song & Reading

Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

Jesus chides people who find fault with both his ministry and that of John the Baptist. He thanks God that wisdom and intelligence are not needed to receive what God has to offer.

[Jesus spoke to the crowd saying:] ¹⁶“To what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another,
¹⁷‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we wailed, and you did not mourn.’
¹⁸For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’; ¹⁹the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”
²⁵At that time Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; ²⁶yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. ²⁷All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
²⁸“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Meditation

Apostles' Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

Prayers of the People

Called into unity with one another and the whole creation, let us pray for our shared world.

A brief silence.

We pray for the church. Sustain us as we share your word. Embrace us as we struggle to find our common ground. Lift up leaders with powerful and prophetic voices. Free us from stagnant faith. Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

We pray for the well-being of creation. Protect the air, water, and land from abuse and pollution. Free us from apathy in our care of creation and direct us toward sustainable living. Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

We pray for the nations (especially the United States on this Fourth of July weekend). Guide leaders in developing just policies and guide difficult conversations. May we build relationships. Lead us to expansive love for our neighbor. Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

We pray for all in need. For all who are tired, feeling despair, sick, or oppressed...

...especially those we name now and lift up either silently or aloud

-- LINK TO CTK PRAYER REQUESTS--

Take their yoke upon you and ease their burdens. Give your consolation and free us from all that keeps us bound. Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

We pray for this congregation. Bless pastors, deacons, and congregational leaders. Energize children’s ministry volunteers, church administrators, and those who maintain our building. Shine in this place that we might notice the ways your love transforms our lives. Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

We give thanks for those who have died in faith. Welcome them into your eternal rest and comfort us in our grief until we are joined with them in new life. Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

Receive these prayers, O God, and those too deep for words; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Passing of the Peace

Please drop in and join us in our virtual Passing of the Peace and Fellowship space on Sundays from 9:00-10:00 a.m.

https://meet.google.com/saw-xxes-khz
or
by phone: (414) 909-6054 PIN: 832 328 690#

Announcements & Celebrations

Watch the celebration and announcement video above! Thank you to Karen Creel for filming these and offering celebration and encouragement.

CtK is planning to reopen for in-person worship services on July 12 with some restrictions.

**Please take our reopening and volunteer survey. This will aid us in our reopening plans! Link to survey: https://tinyurl.com/y9273f7l

Offering &
Offering Prayer

Although we won’t be able to pass the offering plate, CTK's expenses do not decrease. In fact, some church expenses have already or will soon increase as we assist in needs across Lake Tahoe and beyond. We understand the current situation not only impacts CTK's finances, but also yours.

We are hoping that if you are able, you will continue your regular weekly offering. Please visit our online giving page at https://ctktahoe.net/give

Regular and special offerings can also be mailed to: CHRIST the KING Church, PO Box 6449, Tahoe City, CA 96145

Offering Prayer:

God of goodness and growth,

all creation is yours,

and your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.

Water and word, wine and bread:

these are signs of your abundant grace.

Nourish us through these gifts,

that we might proclaim your steadfast love

in our communities and in the world,

through Jesus Christ, our strength and our song.

Amen.

Holy Communion

Prayer after Communion

God of the welcome table,
in this meal we have feasted on your goodness
and have been united by your presence among us.
Empower us to go forth sustained by these gifts
so that we may share your neighborly love with all,
through Jesus Christ, the giver of abundant life.

Amen.

Closing Song

Blessing, Doxology, & Sending

Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers,

nor things present, nor things to come,

nor powers, nor height, nor depth,

nor anything else in all creation,

will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

God, the creator, ☩ Jesus, the Christ,

and the Holy Spirit, the comforter,

bless you and keep you in eternal love.

Amen.

Go in peace. Christ is with you.

Thanks be to God!

News

July 5, 2020 – Pentecost 5

Silence is kept for reflection.

Zechariah 9:9-12

The coming messianic king will inaugurate an era of disarmament and prosperity. Because of God’s covenant with Israel, the people are designated as “prisoners of hope.”

Psalm 145:8-14

The Lord is gracious and full of compassion. (Ps. 145:8)

Romans 7:15-25a

Life captive to sin is a catch-22 existence in which we know good but do not do it and do things we know to be wrong. Through Jesus Christ, God has set us free from such a futile existence.

Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

Jesus chides people who find fault with both his ministry and that of John the Baptist. He thanks God that wisdom and intelligence are not needed to receive what God has to offer.

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