Sunday, November 8, 2015 Elijah at Mount Carmel Service of the Word

THANKSGIVING FOR BAPTISM Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God, the fountain of living water, the rock who gave us birth, our light and our salvation. C: Amen.

Joined to Christ in the waters of baptism, we are clothed with God's mercy and forgiveness. Let us give thanks for the gift of baptism. C: We give you thanks, O God, for in the beginning your Spirit moved over the waters and by your Word you created the world, calling forth life in which you took delight.

Through the waters of the flood you delivered Noah and his family. Through the sea you led your people Israel from slavery into freedom. At the river your Son was baptized by John and anointed with the Holy Spirit. By water and your Word you claim us as daughters and sons, making us heirs of your promise and servants of all.

C: We praise you for the gift of water that sustains life, and above all we praise you for the gift of new life in Jesus Christ. Shower us with your Spirit, and renew our lives with your forgiveness, grace, and love. To you be given honor and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever. C: Amen.

The peace of Christ be with you always. C: And also with you.

Gathering Song: The gathered shall choose

GREETING 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.

KYRIE (Red Hymnal p. 213) Kyrie eleison: C: Lord, have mercy. Christe eleison: C: Christ, have mercy. Kyrie eleison: C: Lord, have mercy.

CANTICLE OF PRAISE (Red Hymnal p. 213) Glory to God, glory to God, glory to God in the highest; glory to God, and peace to God’s people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.

Glory to God, glory to God, glory to God in the highest; glory to God, and peace to God’s people on earth.

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.

Glory to God, glory to God, glory to God in the highest; glory to God, and peace to God’s people on earth.

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.

Glory to God, glory to God, glory to God in the highest; glory to God, and peace to God’s people on earth, and peace to God’s people on earth.

PRAYER OF THE DAY Let us pray. God of the prophets and the prophets’ heirs, C: Make your mighty presence known among us. Empower us to be bold in your name. Emblazon us with courage to be your disciples in all circumstances. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.

NARRATIVE READING: 1 Kings 18:20-39

20 So Ahab sent to all the Israelites, and assembled the prophets at Mount Carmel. 21 Elijah then came near to all the people, and said, "How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." The people did not answer him a word.

22 Then Elijah said to the people, "I, even I only, am left a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets number four hundred fifty. 23 Let two bulls be given to us; let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it; I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. 24 Then you call on the name of your god and I will call on the name of the LORD; the god who answers by fire is indeed God."

All the people answered, "Well spoken!" 25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many; then call on the name of your god, but put no fire to it." 26 So they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, crying, "O Baal, answer us!"

But there was no voice, and no answer. They limped about the altar that they had made. 27 At noon Elijah mocked them, saying, "Cry aloud! Surely he is a god; either he is meditating, or he has wandered away, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened." 28 Then they cried aloud and, as was their custom, they cut themselves with swords and lances until the blood gushed out over them.

29 As midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice, no answer, and no response. 30 Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come closer to me"; and all the people came closer to him. First he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been thrown down; 31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD came, saying, "Israel shall be your name"; 32 with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD.

Then he made a trench around the altar, large enough to contain two measures of seed. 33 Next he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood. He said, "Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood." 34 Then he said, "Do it a second time"; and they did it a second time. Again he said, "Do it a third time";

and they did it a third time, 35 so that the water ran all around the altar, and filled the trench also with water. 36 At the time of the offering of the oblation, the prophet Elijah came near and said, "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your bidding.

37 Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back." 38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and even licked up the water that was in the trench.

39 When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, "The LORD indeed is God; the LORD indeed is God." Word of God, word of life. C: Thanks be to God.

PSALM: Psalm 96 1 Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Sing to the Lord, bless the name of the Lord; proclaim God’s salvation from day to day. 3 Declare God’s glory among the nations and God’s wonders among all peoples.

4 For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised, more to be feared than all gods. 5 As for all the gods of the nations, they are but idols; but you, O Lord, have made the heavens. 6 Majesty and magnificence are in your presence; power and splendor are in your sanctuary. 7 Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord honor and power.

8 Ascribe to the Lord the honor due the holy name; bring offerings and enter the courts of the Lord. 9 Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; tremble before the Lord, all the earth. 10 Tell it out among the nations: “The Lord is king! The one who made the world so firm that it cannot be moved will judge the peoples with equity.”

11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea thunder and all that is in it; let the field be joyful and all that is therein. 12 Then shall all the trees of the wood shout for joy at your coming, O Lord, for you come to judge the earth. 13 You will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with your truth.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION - FAITH Gospel Acclamation: Celtic Alleluia (Red Hymnal #174)Alleluia, alleluia. GOSPEL ACCLAMATION - NORTH NEW HOPE (Red Hymnal p. 216) Alleluia, Lord, to whom shall we go? Alleluia. You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL: Mark 9:2-4 The holy gospel according to Mark. C: Glory to you, O Lord.

2 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. The gospel of the Lord. C: Praise to you, O Christ.

Children’s Sermon

Sermon Pastor Michael Peuse

HYMN OF THE DAY: Shine, Jesus, Shine Please use Red Hymnal # 671

CREED I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again;

he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION …….Hear us, O God. C: Your mercy is great. Into your care, Alpha and Omega, we entrust all for whom we pray. Be with us now and always, through Jesus Christ our Lord. C: Amen.

OFFERING CANTICLE OF THANKSGIVING (Red Hymnal p. 219) C: Salvation belongs to our God and to Christ the Lamb forever and ever.

Great and wonderful are your deeds, O God of the universe; just and true are your ways, O Ruler of all the nations. Who can fail to honor you, Lord, and sing the glory of your name? Salvation belongs to our God and to Christ the Lamb forever and ever.

For you alone are the Holy One, and blessed is the one whose name is the Word of God. All praise and thanks to you, holy God! Salvation belongs to our God and to Christ the Lamb forever and ever.

THANKSGIVING FOR THE WORD Let us pray. Praise and thanks to you, holy God, for by your Word you made all things: you spoke light into darkness, called forth beauty from chaos, and brought life into being. For your Word of life, O God, C: we give you thanks and praise.

By your Word you called your people Israel to tell of your wonderful gifts: freedom from captivity, water on the desert journey, a pathway home from exile, wisdom for life with you. For your Word of life, O God, C: we give you thanks and praise. Through Jesus, your Word made flesh, you speak to us and call us to witness: forgiveness through the cross, life to those entombed by death, the way of your self-giving love. For your Word of life, O God, C: we give you thanks and praise.

Send your Spirit of truth, O God; rekindle your gifts within us: renew our faith, increase our hope, and deepen our love, for the sake of a world in need. Faithful to your Word, O God, draw near to all who call on you; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory forever. C: Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

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.

BLESSING Almighty and merciful God, Father, ☩ Son, and Holy Spirit, bless, preserve, and keep you this day and forevermore. C: Amen.

SENDING SONG Lord, Dismiss Us with Your Blessing (Red Hymnal# 545) 1 Lord, dismiss us with your blessing, fill our hearts with joy and peace; let us each, your love possessing, triumph in redeeming grace. Oh, refresh us; oh, refresh us, trav'ling through this wilderness.

2 Thanks we give and adoration for your gospel's joyful sound. May the fruits of your salvation in our hearts and lives abound. Ever faithful, ever faithful to your truth may we be found.

3 Savior, when your love shall call us from our struggling pilgrim way, let no fear of death appall us, glad your summons to obey. May we ever, may we ever reign with you in endless day.

DISMISSAL Go in peace. Live in love, as Christ loved us. C: Thanks be to God.