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St. Barnabas Lutheran Church 15600 Old Rockford Road Plymouth, MN 55446 Website: www.stbarnabaslutheran.org

The Second Sunday after Pentecost June 14, 2020

Worshiping Together while Apart Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is salutary that we not gather in large groups, such as a worship

service. But we continue to be church even as we must be apart for awhile. This bulletin provides the full worship service for The Second Sunday after Pentecost. Together with the audio files provided for the sermon and hymns, we attempt to give you all the “ingredients” for you to worship individually or with your family. Whether you read the service silently and hear the hymns in your head, or you read and sing out loud, we

hope that these materials assist you in your worship.

Harvest in Provence - Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890)

Jesus said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9:38)

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PRELUDE “Ombra mai fu” (Largo from Xerxes) - G. F. Handel

This beautiful melody comes from a secular opera. The text is not necessarily sacred, but in the heat of summer, giving thanks for the shade of one of God’s trees is a very appropriate prayer.

Tender and beautiful fronds of my beloved plane tree, let Fate smile upon you. May thunder, lightning, and storms never disturb your dear peace,

nor may you by blowing winds be profaned. Never was a shade of any plant dearer and more lovely, or more sweet.

CONFESSION & FORGIVENESS

P: 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.

C: 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.

P: 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.

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

GATHERING MUSIC

One of the purposes of Confession & Forgiveness is to remind ourselves of the ongoing significance of our baptism. The Invocation, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” is the words with which we were baptized. Every time we confess our sins and ask God for forgiveness, we are appealing to the covenant God made with us in baptism. We renew our determination to put off our self-centered desires and ask for strength to live according to God’s will.

Many of the phrases in this confession are drawn from Paul’s letter to the Romans.

How can a pastor confidently announce God’s forgiveness to the congregation when it is impossible to know if every person present is truly sorry for their sins?

It’s because forgiveness is a unilateral action which does not require the person being forgiven to first meet certain criteria. God forgives us for Jesus’ sake, not because we qualify for forgiveness by being sorry or contrite enough. That is good news!

Fun Trivia

On Christmas Eve, 1906, Reginald Fessenden, a Canadian inventor and radio pioneer, broadcast the first AM radio pro-gram, which started with a phonograph record of "Ombra mai fu" followed by his playing "O Holy Night" on the violin and singing the final verse. This aria therefore was the first piece of music to be broadcast on radio.

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HYMN OF PRAISE

The Apostolic Greeting, written by Paul (2 Corinthians 13:14) is

used here to greet the congregation and call them to worship.

Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

Words: Henry van Dyke (1852-1933)

Music: Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

GREETING

P: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

C: And also with you.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

P: God of compassion, you have opened the way for us and brought us to yourself. Pour your love into our hearts, that, overflowing with joy, we may freely share the blessings of your realm and faithfully proclaim the good news of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen

GOSPEL Matthew 9:35—10:16

The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. Glory to you, O Lord.

Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

The Prayer of the Day lifts up the theme or themes of this morning’s

scripture readings.

Beethoven wrote some sacred music for choir and orchestra, but this is his only hymn tune and he did not intend

it for that purpose. This melody we know as “Ode to Joy” was the setting

for Schiller’s poem of that name in Beethoven’s 9th (Choral) Symphony

(1824). The melody was first used as a hymn tune in 1846. Henry van

Dyke, a Presbyterian minister and professor of English at Princeton for

23 years, wrote this hymn text specifically for Beethoven’s

beautiful melody.

Gospel In today’s gospel reading, Jesus

speaks of the church’s mission with images drawn from daily life. The

harvest is already plentiful, he says, but laborers are needed for work in

the fields of daily life. He sends out his first disciples with instructions on

how they might proclaim the gospel through their words and deeds.

(continued)

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Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for laborers deserve their food. Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. As you enter the house, greet it. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

“See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

SERMON

HYMN

O Christ, Your Heart, Compassionate (#722) Words: Herman G. Stuempfle (1925-2007) Music: German melody, 18th century

Note the image of hearts rhyming or beating together as a metaphor for having a common purpose:

Stanza 1:

The heart of God, the heart of Christ combined in perfect rhyme

To write God’s love in human deed, eternity in time.

Stanza 3:

O Christ, create new hearts in us that beat in time with yours, That, joined by faith with your great heart, become love’s open doors.

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A CREED FROM THE IONA COMMUNITY

A: God has made us his people through our baptism into Christ. Living together in trust and hope, we confess our faith with this creed from the Iona Community in Scotland:

We trust in God who befriended a wandering people, delivering them from slavery into freedom; yet who in Rahab, Tamar, Ruth, Bathsheba, Cyrus, Darius and many others called outsiders to be agents of God’s purpose.

We trust in Jesus who was revered by Persian sages, sought and found asylum in Egypt, preached that God loved Syrians, attracted Greeks to his cause, found his first evangelist in a Samaritan, saw incomparable faith in a Canaanite woman, had his cross shouldered by a Libyan, and ascended above his native land that he might be present in all places.

We trust in the Holy Spirit who at Pentecost proved that heaven has no favored mother-tongue; who, in the baptism of an Ethiopian denied racism a foothold in faith; and who in the ancient and modern worlds founded churches in different cultures.

We believe that God is supremely known in Jesus, yet we affirm that God is present among people who do not own Christ as their Lord.

We affirm that the kingdom of God is bigger than the Church, and the love of God is beyond our understanding. We therefore celebrate that God’s ways are not our ways, that God knows whom God chooses, and reserves the right to surpass all human expectation. Blessed be God forever. Amen

PRAYERS In our prayers today we remember three members of our community in hospice care:

Jim Clemens, Helen Schold, and Evelyn Wells.

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

God our provider, your Son Jesus teaches us to be your people and sends us out to proclaim your kingdom. Inspire our praying and grant us wisdom for living, that our words and actions may be good news. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for your church around the world, beginning with St. Barnabas, and remembering especially the congregations that serve the communities most directly affected by the violence of the past weeks, which include our companion congregations Redeemer and St. Paul’s in Minneapolis. Give every congregation energy and creativity as they seek ways to continue to be church together in these trying times. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Prod each public servant to remember that he or she is a servant on behalf of all citizens, that each may serve in their office not for personal benefit or the vested interests of a political party, but according to your will, pursuing policies that lead to economic stability, justice, and peace for all people. Give them wisdom to lead in such a way that fear, anxiety, and violence are minimized among their people. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We thank you for the many people who are putting their own health at risk in order to provide the services and goods needed by the communities that have been scarred by violence. Keep them in good health, prod others to donate the resources they need, and give them joy in their service. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We lift up to you all who are going through difficult times with their health, finances, or relationships, especially Jim, Helen, and Evelyn and all who are ill with COVID-19. We pray for medical researchers that they might quickly develop new tests and vaccines. We lift up to you the family of George Floyd and all others who are grieving the death of loved ones. Help us be aware of the needs and concerns of those around us, that we might be the presence of Christ to them. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We rejoice with those in our congregation who celebrate special days this week: The baptismal anniversaries of Ella Loon, Alexa Walters, Emily Hibbits, Karen Lillie,

Zachary Walters, Sonja Mandt, Matthew Cossette, Wanda Torgerson, Aaron Wenaas, Linnea Johnson,

The birthdays of Jennifer Koepsell, Helen Schold, Claudia Buckman, Lynn Dietrich, Turi Hembre, Susan Swedenburg, John Rebischke, Mitchell Faust, Lois Troemel, Cynthia Lindberg

May this coming year be one of continued blessing in their lives as they grow in your grace. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Rahab - Canaanite woman of Jericho who assisted Israelite spies (Joshua 2)

Tamar- wronged by her father-in-

law, Judah, and tricked him into fathering her child (Genesis 38)

Ruth - Moabite woman who became grandmother of King David

Bathsheba - wife of Uriah the Hittite, with whom David had an affair;

mother of Solomon (2 Samuel 11)

Cyrus - Persian emperor who defeated Babylonians and allowed

Israelite exiles to return home (Isaiah 45)

Darius - Persian emperor who sent Ezra to rebuild Jerusalem

Persian sages - the wise men (Matthew 2)

Syrians - Naaman, who was healed of leprosy by Elisha (Luke 4:27)

Greeks - (John 12:20-21)

Samaritan woman at the well - (John 4)

Canaanite woman - (Matthew 15)

Libyan - Simon of Cyrene (Mark 15:21)

Ethiopian eunuch - (Acts 8)

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We remember with thanksgiving all those dear to us who have died and now rest in your care awaiting the resurrection...

Encourage us in our own faith journeys, that we might remain faithful until that great day when all are gathered at your great heavenly feast. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Receive these prayers, O God, and those too deep for words; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who taught us to pray:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen

ANTHEM

“Let There Be Peace on Earth”

Words & music by Sy Miller & Jill Jackson-Miller; arr. by Mary McDonald

Trumpets: Doug Talus, Kevin Mahoney, Rachel Mahoney, Larry Braford

Horn: Cindy Setum Trombones: Andrew Pole, Kevin Haugstad, Randy Wedin, Todd Megrund

Percussion: Steve Mandt Piano: Anita & Jon Young

Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me; let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be. With God, our Creator, children all are we. Let us walk with each other in perfect harmony. Let peace begin with me; let this be the moment now. With ev’ry step I take, let this be my solemn vow: to take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally. Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.

BLESSING

Is it true that Jesus said we are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength? Yes, this is true.

Is it true that Jesus said we are to love our neighbor as we love ourselves? Yes, this is true.

Is it true that Jesus said we are to forgive those who hurt us? Yes, this is true.

Is it true that Jesus said that our good works are to be like a shining light which enable others to see the glory of God? Yes, this is true.

May the Spirit of Christ fill us and enable us to live each day so that our actions are consistent with our calling. Amen.

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. Amen.

God, the creator, † Jesus, the Christ, and the Holy Spirit, the comforter, bless you and keep you in eternal love. Amen

DISMISSAL

Go in peace. Christ is with you. Thanks be to God.

POSTLUDE “O, for the Wings of a Dove” - Felix Mendelssohn

Arr. Alan Ridout

This song was written for and sung by the International Chil-dren’s Choir in 1955.

This is a recording of the St. Barnabas Senior Choir from its choral festival on May 19, 2019.

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Reprinted under OneLicense.Net #A-704149 —

• “Give Peace In Our Time” by Martin Foster, copyright © 2002, 2006, Martin Foster. Published by OCP Publications. All rights reserved.

• “O Christ, Your Heart, Compassionate” by Hermann G. Stuempfle, Jr., text copyright © 2000, GIA Publications

Alternate worship texts from Sundays & Seasons 2020, copyright 2019, Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.

Thank you for your offerings!

Thank you for continuing to give your offerings by mail, credit card, or electronic transfer during this time when we are not able to worship together in person.

Our “Gift of Love” this month is for Families Moving Forward, used for meals as we host families experiencing homelessness. You may also designate gifts for the North

and South Minneapolis Communities rebuilding from recent violence.

It is possible to make a gift for St. Barnabas’ ministries using your smart phone. This QR code will take you to St. Barnabas’

online giving page. After creating a profile, you can make a one-time or recurring gift to St. Barnabas by electronic transfer

from checking or savings, by debit card, or by credit card.

The Liturgical Year in Stained Glass The design of the stained glass windows is intended to be a tool for teaching about the liturgical year. It depicts the seasons of the liturgical year with 52 bands of color in the liturgical color for each week –

There are individual bands of color for eight Festival Sundays:

Baptism of Our Lord (white) Transfiguration of our Lord (white)

Passion of Our Lord (scarlet) Day of Pentecost (red)

Holy Trinity (white) Reformation Sunday (red)

All Saints Day (white) Christ the King (white)

The eight circular inserts highlight:

four festivals of the life of Christ Incarnation of Our Lord (Christmas), Baptism of our Lord,

Passion of Our Lord, and Resurrection of Our Lord (Easter)

the two sacraments Holy Communion & Holy Baptism

Martin Luther’s seal

the Holy Spirit (Pentecost)

Advent (blue) Christmas (white)

Easter (gold) Ordinary Time (green)

Epiphany (green)Lent (purple)

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Emanuel Nine, martyrs, 2015 On June 17, 2015, Clementa C. Pinckney, Cynthia Marie Graham Hurd, Susie Jackson, Ethel Lee Lance, DePayne Middleton-Doctor, Tywanza Sanders, Daniel Lee Simmons, Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, and Myra Thompson were murdered by a self-professed white supremacist while they were gathered for Bible study and prayer at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church (often referred to as Mother Emanuel) in Charleston, South Carolina. Pastors Pinckney and Simmons were both graduates of the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary. A resolution to commemorate June 17 as a day of repentance for the martyrdom of the Emanuel Nine was adopted by the Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on August 8, 2019. Congregations of the ELCA are encouraged reaffirm their commitment to repenting of the sins of racism and white supremacy which continue to plague this church, to venerate the martyrdom of the Emanuel Nine, and to mark this day of penitence with study and prayer.

We join with Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in remembering the slain nine—the Rev. Clementa C. Pinckney, the Rev. Daniel Lee Simmons, Cynthia Marie Graham Hurd, the Rev. Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, the Rev. Myra Singleton Quarles Thompson, Tywanza Kibwe Diop Sanders, the Rev. DePayne Middleton-Doctor, Susie Jackson, and Ethel Lee Lance—and those who survived.

We remember.

We remember that they lovingly welcomed the stranger into a Wednesday-night bible study—they sang, they prayed, they gathered to study the word of God.

We remember.

We pray for the continual presence of God’s peace; may it comfort and surround the families of the nine who were slain.

We remember.

We pray for the African Methodist Episcopal Church, its senior bishop and episcopal leaders, the community of Charleston, and all who continue to grieve—trusting that God will continue to unite us in the work to end racism and white supremacy, so that we may be witnesses of Christian unity.

We remember.

We remember the legacy of the Rev. Pinckney and his fight for racial justice for his parishioners and his community. Let us not only be moved by emotion but also be moved toward action.

We remember.

We call the United States to remember and confront its history of racial injustice. We must not forget the crimes committed against humanity in the name of Christ: the land theft from and genocide of indigenous peoples and the enslavement of black bodies that built this nation.

We remember.

We call this country to remember the policies and practices that excluded Chinese immigrants and that forced the internment of Japanese Americans.

We remember.

We call this country to remember the exploitation of migrant farm workers from Latin and Central America and the separation of families at the U.S. southern border.

We remember.

We remember the faith leaders whose lives are a living witness to black liberation and womanist theology in the struggle for black freedom: Bishop Richard Allen, Absalom Jones, Sojourner Truth, Denmark Vesey, Jehu Jones, Daniel Payne, Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, Ida B. Wells, James Cone, and Katie Cannon.

We remember.

We remember the unarmed innocent black lives lost at the hands of law enforcement: Eric Garner, Laquan McDonald, Sandra Bland, Sean Bell, Philando Castile, Alton Sterling, Michael Brown, Freddie Gray, Tamir Rice, Walter Scott, Atatiana Jefferson, George Floyd, and many others, known and unknown.

We remember.

We remember the innocent, unarmed black bodies that were racially profiled, shot, and killed because whiteness stood its ground: Emmett Till, Trayvon Martin, Jordan Davis, Ahmaud Arbery, Renisha McBride, and many others, known and unknown.

We remember.

As we remember, Living God, may we be re-membered as your body, connected to one another and empowered for the work you call us to do in the name of Jesus and by the power of his renewing Spirit.

Amen.

A Litany of Remembrance for the Emanuel Nine