Thank you for joining us for this live stream (or recording, as the case may be) of Sunday worship. May it bless you! You may need to click “Play” to launch the stream, which will be live around 9:50 AM.
Welcome to the live stream of worship from Church of the Holy Cross for Sunday, September 8, 2024. You will find the service outline below, and you may download and print the PDF to follow more easily.
Service of Worship September 8, 2024
Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Rev. Eric S. Anderson, Pastor
WE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD
Please note that audio and video of this service are being live streamed on the Internet and will be recorded. The right rear section of the sanctuary will not be captured by any cameras. Please be aware that in other sections you may be visible at times.
Prelude: Prelude (D Major) Kayleen Yuda
Lighting of the Candles
Ringing of the Bell
Welcome Rev. Eric S. Anderson
* Call to Worship: (based on Isaiah 35:4-7) Bob Smith
Leader: Say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong! Do not fear! Here is your God.”
People: We await the God of justice and salvation.
Leader: Those who have closed their eyes to righteousness will find them opened.
People: Those who have closed their ears to mercy will hear the cries of distress.
Leader: Then those cast down will dance and leap like the deer.
People: Those trapped in the silence of grief will raise their voices in joy.
All: Let us worship God!
* Hymn #540: We Plant a Grain of Mustard Seed (v. 1-4)
* Invocation: (based on Psalm 146) Bob Smith
We lift our voices to speak the truth of our souls, O God. We praise you in this moment, and we will praise you all our lives long. If we trust in people, even princes, we find no dependable help. The best-laid plans drift away on the breeze. Make us happy in our hope in you, O God: execute justice, feed the hungry, set the prisoners free, gather us all in your loving arms. Together we praise you, O LORD! Amen.
Please be seated
Anthem: Lift Your Voice Holy Cross Singers
Time with the Children Rev. Eric S. Anderson
Scripture: James 2:1-17 Bob Smith
My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, ‘Have a seat here, please’, while to the one who is poor you say, ‘Stand there’, or, ‘Sit at my feet’, have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?
You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. For the one who said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’, also said, ‘You shall not murder.’ Now if you do not commit adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill’, and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
Mark 7:24-37
From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, ‘Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ But she answered him, ‘Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.’ Then he said to her, ‘For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.’ So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.
Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, ‘Ephphatha’, that is, ‘Be opened.’ And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesusordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. They were astounded beyond measure, saying, ‘He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.’
Sermon: Open to Mercy Rev. Eric S. Anderson
WE RESPOND IN WORD AND DEED
Pastoral Prayer Rev. Eric S. Anderson
Please join me in 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. 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
* Hymn #534: O God of Strength (v. 1-4)
Call to Offering Bob Smith
“Go in peace; keep warm, and eat your fill.” These are words of care and kindness, but only when they are accompanied by comforting aid. Let your faith be brought to light in this moment as we share our gifts with one another and with God. Whether you share your gift here in the church today, through a gift online, or via an envelope in the mail, let the offering now be received.
Offertory: Fughetta (G Major) Kayleen Yuda
* Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above ye heavenly host
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost – Amen
* Offertory Prayer Bob Smith
You have kept your word to care for us, O God. In these offerings we fulfill, in part, our word to you. By your grace increase their effect among us and around the world to fulfill the needs of the hungry, homeless, and forlorn. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
* Hymn #537: Christian, Rise and Act Your Creed (v. 1-4)
Announcements Rev. Eric S. Anderson
Benediction Rev. Eric S. Anderson
Postlude: Flourish Kayleen Yuda
* Please stand if you are able.
Permissions
Prelude in D Major
J.S. Bach
Concordia Publishing Company
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890
We Plant a Grain of Mustard Seed
Text by Mary Bryan Matney, 1990
© 1998, GIA Publications, Inc.
Tune NEW BEGINNINGS by Sally Ann Morris, 1990
© 1998, GIA Publications, Inc.
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890
Lift Your Voice and Rejoice
Victor C. Johnson
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890
O God of Strength
Text by Shepherd Knapp, 1907
Public Domain
Tune WELWYN by Alfred Scott-Gatty, 1900
Public Domain
Fughetta in G Major
Gottlieb Muffat
© 1980 Lorenz
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890
Christian, Rise and Act Your Creed
Text by Francis Albert Rollo Russell, 1893
Public Domain
Tune INNOCENTS, first pub. 1850
Public Domain
Flourish
Stanley E. Saxton
Tune: © 1980 Lorenz Publishing Company
a division of The Lorenz Corporation
(Admin. by Music Services)
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890
Dates to Remember
Today, September 8 – Council Meeting
Announcement
Foodland Give Aloha during the month of September–
Please support Church of the Holy Cross by making a donation at any Foodland or Sack N Save during the month of September. 100% of your gift will go directly to our organization and Foodland will match a portion of your contribution.
Pastor Rev. Eric S. Anderson
Moderator Stefan Tanouye
Lay Reader Bob Smith
Choir Accompanist Kanako Okita
Choir Director Doug Albertson
Organist Kayleen Yuda
Hand Bell Director Anna Kennedy
Chapel Decorations Joyce Nakamoto
Projected Imagery Sue Smith
Web Master Ruth Niino-DuPonte
Videographers Eric Tanouye, Eli Yamaki
Ruth Niino-DuPonte, Bob Smith
We welcome you to worship this day. Church of the Holy Cross seeks to help its members, friends, and visitors follow the guidance of God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, encouraging all people to love one another according to the teachings of Jesus. We live and teach the faith, speak good news, minister to people near and far, and work with other households of faith and helping agencies to improve our community and our world. To support our ministries, please visit our Donate Page.
