Welcome

Opening Song – We Are

Verse 1:

Every secret, every shame,
Every fear, every pain
Live inside the dark,
But that’s not who we are
We are children of the day

Pre-Chorus:
So wake up sleeper, lift your head.
We were meant for more than this
Fight the shadows conquer death.
Make the most of the time we have left

Chorus:
We are the light of the world. We are the city on a hill
We are the light of the world
We gotta, we gotta, we gotta let the light shine
(Repeat)
Let the light shine, let the light shine (Repeat last time)

Verse 2:
We are called to the spread the news.
Tell the world the simple truth
Jesus came to save, there’s freedom in His Name
So let it all break through
(Chorus)

Bridge:
We are the light we are the light we are the light
So let your light shine brighter
We the light we are the light we are the light… Jesus
You are the light you are the light you are the light.
We will lift you high and Shine, shine, shine
(Chorus)

Invocation

Confession and Forgiveness:

P: As we gather, today, let us cleanse our hearts and our consciences by confessing our sin to God.

(Time of silence for reflection and confession)

C: Heavenly Father, we confess that we are sinful and unclean. We have sinned against you and against our neighbor in our thoughts, words, and actions.  We are truly sorry for our sins and sincerely repent of them. We ask for Your mercy. For the sake of Jesus Christ’s bitter suffering and death, please forgive us and renew us that we may walk in Your Spirit to the glory of Your holy name.

P: The Lord has heard your confession. Therefore, as a called and ordained servant of the Lord, in the stead and by the command of my Lord, Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen

Old Testament Reading:Psalm 66:1-7, 13-20

Shout for joy to God, all the earth;

    sing the glory of his name;

    give to him glorious praise!

Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!

    So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.

All the earth worships you

    and sings praises to you;

    they sing praises to your name.” Selah

Come and see what God has done:

    he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.

He turned the sea into dry land;

    they passed through the river on foot.

There did we rejoice in him,

    who rules by his might forever,

whose eyes keep watch on the nations—

    let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah…

…I will come into your house with burnt offerings;

    I will perform my vows to you,

that which my lips uttered

    and my mouth promised when I was in trouble.

I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened animals,

    with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams;

I will make an offering of bulls and goats. Selah

Come and hear, all you who fear God,

    and I will tell what he has done for my soul.

I cried to him with my mouth,

    and high praise was on my tongue.

If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,

    the Lord would not have listened.

But truly God has listened;

    he has attended to the voice of my prayer.

Blessed be God,

    because he has not rejected my prayer

    or removed his steadfast love from me!

Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading: 2 Corinthians 3:1-6

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 9:35-38

And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 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 pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

P: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise be to You, o Christ.

Sermon Song – How Great Thou Art
O Lord my God when I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the works thy hand has made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Your power throughout the universe displayed

Chorus:
Then sings my soul, my savior God to thee,
How great thou art, how great thou art
Then sings my soul, my savior God to thee,
How great thou art, how great thou art
End: (repeat last line) 

Verse 3:
And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Verse 4:
When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: “My God, how great Thou art!”
(Chorus)

Sermon – Series: A New Beginning – “A New Story”

Prayers

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 Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God
the Father almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. 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

Offering

Benediction

Closing Song: Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.
Praise Him all creatures here below.
Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts.
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Amen.

Upcoming Events

Today, After the Service, God Squad (Youth Group)
Faith Lutheran Church

Feb 14, 7PM, Growth Group Bible Study
Faith Lutheran Church

Feb 19, After the Service, Confirmation
Faith Lutheran Church

Feb 22, 7PM, Ash Wednesday Service
Grace Community Church