Philip, Chasing after Good News
Text: Acts 8:26-38
Philip finds himself in the middle of nowhere when the Holy Spirit calls him to chase after a chariot, sharing the good news. Sometimes God knows far ahead of us where Good News is happening. Even in our resistance, we can chase to catch up. What is calling us off the couch and into God's unending story?
Oh, the Places We'll Go
God is always on the move, expanding into the world, carving out welcome, bringing belonging, changing the world for the better. Even when we are moving about this summer, enjoying the cabin, exploring our world, and taking vacations, God is moving us and our world in places we might never imagine. Join us this summer while we explore the wild and woolly places that God takes God's people. Each week, we'll look at a character from Scripture or a group of people who go on a grand adventure with God. We'll listen to what God is doing and wonder how God is adventuring each of us today.
9:00 AM Service
Bulletin
PRELUDE
“Vocalise” (Sergei Rachmaninoff)
Gary Denbow, Tim Graf
WELCOME
GATHERING HYMN
“Awake, O Sleeper, Rise from Death”
ELW # 452
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Loving God, you call us to share the good news, and you send people our way who need to receive it! Keep us hopeful and grace-filled in these turbulent times and make us shine as your hands and feet in the world, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
SERVICE OF HOLY BAPTISM
- Rhett Robbins Ordal
- Crew David Verley
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE
Pastor Matthew
READING
Acts 8:26-38
Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a wilderness road.) So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to this chariot and join it.” So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” He replied, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this:
“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.”
The eunuch asked Philip, “About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. As they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?” He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
SERMON
“Philip, Chasing after Good News”
Pastor Kristin
SONG OF RESPONSE
“Greater Things”
Elliana Meier, Tim Graf, Gary Denbow
PRAYERS OF GOD’S PEOPLE
THE LORD’S PRAYER
OFFERING INTRO
OFFERING OF MUSIC
“Rock of Ages” (arr. Tim Graf)
Tim Graf, Elliana Meier, Penny Meier, Gary Denbow
OFFERING PRAYER
Blessed are you, O God, ruler of heaven and earth. Day by day you shower us with blessings. As you have raised us to new life in Christ, give us glad and generous hearts, ready to praise you and to respond to those in need, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
BEFORE YOU GO
BENEDICTION
HYMN
“Jesus is a Rock in a Weary Land”
ELW # 333
SENDING
Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
POSTLUDE
“Awake, O Sleeper, Rise from Death” (arr. Lani Smith)
Barb Carroll
Musicians for Today’s Worship
- Tim Graf (Director of Worship & Music)
- Barb Carroll (Organist)
- Gary Denbow
- Elliana Meier
- Penny Meier
10:30 AM Service
Bulletin
GATHERING MUSIC
“Greater Things”
WELCOME/CALL TO WORSHIP
SONG
“You Are My All in All”
PRAYER
WELCOME/CAMP MINUTE
CAMP BLESSING & SENDING
READING
Acts 8:26-38
Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a wilderness road.) So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to this chariot and join it.” So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” He replied, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this:
“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.”
The eunuch asked Philip, “About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. As they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?” He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
MESSAGE
Pastor Kristin
PRAYERS OF GOD’S PEOPLE
OFFERING
OFFERING OF MUSIC
SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION
COMMUNION SONG
“Rock of Ages” (Tim Graf)
WORDS OF INSTITUTION
THE LORD’S PRAYER
POST-COMMUNION PRAYER
BEFORE YOU GO
BLESSING
CLOSING SONG
“Greater Things”
Musicians for Today’s Worship
- Tim Graf (Director of Worship & Music)
- Elliana Meier
- Penny Meier
- Gary Denbow
- Kyle Kimbllin
- Bodie Hanninen
- Kevin Mills
Prayers
As a community of faith, we are connected through joy, sorrow, worship, and prayer. Please pray for the people listed below.
Your prayers are greatly appreciated!
We ask for God’s loving embrace to hold all those who mourn, especially:
- Jim and Roxanne Williams and family who are mourning the death of Jim’s mother, Irene Williams
- Lynn and Kraig Brose and family on the death of Lynn’s father Doug
- Mike and Carol Larson and family – death of Mike’s mother Char Larson
- Pat Kohls and family on the death of his father Lowell
Prayers of Mourning:
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice. Psalm 130:1–2
For I am convinced that neither death nor life… nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38–39
Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die’. John 11:25–26
As we are praying for all members of the St. Andrew community, this week we pray especially for God’s comfort, healing, protection, and strength to be present with:
- Dave Cookson
- Jennifer and Tom Bessinger
- Dave Cookson
- John Gromek
Long Term Prayers:
- Nicholas Priest
- Madelyn Astry
- Paul Skoog’s Brother, Dan
- Jim and Racee Hornbacher
- Julie Bergquist
- John Rostad
- Kathy Hoagland
- Dave & Sherri Anderson’s daughter, Sarah Anderson-Jacobson
- Ron Wolfbauer
- Dick Smith
- For the people of Haiti enduring ongoing political upheaval, severe economic challenges, and gang-related violence.
- For the people of the Middle East and Ukraine – non-violence and peace.
- All those in the military serving our country
General Prayers:
Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you. Psalm 55:22a
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28
Names will remain listed until more are added unless otherwise requested. To add a name to the prayer list, click Prayer Requests or contact Pastor Peter Johnson.