Lectionary Readings
Semicontinuous
Genesis 37:1–4, 12–28
Out of jealousy, Joseph’s brothers sell him into slavery in Egypt.
Psalm 105:1–6, 16–22, 45b
God sent Joseph to Egypt to save the people in a time of famine.
Complementary
1 Kings 19:9–18
Elijah hears the word of the Lord—not in the storm, but in silence.
Psalm 85:8–13
Let me hear what the Lord will speak; God will speak peace.
Romans 10:5–15
roclaim the word of faith: confess Jesus as Lord, and be saved.
Matthew 14:22–33
Jesus walks on the water to meet his disciples, and calms a storm.
— Gathering —
Opening Sentences
O give thanks to the Lord!
Sing to God! Tell of God’s wonderful works!
Remember all the things God has done!
We glory in God’s holy name!
Seek the Lord, our strength and refuge:
we come to be in God’s presence.
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Thanksgiving For Baptism
At the baptismal font:
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
O Lord our God, we give you thanks
for the grace that is at work in us
through the gift of our baptism—
the sign of your threefold name,
the communion of your faithful people,
the promise of your glorious realm.
By the power of your Holy Spirit,
poured out upon us in baptism,
let your grace and peace grow in us,
until we gather at your heavenly throne
to give you thanks and praise forever;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Confession and Pardon
At the baptismal font:
We come seeking God’s voice,
a voice that loves us, cares for us,
but also challenges us to do better,
to love more fully, and believe more wholeheartedly.
Let us be honest with God about where we are on our journey.
Holy God,
it is easy to confess with our lips
that you are Lord,
but it is much harder to believe with our hearts,
to live in a way that puts you first.
We are quick to trust in idols.
We depend on what we can see, touch, and control,
instead of waiting to hear your still, small voice.
Forgive us, Lord, and help our unbelief,
so that what we confess with our lips
we may truly believe in our hearts.
Lifting water from the font:
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
There are no prerequisites, no disqualifications,
no exceptions.
We are saved,
we are forgiven,
we are freed!
Hallelujah!
— Word —
Prayer for Illumination
At the lectern or pulpit:
Holy, Holy, Holy One,
guide us by the Spirit of truth
to hear the Word of life you speak,
and to give all glory, honor, and praise
to your threefold name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Scripture
Before the readings:
The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.
Listen to the word of the Lord.
Deuteronomy 6:4
After the readings:
Keep these words in your heart.
The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.
Thanks be to God.
Deuteronomy 6:6
Sermon
Ascription of Praise
After the sermon:
To the Lord our God, Alpha and Omega,
be all glory and honor forever. Amen.
Revelation 21:6
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Affirmation of Faith
The life, death, resurrection,
and promised coming of Jesus Christ
has set the pattern for the church’s mission.
His human life involves the church
in the common life of all people.
His service to men and women
commits the church
to work for every form of human well-being.
His suffering makes the church sensitive
to all human suffering
so that it sees the face of Christ
in the faces of persons in every kind of need.
His crucifixion discloses to the church
God’s judgment on the inhumanity
that marks human relations,
and the awful consequences
of the church’s own complicity in injustice.
In the power of the risen Christ
and the hope of his coming,
the church sees the promise
of God’s renewal of human life in society
and of God’s victory over all wrong.
The church follows this pattern
in the form of its life
and in the method of its action.
So to live and serve
is to confess Christ as Lord.
Adapted from the Confession of 1967, 9.32–33
Prayers of Intercession
Let us pray in the Spirit, who helps us in our weakness,
interceding with sighs too deep for words.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
In the Spirit, we pray for the church . . .
Bless the feet of your people, O Lord,
that we may step forth where Jesus leads,
bringing the good news of the gospel to all.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
In the Spirit, we pray for the earth . . .
Bless the lips of your people, O Lord,
that we may tell of your saving promise
in the tender kiss of earth and heaven.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
In the Spirit, we pray for all nations . . .
Bless the ears of your people, O Lord,
that we may hear and obey your voice
above the clamor of terror and war.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
In the Spirit, we pray for this community . . .
Bless the hands of your people, O Lord,
that we may refrain from acts of violence
and reach out to one another in peace.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
In the Spirit, we pray for loved ones . . .
Bless the hearts of your people, O Lord,
that we may show your love and care
to all who are hurting and afraid.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
In the Spirit, we pray to you, O God,
confident that all things work together for good
for those who love you
and are called according to your purpose.
Above all, we give you thanks, O God,
that nothing can separate us from your love
in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Romans 8:26, 28, 39
— Eucharist —
Invitation to Offering
At the communion table:
I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,
to present yourselves as a living sacrifice,
holy and acceptable to God.
Let us offer our lives to the Lord.
Romans 12:1
Prayer of Dedication
At the communion table:
God of unending gifts,
we praise you for your abundant goodness.
As you are generous, we want to be generous too.
May the gifts we bring
extend your generosity into the world,
so that all people may be made whole
by your goodness and grace. Amen.
Great Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Blessed are you, O Lord our God:
You meet us in the wilderness and speak to us.
You find us in the depths and deliver us.
Your word is peace, and your way is steadfast love.
Therefore we praise you, joining the song
of the universal church and the heavenly choir:
A Sanctus (“Holy, holy, holy”) is sung.
Blessed is Jesus Christ, our Savior:
As he walked on the waters and calmed the storm,
Jesus meets us in the midst of life’s turmoil, saying:
Take heart, I am here; do not be afraid.
The words of institution are included here.
Remembering your goodness and grace,
we offer ourselves to you with gratitude
as we share this joyful feast.
A Memorial Acclamation (e.g., “Christ has died”) is sung.
Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us and upon this bread and cup;
make us one in the body and blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Let your word of faith and faithfulness
be always near, on our lips and in our hearts,
that we may call upon your name and be saved.
Through the Lord Jesus Christ,
in the unity of the Spirit,
we bless you, God of glory,
now and forever.
An Amen is sung.
Lord’s Prayer
Breaking the Bread
Communion of the People
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Prayer after Communion
At the communion table:
Holy Spirit, you have filled us with your life.
Christ our Savior, you have embraced us in your love.
God our Mother, you have fed us with your grace.
Now send us out into your beloved world
to share your life, your love, your grace with all.
Blessing and honor and glory to you,
holy, holy, holy Lord. Amen.
— Sending —
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Blessing and Charge
At the doors of the church:
May the blessing of the Trinity—
holy, holy, holy Lord—
be with you now and always. Alleluia!
Isaiah 6:3
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying,
“Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here I am; send me!” Amen.
Isaiah 6:8
“Joseph Sold into Slavery by His Brothers”
Károly Ferenczy, 1900
Additional Materials
Congregational Song
GATHERING
- Source and Sovereign, Rock and Cloud (O) ABERYSTWYTH GTG 11
- At the Name of Jesus (E) KING’S WESTON GTG 264, PH 148
- Here, O Lord, Your Servants Gather (E) TOKYO GTG 311, PH 465
- Kono yo no tsutome ito sewashiku / Distracted by the World’s Concerns (O) UCHI NARU MIYA STB 69
WORD
- God of the Sparrow (O) ROEDER GTG 22, PH 272
- Dear Lord and Father of Mankind (O) REST, REPTON GTG 169, PH 345
- God Is Calling through the Whisper (O) W ŻŁOBIE LEŻY GTG 410
- Master, the Tempest Is Raging (OG) PEACE BE STILL SON 189
EUCHARIST
- Calm to the Waves (OG) CALM SEAS GTG 184
- Now the Silence (O) NOW GTG 534
- There Is a Place of Quiet Rest / Near to the Heart of God (O) MCAFEE GTG 824, PH 527
- Come Now, as Once You Came to Moses (O) SUNSET CH4 609
SENDING
- O Sing a Song of Bethlehem (G) KINGSFOLD GTG 159, PH 308
- Great God of Every Blessing (OE) AURELIA GTG 694
- Help Us Accept Each Other (O) BARONITA GTG 754, PH 358
- Blessed Quietness (G) BLESSED QUIETNESS AAHH 374
Psalms and Canticles
Psalm 105:1–6, 16–22, 45b
Metrical
- We Give You Thanks, O Lord Our God [CMD]; SGP
Responsorial
- Alleluia, Alleluia; PAS 105B
- O Lord, Still Guide Us; PP 198
- Remember the Marvels God Has Done [HANOVER]; HTP2 30
Psalm 85:8–13
Metrical
- Show Us Your Steadfast Love [MENDON]; GTG 449
- Lord, You Have Lavished on Your Land [MELITA]; PAS 85A, LUYH 65
Responsorial
- Dona Nobis Pacem (Taizé); PAS 85B
- Righteousness and Peace Shall Go before the Lord; PAS 85C
- Lord, in Your Mercy Hear My Prayer; PP 156
- Show Us Your Mercy, O Lord [CONDITER ALME SIDERUM]; HTP1 34
- Muéstranos, Señor / Lord, Let Us See Your Kindness; SSS 70–71
Organ Music
- “Now Thank We All Our God,” J. S. Bach, arr. Gerald Near, CON (E)
- “Now the Silence,” NOW, Augsburg Organ Library: Summer, Charles W. Ore, AF (E)
- “When Morning Gilds the Skies,” LAUDES DOMINI, Pedals and Pipes for Postludes and Praise, Lani Smith, LOR (E)
- “Meditation,” Suite Medievale, Jean Langlais, multiple editions (MA)
Anthems for Adult Choirs
- “There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy,” arr. Tony Alonso, GIA, SAB, keybd (E)
- “Hear My Prayer,” Moses Hogan, HAL, SATB (M)
- “I Wanna Be Ready,” arr. Rosephanye Powell, Gentry, SATB, solo, keybd (E)
- “I Will Be a Child of Peace,” Elaine Hagenberg, BP, SATB, pno (E)
- “Let Us Pray for Peace,” Thomas Keesecker, CGA, SATB, pno (ME)
- “How Lovely Are the Messengers,” Felix Mendelssohn, ECS, SATB, pno (M)
- “For Peace,” Jane Marshall, ECS, SATB (M)
- “A Gaelic Blessing,” John Rutter, OUP, SATB, org (M)
Handbell Music
- “God of the Sparrow God of the Whale,” Karen Thompson, 3–5 oct, opt voices, RRM, BL5033, Level 1+
- “Fantasy on Kingsfold,” H. Dean Wagner, 3–5 oct, opt 3 oct hc, opt orch, HOPE, hb 2134, orch 2134O, Level 2+
- “Reflections of Peace,” Jason W. Krug, 3–6 oct, opt 2 oct hc, LOR, 20/1902L, Level 2+
Art
- Joseph Thrown in the Pit, metalwork, Klosterneuburg Monastery, Austria (VD)
- Joseph Sold into Slavery by His Brothers, Károly Ferenczy, Budapest, 1900 (VDL)
- Christ Walks on Water and Rescues Peter, mosaic, Hamburg, Germany (VDL)
- Prophet Elijah Awakened by an Angel in the Desert, Giovanni Lanfranco, 1624 (VDL)
