Lectionary Readings
Semicontinuous
Song of Solomon 2:8–13
One lover calls to another: Arise, my love, and come away.
Psalm 45:1–2, 6–9
A royal love song: God has blessed the king with beauty and grace.
Complementary
Deuteronomy 4:1–2, 6–9
Observe God’s law diligently; do not add to it or subtract from it.
Psalm 15
Who may abide in God’s presence? Those who do what is right.
James 1:17–27
Every good gift comes from God; pure religion is to care for others.
Mark 7:1–8, 14–15, 21–23
A debate about authority and tradition; evil things come from within.
— Gathering —
Call to Worship
We long to be wise and discerning.
Jesus calls us: Follow me.
Our hearts find direction in Christ.
Jesus calls us: Follow me.
We welcome God’s word among us.
Jesus calls us: Follow me.
Prayer of the Day
Righteous God,
you lead us by example
through your generous love
and remind us that there is always more to learn
about what it means to live a life of righteousness.
Help us to keep our faith nimble,
growing with each new neighbor we meet
and each experience we live.
May we be doers of a word that is deep and wide,
letting our lives reflect the love we have received. Amen.
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:
It is only by the power of God
that we are able to stand against evil.
Trusting in God’s grace, let us confess our sin.
You tell us, O Lord, who may abide in your presence,
who may dwell on your holy hill:
those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right,
and who speak the truth from their heart.
And yet, O Lord, we do not walk blamelessly.
So often we stumble on the path of faith.
The truth makes us nervous,
and we pretend not to know what is right.
Have mercy, O God.
Convict us by your wisdom,
cleanse us by your grace,
challenge us by your presence,
and, by your forgiveness, free us to try again.
Lifting water from the font:
Now stand firm in your faith,
covered by the saving grace of God
and ready to proclaim the gospel of peace.
In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!
Thanks be to God.
— Word —
Prayer for Illumination
At the lectern or pulpit:
Faithful God, how blessed are those
who hunger and thirst for righteousness.
Sanctify us by your Word and Spirit
so that we may glorify you
in the company of the faithful;
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
Time after Pentecost
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
God of all truth,
hear our prayer.
We pray for those in positions of power . . .
Turn them from deceit and corruption
toward honesty.
Give them courage to speak loving truth.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who struggle with shame . . .
Birth in them an assurance of worth and wholeness.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for anyone who needs a safe place to dwell . . .
End all forms of violence in which your people live.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for victims of moneylending . . .
Transform a system of inhuman and unjust practices
toward ethical compassion.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who are wrongly convicted . . .
Free them from the guilt and shame placed upon them.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
God our dwelling place,
teach us to abide in you,
that we may know by heart
what it means to live as your people.
Through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
— 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:
We give you thanks and praise, O God,
for you have chosen the poverty of the world
to make your people rich in faith.
Help us to put our faith into practice
through the offering of our lives—
giving food to the hungry,
clothes to the naked,
and shelter to the poor;
all for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord,
your Word made flesh. Amen.
James 2:5, 14–17
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 lead us to the land of your promise—
calling us to freedom with your voice of love,
teaching us wisdom through your word of truth.
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:
From Jesus, we learn how to worship you:
by keeping your word and serving your will
with purity of heart and generosity of spirit.
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 bear good fruit in our lives,
so that we might be a blessing to others
and bring honor and glory to your name.
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:
God of glory, in this holy feast
you have made us one with Christ
and with that great multitude of the faithful—
those who hunger and thirst no more
and worship night and day in your temple.
Lead us in the paths of righteousness
and guide us to the springs of the water of life,
until we join the choir of the redeemed,
singing: Salvation belongs to our God
who is seated on the throne,
and to the Lamb: Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
— Sending —
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Blessing and Charge
At the doors of the church:
The blessing of the one God—
Spirit, Son, and Father—
be with you now and always. Alleluia!
Ephesians 4:4–6
Lead a life worthy of your calling,
giving glory to God in all things. Amen.
Ephesians 4:1
Christ Comforting a Poor Man
1493, Louvre
Additional Materials
Congregational Song
GATHERING
- Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying (WACHET AUF) UMH 720 (O)
- Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise (ST. DENIO) GTG 12 (E)
- Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart! (MARION) GTG 804 (G)
WORD
- Praise God, All You Nations (DA N’ASE) GTG 328 (O)
- Great Is Thy Faithfulness (FAITHFULNESS) GTG 39 (E)
- O God, We Bear the Imprint (TODOS LOS COLORES) GTG 759 (E)
- As a Chalice Cast of Gold (INWARD LIGHT) GTG 429 (G)
EUCHARIST
- Come to the Table of Grace (TABLE OF GRACE) GTG 507 (E)
- Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God (SARADAY) GTG 423 (G)
- Come Now, You Blessed, Eat at My Table (COME NOW, YOU BLESSED) GTG 186 (G)
SENDING
- Spirit Divine, Attend Our Prayers (NUN DANKET ALL’ UND BRINGET EHR’) GTG 407 (O)
- O Jesus, I Have Promised (NYLAND) GTG 725 (E)
- Go to the World! (SINE NOMINE) GTG 295 (E)
Psalms and Canticles
Psalm 45:1–2, 6–9
Metrical
- Jesus Shall Reign Where’er the Sun [DUKE STREET] GTG 265
- For the Honor of Our King [MONKSLAND] PAS 45A
Responsorial
- The Throne of God Is Righteousness PAS 45B
- Praise the Lord PSA 39
Psalm 15
Metrical
- Lord, Who May Dwell within Your House [RIDGEMOOR] GTG 419
- Lord, Who Are They That May Dwell [STERLLA CARMEL] PAS 15A
Responsorial
- Justice Alone Is the Way of the Lord UMH 747
- Those Who Do Justice Will Live PSA 9
Organ Music
- “Lord, Build Me a Cabin in Glory Land,” King of Kings, vol. 1, arr. Uzee Brown Jr., GIA (ME)
- “Andante Religioso,” Organ Sonata, no. 4, Felix Mendelssohn, IMSLP (ME)
- “Rockingham,” 36 Short Preludes and Postludes on Well-Known Tunes, Book 1, Healey Willan, IMSLP (M)
- “Finlandia,” Augsburg Organ Library: Healing and Funeral, arr. Robert J. Powell, AF (E)
Anthems for Adult Choirs
- “Teach Me, O Lord,” Philip Stopford, MSM, SATB, org (M)
- “Arise, My Love,” Stephen Paulus, Paulus Music, SATB div, acap (A)
- “The Rain Is Over and Gone,” Paul Halley, Pelagos Music, SATB, pno, rhythm (M)
- “Come, Holy Spirit, God and Lord,” Aaron David Miller, AF, uni, pno (E)
- “Teach Me, O Lord,” Thomas Attwood, OUP, SATB, acap (E)
- “I Will Lift Mine Eyes,” Jake Runestad, BH, SATB div, acap (A)
Art
- Le Cantique des Cantiques II (Song of Songs II I.7), Marc Chagall, 1957 (VCS)
- Shelter (Masiko), Sheroanawe Hakihiiwe, 2018 (MoMA)
- Love is the Most Ancient Law, Jan Richardson (JR)
- Deer Leaping Among Flowers, Franz Marc (VDL)
