Lectionary Readings
Semicontinuous
2 Samuel 6:1–5, 12b–19
Returning the ark to Jerusalem, David dances before the Lord.
Psalm 24
Lift up your heads, O gates, that the King of glory may enter!
Complementary
Amos 7:7–15
God shows the prophet Amos a plumb line, a vision of justice.
Psalm 85:8–13
Love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss.
Ephesians 1:3–14
We were chosen in Christ from the beginning to give glory to God.
Mark 6:14–29
Herod puts John the Baptist to death; reports of Jesus spread.
— Gathering —
Call to Worship
Though we keep going astray,
Jesus calls us: Follow me.
God gathers us by the goodness of his grace.
Jesus calls us: Follow me.
God sends us in ways we do not expect.
Jesus calls us: Follow me.
Prayer of the Day
O God of our salvation,
you send prophets in our midst
to correct us when we have gone astray,
to warn us away from the crooked path,
and to make clear the consequences of sin.
Too often, we want to stray,
we enjoy the crooked path,
and we do not care about the consequences.
So we twist the prophet’s words
or listen only in part.
O God, grant us the humility
to hear in a prophet’s correction
the honey tones of your salvation,
the harmonies of your steadfast love. 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.
We know that you call your people to lives of service and works of justice.
Forgive us, O Lord, when we keep our lives
just loud enough to drown out your call.
Forgive us, O Lord, when we keep our days
just busy enough to convince ourselves
that we have a righteous excuse.
We know that you work for the healing of all that is broken in the world.
Heal us, O Lord, of our blindness by your grace.
Forgive us, O Lord, and 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:
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
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
Speak peace to us, O God;
hear our prayer.
We pray for those who gather for worship . . .
Give us clean hands and pure hearts.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who work for justice . . .
Establish equity for all people.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for those waiting for good news . . .
Let them see your promise fulfilled.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for those longing for redemption . . .
Gather them up in your grace.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for people in power . . .
Teach them to protect the innocent.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for people in prison . . .
Visit them with your compassion.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Speak peace to us, O God.
Let righteousness rain down from heaven,
that faithfulness may rise up from the earth;
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:
Generous God, we give you thanks
for all your blessings to us.
Use these gifts we offer
as a sign of your great love for the world,
so that all may know and share
the abundance of your grace;
in your holy name we pray. Amen.
2 Corinthians 8:12–15
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 are the creator of the world and all who live in it;
the seas and rivers proclaim your handiwork.
You bring goodness from the earth and establish righteousness for the faithful.
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:
In Christ we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing,
and through him we have become adopted children of God,
a people born of water and the Spirit: the body of Christ.
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.
As you marked us with the seal of your Holy Spirit in baptism,
guide us each day that we might put our hope in you
and live to give you praise and glory.
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 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
Landscape with Shepherd and Sheep
Anton Mauve, 1880
Additional Materials
Congregational Song
GATHERING
- From All That Dwell Below the Skies (LASST UNS ERFREUEN) GTG 327 (O)
- Like Miriam Who Danced to Praise (FAITH DANCE or KINGSFOLD) STF 2120 (O)
- I Greet Thee, Who My Sure Redeemer Art (TOULON) GTG 624 (E)
- God of Grace and God of Glory (CWM RHONDDA) GTG 307 (G)
WORD
- O Beauty Ever Ancient (ANCIENT BEAUTY) GTG 650 (O)
- Fearfully, Wonderfully Made SFHO (E)
- I, the Lord of Sea and Sky (HERE I AM (Schutte)) GTG 69 (G)
EUCHARIST
- Seek Ye First (LAFFERTY) GTG 175 (O)
- Take, O Take Me as I Am (TAKE ME AS I AM) GTG 698 (E)
- Steal Away (STEAL AWAY) GTG 358 (G)
SENDING
- I Danced in the Morning (LORD OF THE DANCE) GTG 157 (O)
- Blessed Assurance, Jesus Is Mine! (ASSURANCE) GTG 839 (E)
- Syrian Hallelujah (Traditional) SW (O)
- Rejoice, the Lord Is King! (DARWALL’S 148TH) GTG 363 (O)
Psalms and Canticles
Psalm 24
Metrical
- Sanctuary [IRREGULAR] OLOF 158
- God in His Love for Us Lent Us This Planet [ECOLOGY] RIL 23
Responsorial
- Lift Up the Gates Eternal [GILU HAGALILIM] GTG 364
- Holy, Holy, Holy Lord UMH 755
Psalm 85:8–13
Metrical
- Revive Us Again [REVIVE US AGAIN] AAHH 569
- Show Us, O Lord, Your Steadfast Love [MENDOR] GTG 449
Responsorial
- Righteousness and Peace PAS 85C
- Lord, Show Us Your Love PSA 77
Organ Music
- “Let Us Ever Walk with Jesus,” LASSET UNS MIT JESU ZIEHEN, Ten Chorale Improvisations, set 9, arr. Paul Manz, MSM (E)
- “Healer of Our Every Ill,” Augsburg Organ Library: Healing and Funeral, arr. Franklin D. Ashdown, AF (ME)
- “Lobe den Herren,” 8 Chorale Preludes, Johann Gottfried Walther, Peters Edition (M)
- “Halle, Halle, Hallelujah,” The Essential Collection for the Church Organist, vol. 1, arr. John A. Behnke, HOPE (M)
Anthems for Adult Choirs
- “Lift Up Your Heads, O Ye Gates,” William Mathias, OUP, SATB, org (A)
- “Roll Down Justice,” Mark Miller, CGA, SATB, pno (M)
- “Let Everything That Hath Breath,” Jeffrey Ames, earthsongs, SATB, pno (M)
- “With a Voice of Singing,” Kenneth Jennings, AF, SATB, acap (A)
- “How Can I Keep from Singing?” arr. Taylor Davis, MSM, pno, fl, ob (M)
- “Like a Mighty Stream,” Moses Hogan, HAL, SATB, pno (E)
Art
- A Poem About the Cosmos, Caroline Kent, 2022 (MoMA)
- Feast of Herod Dance, Father George Saget, 1963 (VDL)
- A Mother’s Love Holds the World, Mary Jane Miller, 2008 (VDL)
- Prophet Amos, Northumberland Bestiary, manuscript illumination, 1250 (VDL)
