Lectionary Readings
Semicontinuous
Genesis 25:19–34
Esau trades his birthright to Jacob for bread and lentil stew.
Psalm 119:105–112
Your word is a lamp to my feet; I have promised to observe it.
Complementary
Isaiah 55:10–13
The word of the Lord will go forth to flourish and bear fruit.
Psalm 65:(1–8) 9–13
Praise is due to God, who blesses the earth with abundance.
Romans 8:1–11
The Spirit of life in Christ sets us free from the law of sin and death.
Matthew 13:1–9, 18–23
Jesus tells and explains the parable of the sower and the seeds.
— Gathering —
Opening Sentences
The windows of heaven are open;
let us receive God’s abundance.
Prayer of the Day
Almighty God,
in you there are no shortages and nothing lacking.
We thank you for giving us nourishment
from the flourishing fields of creation.
Form and reform us by your word,
that we may rejoice in your bounty
and share your inheritance of abundance,
all the days of our lives. 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:
As much as we try not to stray: we do.
As much as we try to follow God’s word: we don’t.
As we continue on this journey,
let us seek God’s forgiveness.
“We didn’t know.”
“We didn’t mean to.”
“We didn’t expect that to happen.”
But we have not tended the soil of our lives.
We let it stay shallow and rocky
by not learning from the experience of others.
We let it be riddled with thorns
by succumbing to our own prejudices.
Life-giving God,
Help us to tend our soil.
Open us to being challenged,
enable us to learn,
so that your word will take root
and bear good fruit in our lives.
There is no condemnation for us:
God has forgiven us
that we might live according to the Spirit.
The Spirit of God dwells within us.
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
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 . . .
Give new life to your church, Christ’s body;
let your Spirit of life and love abide in us,
so that the world will know we belong to you.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
In the Spirit, we pray for the earth . . .
Let your will be done in all creation,
so that the mountains and hills may sing with joy
and the trees of the fields clap their hands.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
In the Spirit, we pray for all nations . . .
Where nations and neighbors are at war
and siblings struggle with one another,
renew our birthright, our common kinship in you.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
In the Spirit, we pray for this community . . .
Let us be extravagant with your grace,
casting the promise of the gospel far and wide,
trusting that you will bring forth good fruit.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
In the Spirit, we pray for loved ones . . .
Give light to those who dwell in darkness;
give life to those who are afflicted.
Hold them close, and deliver them from trouble.
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:
Your word goes forth to the ends of the earth,
accomplishing all that you desire,
planting seeds of promise and bearing good fruit.
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:
Jesus scatters the seeds of the gospel in every place,
so that your holy realm might flourish in the world.
Those who receive his word respond with joy.
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.
Teach us to set our minds on the things of the Spirit,
so that we might receive your gifts of life and peace
and share them with this hurting, hungry world.
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
“The Sower”
Additional Materials
Congregational Song
GATHERING
- Light Dawns on a Weary World (Oc) TEMPLE OF PEACE GTG 79
- O God, Who Gives Us Life (E) NOEL GTG 53
- God of the Fertile Fields (Oc) ITALIAN HYMN GTG 714
- O Lord, How Shall I Meet You (G) VALET WILL ICH DIR GEBEN GTG 104
WORD
- Blest Be the God of Israel (E) MERLE’S TUNE GTG 109
- Isaiah the Prophet Has Written of Old (OsOc) SAMANTHRA GTG 77
- Breathe on Me, Breath of God (E) TRENTHAM GTG 286
- Open My Eyes, That I May See (G) OPEN MY EYES GTG 451
EUCHARIST
- Before I Take the Body of My Lord (E) LAYING DOWN GTG 428
- Steal Away (E) STEAL AWAY GTG 358
- Seed, Scattered and Sown (G) SEED SCATTERED GTG 531
SENDING
- A Sower Came from Ancient Hills (G) SEACHRIST GTG 171
- You Shall Go Out with Joy (Oc) THE TREES OF THE FIELD GTG 80
- Freedom Is Coming (E) FREEDOM IS COMING GTG 359
- For the Healing of the Nations (Os) ST. THOMAS (Wade) GTG 346
- God of Grace and God of Glory (OsE) CWM RHONDDA GTG 307
- We Will Go Out with Joy (Oc) WE WILL GO OUT WITH JOY GTG 539
- Soft Rains of Spring Flow (OcG) PCOCS GTG 680
- I’ve Got the Joy, Joy, Joy (E) I’VE GOT THE JOY OLOF 432
Psalms and Canticles
Psalm 119:105–112
Metrical
- I Long for Your Commandments [WOHL DENEN, DIE DA WANDELN]; GTG 64
- Take the Saving Word of God [DAWK’YAH TOWGYAH]; GTG 454
Responsorial
- Send Out Your Light, Lord, Send Your Truth; PAS 119K
- O Lord, You Have the Words of Life [LEONI/YIGDAL]; PP 236
- O Lord, My Delight; PSA 123
- The Lord Will Come to Us with Mighty Power; LPGA 1028
Psalm 65:(1–8) 9–13
Metrical
- To Bless the Earth [CHRISTUS, DER IST MEIN LEBEN]; GTG 38
Responsorial
- The Seed that Falls on Good Ground; PRCL 117
- In You Our Praise Is Due in Zion, O God; PSA 55
Organ Music
- “As Rain from the Clouds,” Augsburg Organ Library: Baptism and Holy Communion, Aaron David Miller, AF (M)
- “Gather Us In,” Draw Us In: Organ Settings, David Lasky, AF (M)
- “Open My Eyes That I May See,” Church Windows: A Suite for Organ, John G. Barr, HWG (E)
- “Reflective Processional,” 100 Processionals and Recessionals, Owain Edwards, KM (M)
Piano Music
- “Nocturne No. 8 in D-flat Major, Op. 84, No. 8,” 13 Nocturnes, Gabriel Fauré, Peters (MA)
- “Papillons,” Piano Music of Africa and the African Diaspora Volume 3: Early Advanced, Oswald Russell, OUP (MA)
- “Allegro from Sonatina in F Major,” Six Sonatinas, Op. 36, Muzio Clementi, HEN (ME)
Anthems for Adult Choirs
- “Seeds,” Mark Burrows, CGA, 2 pt, pno, opt vc (E)
- “For the Beauty of the Earth,” John Rutter, OUP, SATB, pno (ME)
- “Spirit of the Living God,” Joseph M. Martin, HAL, SATB, pno, opt perc (ME)
- “The Best of Rooms,” Z. Randall Stroope, MSM, SATB, org (M)
- “Thy Word Is a Lamp,” Mark Butler, CF, SATB, acap (M)
- “Thy Word Is a Lantern,” John Bertalot, AF, SATB div, org (A)
Art
- The Sower, Jean-François Millet, 1851 (PD)
- The Parable and the Sower, from Das Plenarium, Hans Schäufelein, 1517 (PD)
- The Sower, Vincent van Gogh, 1888 (VCS)
- Parables, Laura James, 2016 (EYE)
- Luminarias along the Path, Danae Hurst, 2007 (VDL)
- Sower, James Tissot, 1886–94 (VDL)
