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
Let us offer our praise to God,
for we come to learn God’s ways:
O God, your word is a lamp to our feet,
a light to our path;
we lift our hearts to you
as we seek to worship, adore, and follow you.
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.
O God, we are quick to say,
“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.
Lifting water from the font:
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”
Vincent van Gogh, 1888
Additional Materials
Congregational Song
GATHERING
- At the Name of Jesus (E) KING’S WESTON GTG 264, PH 148
- Joy to the World (O) RICHMOND GTG 266
- Come, Labor On (G) ORA LABORA GTG 719, PH 415
- All Who Are Thirsty / Tiene tu alma (O) Brenton Brown and Glenn Robertson, arr. Greg Scheer SSS 533
WORD
- Spirit Divine, Attend Our Prayers (E) NUN DANKET ALL’ UND BRINGET EHR’ GTG 407, PH 325
- Thy Word Is a Lamp unto My Feet (O) THY WORD GTG 458
- Open Your Ears, O Faithful People (G) YISRAEL V’ORAITA GTG 453
- Anthem (G) Tom Conry G3 778
EUCHARIST
- O God, Who Gives Us Life (E) NOEL GTG 53
- Spirit of the Living God (E) LIVING GOD GTG 288, PH 322
- Seed, Scattered and Sown (G) SEED SCATTERED GTG 531
- Sun, Soil, and Seeds (G) YEAST Sing No Empty Alleluias, Chris Shelton, GIA
SENDING
- All Creatures of Our God and King (OG) LASST UNS ERFREUEN GTG 15, PH 455
- Isaiah the Prophet Has Written of Old (O) SAMANTHRA GTG 77, PH 337
- Thankful Hearts and Voices Raise (O) THANKFUL HEARTS GTG 648
- Amazing Grace (E) MY CHAINS ARE GONE WAS 3104
Psalms and Canticles
Psalm 119:105–112
Metrical
- Your Word Sheds Light upon My Path [ST. CRISPIN, FEDERAL STREET]; PAS 119D, LUYH 759
- Your Word, O Lord, a Lamp Shall Be [LM]; PCW 119e
- Your Word, O Lord, Is Light [10.10.10.10]; SGP 184
- Here Is the Lamp [11.10.11.10.11.10]; MPS 119a
- I Long for Your Commandments [WOHL DENEN, DIE DA WANDELN]; GTG 64
Responsorial
- Send Out Your Light; PAS 119K
- Your Word Is a Lamp; LOML 17
- Let Me Sing of Your Law; PAS 119A
- O Lord, You Have the Words of Life [LEONI/YIGDAL]; PP 236
- Camina, pueblo de Dios / Go Forth, O People of God; SSS 268–269
Psalm 65:(1–8) 9–13
Metrical
- To Bless the Earth [CHRISTUS, DER IST MEIN LEBEN]; GTG 38, PH 200
- The Earth Is Yours, O God [CARLISLE]; PAS 65A
- Every Heart Its Tribute Pays [ST. GEORGE’S WINDSOR]; PAS 65E, LUYH 388
- Praise Is Your Right [GENEVAN 65]; PAS 65B, LUYH 545, PH 201
- To You, O God, Great Praise Is Due [LMD]; SGP 91
Responsorial
- Your Paths Overflow with Plenty; PAS 65C
- Thanks Be to God [SLANE]; PP 112
- Let the Valleys Shout for Joy and Sing [BIRMINGHAM]; HTP2 20
- Salmo (Psalm 65); SSS 491–492
Organ Music
- “Joy to the World / Hark the Glad Sound,” CHESTERFIELD/RICHMOND, A Voice Is Sounding, Benjamin Culli, CON (E)
- “Cantilène religieuse in C,” Theodore Dubois, KAL (E)
- “All Creatures, Worship God Most High!,” LASST UNS ERFREUEN, Augsburg Organ Library: Healing and Funeral, Thomas Pavlechko, AF (M)
- “All Creatures of Our God and King,” A Franciscan Pastorale, Franklin D. Ashdown, HWG (M)
Anthems for Adult Choirs
- “Open Your Ears, O Faithful People,” arr. Robert Hobby, Gladsong, uni, fl, hb, perc (E)
- “I Will Be a Child of Peace,” Elaine Hagenberg, BP, SATB, pno (M)
- “Rich in Promise,” Robert Buckley Farlee, AF, SAB, pno (E)
- “Let Everything That Has Breath,” Jeffery L. Ames, Earthsongs, SATB, solo, pno (MA)
- “Let the People Praise Thee, O God (Psalm 67),” William Mathias, OUP, SATB, org, opt. orch (MA)
- “Be Thou My Vision,” Paul Basler, CV, SATB, pno, hn (M)
- “Parable of the Sower,” John Horman, ABP, uni, pno (E)
- “A Sower Came from Ancient Hills,” Sally Ann Morris, GIA, SATB, keybd (E)
Handbell Music
- “Toccata on King’s Weston,” Matthew Compton, 3–6 oct, opt 2 oct hc, HOPE, 2767, Level 3+
- “Thy Word,” Peggy Bettcher, 2–3 oct or 3–5 oct, HOPE, 2150 or 2148, Level 2+
- “Spirit of the Living God,” Douglas Wagner, 3–5 oct, LOR, 20/1461L, Level 2
- “All Creatures of Our God and King,” Kevin McChesney, 2–3 oct or 3–5 oct, CGA, CGB1109 or CGB1110, Level 2-
Art
- Esau and Jacob, Andrei Mironov, 2014 (VDL)
- Sower, Vincent van Gogh, 1888 (VDL)
- Harvesters, Pieter Bruegel, 1565 (VDL)
- Madonna of the Harvest, J. A. Swanson (EYE)
