Lectionary Readings
Semicontinuous
Genesis 28:10–19a
Jacob dreams of a ladder and hears the promise of the Lord.
Psalm 139:1–12, 23–24
O Lord, you have searched me; if I ascend to heaven you are there.
Complementary
Isaiah 44:6–8
I am the first and last, says the Lord; there is no god besides me.
Psalm 86:11–17
O Lord, give me an undivided heart to revere your name.
Romans 8:12–25
The whole creation waits for redemption with the children of God.
Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43
Another parable of the kingdom; weeds grow among the wheat.
— Gathering —
Opening Sentences
Come by here, our Lord,
come by here.
Prayer of the Day
Sovereign God,
your Spirit is ever present with us.
Where can we flee your presence?
You are the beginning and the ending,
the first and the last,
and all that exists in between.
When your Spirit seems hidden from us,
teach us to recognize your presence and to respond,
for your name’s sake. 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:
There is goodness within us that grows like fresh wheat.
There is also sin within us that chokes that wheat like weeds.
Let us bring all of who we are to God,
who can separate out what is good,
so that we are not overcome with evil.
there is no place where you are not with us.
You see us at our worst and at our best.
There is much we would hide from you—
the ways we harm your creation,
the ways we mistreat others,
the ways we turn away when we should turn toward.
Even as you know us, forgive us.
Guide our thoughts, our words, our actions,
that you may delight in us as we delight in you.
Beloved, hear the good news:
God knows us and forgives us
and leads us in the way of everlasting life.
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 . . .
Lead us more and more, by your Holy Spirit,
to live as those you have chosen and claimed,
beloved children and members of Christ’s body.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
In the Spirit, we pray for the earth . . .
Help us to hear the groaning of creation,
and let us join the cry of suffering,
until you come to renew and restore all things.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
In the Spirit, we pray for all nations . . .
Gather up all the peoples of the earth
in the harvest of righteousness and justice.
Let the seeds of peace flourish in this world.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
In the Spirit, we pray for this community . . .
Let the working of your Spirit among us
cause our neighbors to say with joy:
surely the Lord is in this place!
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
In the Spirit, we pray for loved ones . . .
Show yourself to those who search for you,
at the limits of longing or in deep despair.
Lead them by your hand and hold them fast.
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 are the God of our ancestors and offspring.
Wherever we go, you are with us, to bless and keep us.
Surely you are with us now, in this holy place!
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 taught us about the coming of your realm:
like seeds of wheat, growing up among the weeds.
At harvest, the evil will burn but the righteous will shine.
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 Holy Spirit speak within us, bearing witness
to our adoption as your beloved children,
and calling others to enter your loving embrace.
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
“Dream of Jacob”
Additional Materials
Congregational Song
GATHERING
- O God of Jacob (Os) ST. PETER LBW 477
- Love Divine, All Loves Excelling (OcE) HYFRYDOL GTG 366
- What Is This Place (Os) KOMT NU MET ZANG GTG 404
- Come, Worship God (OsOcG) O QUANTA QUALIA GTG 386
- Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty (Os) UNSER HERRSCHER GTG 403
- Come, Ye Thankful People, Come (G) ST. GEORGE’S WINDSOR GTG 367
WORD
- Lord, Let My Heart Be Good Soil (G) GOOD SOIL ELW 512, TFF 131
- Open Your Ears, O Faithful People (G) YISRAEL V’ORAITA GTG 453
- We Are Climbing Jacob’s Ladder (Os) JACOB’S LADDER AAHH 464
- He Is King of Kings (OsOc) HE IS KING GTG 273
- Dear Lord and Father of Mankind (E) REST GTG 169
- Sing Out with Joy to God Our Strength (OsG) SHEPHERDS’ PIPES GTG 56
- For the Healing of the Nations (E) ST. THOMAS (Wade) GTG 346
- Calvary (Os) CALVARY OLOF 319
- Hallelujah, I’ve Been Redeemed! (E) HALLELUJAH, I’VE BEEN REDEEMED OLOF 190
EUCHARIST
- Of the Father’s Love Begotten (Oc) DIVINUM MYSTERIUM GTG 108
- There Is a Redeemer (Oc) GREEN GTG 443
- In Christ There Is No East or West (E) MC KEE, ST. PETER GTG 317, 318
SENDING
- When All Is Ended (Os) YOGANANDA GTG 376
- Christ Is Risen! Shout Hosanna! (E) HYMN TO JOY GTG 248
- Soft Rains of Spring Flow (G) PCOCS GTG 680
- Wash, O God, Your Sons and Daughters (E) BEACH SPRING GTG 490
- Keep Hope Alive (E) KEEP HOPE ALIVE AAHH 405
Psalms and Canticles
Psalm 139:1–12, 23–24
Metrical
- My Lord, You Have Examined Me [RESIGNATION]; PAS 139A
Responsorial
- Lord, In You Do I Trust; PP 160
Psalm 86:11–17
Metrical
- Lord, My Petition Heed [MASON]; PAS 86A
Responsorial
- Be with Me, Lord; PAS 86B
- I Sing Your Praise; UMH 787
Organ Music
- “Arietta,” 100 Processionals and Recessionals, Alan Viner, KM (M)
- “Every Time I Feel the Spirit,” Augsburg Organ Library: Summer, Adolphus Hailstork, AF (M)
- “Jesus, Priceless Treasure,” JESUS, MEINE FREUDE, Five Chorale Preludes on Joyful Themes, Tom Mueller, CON (M)
- “O God, O Lord of Heaven and Earth,” Boundless Love: Eight Organ Preludes for the Church Year, Matthew Machemer, CON (M)
Piano Music
- “Poco sostenuto, Op. 8, No. 6,” Silhouettes, Op. 8, Antonín Dvorák, KAL (M)
- “Bagatelle No. 4,” 14 Bagatelles, Op. 6, Béla Bartók, KAL (ME)
Anthems for Adult Choirs
- “O Lord, You Know Me Completely,” Hal Hopson, CGA, 2 pt, pno (E)
- “Borning Cry,” John Ylvisaker, AF, 2 pt, pno, sax (E)
- “Psalm 139,” Allen Pote, CGA, SATB, pno (ME)
- “Teach Me Your Way, O Lord,” Lloyd Larson, BP, SATB, pno (M)
- “Lead Me, Lord,” Praise the Lord, O My Soul, Samuel Sebastian Wesley, GIA, SATB, org (M)
- “Jacob’s Ladder,” Brandon A. Boyd, HIN, SATB, pno (MA)
- “The Gate of Heaven,” Craig Courtney, BP, SATB, pno, opt vc or vln (A)
Art
- Psalm 139: All Saints Princeton Liturgical Altarpiece Series (Diptych), Makoto Fujimara, 2020–21 (VCS)
- Jacob’s Ladder, William Blake, 1799–1806 (VCS)
- Jacob’s Dream, Augustus Lunn, 1944 (VCS)
- Dream of Jacob, P. Solomon Raj, 2016 (EYE)
- Jacob’s Ladder, Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn), 1655 (PD)
- The Tares (The Parables of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ), after Sir John Everett Millais, engraving by Dalziel Brothers, 1864 (PD)
