Lectionary Readings
Semicontinuous
1 Samuel 8:4–11 (12–15), 16–20 (11:14–15)
The people demand a king; reluctantly, Samuel anoints Saul.
Psalm 138
I give you thanks, O Lord; all the rulers of the earth will praise you.
Complementary
Genesis 3:8–15
God confronts the man and woman about the forbidden fruit.
Psalm 130
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; there is forgiveness with you.
2 Corinthians 4:13—5:1
If our earthly dwelling is destroyed, we have a home in the heavens.
Mark 3:20–35
Jesus is accused of having an unclean spirit; he warns of blasphemy.
— Gathering —
Call to Worship
When we hide from God,
Jesus calls us: Follow me.
Do not lose heart; look to Jesus.
Jesus calls us: Follow me.
We are God’s chosen family.
Jesus calls us: Follow me.
Prayer of the Day
Steadfast God,
you constantly surprise us
with unprecedented grace
and unexpected redemption,
forgiving us when we least deserve it,
showing love to those we most despise.
Enliven us to keep watch
for your love at work in those we demonize,
for your power in those we look down upon,
and for your deliverance from all the ways
that we try to make you conform
to the structures and systems we have built.
All this we pray through Jesus Christ,
who called us to a new way of being. 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 have called us blessed, O God,
and washed us in the waters of grace.
You have called us a family, O God,
and bound us by the presence of your Spirit.
Forgive us, O Holy One,
when we try to forget that we belong to you:
when we bind ourselves to the illusion of independence,
the myth of supremacy,
or the fear of what might happen
if we placed our trust in something beyond ourselves.
Forgive us, O Holy One, and by your forgiveness,
free us from all that keeps us bound.
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
Out of the depths we cry, O Lord;
hear our prayer.
We pray for the leaders of nations . . .
Guide them to govern with justice.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for earth and all its creatures . . .
Help us to live in harmony with one another.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for those whose hearts are broken . . .
Renew their faith, hope, and love.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for people without homes . . .
Give them shelter and safety.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who wrestle with evil . . .
By your Holy Spirit, set them free.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for families that are divided . . .
Bring healing and peace to all.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Out of the depths we cry, O Lord.
Give us hope as we wait for you,
that we may rejoice when the morning dawns;
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 hear the voices of those who cry out to you.
In your mercy you save your people from all iniquities.
In you we have hope, for your steadfast love endures forever.
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 came into the world to show your will for our lives.
Even when he was disparaged and demonized,
he continued to call for unity in the family of faith.
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.
Through your Spirit, renew us day by day.
Send us out to speak your grace to all people,
inviting them to feast at your table of eternal life.
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
King Saul
Anonymous, Dutch, after a design by Abraham Bloemaert, after an engraving by Willem van Swanenburg, 1611
Additional Materials
Congregational Song
GATHERING
- God of Grace and God of Glory (CWM RHONDDA) GTG 307 (G)
- I Believe in God the Father (GENEVAN 42) GTG 481 (E)
- O God of Every Nation (LLANGLOFFAN) GTG 756 (G)
- Silence! Frenzied, Unclean Spirit (EBENEZER) GTG 181 (G)
WORD
- Lead Me, Guide Me (LEAD ME, GUIDE ME) GTG 740 (O)
- My Life Flows On (HOW CAN I KEEP FROM SINGING) GTG 821 (E)
- Just A Closer Walk with Thee (CLOSER WALK) GTG 835 (E)
- Who Is My Mother, Who Is My Brother (KINDRED) TFWS 2225 (G)
EUCHARIST
- Holy Lamb of God (YA HAMALALLAH) GTG 602 (G)
- Lead Me, God (LEAD ME, LORD) VU 662 (O)
- The Risen Christ (THE RISEN CHRIST) WAS 3179 (E)
- We Know That Christ Is Raised (ENGELBERG) GTG 485 (E)
SENDING
- Lord, You Give the Great Commission (ABBOT’S LEIGH) GTG 298 (E)
- Together We Serve (SAN ANSELMO) GTG 767 (G)
- You Formed Us in Your Image, Lord (GREENSLEEVES) CWG (G)
Psalms and Canticles
Psalm 138
Metrical
- I Will Give Thanks with My Whole Heart [SALZBURG] PH 247
- Lord, I Want to Be a Christian [I WANT TO BE A CHRISTIAN] GTG 729
Responsorial
- Let Every Voice Give Praise PP 276
- The Rulers of All the Earth Praise You PSA 141
Psalm 130
Metrical
- For You, O God, I Wait [SPRINGTIME] GTG 791
- Out of the Depths [AUS TIEFER NOT] GTG 424
Responsorial
- Out of the Depths I Cry PAS 130B
- Lord, from the Depths to You PP 262
Organ Music
- “The Peace May Be Exchanged,” Rubrics, Dan Locklair, E. C. Kerby (M)
- “Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir Versus 2,” Georg Bohm, IMSLP (M)
- “A Little More Faith in Jesus,” King of Kings, vol. 1, arr. John W. Work III, GIA (ME)
- “Bright the Vision,” LAUS DEO, Twenty-Five Hymn Preludes, Malcolm Archer, KM (M)
Anthems for Adult Choirs
- “Psalm 130: Out of the Depths,” John Ferguson, AF, SATB, org (M)
- “How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place,” Johannes Brahms, GSH, SATB, org (A)
- “Christ Has Broken Down the Wall,” Mark Miller, CGA, SATB, pno (E)
- “King of Glory, King of Peace,” Alfred Fedak, MSM, SATB, org (M)
- “De Profundis,” Russell Robinson, ALF, SATB, pno (M)
- “De Profundis,” Paul Mealor, NOV, SATB, acap (A)
Art
- Many Mansions, Kerry James Marshall, 2016 (WA)
- In My Father’s House Are Many Mansions, #4,392, Howard Finster, 1985 (WA)
- Weapons of Destruction: Choice, Steve Prince (EYE)
- The Poor Invited to the Feast, JESUS MAFA, 1973 (VDL)
- The Great Canterbury Psalter, folio 1 recto: Genesis, 1185 (VDL) (PD)
