Lectionary Readings
Isaiah 25:6–9
A feast on the day of the Lord; God will swallow up death forever.
Psalm 24
Who will enter God’s presence? Those with clean hearts and hands.
Revelation 21:1–6a
A vision of the new creation: See, God is making all things new.
John 11:32–44
Jesus raises Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, from the dead.
— Gathering —
Opening Sentences
Enter God’s presence,
you who yearn for the day
when death is no more.
From age to age, God is with us.
Enter God’s presence,
you who are filled with hope
and you who find it hard to hope.
From age to age, God is with us.
Let us worship the Lord.
Prayer of the Day
God of the generations, on this day,
we remember the ancestors of our faith
and of our own families and communities.
May the roots of their love and wisdom continue to nurture us as we grow,
that the branches of this community
might provide shade for generations to come.
Surround those for whom grief still feels fresh
and those who live with grief as part of daily life.
May we remember the promise of the resurrection
and look to the future with hope. 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.
O Christ, when you saw that Lazarus died,
you began to weep.
So you weep with us, O Lord,
when we are surrounded by death and decay.
Unbind us, O Lord, from the destructive forces of this world.
Unbind us from greed, power, and shame.
Unbind us from solitude, self-righteousness, and self-doubt.
Bind us instead to one another and to you.
Forgive us when we do not live like your new creations,
and, by your grace, 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:
Faithful God, how blessed are those
who hunger and thirst for righteousness.
Sanctify us by your Word and Spirit
so that we may glorify you
in the company of the faithful;
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, All Saints’ Day
The risen Christ is the Savior of all people.
Those joined to him by faith
are set right with God
and commissioned to serve
as God’s reconciling community.
Christ is head of this community, the church,
which began with the apostles
and continues through all generations.
Adapted from the Confession of 1967, 9.10
Prayers of the People
Remembering the world that God so loves,
we pray to the Maker of heaven and earth, saying:
Let your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
We pray for the church . . .
Let your church be a sign of the new creation—
the holy city, coming down from heaven,
on the day when you make all things new.
Let your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
We pray for the world . . .
From the mountaintop of your glory,
reach down to take away our sin and shame,
and set before us the great feast of salvation.
Let your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
We pray for this community . . .
Make your home among us in this place;
claim us as your beloved people
and wipe away the tears from our eyes.
Let your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
We pray for loved ones . . .
Welcome those who draw near to you in death,
comfort those who are suffering or mourning,
and strengthen the living to love and serve you.
Let your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Sovereign God, keep us watching and working
for the promise of your heavenly realm,
until all the earth rejoices at your coming in glory;
through Jesus Christ, the Lord of life. 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:
To you, O God, we offer our lives—
our abundance, our poverty,
all that we have, all that we are—
a sign of our great thanksgiving
for the treasure of your grace.
Take and use us for good
in the world that you so love;
we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Mark 12:41–44
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 prepare a heavenly banquet for us:
the feast of your victory over sin and death,
the joyful feast of our salvation.
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 is the resurrection and the life;
as he called Lazarus from the tomb
we trust that he will raise us from the dead.
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.
Show us your new heaven and new earth,
where death will be no more
and we will feast with you in joy.
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:
Blessed are you, O Lord our God,
creator and ruler of the universe,
for your have satisfied our souls
with this feast of your grace.
Keep us faithful in your service
until your realm of glory comes;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
— Sending —
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Blessing and Charge
At the doors of the church:
The blessing of the holy, triune God,
who was and is and is to come—
first and last,
beginning and end,
Alpha and Omega—
be with you now and always. Alleluia!
Revelation 1:8
Go in peace to love the Lord your God
with heart and soul and mind and strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself. Amen.
Mark 12:29–31
The Raising of Lazarus (After Rembrandt)
Vincent Van Gogh, 1890
Additional Materials
Congregational Song
GATHERING
- Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken (OE) AUSTRIAN HYMN GTG 81
- Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty! (E) NICAEA GTG 1
- I Sing a Song of the Saints of God (E) GRAND ISLE GTG 730
- Rejoice in God’s Saints (OEG) OLD 104TH GTG 732
WORD
- In Deepest Night (G) ROSE MARY GTG 785
- O Christ, You Wept When Grief Was Raw (G) ROCKINGHAM LUYH 467
- O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go (E) ST. MARGARET GTG 833
- Within Our Darkest Night (Dans nos obscurités) (OG) DANS NOS OBSCURITÉS GTG 294
EUCHARIST
- Day of Delight and Beauty Unbounded (OGE) IN DIR IST FREUDE GTG 242
- Here, O Lord, We See You (E) MORECAMBE GTG 517
- Of the Father’s Love Begotten (E) DIVINUM MYSTERIUM GTG 108
- The Trumpets Sound, the Angels Sing (O) THE FEAST IS READY GTG 505
SENDING
- For All the Saints (OEG) SINE NOMINE GTG 326
- O Holy City Seen of John (OEG) MORNING SONG GTG 374
- Soon and Very Soon (EG) SOON AND VERY SOON GTG 384
- When All Is Ended (EG) YOGANANDA GTG 376
Psalms and Canticles
Metrical
- Know That the Earth Belongs to God [TRURO]; PLP1 24
- Lift Up the Gates Eternal [GILU HAGALILIM/PROMISED ONE/KING OF GLORY]; GTG 364; PAS 24E, LUYH 144, PSA 21
- The Earth, with All That Dwell Therein [LOBT GOTT, IHR CHRISTEN]; PAS 24A, LUYH 499
Responsorial
- The King of Glory Comes (Lift Up the Gates Eternal) [GILU HAGALILIM/PROMISED ONE/KING OF GLORY]; SSS 149/150, PAS 24D (alt. refrain)
- The Earth Belongs to the Lord (Sing Believers); MPCY 22
Organ Music
- “SINE NOMINE,” Augsburg Organ Library: Healing and Funeral, Wayne L. Wold, AF (A)
- “In Thee Is Gladness,” Praise and Thanksgiving, Set 7, Michael Burkhardt, MSM (M)
- “O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go,” The Organist’s Library, vol. 43, Van Denman Thompson, LOR (ME)
- “Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart,” Mark Hayes: Hymns for Organ, Douglas E. Wagner, LOR (ME)
Anthems for Adult Choirs
- “And I Saw a New Heaven,” Edward C. Bainton, NOV, SATB, org (M)
- “And God Shall Wipe Away All Tears,” Eleanor Daley, HIN, uni, keybd (E)
- “Hark I Hear the Harps Eternal,” arr. Alice Parker, ALF, SATB div, acap (A)
- “How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place,” J. Brahms, GSH, SATB, org (A)
- “At the River,” arr. Aaron Copland, BH, SATB, keybd (M)
- “Soon Ah Will Be Done,” arr. William Dawson, KJO, SATB div, acap (M)
- “Oh, Mary, Don’t You Weep, Don’t You Mourn,” arr. Moses Hogan, HAL, SATB, acap (E)
- “Sing Me to Heaven,” Daniel Gawthrop, Dunstan House, SATB, acap (A)
Handbell Music
- “Reflection on ‘For All the Saints,’” Cathy Moklebust, 3‑6 oct, opt hc, CGA, CGB1172, Level 3
- “Sine Nomine,” Betty Garee, 4‑6 oct, opt org and SATB, AGEHR, AG46003 (HB), AGC021 (full score/organ), Level 3
- “Within the Darkest Night,” Derek Hakes, 3‑6 oct, opt hc, AGEHR, AG36028, Level 2
Art
- Raising of Lazarus, Vincent Van Gogh (VDL)
- Take Away the Stone, John August Swanson (VDL)
- Alpha and Omega, Barcelona, Spain (VDL)
