Lectionary Readings
Semicontinuous
Judges 4:1–7
The Israelites cry to the Lord; God sends Deborah to deliver them.
Psalm 123
Have mercy on us, O Lord; we have had our fill of contempt.
Complementary
Zephaniah 1:7, 12–18
Beware, the day of the Lord is near; wealth will not save you.
Psalm 90:1–8 (9–11) 12
A thousand years are like a day to you; teach us to count our days.
1 Thessalonians 5:1–11
Be ready: the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
Matthew 25:14–30
The parable of talents; good and trustworthy servants are rewarded.
— Gathering —
Opening Sentences
To you, O God of the heavens, we lift our eyes.
Have mercy on us!
God has been our dwelling place from generation to generation.
Hear us when we call!
From everlasting to everlasting, God is with us.
We will magnify your holy name!
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 children of God,
we come to God in our joys,
in our sorrows,
in our fears, and in our guilt.
Knowing that God loves us
and embraces us,
let us bring our confessions to God.
God of abundance,
you have given us so many gifts.
You bless us with talents, resources,
skills, and knowledge,
and yet we hide them under a bushel.
We hoard these gifts, instead of following you
and sharing with those in need.
We have been poor stewards of all you have given.
Forgive us, and help us grow what we are given,
that it might be returned in service to you.
Lifting water from the font:
God has destined us not for wrath,
but for salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who died for us so that we may live with him.
Praise be to Christ! Alleluia!
— Word —
Prayer for Illumination
At the lectern or pulpit:
Sovereign God, let your Word rule in our hearts
and your Spirit govern our lives
until at last we see the fulfillment
of your realm of justice and peace;
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
Our shepherd satisfies our needs;
in faith, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we pray for the church . . .
Make us mindful of the times and seasons,
watchful for the signs of your coming,
and hopeful in the day of salvation.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we pray for the earth . . .
Do not let the earth be plundered
or consumed by violence and greed.
Sound the alarm before it is too late.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we pray for all nations . . .
Give leaders the wisdom to turn aside from evil;
give people the will do what is right.
Hear the cries of those who are oppressed.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we pray for this community . . .
Look with compassion upon our ruined cities,
abandoned homes, and unfruitful farms.
Be our refuge and dwelling place once again.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we pray for loved ones . . .
Show mercy to those who lift their eyes to you;
deliver them from sickness, suffering, and shame;
let those who call upon your name be saved.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Loving shepherd, lead and guide us—
in green pastures and by still waters,
in right paths and through dark valleys,
until we feast with you in glory
and dwell in your house forever;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
Psalm 23
— 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 the harvest,
you are continually planting the seeds of your love
in our world and in our lives.
As we bring our gifts to you,
may they be seeds of your grace, peace, and hope,
planted deeply in our community. 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:
When your people did what was evil in your sight,
you sent prophets, like Deborah and Zephaniah,
to pronounce judgment and proclaim deliverance.
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 preached the parables of your kingdom,
calling us to be faithful with the gifts entrusted to us,
so that we might enter into your presence 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.
Keep us watchful and awake, as children of light,
encouraging one another and building up your church
while we await the coming of your great and glorious day.
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 you 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
“He Hid His Lord’s Money”
Corfe Castle, UK, ca. 1860–1900
Additional Materials
Congregational Song
GATHERING
- Holy God, We Praise Your Name (OE) GROSSER GOTT, WIR LOBEN DICH GTG 4, PH 460
- Here in This Place (OE) GATHER US IN GTG 401
- “Sleepers, Wake!” A Voice Astounds Us (OE) WACHET AUF GTG 349, PH 17
- There’s a Great Day Coming (E) Will Thompson The New National Baptist Hymnal 480
WORD
- Our God, Our Help in Ages Past (OE) ST. ANNE GTG 687, PH 210
- God, Whose Giving Knows No Ending (OG) BEACH SPRING GTG 716, PH 422
- Come, Labor On (G) ORA LABORA GTG 719, PH 415
- I’d Rather Have Jesus (OG) George Beverly Shea AAHH 392
EUCHARIST
- I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light (OE) HOUSTON GTG 377
- Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts (E) QUEBEC, JESU DULCIS MEMORIA GTG 494, PH 510, 511
- Eat This Bread (G) BERTHIER GTG 527
- More Precious Than Silver (G) Lynn DeShazo CCLI #11335
SENDING
- Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory (O) BATTLE HYMN GTG 354
- Jesus, Light of Joy (E) LAUDA ANIMA GTG 673
- Soon and Very Soon (E) SOON AND VERY SOON GTG 384
- O Come, Great God of Darkness and Light (G) VENI EMMANUEL Sing No Empty Alleluias, Chris Shelton, GIA
Psalms and Canticles
Psalm 123
Metrical
- To You, O Lord, We Lift Our Eyes [CANNONS]; GTG 788
- Up to You I Lift My Eyes [THE CALL]; PAS 123B, LUYH 421
Responsorial
- Our Eyes Rest on You; PAS 123A
- Lord, I Call to You; PSA 127
Psalm 90:1–8 (9–11), 12
Metrical
- Wildflowers Bloom and Fade [INCARNATION]; PAS 90D, LUYH 403
- Our (O) God, Our Help in Ages Past [ST. ANNE]; GTG 687, PH 210, PAS 90B, LUYH 405, SSS 41
- God Everlasting, at Your Word [ST. MAGNUS]; PAS 90A
Responsorial
- Teach Us to Know the Shortness of Our Days; PAS 90C, PSA 84
- May the Gracious Care; PAS 90E, PND 26
- In Every Age, O Lord, You Have Been Our Refuge (Gelineau); PSA 83
Organ Music
- “Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation,” WESTMINSTER ABBEY, Augsburg Organ Library: November, Richard Proulx, AF (M)
- “I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light,” HOUSTON, A Walter Pelz Organ Anthology, Walter Pelz, AF (E)
- “Praise the Lord! Ye Heavens Adore Him,” HYFRYDOL, I Sing the Mighty Power of God, Jerry Westenkuehler, Warner Bros. Publications (E)
- “Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ,” LINSTEAD, Augsburg Organ Library: Summer, Mark Sedio, AF (M)
Anthems for Adult Choirs
- “I Will Lift Mine Eyes,” Howard Helvey, MSM, SATB, keybd (MA)
- “Kyrie,” from Mass in G, D. 167, Franz Schubert, ed. Ehret, HAL, SATB, sop, keybd (MA)
- “Kyrie,” from Mass: A Celebration of Love and Joy, André Thomas, HMP, SATB div, pno (MA)
- “Psalm 90,” Julian Wachner, ECS, SATTBB (MA)
- “Lord, Thou Hast Been Our Dwelling Place,” Carl Schalk, MSM, SATB, org (M)
- “How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place,” Daniel Kallman, MSM, SAB or SATB, pno (ME)
- “True Light,” Keith Hampton, Earthsongs, SATB, pno (M)
Handbell Music
- “Gather Us In,” Philip L. Roberts, 3–5 oct, opt C inst, GIA, G-6704, Level 3+
- “Fantasy on Beach Spring,” Michael Mazzatenta, 3–5 oct, AGEHR, AG35352, Level 3
- “I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light,” Sondra Tucker, 3–5 oct, AF, 11-11024, Level 3
Art
- Prophetess Deborah, Betty Moller, sculpture (VDL)
- Deborah: Support in the Valley, Chris Stoffel Overvoorde (EYE)
- Parable of the Talents, Annette Gandy Fortt, print (VDL)
- Entrusted Talents, Paulamaria Walter, sculpture, Strassdorf, Germany, 1963 (VDL)
- He Hid His Lord’s Money, stained glass, Corfe Castle, UK, c. 1860 (VDL)
