Lectionary Readings
Semicontinuous
Exodus 32:1–14
Aaron makes a golden calf; Moses intercedes with the Lord.
Psalm 106:1–6, 19–23
We have sinned, exchanging the glory of God for graven images.
Complementary
Isaiah 25:1–9
God will make a feast for all peoples, destroying death forever.
Psalm 23
The Lord prepares a table for me in the presence of my enemies.
Philippians 4:1–9
Rejoice in the Lord; do not worry; God’s peace will be with you.
Matthew 22:1–14
The kingdom is like a banquet; many are called, few are chosen..
— Gathering —
Opening Sentences
When the path leads nowhere,
we become disoriented,
and skies darken,
how do we find peace, O God?
When farewells are too many,
tears won’t stop,
and strength is gone,
how do we rest, O God?
When hope is hard,
love is lost,
and light is dim,
you give us one more breath, O God.
Prayer of the Day
God of Peace,
grant us your breath
and draw us into stillness,
that we may come to know
that you are holding onto us,
carrying us through the whirlwind
and into the bright sun
of a magnificent new day. 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:
From ancient times to now,
God’s people have turned away.
We are no different:
we let fear take hold of us
and try to go our own way.
Let us be honest about how we have failed
to follow God.
we have not built a golden calf,
but we have worshiped idols.
We have put our trust in what we build with our own hands.
We find security in what we can hoard
instead of trusting your provision.
We listen to lies that spread hatred and division
instead of the radical truth of your word.
Forgive us.
Melt down our idols until we see only you
and fix our sight on your way alone.
God shows us a different way—
a way of truth, honor, justice, purity, and excellence.
This path is open to all of us if we reach out and accept God’s forgiveness.
Thanks be to God! We will live as God’s people,
forgiven and freed.
— 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 . . .
Fix our minds on what is honorable and true,
pure and just, pleasing and commendable—
whatever is excellent and worthy of praise.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we pray for the earth . . .
We wait for you, our only hope of salvation:
prepare a feast of plenty for all creatures;
destroy the shroud of death cast over us.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we pray for all nations . . .
Show your favor to those who love your way,
who observe justice and do what is right;
bless them with prosperity and peace.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we pray for this community . . .
Let your church be a refuge for the poor
and a sanctuary for those in distress,
to shelter them from every storm.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we pray for loved ones . . .
Remember those who mourn:
wipe away the tears of their eyes
and give them the hope of new life in you.
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 we have worshiped idols of our own design,
forgetting the one who made us and saves us,
even then, you forgive us and do not forsake us.
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 invites us to a glorious banquet,
the wedding feast of heaven and earth,
and clothes us in righteousness and grace.
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 always rejoicing in the Lord, who is near;
cast out our worry by your all-surpassing peace;
and make us more faithful, day by day, to you.
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
“Psalm 23”
Additional Materials
Congregational Song
GATHERING
- O Worship the King, All Glorious Above! (Os) LYONS GTG 41
- Our God, Our Help in Ages Past (Oc) ST. ANNE GTG 687
- Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy (G) RESTORATION GTB 415
- Rejoice, the Lord Is King! (E) DARWALL’S 148TH GTG 363
- Cast Down, O God, the Idols (Os) AURELIA OLOF 89
WORD
- Sign Us with Ashes (Os) PHOENIX GTG 433
- When the Poor Ones (Oc) EL CAMINO GTG 762
- When Peace like a River (E) VILLE DU HAVRE GTG 840
- Let Us Go Now to the Banquet (OcG) VAMOS TODOS AL BANQUETE ELW 523
- I Must Tell Jesus (E) ORWIGSBURG AAHH 375
EUCHARIST
- Come, Behold! the Feast of Heaven (OcG) LLANFAIR GTG 511
- I’m Gonna Eat at the Welcome Table (OcG) WELCOME TABLE GTG 770
- Soul, Adorn Yourself with Gladness (G) SCHMÜCKE DICH GTG 514
- The Trumpets Sound, the Angels Sing (G) THE FEAST IS READY GTG 505
- Longing for Light, We Wait in Darkness (E) CHRIST BE OUR LIGHT GTG 314
SENDING
- Your Endless Love, Your Mighty Acts (Os) ST. MAGNUS GTG 60
- I’ve Got Peace like a River (E) PEACE LIKE A RIVER GTG 623
- Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above (Oc) MIT FREUDEN ZART GTG 645
- In Christ Called to Baptize (G) ST. DENIO GTG 297
- Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart! (E) MARION GTG 804
Psalms and Canticles
Psalm 106:1–6, 19–23
Metrical
- Your Endless Love, Your Mighty Acts [ST. MAGNUS]; GTG 60
- Come and Fill Our Hearts [CONFITEMINI DOMINO]; GTG 466
Responsorial
- The Mighty God Is the God of Israel; PSA 108
Psalm 23
Metrical
- My Shepherd Will Supply My Need [RESIGNATION]; GTG 803
- Shepherd Me, O God [SHEPHERD ME]; GTG 473
- The King of Love My Shepherd Is [ST. COLUMBA]; GTG 802
- The Lord’s My Shepherd, I’ll Not Want [CRIMOND]; GTG 801
Responsorial
- If Today You Hear His Voice; LPGA 797
- The Lord Is My Shepherd; Nothing I Shall Want; LPGA 969, PRCL 54
- The Lord Is My Shepherd, There Is Nothing That I Shall Want; LPGA 800, PSA 18
- My Shepherd Is the Lord; PSA 19
- The Lord Is My Shepherd; There Is Nothing I Need; PSA 20
Organ Music
- “Forth in the Peace of Christ,” Contemplation: Gentle Music for Organ, Michael Higgins, KM (M)
- “Galilean Pastorale,” Pastoral Psalms for Organ: Eleven Settings of Psalm 23, Franklin D. Ashdown, AF (E)
- “Rejoice, O Pilgrim Throng!” MARION, Augsburg Organ Library: Summer, Flor Peeters, AF (MA)
- “Toccata,” 100 Processionals and Recessionals, Stanley Vann, KM (M)
Piano Music
- “Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum,” Children’s Corner, Claude Debussy, HEN (M)
- “Nocturne in B-flat Major,” Maria Szymanowska, IMSLP.org (M)
Anthems for Adult Choirs
- “Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart,” Robert J. Powell, PAR, 2 pt, pno (E)
- “The Lord Is My Shepherd,” Allen Pote, CGA, SATB, pno (E)
- “As We Gather at Your Table,” K. Lee Scott, AF, SAB, org (ME)
- “The Lord Is My Shepherd (Psalm 34),” Howard Goodall, Faber Music, SATB, sop solo, org (M)
- “The Lord Is My Shepherd,” Requiem, John Rutter, OUP, SATB, org, ob, opt orch (MA)
- “Rejoice in the Lord Alway,” Henry Purcell, OUP, SATB with ATB soli, org, stngs (A)
Vocal Solos
- “Psalm 23,” Gwyneth Walker, GSH, high/medium (ME)
- “Jesu, the Very Thought of Thee,” First Book of Tenor Solos, Wesley, GSH, high (ME)
- “The King of Love My Shepherd Is,” Sacred Solos for All Ages, Charles Gounod, HAL, high/low (M)
Art
- The Israelites Worship the Golden Calf, William de Brailes, 1250 (VCS)
- L’Adoration du veau (Adoration of the Calf), Francis Picabia, 1941-42 (VCS)
- The Good Shepherd, JESUS MAFA, 1973 (VDL)
- Psalm 23, John August Swanson, 2016 (VDL)
- Philippians 4:4-8, Timothy R. Botts, 2016 (EYE)
