Lectionary Readings
Semicontinuous
Exodus 33:12–23
Moses watches from the cleft of a rock as God’s glory passes by.
Psalm 99
Like Moses, worship at God’s mountain; the Lord is holy.
Complementary
Isaiah 45:1–7
The Lord anoints Cyrus: I alone am God; I call you by name.
Psalm 96:1–9 (10–13)
Declare God’s glory among the nations; all other gods are idols.
1 Thessalonians 1:1–10
Paul writes to the Thessalonians: We give thanks and pray for you.
Matthew 22:15–22
The Pharisees test Jesus with a question about paying taxes.
— Gathering —
Opening Sentences
In this place,
friends and strangers meet,
the broken are mended,
and the weary welcomed.
In this moment,
the ordinary becomes miraculous,
and life is on pause.
This is God’s time.
In this sanctuary,
God’s goodness is revealed.
Our doors open with kindness.
Our lives join together.
Prayer of the Day
God of goodness,
we thank you for choosing us.
Teach us your good news,
that we might be brought to life:
every blessing we receive
and every kindness we encounter
is your Spirit whispering grace. 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:
God has chosen us,
but we frequently fail to choose
God’s will for our lives.
Let us go before God,
seeking forgiveness and peace.
God of justice and truth,
you ask us to give to you the things that are yours.
If we are honest,
we know we hold so much back.
We have promised you our obedience,
but we often fulfill our own desires first.
We have promised you our worship,
but we give our attention to idols instead.
We have promised to do your work in the world,
but we put it last on the list of priorities.
Have mercy on us and forgive us.
Increase our generosity that we might give freely,
grateful for all of the gifts you have given us.
Lifting water from the font:
The good news remains true:
God has chosen us, forgives us,
and walks beside us,
helping us become imitators of Christ.
Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! 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 steadfast in our love and service,
remembering your people in our prayers
and giving thanks to you in all things.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we pray for the earth . . .
Let the whole earth sing a new song to you:
a song of redemption, of gladness and joy;
a song of thanksgiving for your saving grace.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we pray for all nations . . .
In every place, anoint faithful leaders,
who know your name and seek your will,
who share your love of justice and peace.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we pray for this community . . .
Break down the walls that divide us;
bend the bars that imprison us in fear;
open the doors that lead to new life.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we pray for loved ones . . .
Speak healing to those who are hurting;
give courage to those who are afraid;
let your grace and peace be known to all.
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:
You are all we have, all we know, all we desire—
your goodness, glory, and grace amaze us;
you are the Lord, our God; there is no other.
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:
You give your very self to us in Jesus Christ,
your Word made flesh, the image of your glory;
through him, we give ourselves to you.
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.
By the power of your Word and Spirit,
may this good news we have received
reshape our lives and transform the world.
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
“Roman Coin of Caesar Augustus”
1st Century
Additional Materials
Congregational Song
GATHERING
-
Sing a New Song unto the Lord (Os) SING A NEW SONG GTG 276
-
Here in This Place (Oc) GATHER US IN GTG 401
-
Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty! (OcE) NICAEA GTG 1
-
God of Grace and God of Glory (G) CWM RHONDDA GTG 307
WORD
-
Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me (Os) TOPLADY GTG 438
-
Will You Come and Follow Me (Oc) KELVINGROVE GTG 726
-
A Prophet-Woman Broke a Jar (E) HOW CAN I KEEP FROM SINGING GTG 201
-
God, Whose Giving Knows No Ending (G) BEACH SPRING GTG 716
EUCHARIST
-
There Is a Place of Quiet Rest (Os) MC AFEE GTG 824
-
You Satisfy the Hungry Heart (Oc) BICENTENNIAL GTG 523
-
Lord, We Have Come at Your Own Invitation (E) O QUANTA QUALIA GTG 503
-
For the Fruit of All Creation (G) AR HYD Y NOS GTG 36
SENDING
-
Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory (Os) BATTLE HYMN GTG 354
-
God Be with You Till We Meet Again (Os) RANDOLPH GTG 541 or GOD BE WITH YOU GTG 542
-
Give Thanks, O Christian People (E) ES FLOG EIN KLEINS WALDVÖGELEIN GTG 644
-
We Give Thee but Thine Own (G) SCHUMANN GTG 708
Psalms and Canticles
Psalm 99
Metrical
- Tremble, O Tremble [TROMBLEY]; GTG 57
- The Lord Is King, Enthroned in Might [ELLACOMBE]; PAS 99A
Responsorial
- Alleluia! Holy Is the Lord; PSA 96
- Psalm 99, A Responsorial Setting; PAS 99B
Psalm 96:1–9 (10–13)
Metrical
- O Sing a New Song to the Lord [GONFALON ROYAL]; GTG 304
- Great Are You, Lord [GREAT IS THE LORD]; GTG 614
- O Sing a New Song [O SING A NEW SONG]; GTG 639
- Sing, Sing, Sing to the Lord [SING]; PAS 96D
Responsorial
- O Sing a New Song to the Lord; PSA 92
- Sing to the Lord; O Sing a New Song; PP 174
Organ Music
-
“Children of the Heavenly Father,” Augsburg Organ Library: Baptism and Holy Communion, Robert A. Hobby, AF (ME)
-
“Let Us Break Bread Together,” African-American Organ Music Anthology, Volume 5, J. Roland Braithwaite, MSM (MA)
Piano Music
-
“Prelude in G-flat Major, Op. 11, No. 13,” 24 Preludes, Op. 11, Alexander Skrjabin, HEN (M)
-
“Dance and Song, Op. 43, Nos. 1 and 2,” Album for the Young, Op. 43, Lowell Liebermann, TPR (M)
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“VII. Cantabile, molto legato,” Musica ricercata, György Ligeti, Schott (A)
Anthems for Adult Choirs
-
“Rock of Ages,” Klayton Hoefler, CGA, SATB, pno (E)
-
“God of Grace and God of Glory,” Michael D. Costello, MSM, 2 pt, org, opt brass (ME)
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“Serving God by Loving All,” Joel Raney, HOPE, SATB, pno, hb, opt fl (ME)
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“What Does the Lord Require of You?” Robert Hobby, MSM, SATB, pno, opt fl or ob (ME)
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“Cleft for Me,” Mark Hayes, LOR, SATB, pno (M)
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“Grant Us Wisdom, Grant Us Courage,” Eric Nelson, MSM, SATB div, org (MA)
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“All That Hath Life and Breath, Praise Ye the Lord!” René Clausen, HAL, SATB div, acap (MA)
Vocal Solos
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“Let Me Hide Myself in Thee,” Songs for the Journey, Craig Courtney, BP, high/medium/low (M)
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“Steal Away,” The Hall Johnson Collection, Hall Johnson, CF, medium (M)
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“Sing Ye a Joyful Song,” The Sacred Collection, Antonin Dvorak, HAL, high/low (M)
Art
-
Show Me Your Glory, Jan Richardson (JR)
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The Hand of God is My Refuge, Frank Wesley, 20th cent. (VDL)
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Christ and the Pharisees, Anthony van Dyck, 17th cent. (PD, MET)
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Christ and the Pharisees, from Das Plenarium, Hans Schäufelein, 1517 (PD, MET)
