Lectionary Readings
Semicontinuous
Job 38:1–7 (34–41)
From the whirlwind, the Lord answers Job: Who else is like God?
Psalm 104:1–9, 24, 35b
Bless the Lord: sovereign over all things, wrapped in glorious light.
Complementary
Isaiah 53:4–12
The suffering servant of God was wounded for our iniquities.
Psalm 91:9–16
The Lord says: I will deliver and protect those who love me.
Hebrews 5:1–10
The Son of God suffered willingly; now he is our great high priest.
Mark 10:35–45
Jesus came to be a servant and to give his life for others.
— Gathering —
Opening Sentences
God’s greatness is beyond our understanding, yet we proclaim . . .
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
God stretched the heavens across the sky;
let us marvel at the stars that fill it.
God raised mountains above the depths;
let us gather in wonder before them.
Prayer of the Day
No one can compare to you, O God.
Human language cannot fully describe you.
Still, you became human,
and with words we could understand
you called us to serve one another
and showed us love even to death.
Invite us once more into this mystery of our faith,
that we may all, in our own ways,
offer ourselves to one another. 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 Lord, you have taught us
that whoever wishes to become great must be a servant,
and whoever seeks to be first
must be last and servant of all.
Still, O Lord, we are like James and John,
seeking seats of glory.
We organize our lives around ladders to climb,
not realizing that we are stepping on people whom you love.
Forgive us, O Christ, and teach us to follow in your way,
for the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve,
and to give his life as a ransom for many.
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:
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
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 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 . . .
Strengthened by your Spirit, enable us to share
the baptism of Christ’s suffering and death
and the cup of his new covenant.
Let your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
We pray for the world . . .
Hear the prayers and supplications
of your people throughout the earth
who cry out to you for deliverance.
Let your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
We pray for this community . . .
Give us the spirit of humble service,
not lording power over one another,
but working together for the good of all.
Let your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
We pray for loved ones . . .
Help them to know the presence of Christ
in all their afflictions and infirmities;
out of their anguish, let them see light.
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 know the pain of the afflicted;
you hear the cries of the oppressed
and satisfy them with long life and 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 drank the cup of suffering and sorrow;
for our sake, he received the baptism of death
and gave his life as a ransom for sin.
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.
Teach us to turn to Christ, our great high priest,
who knows our weakness and waywardness
and yet prays with loud cries for our salvation.
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
Lord, that I May See
Matyas Church, Budapest, Hungary, 1970
Additional Materials
Congregational Song
GATHERING
- From All That Dwell Below the Skies (O) LASST UNS ERFREUEN GTG 327
- Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise (OE) ST. DENIO GTG 12
- O Lord My God (How Great Thou Art) (O) HOW GREAT THOU ART GTG 625
- When the Morning Stars Together (O) WEISSE FLAGGEN GTG 689
WORD
- Many and Great, O God, Are They Works (O) LACQUIPARLE GTG 21
- O God, in a Mysterious Way (O) DUNDEE GTG 30
- Nothing Can Trouble (Nada te turbe) (O) NADA TE TURBE GTG 820
- Womb of Life and Source of Being (OE) RAQUEL GTG 3
EUCHARIST
- Lord, We Have Come at Your Own Invitation (G) O QUANTA QUALIA GTG 503
- My Song Is Love Unknown (E) LOVE UNKNOWN GTG 209
- Sing, My Tongue, the Glorious Battle (OE) FORTUNATUS NEW GTG 225, PANGE LINGUA ELW 355
- What Wondrous Love Is This (OE) WONDROUS LOVE GTG 215
SENDING
- Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us with Your Love (G) CHEREPONI GTG 203
- O God, Beyond All Praising (O) THAXTED ELW 880, LUYH 557
- Will You Come and Follow Me (The Summons) (G) KELVINGROVE GTG 726
- Will You Let Me Be Your Servant (The Servant Song) THE SERVANT SONG GTG 727
Psalms and Canticles
Psalm 104:1–9, 24, 35b
Metrical
- The Mountains Stand in Awe [LEONI/YIGDAL]; PAS 104B
- We Worship You, Whose Splendor Dwarfs the Cosmos [TIDINGS]; PAS 104C (sts. 1–2, 6)
- Bless the Lord, My Soul and Being! [RUSTINGTON]; GTG 34, PH 224 (sts. 1–2, 5)
- My Soul, Praise the Lord! [HANOVER]; PAS 104E (sts. 1–3 with refrain)
- How Many and Wise [STOWEY]; PP 195 (with refrain)
Responsorial
- Praise the Lord; PSA 104
- Praise the Lord, All the Earth; CP1 9
- Lord, Send Out Your Spirit; LP 32
- Lord, Send Out Your Spirit; PAS 104G
Psalm 91:9–16
Metrical
- Within Your Shelter, Loving God [ABBEY]; GTG 168, PH 212
- Within the Shelter of the Lord [YE BANKS AND BRAES]; PAS 91B, LUYH 459
- El que habita/Those Who Dwell [ABRIGO DE DIOS]; PAS 91C, SSS 49
- All Those Who Dwell in God’s Cool Shade [CM]; SGP 131
Responsorial
- Be with Me, Lord, When I Am in Trouble; PAS 91D (pointed vv.), PFTS2 8 (through-composed vv.)
- God Is Our Refuge, God Is Our Strength; PSA 85
Organ Music
- “How Great Thou Art,” How Great Thou Art: Three Hymns for Organ, Dan Miller, MSM (ME)
- “Meditation on How Great Thou Art,” Praise to the Lord, Joyce Jones, MSM (ME)
- “O God Beyond All Praising,” When Morning Gilds the Skies, Anna Laura Page, LOR (ME)
- “Oh, Worship the King,” 3 Hymns of Praise, Robert A. Hobby, MSM (ME)
Anthems for Adult Choirs
- “Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs,” Allen Pote, HOPE, SATB, keybd (E)
- “Aint a That Good News,” arr. William L. Dawson, KJO, SATB, acap (M)
- “All That Hath Life and Breath,” René Clausen, Mark Foster Music, SATB div, acap (A)
- “Christus Paradox,” Alfred Fedak, GIA, SATB, keybd (E)
- “Praise, Praise, Praise the Lord,” arr. Ralph Johnson, Earthsongs, SATB, acap (E)
- “Denn Er hat seinen Engeln befohlen,” Felix Mendelssohn, CPDL, SATB div, acap (A)
- “The Blessed Son of God,” Carols for Choirs 1, Ralph Vaughan Williams, OUP, SATB, acap (M)
- “Greater Love Hath No Man,” John Ireland, OUP, SATB, org (A)
Handbell Music
- “Let All That Hath Breath Praise the Lord,” Brenda Austin, 3‑6 oct, GIA, G-8975, Level 4
- “Morning Stars,” Sondra Tucker, 3‑5 oct, opt hc and 2 tpts, ALF, 23162, Level 3+
- “O God, Beyond All Praising,” Linda Lamb, 2‑3 oct, opt hc, SFP, 202006SF, Level 2+
Art
- The Lord Answers Job Out of the Whirlwind, William Blake (VDL)
- Job, Timothy Botts (EYE)
- Jesus Washing Peter’s Feet, Ford Madox Brown (VDL)
