Lectionary Readings
Semicontinuous
Proverbs 31:10–31
A poem on the virtues and gifts of a strong and capable woman.
Psalm 1
Those who delight in God’s law will prosper like trees by the water.
Complementary
Jeremiah 11:18–20
Jeremiah laments: I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter.
Psalm 54
Save me, O God, by your name; vindicate me against my enemies.
James 3:13—4:3, 7–8a
Wisdom from above is pure, peaceful, gentle; draw near to God.
Mark 9:30–37
Jesus foretells his dying and rising; then he welcomes a little child.
— Gathering —
Call to Worship
We come seeking gentleness born of wisdom.
Jesus calls us: Follow me.
But sometimes we seek righteousness
in order to be seen.
Jesus calls us: Follow me.
Jesus surprises us, welcoming the least among us.
Jesus calls us: Follow me.
Prayer of the Day
Faithful God,
you do not promise that following you will be easy,
but you teach us that your way
is one of peace, gentleness, and mercy,
of welcome for all.
Guide us by your wisdom
and inspire us to embrace this way of living,
so that we might draw near to you. 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.
You told us, O Lord, that whoever wants to be first
must be last and servant of all.
Oh, how we long to be first, O God:
to climb every ladder, frame every achievement,
get every promotion, and obtain every glory.
Oh, how we long to be first, O God,
and oh, how we dread being last.
Forgive us, O humble Christ,
and by your forgiveness, teach us.
Teach us to reframe our priorities.
Teach us to be servants first,
and to let our lives flow from a heart of faith.
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
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
Mighty God,
give ear to our words.
We pray for those whose lives are in danger . . .
Accompany them to safe places.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for nations at war . . .
Bring peace and reconciliation
where there is conflict.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who serve the most vulnerable . . .
Give them strength and perseverance.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for those in need of lifesaving medical care . . .
Put an end to unequal access to health care
and uphold the lives of those who suffer.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who are near death . . .
Welcome them into everlasting peace.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Faithful God,
we offer these prayers with thanksgiving.
Keep us in life and in death,
that we may find safety and salvation.
Through Jesus Christ our Savior. 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:
We give you thanks and praise, O God,
for you have chosen the poverty of the world
to make your people rich in faith.
Help us to put our faith into practice
through the offering of our lives—
giving food to the hungry,
clothes to the naked,
and shelter to the poor;
all for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord,
your Word made flesh. Amen.
James 2:5, 14–17
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:
What can compare with your wisdom and love?
You feed and clothe us with your mercy;
you guide and shelter us by your grace.
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 taught the habits of your holy realm—
where the first are last, the greatest are least,
and little children show the way of 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.
Give us the wisdom and understanding
to resist evil, to draw near to you,
and to honor you as Lord of our lives.
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:
God of glory, in this holy feast
you have made us one with Christ
and with that great multitude of the faithful—
those who hunger and thirst no more
and worship night and day in your temple.
Lead us in the paths of righteousness
and guide us to the springs of the water of life,
until we join the choir of the redeemed,
singing: Salvation belongs to our God
who is seated on the throne,
and to the Lamb: Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
— Sending —
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Blessing and Charge
At the doors of the church:
The blessing of the one God—
Spirit, Son, and Father—
be with you now and always. Alleluia!
Ephesians 4:4–6
Lead a life worthy of your calling,
giving glory to God in all things. Amen.
Ephesians 4:1
Praying Hands
Albrecht Durer, 1508
Additional Materials
Congregational Song
GATHERING
- For All the Faithful Women (NYLAND) GTG 324 (O)
- God of the Fertile Fields (ITALIAN HYMN) GTG 714 (E)
- Earth and All Stars! (EARTH AND ALL STARS) GTG 26 (E)
- For the Healing of the Nations (ST. THOMAS (Wade)) GTG 346 (G)
WORD
- O Dios, por nuestros padres / O Father of Creation (AURELIA) FJ 102 (O)
- When Hands Reach Out and Fingers Trace (O WALY WALY) GTG 302 (O)
- Jesus, Joy of Our Desiring (JESU, JOY OF MAN’S DESIRING) UMH 644 (E)
- Will You Let Me Be Your Servant (THE SERVANT SONG) GTG 727 (G)
EUCHARIST
- Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts (QUEBEC) GTG 494 (E)
- As We Gather at Your Table (BEACH SPRING) VU 457 (G)
- We Gather Here in Jesus’ Name (COME, SHARE THE LORD) GTG 510 (G)
SENDING
- Make Me a Channel of Your Peace (PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS) GTG 753 (E)
- When We Are Living (SOMOS DEL SEÑOR) GTG 822 (E)
- Draw the Circle Wide (DRAW THE CIRCLE) WAS 3154 (G)
Psalms and Canticles
Psalm 1
Metrical
- I Shall Not Be Moved [I SHALL NOT BE MOVED] AAHH 479
- How Happy Are the Saints of God [WAREHAM] GTG 457
Responsorial
- Happy Are Those Who Trust in the Lord PAS 1B
Psalm 54
Metrical
- O Save Me, God, and Hear My Cry [DETROIT] GTG 812
- My Soul Finds Rest in God [IRREGULAR] GWA 7
Responsorial
- Lord, You Are My Strength; Hasten to Help Me PAS 54A
- Lord, Hear My Prayer PP 104
Organ Music
- ST. DENIO, Augsburg Organ Library: Autumn, arr. David Evan Thomas, AF (M)
- “Listen to the Lambs,” Kings of Kings, vol. 4, arr. Adolphus Hailstork, GIA (E)
- “Antiphon V,” Fifteen Pieces for Organ, Marcel Dupré, HWG (MA)
- “Jesus Loves Me,” arr. Jason D. Payne, LOR (M)
Anthems for Adult Choirs
- “We Shall Not Be Moved,” arr. Adam and Matt Podd, Podd Brothers Music, SATB, pno (E)
- “I Am His Child,” Moses Hogan, AMP, SATB, pno (E)
- “Woman in the Night,” William Rowan, SEL, SATB, keybd (M)
- “Cantique de Jean Racine,” Gabriel Fauré, Broude Brothers, SATB, pno (A)
- “Jesus Loves Me,” arr. John Ferguson, AF, SATB, pno (M)
- “Lord, Make Me an Instrument,” M. Roger Holland II, GIA, SATB, pno (M)
Art
Idea: Use children’s artwork from the congregation for this day’s bulletin art.
- Lucy Higgs Tending to the Wounded, Kathy Grant, 2013 (VDL)
- Christ Teaching the Disciples, Ilyas Basim Khuri Bazzi
- Rahib, Arabic Gospel manuscript, 1684 (VDL)
- Build the Town Building Blocks, Ladislav Sutnar, 1940–43 (MoMA)
