Lectionary Readings
Semicontinuous
Esther 7:1–6, 9–10; 9:20–22
Queen Esther uses her influence to save her people from death.
Psalm 124
We have escaped from a trap; our help is in the name of the Lord.
Complementary
Numbers 11:4–6, 10–16, 24–29
Among the elders erupts a controversy over who can prophesy.
Psalm 19:7–14
Clear me from hidden faults; let my words be acceptable to you.
James 5:13–20
Pray for one another; faithful prayer brings healing and forgiveness.
Mark 9:38–50
The disciples find someone else casting out demons in Jesus’ name.
— Gathering —
Call to Worship
Gather round with prayer and praise.
Come, let us worship God.
God’s Spirit empowers us.
Come, let us worship God.
Great demands yield greater gifts.
Come, let us worship God.
Prayer of the Day
Loving God,
give us each wisdom to recognize our part
in bringing your kingdom to life here on earth.
May those in positions of power
use their influence for the benefit of all.
May those with the knowledge to heal
give freely of their gifts.
May those with imagination work to enact justice.
May we all join in telling the world
of your work among us. 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.
Let the words of our mouths
and the meditation of our hearts
be acceptable to you, O Lord,
our rock and our redeemer.
For you are our rock,
and yet we place our faith in sinking sand.
You are our redeemer,
and yet we are convinced that we must save ourselves.
You are our source of unity,
and yet we isolate ourselves in every way we can.
You are our fount of forgiveness,
and yet we fear that we will be condemned.
Forgive us, O Rock.
Forgive us, O Redeemer,
and show us what it means to forgive one another.
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
Rock and redeemer,
hear our prayer.
We pray for those who seek clarity . . .
Enlighten their eyes with your commandments.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who are weary . . .
Revive them with your perfect law.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who long for righteousness . . .
Give them reason to rejoice.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who are at fault . . .
Turn them toward your mercy.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who preach . . .
Give them words acceptable to you.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Righteous God,
in your law is perfect freedom.
Guide us in ways of justice and truth,
that we may learn your wisdom
and live in humility.
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:
By the gift of your Holy Spirit
you empower prophets in every age
to speak your word and seek your will.
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 leads us to the life you promise—
lifting us up, even when we stumble,
seasoning our lives with your grace and peace.
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.
Anoint us for the ministry of prayer,
crying out in suffering, giving thanks in joy,
and seeking the healing you alone can provide.
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
Jesus Welcomes the Children
JESUS MAFA, 1973
Additional Materials
Congregational Song
GATHERING
- Praise, My Soul, the God of Heaven (LAUDA ANIMA) GTG 619 (O)
- When the Morning Stars Together (WEISSE FLAGGEN) GTG 689 (E)
- Let All the World in Every Corner Sing (AUGUSTINE) GTG 636 (E)
- We Praise You, O God (KREMSER) GTG 612 (G)
WORD
- Breathe on Me, Breath of God (TRENTHAM) GTG 286 (O)
- Christ Is the World’s True Light (ST. JOAN) EH 542 (E)
- We Cannot Measure How You Heal (YE BANKS AND BRAES) GTG 797 (E)
- Touch the Earth Lightly (TENDERNESS) GTG 713 (G)
EUCHARIST
- God Calls You Good (Vasile) SFHO (G)
- Holy Lamb of God (YA HAMALALLAH) GTG 602 (E)
- In the Lord I’ll Be Ever Thankful (IN THE LORD I’LL BE EVER THANKFUL) GTG 654 (G)
SENDING
- Christ for the World We Sing (ITALIAN HYMN) UMH 568 (E)
- Together We Serve (SAN ANSELMO) GTG 767 (G)
- All Who Love and Serve Your City (CHARLESTOWN) GTG 351 (G)
- Amen, We Praise Your Name (AMEN SIAKUDUMISA) GTG 598 (G)
Psalms and Canticles
Psalm 124
Metrical
- Our Help Is in the Name of God [OLD 124TH] GTG 330
- All My Help Comes from the Lord [IRREGULAR] OLOF 104
Responsorial
- Praise the Lord! PP 250
- When the Storms of Life Are Raging UMH 846
Psalm 19:7–14
Metrical
- Acceptable to You [IRREGULAR] AAHH 390
- God’s Law Is Perfect and Gives Life [HALIFAX] PH 167
Responsorial
- Hear the Commandments of Life UMH 750
- The Statutes of the Lord Are Just PSA 13
Organ Music
- “When in Our Music God Is Glorified,” ENGLEBERG, The Essential Collection for the Church Organist, vol. 1, arr. Sue Mitchell Wallace, HOPE (ME)
- “His Eye Is on the Sparrow,” SPARROW, King of Kings, vol. 3, arr. Carl Haywood, GIA (M)
- “Who Trusts in God, a Strong Abode,” Three Hymn Settings for Organ, Set 1, Claude de Sermissy, arr. Paul Manz, MSM (M)
Anthems for Adult Choirs
- “The Call,” Z. Randall Stroope, MSM, SATB, keybd (M)
- “Prayer of St. Francis,” Ren. Clausen, SHAW, SATB div, pno (M)
- “The Heavens Declare,” James Brighton, CGA, uni, pno (E)
- “Hear My Prayer,” Henry Purcell, CPDL, SATB div, acap (A)
- “My Faith, My Hope,” Gwyneth Walker, MSM, SATB, org (M)
Art
- Prayer, Max Weber, 1920 (NGA)
- Halleluia-Prayer, Miriam (Marussia) Hadgadya, 1935 (NGA)
- Virginia at Prayer, Sally Mann, 1991 (NGA)
- Prayer, Albert Urban, 1945 (NGA)
