Sundays at All Hallows (Sunday, September 17, 2023)
Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows.
In J. K. Rowling's fantasy novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the "deathly hallows" are three powerful magical objects. But "hallow" also has other meaning from the one used in Rowling's novel. We find it used in the Lord's Prayer, "...hallowed be thy name...," we pray, "... holy is your name."
In "All Hallows," "hallow" is an old English way of saying "saint" or "holy one," and refers to those who in the words of the apostle Peter have been called out of darkness into God's marvelous light to proclaim God's goodness. In other words, all who are followers of Jesus Christ.
We celebrate Halloween, the eve of the feast of All Hallows, or Hallowmas, on October 31st and the Feast of All Hallows on November 1st every year.
WE GATHER IN GOD’S NAME
Open this link in a new tab to hear Timothy Dudley-Smith’s paraphrase of Psalm 19, “The Stars Declare His Glory.”
1 The stars declare his glory;
the vault of heaven springs
mute witness of the Master's hand
in all created things,
and through the silences of space
their soundless music sings.
2 The dawn returns in splendour,
the heavens burn and blaze,
the rising sun renews the race
that measures all our days,
and writes in fire across the skies
God's majesty and praise.
3 So shine the Lord's commandments
to make the simple wise;
more sweet than honey to the taste,
more rich than any prize,
a law of love within our hearts,
a light before our eyes.
4 So order too this life of mine,
direct it all my days;
the meditations of my heart
be innocence and praise,
my Rock, and my redeeming Lord,
in all my words and ways.
The Lord be with you.
The Lord bless you.
[Let us pray.]
O Loving Lord, be near us in this time of worship. Open our ears to hear your voice; open our eyes to behold your glory; open our hearts to receive your grace; open our lips to declare your praise; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear The Hymnal 1982 version of the Trisagion, after Alexander Archangelsky.
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
WE GATHER IN GOD’S NAME
Open this link in a new tab to hear Timothy Dudley-Smith’s paraphrase of Psalm 19, “The Stars Declare His Glory.”
1 The stars declare his glory;
the vault of heaven springs
mute witness of the Master's hand
in all created things,
and through the silences of space
their soundless music sings.
2 The dawn returns in splendour,
the heavens burn and blaze,
the rising sun renews the race
that measures all our days,
and writes in fire across the skies
God's majesty and praise.
3 So shine the Lord's commandments
to make the simple wise;
more sweet than honey to the taste,
more rich than any prize,
a law of love within our hearts,
a light before our eyes.
4 So order too this life of mine,
direct it all my days;
the meditations of my heart
be innocence and praise,
my Rock, and my redeeming Lord,
in all my words and ways.
The Lord be with you.
The Lord bless you.
[Let us pray.]
O Loving Lord, be near us in this time of worship. Open our ears to hear your voice; open our eyes to behold your glory; open our hearts to receive your grace; open our lips to declare your praise; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear The Hymnal 1982 version of the Trisagion, after Alexander Archangelsky.
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
Let us pray.
Silence
God of infinite mercy
grant that we who know your pity
may rejoice in your forgiveness
and gladly forgive others
for the sake of Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Amen.
WE HEAR GOD’S WORD
A reading from the Old Testament (Genesis 50:15–21)
But now that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers became fearful. “Now Joseph will show his anger and pay us back for all the wrong we did to him,” they said.
So they sent this message to Joseph: “Before your father died, he instructed us to say to you: ‘Please forgive your brothers for the great wrong they did to you—for their sin in treating you so cruelly.’ So we, the servants of the God of your father, beg you to forgive our sin.” When Joseph received the message, he broke down and wept. Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph. “Look, we are your slaves!” they said.
But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.
Silence
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Craig and Kristen Colson’s “The Lord Is Kind and Merciful (Psalm 103).”
The Lord is kind and merciful.
The Lord is kind and merciful.
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not his benefits.
The Lord is kind and merciful.
The Lord is kind and merciful.
2 He pardons all your iniquities,
heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
crowns you with kindness and compassion.
The Lord is kind and merciful.
The Lord is kind and merciful.
3 Merciful and gracious is the Lord,
Slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
Nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
The Lord is kind and merciful.
The Lord is kind and merciful.
4 As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.
The Lord is kind and merciful.
The Lord is kind and merciful.
A reading from the New Testament (Romans 14:1–12)
Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval.
In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable. Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God. For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves. If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead.
So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgement seat of God. For the Scriptures say,
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bend to me,
and every tongue will declare allegiance to God. ’”
Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.
Silence
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Liam Lawson’s setting of the Magna et Mirabilia, “Canticle.”
Oo_____ oo_____ oo_____ oo_____
Great and wonderful are your deed, O Lord God, the Almighty.
Just and true are your ways, O King of the ages.
1 Who shall not fear and glorify your name,
for you alone are holy?
For you alone are holy.
Great and wonderful are your deed, O Lord God, the Almighty.
Just and true are your ways, O King of the ages.
All nations shall come and worship you,
for your judgments have been revealed.
For your judgments have been revealed.
Great and wonderful are your deed, O Lord God, the Almighty.
Just and true are your ways, O King of the ages.
Oo_____ oo_____ oo_____ oo_____
The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. (Matthew 18:21–35)
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”
“No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!
“Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared with a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt.
“But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.
“But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand pounds. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.
“His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.
“When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.
“That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.”
Silence
This is the gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ
In the story that Jesus tells Peter in today’s reading from the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus’ point is quite clear: Do not expect to be forgiven yourself if you do not forgive others. Jesus’ initial response to Peter’s question, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” is ““No, not seven times, but seventy times seven!” Jesus then goes on to make clear what he means.
The rabbis of the time set a limit on the number of times that a Jew needed to forgive someone. In his response to Peter, Jesus was not increasing that limit for his followers. In rabbinic literature “seventy times seven” is a figurative way of saying an extremely great number of times without limits. To make sure Peter understood what he meant, he tells Peter the story.
When we forgive someone, we choose to let go of any anger and resentment we may feel toward that person and not to pay the person back for all the wrong that the person did to us. We do not hold what the person did or said against them. This is not the same as saying that what they did or said is right or fair or anything like that. Rather we are choosing not to stay mad at them and not to harbor a grudge against them. We choose to do what Joseph did in today’s reading from the Old Testament.
We sometimes confuse being a person who forgives others with a pushover, someone who is easily persuaded or influenced or defeated. They are not the same and it is a mistake to confuse them. When we forgive someone, we are not accommodating that person, changing ourselves or our behavior to suit that person. We are acting on an important principle that Jesus taught. In what we call the “Lord’s Prayer,” Jesus taught his followers to pray, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” He tied God’s forgiveness of the wrongs that we do to others to our forgiveness of the wrongs that others do to us. We cannot expect God to be forgiving toward us if we are not forgiving toward others.
Jesus also taught his disciples to emulate the character of God. Among the qualities of God’s character is that God is merciful. God is kind and forgiving. As Jesus drew to his disciples’ attention, we show ourselves to be God’s children when we exhibit these qualities.
In showing kindness and forgiveness to others, we honor God who has shown us mercy. We show our trust and confidence in Jesus and our love for him by following his teaching and example. We show ourselves to truly be his disciples and set a good example for others.
While believers may not always agree on what is right or wrong, what honors God or doesn’t, forgiving others is not one of these things. Of that we can be certain. We have it straight from the horse’s mouth so to speak. We have it from Jesus’ himself.
Silence
WE RESPOND
Open this link in a new to hear Rosamond Herklot’s “Forgive Our Sins as We Forgive.”
1 'Forgive our sins as we forgive,'
you taught us, Lord, to pray,
but you alone can grant us grace
to live the words we say.
2 How can your pardon reach and bless
the unforgiving heart,
that broods on wrongs and will not let
old bitterness depart?
3. In blazing light your cross reveals
the truth we dimly knew:
what trivial debts are owed to us,
how great our debt to you!
4 Lord, cleanse the depths within our souls,
and bid resentment cease;
then, bound to all in bonds of love,
our lives will spread your peace.
Let us affirm our faith in the words of the Apostles’ Creed.
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth;
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there he shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit;
the holy catholic church;
the communion of saints;
the forgiveness of sins;
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
WE PRAY FOR GOD’S WORLD
In peace, we pray to you, Lord God.
Silence
For all people in their daily life and work;
For our families, friends, and neighbors, and for those who
are alone.
For this community, the nation, and the world;
For all who work for justice, freedom, and peace.
For the just and proper use of your creation;
For the victims of hunger, fear, injustice, and oppression.
For all who are in danger, sorrow, or any kind of trouble;
For those who minister to the sick, the friendless, and the
needy.
For the peace and unity of the Church of God;
For all who proclaim the Gospel, and all who seek the Truth.
For all pastors and other ministers;
For all who serve God in his Church.
For the special needs and concerns of this congregation.
Silence
Those present may add their own petitions
Hear us, Lord;
For your mercy is great.
We thank you, Lord, for all the blessings of this life.
Silence
Those present may add their own thanksgivings
We will exalt you, O God our King;
And praise your Name for ever and ever.
We pray for all who have died, that they may have a place in
your eternal kingdom.
Silence
Those present may add their own petitions
Lord, let your loving-kindness be upon them;
Who put their trust in you.
We pray to you also for the forgiveness of our sins.
Silence
Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father;
in your compassion forgive us our sins,
known and unknown,
things done and left undone;
and so uphold us by your Spirit
that we may live and serve you in newness of life,
to the honor and glory of your Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Almighty God, you have promised to hear the petitions of
those who ask in your Son’s name: mercifully accept us who
have now made our prayers to you; and grant us those things
which we have asked in faith according to your will; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
WE GO FORTH TO SERVE
Eternal God and Father, by whose power we are created and
by whose love we are redeemed: guide and strengthen us by
your Spirit, that we may give ourselves to your service, and
live every day in love to one another and to you; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and
the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Martin Rinkart’s “Now Thank We All Our God.”
1 Now thank we all our God
with hearts and hands and voices,
who wondrous things has done,
in whom his world rejoices;
who from our mother's arms
has blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.
2 O may this bounteous God
through all our life be near us,
with ever joyful hearts
and blessed peace to cheer us;
and keep us in his grace,
and guide us when perplexed,
and free us from all ills
in this world and the next.
3 All praise and thanks to God
the Father now be given,
the Son, and him who reigns
with them in highest heaven,
the one eternal God,
whom earth and heaven adore;
for thus it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.
Those present may exchange a sign of peace.
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
Let us pray.
Silence
God of infinite mercy
grant that we who know your pity
may rejoice in your forgiveness
and gladly forgive others
for the sake of Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Amen.
WE HEAR GOD’S WORD
A reading from the Old Testament (Genesis 50:15–21)
But now that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers became fearful. “Now Joseph will show his anger and pay us back for all the wrong we did to him,” they said.
So they sent this message to Joseph: “Before your father died, he instructed us to say to you: ‘Please forgive your brothers for the great wrong they did to you—for their sin in treating you so cruelly.’ So we, the servants of the God of your father, beg you to forgive our sin.” When Joseph received the message, he broke down and wept. Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph. “Look, we are your slaves!” they said.
But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.
Silence
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Craig and Kristen Colson’s “The Lord Is Kind and Merciful (Psalm 103).”
The Lord is kind and merciful.
The Lord is kind and merciful.
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not his benefits.
The Lord is kind and merciful.
The Lord is kind and merciful.
2 He pardons all your iniquities,
heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
crowns you with kindness and compassion.
The Lord is kind and merciful.
The Lord is kind and merciful.
3 Merciful and gracious is the Lord,
Slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
Nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
The Lord is kind and merciful.
The Lord is kind and merciful.
4 As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.
The Lord is kind and merciful.
The Lord is kind and merciful.
A reading from the New Testament (Romans 14:1–12)
Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval.
In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable. Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God. For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves. If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead.
So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgement seat of God. For the Scriptures say,
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bend to me,
and every tongue will declare allegiance to God. ’”
Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.
Silence
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Liam Lawson’s setting of the Magna et Mirabilia, “Canticle.”
Oo_____ oo_____ oo_____ oo_____
Great and wonderful are your deed, O Lord God, the Almighty.
Just and true are your ways, O King of the ages.
1 Who shall not fear and glorify your name,
for you alone are holy?
For you alone are holy.
Great and wonderful are your deed, O Lord God, the Almighty.
Just and true are your ways, O King of the ages.
All nations shall come and worship you,
for your judgments have been revealed.
For your judgments have been revealed.
Great and wonderful are your deed, O Lord God, the Almighty.
Just and true are your ways, O King of the ages.
Oo_____ oo_____ oo_____ oo_____
The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. (Matthew 18:21–35)
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”
“No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!
“Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared with a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt.
“But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.
“But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand pounds. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.
“His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.
“When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.
“That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.”
Silence
This is the gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ
The Teachings of Jesus: Forgiveness
In the story that Jesus tells Peter in today’s reading from the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus’ point is quite clear: Do not expect to be forgiven yourself if you do not forgive others. Jesus’ initial response to Peter’s question, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” is ““No, not seven times, but seventy times seven!” Jesus then goes on to make clear what he means.
The rabbis of the time set a limit on the number of times that a Jew needed to forgive someone. In his response to Peter, Jesus was not increasing that limit for his followers. In rabbinic literature “seventy times seven” is a figurative way of saying an extremely great number of times without limits. To make sure Peter understood what he meant, he tells Peter the story.
When we forgive someone, we choose to let go of any anger and resentment we may feel toward that person and not to pay the person back for all the wrong that the person did to us. We do not hold what the person did or said against them. This is not the same as saying that what they did or said is right or fair or anything like that. Rather we are choosing not to stay mad at them and not to harbor a grudge against them. We choose to do what Joseph did in today’s reading from the Old Testament.
We sometimes confuse being a person who forgives others with a pushover, someone who is easily persuaded or influenced or defeated. They are not the same and it is a mistake to confuse them. When we forgive someone, we are not accommodating that person, changing ourselves or our behavior to suit that person. We are acting on an important principle that Jesus taught. In what we call the “Lord’s Prayer,” Jesus taught his followers to pray, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” He tied God’s forgiveness of the wrongs that we do to others to our forgiveness of the wrongs that others do to us. We cannot expect God to be forgiving toward us if we are not forgiving toward others.
Jesus also taught his disciples to emulate the character of God. Among the qualities of God’s character is that God is merciful. God is kind and forgiving. As Jesus drew to his disciples’ attention, we show ourselves to be God’s children when we exhibit these qualities.
In showing kindness and forgiveness to others, we honor God who has shown us mercy. We show our trust and confidence in Jesus and our love for him by following his teaching and example. We show ourselves to truly be his disciples and set a good example for others.
While believers may not always agree on what is right or wrong, what honors God or doesn’t, forgiving others is not one of these things. Of that we can be certain. We have it straight from the horse’s mouth so to speak. We have it from Jesus’ himself.
Silence
WE RESPOND
Open this link in a new to hear Rosamond Herklot’s “Forgive Our Sins as We Forgive.”
1 'Forgive our sins as we forgive,'
you taught us, Lord, to pray,
but you alone can grant us grace
to live the words we say.
2 How can your pardon reach and bless
the unforgiving heart,
that broods on wrongs and will not let
old bitterness depart?
3. In blazing light your cross reveals
the truth we dimly knew:
what trivial debts are owed to us,
how great our debt to you!
4 Lord, cleanse the depths within our souls,
and bid resentment cease;
then, bound to all in bonds of love,
our lives will spread your peace.
Let us affirm our faith in the words of the Apostles’ Creed.
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth;
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there he shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit;
the holy catholic church;
the communion of saints;
the forgiveness of sins;
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
WE PRAY FOR GOD’S WORLD
In peace, we pray to you, Lord God.
Silence
For all people in their daily life and work;
For our families, friends, and neighbors, and for those who
are alone.
For this community, the nation, and the world;
For all who work for justice, freedom, and peace.
For the just and proper use of your creation;
For the victims of hunger, fear, injustice, and oppression.
For all who are in danger, sorrow, or any kind of trouble;
For those who minister to the sick, the friendless, and the
needy.
For the peace and unity of the Church of God;
For all who proclaim the Gospel, and all who seek the Truth.
For all pastors and other ministers;
For all who serve God in his Church.
For the special needs and concerns of this congregation.
Silence
Those present may add their own petitions
Hear us, Lord;
For your mercy is great.
We thank you, Lord, for all the blessings of this life.
Silence
Those present may add their own thanksgivings
We will exalt you, O God our King;
And praise your Name for ever and ever.
We pray for all who have died, that they may have a place in
your eternal kingdom.
Silence
Those present may add their own petitions
Lord, let your loving-kindness be upon them;
Who put their trust in you.
We pray to you also for the forgiveness of our sins.
Silence
Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father;
in your compassion forgive us our sins,
known and unknown,
things done and left undone;
and so uphold us by your Spirit
that we may live and serve you in newness of life,
to the honor and glory of your Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Almighty God, you have promised to hear the petitions of
those who ask in your Son’s name: mercifully accept us who
have now made our prayers to you; and grant us those things
which we have asked in faith according to your will; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
WE GO FORTH TO SERVE
Eternal God and Father, by whose power we are created and
by whose love we are redeemed: guide and strengthen us by
your Spirit, that we may give ourselves to your service, and
live every day in love to one another and to you; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and
the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Martin Rinkart’s “Now Thank We All Our God.”
1 Now thank we all our God
with hearts and hands and voices,
who wondrous things has done,
in whom his world rejoices;
who from our mother's arms
has blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.
2 O may this bounteous God
through all our life be near us,
with ever joyful hearts
and blessed peace to cheer us;
and keep us in his grace,
and guide us when perplexed,
and free us from all ills
in this world and the next.
3 All praise and thanks to God
the Father now be given,
the Son, and him who reigns
with them in highest heaven,
the one eternal God,
whom earth and heaven adore;
for thus it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.
Those present may exchange a sign of peace.
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
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