Sundays at All Hallows (September 28, 2025)

Welcome to Sunday at All Hallows.

In the Western Church the hymn “Glory to God,” or Gloria in excelsis, was a fixed element in the cathedral, or popular, daily office of Lauds, an early form of Morning Prayer, as was the canticle, “The Song of the Three Young Men, or Benedicite Domine laudemus, also known as ”The Song of Creation,” and “All You Work of God Bless the Lord,” and the last three psalms of the Book of Palms, Psalm 148-150. The chief purpose of Lauds was to begin the day with an offering of thanks and praise to God.

The daily office of Lauds also contained capitellum, a selection of verses from the Psalms, that served as prayers of intercession and petition. The capitellum survive in Morning Prayer in the Suffrages.

When the bishop was present, the service concluded with the bishop laying hands on the members of the congregation and blessing them individually. When congregation grew too large for the bishop to bless congregants individually, bishops adopted the practice of extending their hands, palm outward, over the congregation and blessing the congregation as a group. When the bishop was absent, the service was concluded with the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer.

Praise is a key element of Morning Prayer. It begins with the Invitatory Psalm and the variable Psalm or Psalms, continues with the canticles after the lessons and the hymn or anthem after the third collect, and concludes with the final versicle and response, “Let us praise the Lord….”

In this Sunday’s message we unpack 1 Timothy 6: 6-19 with particular attention to what Paul wrote about money and the things that really matter.

GATHER IN GOD’S NAME

Open this link in a new tab to hear Claude Goudimel’s SUS, MON ÂME, QU’ON BENIE [GENEVAN 146]

Silence

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in
spirit and truth. John 4:24

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth
is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God is faithful and
just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:8-9

So let us draw near to God with sincerity and confidence, and humbly confess our sins.

Silence

Almighty and most merciful Father,
we have strayed from your ways like lost sheep.
We have followed too much
the devices and the desires of our own hearts.
we have offended against your holy laws,
we have left undone what we ought to have done,
and we have done what we ought not to have done.
Yet, good Lord, have mercy on us;
restore those who are penitent,
according to your promises declared
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Grant, most merciful Father, for his sake,
that we may live a godly, righteous, and sober lives,
to the glory of your holy name. Amen.

Merciful Lord, grant to your faithful people pardon
and peace, that they may be cleansed from all their
sins, and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.

Open our lips, O Lord;
And we shall declare your praise.
O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory to God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen.
Let us praise the Lord.
The Lord’s name be praised.

Open a link in a new tab to hear Dale A. Witte’s arrangement of the Venite, “Come, O Come, Let Us Sing to the Lord Our Savior!”

Come, O come, let us sing to the Lord our Savior!
Come, O come, let us sing to the Lord!

1 Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving.
Let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise.

Come, O come, let us sing to the Lord our Savior!
Come, O come, let us sing to the Lord!

2 For the Lord is a great God and great King above all gods.
The deep places of the earth are in his hands.
The heights of the hills are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it,
and his and formed the dry land.

Come, O come, let us sing to the Lord our Savior!
Come, O come, let us sing to the Lord!

3 Oh, come let us worship and bow down;
let us kneel before our Maker.
For he is our God, and we are his people,
the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.

Come, O come, let us sing to the Lord our Savior!
Come, O come, let us sing to the Lord!

Open this link in a new tab to hear Michael’s Joncas’ setting of Psalm 146, “I Will Praise the Lord.”

I will praise the Lord all my days,
make music to my God while I live,
make music to my God while I live.

1 Put no trust in the powerful,
mere mortals in whom there is no help.
Take their breath, they return to clay,
and their plans that day come to nothing.
They are happy who are helped by Jacob’s God,
whose hope is in the Lord their God,
who alone made heaven and earth,
the seas and all they contain.

I will praise the Lord all my days,
make music to my God while I live,
make music to my God while I live.

2 It is the Lord who keeps faith for ever,
who is just to the oppressed.
It is God who gives bread to the hungry,
the Lord, who sets the prisoners free.
It is the Lord who gives sight to the blind,
who raises up those who are bowed down,
the Lord who protects the stranger,
and upholds the widow and the orphan.

I will praise the Lord all my days,
make music to my God while I live,
make music to my God while I live.

3 It is the Lord who loves the just
but thwarts the path of the wicked.
The Lord will reign for ever,
Zion’s God from age to age.

I will praise the Lord all my days,
make music to my God while I live,
make music to my God while I live.

Open this link in a new tab to hear Omer Westendorf’s setting of Psalm 150, “Praise God in His Holy Dwelling.”

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

1 Praise God in his holy dwelling.
Praise him on his mighty throne
Praise him for his wonderful deeds
Praise him for his sovereign majesty!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

2 Praise him with the blast of trumpet;
Praise him now with lyre and harp;
Praise him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise him with the sound of string and reed.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Praise him with resounding cymbals;
With cymbals that crash give praise;
O let ev’rything that has breath,
Let all living creatures praise the Lord.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Praise God, the almighty Father;
Praise Christ, his beloved Son;
Give praise to the Spirit of love;
Forever the triune God be praised.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD

A reading from the Book of Amos.
Amos 6: 1a, 4-7

How terrible it will be for you that have such an easy life in Zion and for you that feel safe in Samaria—you great leaders of this great nation Israel, you to whom the people go for help!

How terrible it will be for you that stretch out on your luxurious couches, feasting on veal and lamb! You like to compose songs, as David did, and play them on harps. You drink wine by the bowlful and use the finest perfumes, but you do not mourn over the ruin of Israel. So you will be the first to go into exile. Your feasts and banquets will come to an end.

Silence

Open this link in a new tab to hear Kenneth Jennings’ choral arrangement of “All You Works of the Lord.”

1 All you works of the Lord, bless the Lord:
praise God and magnify God forever.

2 You angels of the Lord, bless the
Lord;
You heavens, bless the Lord;
all you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord;
praise God and magnify God forever.

3 You sun and moon, bless the Lord;
you stars of heaven, bless the Lord;
all you showers and dew, bless the Lord:
praise God and magnify God forever.

4 All you winds of God, bless the Lord;
you fire and heat, bless the Lord;
you winter and summer, bless the Lord:
praise God and magnify God forever.

5 You dews and frost, bless the Lord;
you frost and cold, bless the Lord;
you ice and snow, bless the Lord:
praise God and magnify God forever.

6 You nights and days, bless the Lord;
you light and darkness, bless the Lord;
you lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord:
praise God and magnify God forever,
praise God and magnify God forever,
praise God and magnify God forever,
praise God and magnify God forever.
Bless the Lord.

7 All the earth, bless the Lord;
you mountains and hills, bless the Lord;
all you green things that grow on the earth, bless the Lord:
praise God and magnify God forever

8 You wells and springs, bless the Lord;
you rivers and seas, bless the Lord;
you whales and all who move in the waters, bless the Lord:
praise God and magnify God forever.

9 All you birds of the air, bless the Lord;
all you beasts and cattle, bless the Lord;
all you children of mortals, bless the Lord:
praise God and magnify God forever.

10 You people of God, bless the Lord;
you priests of the Lord, bless the Lord;
you servants of the Lord, bless the Lord:
praise God and magnify God forever.

11 You spirits and souls of the righteous,
you pure and humble of heart, bless the Lord;
let us bless the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit:
praise God and magnify God forever. Amen

A reading from Paul’s First Letter to Timothy.
1 Timothy 6: 6-19

Well, religion does make us very rich, if we are satisfied with what we have. What did we bring into the world? Nothing! What can we take out of the world? Nothing! So then, if we have food and clothes, that should be enough for us. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and are caught in the trap of many foolish and harmful desires, which pull them down to ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a source of all kinds of evil. Some have been so eager to have it that they have wandered away from the faith and have broken their hearts with many sorrows.

But you, man of God, avoid all these things. Strive for righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. Run your best in the race of faith, and win eternal life for yourself; for it was to this life that God called you when you firmly professed your faith before many witnesses. Before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who firmly professed his faith before Pontius Pilate, I command you to obey your orders and keep them faithfully until the Day when our Lord Jesus Christ will appear. His appearing will be brought about at the right time by God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He alone is immortal; he lives in the light that no one can approach. No one has ever seen him; no one can ever see him. To him be honor and eternal power! Amen.

Command those who are rich in the things of this life not to be proud, but to place their hope, not in such an uncertain thing as riches, but in God, who generously gives us everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share with others. In this way they will store up for themselves a treasure which will be a solid foundation for the future. And then they will be able to win the life which is true life.

Silence

Open this link in a new tab to hear “Glory to God” from Marty Haugen’s Beneath the Tree of Life Mass.

Glory to God, glory to God, glory to God in the highest,
and peace to God’s people, peace to God’s people,
peace to God’s people on earth.

1 Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.

Glory to God, glory to God, glory to God in the highest,
and peace to God’s people, peace to God’s people,
peace to God’s people on earth.

2 Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.

Glory to God, glory to God, glory to God in the highest,
and peace to God’s people, peace to God’s people,
peace to God’s people on earth.

3 For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father,
Amen.

Glory to God, glory to God, glory to God in the highest,
and peace to God’s people, peace to God’s people,
peace to God’s people on earth.

A reading from the Gospel according to Luke.
Luke 16: 19-31

“There was once a rich man who dressed in the most expensive clothes and lived in great luxury every day. There was also a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who used to be brought to the rich man's door, hoping to eat the bits of food that fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the feast in heaven. The rich man died and was buried, and in Hades, where he was in great pain, he looked up and saw Abraham, far away, with Lazarus at his side. So he called out, ‘Father Abraham! Take pity on me, and send Lazarus to dip his finger in some water and cool off my tongue, because I am in great pain in this fire!’ But Abraham said, ‘Remember, my son, that in your lifetime you were given all the good things, while Lazarus got all the bad things. But now he is enjoying himself here, while you are in pain. Besides all that, there is a deep pit lying between us, so that those who want to cross over from here to you cannot do so, nor can anyone cross over to us from where you are.’ The rich man said, ‘Then I beg you, father Abraham, send Lazarus to my father's house, where I have five brothers. Let him go and warn them so that they, at least, will not come to this place of pain.’ Abraham said, ‘Your brothers have Moses and the prophets to warn them; your brothers should listen to what they say.’ The rich man answered, ‘That is not enough, father Abraham! But if someone were to rise from death and go to them, then they would turn from their sins.’ But Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone were to rise from death.’”

Silence

Paul, Money, and the Things That Really Matter

Search the Bible and you will find very little if anything good said about the pursuit of wealth, power, and influence. What you will find is frequent condemnation of the rich and the powerful for their neglect and mistreatment of the poor and the needy, widows and orphans, and of their lavish, self-indulgent lifestyle. This Sunday’ Old Testament reading is an example in its condemnation of the leaders of the northern kingdom of Israel.

Over and over again the Bible warns that if they do not change their ways, the rich and the powerful will meet with a bad end, as did the rich man in the parable in this Sunday’s Gospel reading. He gave no heed to these warnings and ignored poor, starving Lazarus lying at his door. Even the dogs showed Lazarus more compassion than he did: They licked Lazarus’ sores.

In this Sunday’s Epistle reading the apostle Paul warns his young protégé Timothy against the love of money, an obsession that is the source of all kinds of evil and which can cause him to abandon the faith. He urges Timothy to avoid these evils and to strive for righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.

By “righteousness” Paul is not suggesting that we can put ourselves right with God by our own efforts. He is talking about the transformation of our character in which we become more like Jesus, and which occurs after we are born again, awakened to new life by the Holy Spirit. This transformation is a work of the Holy Spirit, with which we cooperate, enabled by the Holy Spirit.

By “godliness” Paul is referring to ““a proper response to the things of God, which produces obedience and righteous living.” We pursue godliness when we follow the example of Jesus, seeking to please God in all things, and to glorify God in all that we say and do.

By “faith” Paul means the full trust and confidence we put in Jesus as our Savior, Lord, Teacher, and Friend, in his person, in the salvation that he wrought by his suffering and death on the cross and his resurrection to new life, and in his teaching and example.

By “love” Paul is not talking about sexual attraction to someone else nor is he talking about feelings of affection we may feel toward family members, relations, and friends or in a romantic relationship. He is talking about Christian love, agape, the compassion, the concern and the caring that Christians exhibit toward others and which motivates them to seek the wellbeing of others, not just their spiritual wellbeing but also their physical, emotional, and psychological wellbeing, the wellbeing of their whole person.

By “endurance” Paul means the ability to persevere even in the face of adversity, to “carry on” as the British did in World War II despite the air raids, food shortages, deaths of loved ones, and the threat of invasion.

By “gentleness” Paul is talking about being humble and not prideful, lenient and not harsh and unrelenting, kind and not cruel, forgiving and not grudge-bearing and vengeful. Being gentle, as was Jesus, is not a sign of weakness but is evidence of self-mastery. Jesus was not given to sudden and unexpected changes of mood or behavior. He did not fly into fits of rage at the slightest provocation. Nor did he do things or decide them on sudden impulse, based upon the whim or fancy of the moment.

Paul also offers Timothy guidance on how to instruct “those who are rich in the things of this life.” He is to instruct them not to have an excessively high opinion of themselves or their wealth but to place their hope in God and “to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share with others.”

Here's your homework for the week. Take some time this week to assess your life to see what you are already doing along the lines of what Paul was counseling Timothy, where the Holy Spirit is working in your life. Begin with prayer for the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Include in your self-assessment what you are doing to follow the instructions for those rich in the things of this life Paul gave to Timothy. In what particular areas are you experiencing the prompting of the Holy Spirit. How might you build upon what you are already doing? What obstacles do you face? What are you going to do about them? Here again ask the Holy Spirit for guidance.

This kind of self-assessment is a good habit to get into. It helps us to recognize where the Holy Spirit is already working in our lives and enables us to join with the Holy Spirit in what Holy Spirit is doing.

Silence

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator 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, died, and was 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 will 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.

THE MINISTRY OF PRAYER

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

Let us pray.

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

Lord, show us your mercy,
and grant us your salvation.
Keep our nation under your care,
and guide us in justice and truth.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness,
and make your chosen people joyful.
Lord, save your people,
and bless your inheritance.
Give peace in our time, O Lord,
for you are our help and strength.
Create in us dean hearts, O God,
and renew us by your Holy Spirit.

Keep your Church, Lord God, with your continual mercy, 

and because human frailty without you cannot but fall, 

keep us always under your protection, 

and lead us to everything that makes for our salvation; 

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O God, the author and lover of peace, in knowledge of whom
stands our eternal life, whose service is perfect freedom;
defend us your servants in all assaults of our enemies,
that, surely trusting in your defense, we may not fear the power
of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.

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 your Son our Lord. Amen.

Open this link in a new tab to hear Judith Weir’s choral arrangement of George Herbert’s poem, “Love Bade Me Welcome.”

LOVE bade me welcome; yet my soul drew back,
Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning
If I lack’d anything.

‘A guest,’ I answer’d, ‘worthy to be here:’
Love said, ‘You shall be he.’
‘I, the unkind, ungrateful? Ah, my dear,
I cannot look on Thee.’
Love took my hand and smiling did reply,
‘Who made the eyes but I?’

‘Truth, Lord; but I have marr’d them: let my shame
Go where it doth deserve.’
‘And know you not,’ says Love, ‘Who bore the blame?’
‘My dear, then I will serve.’
‘You must sit down,’ says Love, ‘and taste my meat.’
So I did sit and eat.

[Let us pray for the Church]

Almighty and eternal God, you alone work great marvels:
send down your life-giving Spirit of grace on our bishops and other clergy, and on the congregations which they serve; and, in order that they may truly please you, pour upon them the continual dew of your blessing. Grant this, Lord, for the honour of our advocate and mediator, Jesus Christ. Amen.

[Let us pray for all people according to their needs]

God of providence, God of love,
we pray for all people: make your way known to them, your saving power
among all nations.
We pray for the welfare of your Church throughout the world: guide and
govern it by your Holy Spirit, that all who call themselves Christians
may be led in the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit,
in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life.
We commend to your fatherly goodness all who are afflicted or distressed
in mind, body, or circumstances (especially…). Relieve them according to their needs, giving them patience in their sufferings, and deliverance in their afflictions. This we ask for the sake of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

[Let us pray for ourselves and others.]

Silence

Those present may offer their own prayers and thanksgivings, either silently or aloud.

Eternal God,
grant to us this day and every day
such readiness and delight in following Christ,
that whether our lives are short or long
we shall have lived abundantly.
Amen.

[Let us give thanks to God for his goodness.]

Almighty God and merciful Father,
we give you heart-felt thanks
for all your goodness and loving kindness to us
and to all people.
We bless you for our creation and preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for your immeasurable love
in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ;
for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.
And, we pray, give us such a sense of all your mercies,
that our hearts may be truly thankful,
and that we praise you,
not only with our lips but in our lives,
serving you in holiness and righteousness all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory, now and for ever. 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.

Open this link in a new tab to hear Christy Nockels’ “By Our Love.”

Verse 1
Brothers, let us come together
Walking in the Spirit, there's much to be done
We will come reaching, out from our comforts
And they will know us by our love

Verse 2
Sisters, we were made for kindness
We can pierce the darkness as He shines through us
We will come reaching, with a song of healing
And they will know us by our love

Chorus
The time is now
Come Church arise
Love with His hands
See with His eyes
Bind it around you,
Let it never leave you,
And they will know us by our love

Verse 3
Children, You are hope for justice,
Stand firm in the Truth now, set your hearts above
You will be reaching, long after we're gone,
And they will know you by your love

Chorus
The time is now
Come Church arise
Love with His hands
See with His eyes
Bind it around you,
Let it never leave you,
And they will know us by our love

The time is now
Come Church arise
Love with His hands
See with His eyes
Bind it around you,
Let it never leave you,
And they will know us by our love

THE SENDING FORTH OF GOD’S PEOPLE

The Lord be with you.
And also with you
Let us praise the Lord.
Thanks be to God.



The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.

2 Corinthians 13:14