Sundays at All Hallows (October 19, 2025)
In the mid-1980s two women, now gone to be with the Lord, invited me to join their prayer group. I accepted their invitation. Participating in their prayer group would transform my prayer life. Looking back to that time I believe that God prompted them to invite me, and God prompted me to accept their invitation. God works in our lives that way.
The topic of this Sunday’s message is prayer.
GATHER IN GOD’S NAME
Open this link in a new tab to hear Mark Hayes’ arrangement of Twila Paris’ HOW BEAUTIFUL for solo piano.
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 this link in a new tab to hear Lloyd Larson’s choral arrangement of “O Come and Sing unto the Lord” (Palm 95) from The Palter 1912.
O come and sing unto the Lord,
to God our voices raise;
Let us in our most joyful song
the Lord our savior, praise!
Before God's presence let us
come with praise and thankful voice;
Let us sing psalms to God with grace,
with grateful hearts rejoice.
O come, and bowing down to God,
our worship let us bring;
Come, let us kneel before the Lord,
our Maker and our King.
The Lord our God is King of kings,
above all gods enthroned;
the depths of earth and mountains
high by God alone are owned.
To God the spacious sea belongs;
God made its waves and tides.
And by God's hand the rising land
was formed, and still abides.
O come, and bowing down to God,
our worship let us bring;
Come, let us kneel before the Lord,
our Maker and our King,
our Maker and our King, our King.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Marty Haugen’s adaptation of Psalm 121, “Pilgrim’s Song.”
I lift my eyes to the mountains,
from where shall come my help?
My help shall come from the One
who made the heavens and the earth,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
1 God will not let your foot be moved.
God, who keeps you will not slumber.
The One who keeps Israel
never slumbers, never sleeps.
I lift my eyes to the mountains,
from where shall come my help?
My help shall come from the One
who made the heavens and the earth,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
2 God will be the one who keeps you,
as a shade at your right hand,
so the sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon in the night.
I lift my eyes to the mountains,
from where shall come my help?
My help shall come from the One
who made the heavens and the earth,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3. God will keep you from all evil.
God will always guard your life,
guard your comings, and your goings,
from now and evermore.
I lift my eyes to the mountains,
from where shall come my help?
My help shall come from the One
who made the heavens and the earth,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
Silence
God, our Saviour, you sent Jesus into the world of sin, and
delivered him up to death for us: kindle in our hearts the
same love with which he loved his own to the end; who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, on God, now and
for ever. Amen.
THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD
A reading from the Book of Genesis.
Genesis 32: 22-31
Jacob got up during the night, took his two wives, his two women servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed the Jabbok River’s shallow water. He took them and everything that belonged to him, and he helped them cross the river. But Jacob stayed apart by himself, and a man wrestled with him until dawn broke. When the man saw that he couldn’t defeat Jacob, he grabbed Jacob’s thigh and tore a muscle in Jacob’s thigh as he wrestled with him. The man said, “Let me go because the dawn is breaking.”
But Jacob said, “I won’t let you go until you bless me.”
He said to Jacob, “What’s your name?” and he said, “Jacob.” Then he said, “Your name won’t be Jacob any longer, but Israel, because you struggled with God and with men and won.”
Jacob also asked and said, “Tell me your name.”
But he said, “Why do you ask for my name?” and he blessed Jacob there. Jacob named the place Peniel, “because I’ve seen God face-to-face, and my life has been saved.” The sun rose as Jacob passed Penuel, limping because of his thigh.
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 Second Letter to Timothy.
2 Timothy 3: 14 - 4: 5
But you must continue with the things you have learned and found convincing. You know who taught you. Since childhood you have known the holy scriptures that help you to be wise in a way that leads to salvation through faith that is in Christ Jesus. Every scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing mistakes, for correcting, and for training character, so that the person who belongs to God can be equipped to do everything that is good.
I’m giving you this commission in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is coming to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearance and his kingdom. Preach the word. Be ready to do it whether it is convenient or inconvenient. Correct, confront, and encourage with patience and instruction. There will come a time when people will not tolerate sound teaching. They will collect teachers who say what they want to hear because they are self-centered. They will turn their back on the truth and turn to myths. But you must keep control of yourself in all circumstances. Endure suffering, do the work of a preacher of the good news, and carry out your service fully.
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 18: 1-8
Jesus was telling them a parable about their need to pray continuously and not to be discouraged. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him, asking, ‘Give me justice in this case against my adversary.’ For a while he refused but finally said to himself, I don’t fear God or respect people, but I will give this widow justice because she keeps bothering me. Otherwise, there will be no end to her coming here and embarrassing me.” The Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. Won’t God provide justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he be slow to help them? I tell you, he will give them justice quickly. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faithfulness on earth?”
Silence
Simply Prayer
In this Sunday’s Old Testament reading Jacob wrestles with God and come away with a limp and a blessing. In our lifetime we may experience times in which we wrestle with God like Jacob but in prayer. We may come away from these times with a blessing as did Jacob. It may not be the answer to our prayers for which we were hoping, and we may not realize it at the time that we have received a blessing, but God will have blessed us. This may not be evident to us until later on.
As our lives unfold and we look back, we may conclude how God chose to answer our prayers was for our own good or for the good of those for whom we were praying.
Unlike us, God is not confined to a particular time or place. God is present in our past and in our future as well as in our here and now. They are all one to God. God sees what we cannot see. Nothing is hidden from God. God knows our every thought and desire. God knows the choices that we face. God knows our darkest secrets, even those things we hide from ourselves.
Jesús not only taught that God was unchanging in his goodwill and favour toward humankind but also demonstrated what Scripture describes as God’s merciful kindness, God’s steadfast love. He pointed to the attention of his disciples in Luke 11:1-13, that if they who were far less than perfect were generous to their children and gave their children the good things they asked for, how much more generous would God who is perfect be in giving them the good things they ask for.
As in this Sunday’s Gospel reading Jesus tells the disciples a parable about their need to keep praying and not to lose heart. He tells them a parable about a man who bangs on his neighbor’s door late at night, begging for bread to feed an unexpected guest who had arrived at his home. His persistent banging and pleading eventually produce the desired results. The neighbor gets out of bed, unbolts the door, and gives him the bread he needs.
God is present and active in the world and in human lives. God cares about humankind. God is not off somewhere distant, playing a round of golf on a celestial golf course, indifferent or oblivious to human affairs. While we may not always be able to discern where God is present and how God is active due to our human limitation, God is present and active, nonetheless.
I would suggest that where genuine concern and caring for others’ wellbeing in evident, God is present and active, working in human hearts. In a married couple, an ex-Marine and his wife, who travel to different parts of the United States to help families rebuild their lives after a natural disaster. In a congregation that is sharing its sanctuary with a congregation of a different denomination, whose own sanctuary was badly damaged in a flood. In the suggestion of the youth representative on a church’s mission committee to use its surplus funds to help support the local Meal on Wheels program for the elderly and disabled. In a church that provides help to the homeless in obtaining medical care and finding a job, as well as hot meals, showers, and a place to sleep. In the churches in Alaska contributing to the relief and recovery efforts in those communities affected by heavy rain and flooding, in which their denomination has no churches of its own. In our own personal acts of kindness, forgiveness, and compassion. And in our prayers.
No prayer goes unanswered. While we may not receive the answer that we hope for, we will receive an answer. It may be ‘yes,’ ‘no,’ or ‘wait.’
Among the reasons God may tell us ‘no’ or wait’ is that what we are asking for is not something that will be good for us. We may think that it will be, but God can see what we cannot see. What we are asking may not align with God’s will. We may be asking for something that does not honor or respect God. What God does is give us opportunities to rethink what we are asking, opportunities to align our will with God’ opportunities. God may have better things in store for us.
Asking, interceding for others or petitioning for ourselves, is only one facet of prayer. Prayer is also listening to God. It is sharing our life with God—our joys and sorrows, our hopes and fears. We cannot have a relationship with God apart from prayer any more than we can have a relationship with someone with whom we have no communication at all.
Prayer is a means of grace too. It is one of the ways that God gives life and strength to our faith and makes it firm.
In enabling us to pray God shows his love for us and in praying we show our love for God and our love for others. We also show that we are followers of Jesus. While it is not the only way that we show that we are his disciples, I don’t believe that Jesus would have encouraged prayer as he did both in his teaching and by his example if he himself did not believe that it was very important. Jesus said that his disciples would be known by their love for one another and praying for each other is one way to show that love.
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.
Lord, give your people grace to withstand the temptations of the
world, the flesh, and the devil, and with pure hearts and minds
to follow you the only God; 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 Dan Forest’s arrangement of Eileen Berry’s “God of the Deep” for SATB voices and piano.
1 Each time I stand and wonder at the vastness of the sea,
I know that there are mysteries too great and deep for me.
The wide expanse of water reaches far beyond my sight,
And yet I know the One to whom its depths are full of light.
The wide expanse of water reaches far beyond my sight,
And yet I know the One to whom its depths are full of light.
2 The mighty waves roll in to shore and break upon the sand,
Compelled by unseen forces that I cannot understand.
The currents run beneath the waves in perfect, charted paths;
A skillful hand directs their courses, as it ever has.
The wide expanse of water reaches far beyond my sight,
And yet I know the One to whom its depths are full of light.
3 The ocean teems with living things who never see the sun,
And yet there is an eye who sees and knows them, every one;
And that same eye has fathomed all the myst’ries of my days;
When tears have dimmed my sight, a heart of Love still charts my ways.
4 When simple explanations lie too deep for me to find,
I rest in God who holds the whole creation in His mind.
I hope in Him whose skill and wisdom far exceed my own.
The secrets of the hidden depths belong to God alone.
I hope in Him whose skill and wisdom far exceed my own.
The secrets of the hidden depths belong to God alone.
[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 honour 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 Lee Fisher’s choral benediction, “Go in Peace, Go in Love.”
Go in peace, go in love,
May the Lord be at your side.
Go in peace, go in love,
May he ever be your guide.
May his grace overflow
And his blessing be upon you.
Go in peace, go in love,
Now and evermore.
Go in peace, go in love,
May the Lord be at your side.
Go in peace, go in love,
May he ever be your guide.
May his grace overflow
And his blessing be upon you.
Go in peace, go in love,
Now and evermore,
Amen, Amen, Amen,
Amen, Amen, Amen.
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
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