Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (October 16, 2025)
Beginning this Thursday evening we will be starting a new message series in which we take a fresh look at Jesus’ teaching and what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. The topic of this evening’s message is Jesus’ call to follow him.
GATHER IN GOD’S NAME
Open this link to hear Claude Goudimel’s arrangement of MatthiasGreiter’s O SEIGNEUR, TA FIDELITE (GENEVAN 36).
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.
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
Let us now confess our sins to almighty God.
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 Calvin Seerveld and Lee Ann Vermeulen-Roberts’s “You servants of the Lord our God (Psalm 134).”
1 You servants of the Lord our God,
who work and pray both day and night.
In God's own house, lift up your hands,
and praise the Lord with all your might.
2 Lift up your hands in holiness,
come, bless the Lord and give Him praise.
Kneel down before the Lord our God,
and worship Him in all your ways.
[Instrumental interlude]
3 The Lord God bless you from His throne,
shine down upon you with His face.
He who created heaven and earth,
redeem you with His love and grace.
Redeem you with His love and grace.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Mark Haas’ “Psalm 27: I Believe That I Shall See.”
I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord
in the land of the living.
I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord
in the land of the living.
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord
in the land of the living.
2 One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life.
I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord
in the land of the living.
3 Hear, O Lord, the sound of my call;
have pity on me, and answer me.
Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.
I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord
in the land of the living.
Silence
God, our light and our salvation,
illuminate our lives,
that we may see your goodness in the land of the living,
and, looking on your beauty,
may be changed into the likeness of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew.
Matthew 4:18-22
As Jesus walked alongside the Galilee Sea, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, throwing fishing nets into the sea, because they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” he said, “and I’ll show you how to fish for people.” Right away, they left their nets and followed him. Continuing on, he saw another set of brothers, James the son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with Zebedee their father repairing their nets. Jesus called them and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory.
Silence
When I was a boy of elementary school age, I lived on the edge of the Great Common in the village of Ilketshall Saint Andrew, in Suffolk, England. Whenever we had free time, my older brother and I roamed the common and the adjoining woods.
A common is “an area of grass that everyone is allowed to use, usually in or near a village.” Ilketshall Saint Andrew, which is near the Norfolk border, was not a compact village but consisted of a number of houses scattered around several commons. At that time, it had a village school, a smithy, and a Methodist chapel, as well as an Anglican parish church, St. Andrew’s, and a village hall.
When our mother wanted us for any reason, she walked to the front gate and blew three sharp blasts on her whistle. She would repeat this several times. She owned a British air raid warden whistle, “a chrome-plated brass whistle used by Civil Defence volunteers during WWII to signal air raids and other emergencies.” She was head teacher at the village school at Rumburgh, a village five miles from Ilketshall Saint Andrew, and she also used the whistle at the school, wearing it on a lanyard around her neck.
Whenever my older brother and I heard the whistle, we would stop whatever we were doing, and we would return home. The sound of the whistle traveled much farther than the sound of my mother’s voice, and it never failed to catch our attention in the quiet countryside.
In the Gospels Jesus calls people from all walks of life to be his disciples. In this evening’s reading Jesus calls four fishermen, the brothers Simon-Peter and Andrew, and the brothers James and John, the sons of Zebdee. They would become his first disciples. Among the others whom he called to follow him were a tax collector; a Zealot, a revolutionary; and a thief.
Although we read more about Jesus’ men disciples in the Gospels, Jesus had women disciples too. It was one of these women, Mary Magdalene, who was first to discover that the tomb in which the crucified Jesus had been buried was empty and who was the first to encounter the risen Jesus.
While Jesus no longer calls people to follow him in the way that he did back then, he still calls people to follow him, to become his disciples. Men and women. From all walks of life. He may not blow an air raid warden’ s whistle to get their attention as my mother did to get her two sons’ attention, but he does get their attention in other ways. He may speak to them through the words of a family member, a relative, a friend, a neighbor, a colleague, a teacher, a classmate, or even a stranger. He may speak to them from the pages of a book. He may speak to them in a dream.
Some Christians may remember when they first heard Jesus calling them to follow him. Others may not. He may have spoken to them when they were a small child—a soft whisper, “Come, follow me.”
Whether we remember the moment we first heard Jesus' call and how he called us does not matter. What matters is that we heeded his call. We heard the voice of our shepherd and as his sheep followed him. Like my older brother and I when we heard our mother’s whistle, we turned away from the allure of this world and set our feet upon the path that leads to home, to our eternal home with Jesus.
Silence
Open this link in a new tab to hear Timothy Dudley Smith’s “Tell Out, My Soul.”
1 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;
Tender to me the promise of his word;
In God my Savior shall my heart rejoice
2 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his Name!
Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;
His mercy sure, from age to age to same;
His holy Name--the Lord, the Mighty One
3 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!
Powers and dominions lay their glory by
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight
The hungry fed, the humble lifted high
4 Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word!
Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
To children's children and for evermore!
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, we pray that your grace may always uphold and encourage
us, and make us continually to be given to all good works; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Eternal God, from whom all holy desires, all good purposes,
and all just works proceed: give to your servants that peace
which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to
obey your commandments, and that free from the fear of our
enemies we may pass our time in trust and quietness;
through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Amen.
Lighten our darkness, Lord, we pray: and in your great
mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night;
for the love of your only Son our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Brent Holl’s arrangement of Suzanne Toolan’s “Two Fishermen.”
1 Two fishermen who lived along the Sea of Galilee,
stood by the shore to cast their nets into an ageless sea.
Now Jesus watched them from afar then called them each by name.
It changed their lives, these simple men; They’d never be the same.
“Leave all things you have and come and follow me,
and come and follow me!”
2 And as he walked along the shore, ‘twas James and John he’d find,
and these two sons of Zebedee would leave their boats behind.
Their work and all they held so dear they left beside their nets.
Their names they’d heard as Jesus called; they came without regrets.
“Leave all things you have and come and follow me,
and come and follow me!”
[Instrumental interlude]
3 O Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John, beloved one,
you heard Christ’s call to speak good news revealed to God’s own Son.
Susanna, Mary Magdalene, who traveled with your Lord,
you ministered to him with joy, for he is God adored.
“Leave all things you have and come and follow me,
And come and follow me!”
4 And you, good Christians, one and all, who’d follow Jesus’ way,
come leave behind what keeps you bound to trappings of our day,
and listen as he calls your name to come and follow near,
for still, he speaks in varied ways to those his call will hear.
“Leave all things you have and come and follow me,
and come and follow me!”
“Leave all things you have and come and follow me,
and come and follow me!”
“Leave all things you have and come and follow me,
and come and follow me!”
Silence may be kept.
Those present may offer their own prayers and thanksgivings, either silently or aloud.
Gracious God,
you have given us much today;
grant us also a thankful spirit.
Into your hands we commend ourselves
and those we love.
Be with us still, and when we take our rest
renew us for the service of your Son Jesus Christ.
Amen.
In darkness and in light,
in trouble and in joy,
help us, heavenly Father,
to trust your love,
to serve your purpose,
and to praise your name,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear John Bell’s “The Summons.”
1 Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown? Will you let my Name be known?
Will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?
2 Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?
3 Will you let the blinded see if I but call your name?
Will you set the prisoner free and never be the same?
Will you kiss the leper clean, and do such as this unseen?
And admit to what I mean in you and you in me?
[Instrumental interlude]
4 Will you love the 'You' you hide if I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?
Will you use the faith you’ve found to reshape the world around
through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?
5 Lord, your summons echoes true when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.
In your company I’ll go where your love and footsteps show,
thus I’ll move and live and grow in you and you in me!
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
Let us now confess our sins to almighty God.
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 Calvin Seerveld and Lee Ann Vermeulen-Roberts’s “You servants of the Lord our God (Psalm 134).”
1 You servants of the Lord our God,
who work and pray both day and night.
In God's own house, lift up your hands,
and praise the Lord with all your might.
2 Lift up your hands in holiness,
come, bless the Lord and give Him praise.
Kneel down before the Lord our God,
and worship Him in all your ways.
[Instrumental interlude]
3 The Lord God bless you from His throne,
shine down upon you with His face.
He who created heaven and earth,
redeem you with His love and grace.
Redeem you with His love and grace.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Mark Haas’ “Psalm 27: I Believe That I Shall See.”
I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord
in the land of the living.
I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord
in the land of the living.
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord
in the land of the living.
2 One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life.
I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord
in the land of the living.
3 Hear, O Lord, the sound of my call;
have pity on me, and answer me.
Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.
I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord
in the land of the living.
Silence
God, our light and our salvation,
illuminate our lives,
that we may see your goodness in the land of the living,
and, looking on your beauty,
may be changed into the likeness of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew.
Matthew 4:18-22
As Jesus walked alongside the Galilee Sea, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, throwing fishing nets into the sea, because they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” he said, “and I’ll show you how to fish for people.” Right away, they left their nets and followed him. Continuing on, he saw another set of brothers, James the son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with Zebedee their father repairing their nets. Jesus called them and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory.
Silence
The Call of Jesus
When I was a boy of elementary school age, I lived on the edge of the Great Common in the village of Ilketshall Saint Andrew, in Suffolk, England. Whenever we had free time, my older brother and I roamed the common and the adjoining woods.
A common is “an area of grass that everyone is allowed to use, usually in or near a village.” Ilketshall Saint Andrew, which is near the Norfolk border, was not a compact village but consisted of a number of houses scattered around several commons. At that time, it had a village school, a smithy, and a Methodist chapel, as well as an Anglican parish church, St. Andrew’s, and a village hall.
When our mother wanted us for any reason, she walked to the front gate and blew three sharp blasts on her whistle. She would repeat this several times. She owned a British air raid warden whistle, “a chrome-plated brass whistle used by Civil Defence volunteers during WWII to signal air raids and other emergencies.” She was head teacher at the village school at Rumburgh, a village five miles from Ilketshall Saint Andrew, and she also used the whistle at the school, wearing it on a lanyard around her neck.
Whenever my older brother and I heard the whistle, we would stop whatever we were doing, and we would return home. The sound of the whistle traveled much farther than the sound of my mother’s voice, and it never failed to catch our attention in the quiet countryside.
In the Gospels Jesus calls people from all walks of life to be his disciples. In this evening’s reading Jesus calls four fishermen, the brothers Simon-Peter and Andrew, and the brothers James and John, the sons of Zebdee. They would become his first disciples. Among the others whom he called to follow him were a tax collector; a Zealot, a revolutionary; and a thief.
Although we read more about Jesus’ men disciples in the Gospels, Jesus had women disciples too. It was one of these women, Mary Magdalene, who was first to discover that the tomb in which the crucified Jesus had been buried was empty and who was the first to encounter the risen Jesus.
While Jesus no longer calls people to follow him in the way that he did back then, he still calls people to follow him, to become his disciples. Men and women. From all walks of life. He may not blow an air raid warden’ s whistle to get their attention as my mother did to get her two sons’ attention, but he does get their attention in other ways. He may speak to them through the words of a family member, a relative, a friend, a neighbor, a colleague, a teacher, a classmate, or even a stranger. He may speak to them from the pages of a book. He may speak to them in a dream.
Some Christians may remember when they first heard Jesus calling them to follow him. Others may not. He may have spoken to them when they were a small child—a soft whisper, “Come, follow me.”
Whether we remember the moment we first heard Jesus' call and how he called us does not matter. What matters is that we heeded his call. We heard the voice of our shepherd and as his sheep followed him. Like my older brother and I when we heard our mother’s whistle, we turned away from the allure of this world and set our feet upon the path that leads to home, to our eternal home with Jesus.
Silence
Open this link in a new tab to hear Timothy Dudley Smith’s “Tell Out, My Soul.”
1 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;
Tender to me the promise of his word;
In God my Savior shall my heart rejoice
2 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his Name!
Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;
His mercy sure, from age to age to same;
His holy Name--the Lord, the Mighty One
3 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!
Powers and dominions lay their glory by
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight
The hungry fed, the humble lifted high
4 Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word!
Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
To children's children and for evermore!
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, we pray that your grace may always uphold and encourage
us, and make us continually to be given to all good works; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Eternal God, from whom all holy desires, all good purposes,
and all just works proceed: give to your servants that peace
which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to
obey your commandments, and that free from the fear of our
enemies we may pass our time in trust and quietness;
through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Amen.
Lighten our darkness, Lord, we pray: and in your great
mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night;
for the love of your only Son our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Brent Holl’s arrangement of Suzanne Toolan’s “Two Fishermen.”
1 Two fishermen who lived along the Sea of Galilee,
stood by the shore to cast their nets into an ageless sea.
Now Jesus watched them from afar then called them each by name.
It changed their lives, these simple men; They’d never be the same.
“Leave all things you have and come and follow me,
and come and follow me!”
2 And as he walked along the shore, ‘twas James and John he’d find,
and these two sons of Zebedee would leave their boats behind.
Their work and all they held so dear they left beside their nets.
Their names they’d heard as Jesus called; they came without regrets.
“Leave all things you have and come and follow me,
and come and follow me!”
[Instrumental interlude]
3 O Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John, beloved one,
you heard Christ’s call to speak good news revealed to God’s own Son.
Susanna, Mary Magdalene, who traveled with your Lord,
you ministered to him with joy, for he is God adored.
“Leave all things you have and come and follow me,
And come and follow me!”
4 And you, good Christians, one and all, who’d follow Jesus’ way,
come leave behind what keeps you bound to trappings of our day,
and listen as he calls your name to come and follow near,
for still, he speaks in varied ways to those his call will hear.
“Leave all things you have and come and follow me,
and come and follow me!”
“Leave all things you have and come and follow me,
and come and follow me!”
“Leave all things you have and come and follow me,
and come and follow me!”
Silence may be kept.
Those present may offer their own prayers and thanksgivings, either silently or aloud.
Gracious God,
you have given us much today;
grant us also a thankful spirit.
Into your hands we commend ourselves
and those we love.
Be with us still, and when we take our rest
renew us for the service of your Son Jesus Christ.
Amen.
In darkness and in light,
in trouble and in joy,
help us, heavenly Father,
to trust your love,
to serve your purpose,
and to praise your name,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear John Bell’s “The Summons.”
1 Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown? Will you let my Name be known?
Will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?
2 Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?
3 Will you let the blinded see if I but call your name?
Will you set the prisoner free and never be the same?
Will you kiss the leper clean, and do such as this unseen?
And admit to what I mean in you and you in me?
[Instrumental interlude]
4 Will you love the 'You' you hide if I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?
Will you use the faith you’ve found to reshape the world around
through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?
5 Lord, your summons echoes true when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.
In your company I’ll go where your love and footsteps show,
thus I’ll move and live and grow in you and you in me!
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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