Twenty fourth Sunday after Pentecost

Order of Worship

Download the bulletin PDF.

Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus and for everyone according to their needs.

Holy and all-seeing God, whose day is not a refuge for the complacent, but a light that exposes all deceit, deliver us from hiding behind empty religion while ignoring the needs of our neighbors, so that our worship may be made whole through lives of equity, truth, and steadfast love. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Lord God, our only righteousness, give us that blessed and fleeting insight that it is we who are poor and the needy. Deliver us from vain promises of religious glory; turn us wholly to the cross of Christ so that we may know the peace that surpasses all comprehension: that peace that not only comes from Christ Jesus but is Jesus. We pray for this same peace and comfort in the lives of our homebound and those who suffer and mourn among us. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

God of all consolation and eternal life, who raised your Son Jesus from the dead as the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep, comfort our hearts in times of sorrow, that we may not grieve as those who have no hope, so that we may in turn, encourage one another with the sure promise of Christ’s return and our everlasting reunion with you. We pray also for those who joined our company this morning, giving thanks that they will wait with us in hope of Christ's return. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Gracious and returning Lord, whose hour of arrival is known to the Father alone, keep the lamps of our faith burning brightly with the oil of your grace and wisdom, that we may not be caught asleep when the Bridegroom arrives, but may enter with joy into your eternal wedding banquet. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Into your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Teaching

Open or download this week's preview of the lessons. We send this to our homebound with a bulletin each week and thought you might like to have a copy as well. You may read it online or print it out. It includes prayers, brief teaching on each of the four lessons for Sunday, an overview, and an additional Word Search based on the Gospel Lesson. 

Vespers

The readings for the 24th Sunday after Pentecost are Jonah 1:1–17a; 1 Corinthians 10:15–24; and Matthew 18:15–20. Readings are also found on page 1117 in For All the Saints, volume IV. Note this new page that offers a fuller text of readings that correspond to the Daily Lectionary.