Worship Guide
September 24, 2023
Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost
Creating Disciples of Jesus who Transform the World
ENTRANCE WITH PRAISE
Greetings:
Minister: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!
People: And also with you!
Special Music: “Heart of the Father” Stefanie
Centering Words:
God showers us with blessings, even when we complain. Perhaps especially when we complain. This is good news indeed!
*Call to Worship:
Leader: Give thanks to the Lord.
People: Call on God’s holy name.
Leader: Sing praises to our God.
People: Tell of God’s wonderful works.
Leader: The Lord offers bread from heaven to satisfy our hunger
People: God issues water from solid rock to quench our thirst.
Leader: Give thanks to the Lord.
People: Let everything that draws breath praise God.
Leader: Let us pray.
ALL: Guide our way, Caretaker God, in the wilderness of our lives. Offer us the bread of heaven, that we may taste your Spirit and be nourished in body and soul. Reveal your presence among us and show us the tender mercies of your love. In joy and jubilation, we pray. Amen.
Hymn: “We Gather Together”
We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing;
he chastens and hastens his will to make known.
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing.
Sing praises to his name; he forgets not his own.
Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,
ordaining, maintaining his kingdom divine;
so from the beginning the fight we were winning;
thou, Lord, were at our side, all glory be thine!
We all do extol thee, thou leader triumphant,
and pray that thou still our defender will be.
Let thy congregation escape tribulation;
thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!
PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD
Words of Assurance
Rejoice, you who seek the Lord.
Count your blessings, not your troubles.
For in acts of gratitude, you will find peace.
Thank you Lord. Amen
*Old Testament Reading: Exodus 16:2-15
2 The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. 5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.” 6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaining against the Lord. For what are we, that you complain against us?” 8 And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the complaining that you utter against him—what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the Lord.”
9 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, ‘Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.’ ” 10 And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. 11 The Lord spoke to Moses and said, 12 “I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ”
13 In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.
WORD AND RESPONSE
Time with Young Friends: “Jesus Loves Me”
Children’s Message: “Have You Ever”
Hymn: “For the Beauty of the Earth”
For the beauty of the earth for the glory of the skies,
for the love which from our birth over and around us lies.
Lord of all, to Thee we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise.
For the beauty of each hour, of the day and of the night,
hill and vale, and tree and flower,
sun and moon, and stars of light.
Lord of all, to Thee we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise.
For the joy of ear and eye, for the heart and mind’s delight,
for the mystic harmony linking sense to sound and sight.
Lord of all, to Thee we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise.
For the joy of human love, brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth and friends above,
for all gentle thoughts and mild.
Lord of all, to Thee we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise.
For thy church, that evermore lifteth holy hands above,
offering up on every shore her pure sacrifice of love.
Lord of all, to Thee we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise.
For thy-self, best Gift Divine, to the world so freely given,
for that great, great love of thine,
peace on earth, and joy in heaven;
Lord of all, to Thee we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise.
Sermon: “The Burden of the Day” Matthew 20:1-16
1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4 and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. 5 When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. 6 And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ 8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ 9 When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. 11 And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 14 Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
RESPONSE TO THE WORD
Hymn: “Loving Spirit”
Loving Spirit, loving Spirit, you have chosen me to be--
you have drawn me to your wonder,
you have set your sign on me.
Like a mother, you enfold me, hold my life within your own,
feed me with your very body, form me of your flesh and bone.
Like a father, you protect me, teach me the discerning eye,
hoist me up upon your shoulder,
let me see the world from high.
Friend and lover, in your closeness
I am known and held and blessed;
in your promised is my comfort, in your presence I may rest.
Loving Spirit, loving Spirit, you have chosen me to be--
you have drawn me to your wonder,
you have set your sign on me.
Psalter: Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45
1 O give thanks to the Lord, call on God's name, make known God's deeds among the people!
2 Sing to the Lord, sing praises! Tell of all God's wonderful works!
3 Glory in God's holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
4 Seek the Lord and his strength; seek the Lord's presence continually!
5 Remember the wonderful works God has done, the miracles and judgments God has uttered,
6 O offspring of Abraham, God's servant, children of Jacob, God's chosen ones.
37 Then he brought Israel out with silver and gold, and there was no one among their tribes who stumbled.
38 Egypt was glad when they departed, for dread of them had fallen upon it.
39 He spread a cloud for a covering and fire to give light by night.
40 They asked, and he brought quails and gave them food from heaven in abundance.
41 He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it flowed through the desert like a river.
42 For he remembered his holy promise and Abraham, his servant.
43 So he brought his people out with joy, his chosen ones with singing.
44 He gave them the lands of the nations, and they took possession of the wealth of the peoples,
45 that they might keep his statutes and observe his laws.
Praise the Lord!
Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise him, all creatures here below;
praise him above, ye heavenly host;
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen
Prayers of the People: Joys and concerns
Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer
SENDING FORTH
Hymn: “To God Be the Glory”
To God be the glory, great things he has done!
So loved he the world that he gave us his Son,
who yielded his life an atonement for sin,
and opened the life-gate that all may go in.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
let the earth hear his voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
and give him the glory,
great things he has done.
O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
to every believer the promise of God;
the vilest offender who truly believes,
that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
let the earth hear his voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
and give him the glory,
great things he has done.
Great things he has taught us,
great things he has done,
and great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
but purer, and higher, and greater will be
our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
let the earth hear his voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
and give him the glory,
great things he has done.
Benediction
