Welcome
Below you will find prayers, songs, readings, and a message to help you experience worship. You can light a candle to remind yourself of the presence of the Holy Spirit. Whether you are alone or with others, we hope that you can feel each other’s presence, and the presence of God, as we find creative ways to worship together, even though we are not in the same building. One good thing about virtual worship is that if you really like a song, you can listen to it again! Do what you need to do to worship God wherever you are.
Announcements and Call to Worship
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Our call to worship is based on Matthew 16: 13-20.
Our help is in the name of the Lord our God, the Maker of heaven and earth, who comes to our aid in times of need, who gives us the courage to do what we know is right, who invites us to turn away from the influences of the world around us and confess Jesus alone as Saviour and Lord. This is our God! Let’s worship together.
Opening Song
Jesus Loves Me
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Jesus loves me! this I know, for the Bible tells me so; little ones to him belong, they are weak, but he is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me, yes, Jesus loves me, yes, Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so.
Jesus loves me! he who died heaven’s gates to open wide; he will wash away my sin, let his little child come in.
Yes, Jesus loves me, yes, Jesus loves me, yes, Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so.
Jesus loves me! he will stay close beside me all the way; when at last I come to die, he will take me home on high.
Yes, Jesus loves me, yes, Jesus loves me, yes, Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so.
Prayer of the Day
Let us pray. Beloved God, from you come all things that are good. Lead us by the inspiration of your Spirit to know those things that are right, and by your merciful guidance, help us to do them, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen
Reading
Isaiah 5: 1-7
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Let me sing for my beloved my love-song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. 2He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; he expected it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes. 3And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. 4What more was there to do for my vineyard that I have not done in it? When I expected it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes? 5And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. 6I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed, and it shall be overgrown with briers and thorns; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. 7For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the people of Judah are his pleasant planting; he expected justice, but saw bloodshed; righteousness, but heard a cry!
Children’s Moment
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Gospel and Message
Matthew 21:33-46
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[Jesus said:] 33“Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. 34When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. 35But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. 37Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.’ 39So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40“Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41They said to Jesus, “The owner will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.”
42Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes’?
43Therefore I tell you, the dominion of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of it. 44The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.”
45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. 46They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because the people regarded him as a prophet.
Hymn of the Day
Amazing Love
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My Lord, what love is this that pays so dearly; That I, the guilty one may go free. Amazing love, O what sacrifice, The Son of God, given for me; My debt He pays and my death He dies, That I might live, that I might live.
And so they watched Him die, despised, rejected; But O, the blood He shed flowed for me. Amazing love, O what sacrifice, The Son of God, given for me; My debt He pays and my death He dies, That I might live, that I might live.
And now this love of Christ shall flow like rivers; Come wash your guilt away, live again. Amazing love, O what sacrifice, The Son of God, given for me; My debt He pays and my death He dies, That I might live, that I might live.
Apostles’ Creed
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With the whole church, let us confess our faith.
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s 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 to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and 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.
Prayers
Held together in one body by the Spirit of Christ, let us pray for the church and the world, and all who are in need.
God most high, we pray for the church: for our bishop, our pastors and deacons, and our own congregation; and for churches that are struggling with few resources. That all the baptized may produce good fruit, sowing faith where there is doubt, Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the earth and its animals: for farmlands; for animals whose habitat is threatened; for livestock; for all the animals that we raise for human use; for service animals; and for our dear pets. That the earth may be sustained with your care, and that we will sow joy where there is sadness, Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for peace: between nations; in our cities; among political rivals; throughout our coming election; between generations; between long-time citizens and new immigrants; in our churches and in our homes. That we may become instruments of your peace, sowing union where there is discord, Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who are poor: for those who are unemployed; for migrants; for those who are marginalized by prejudice; for orphans; for school children with no digital access. That we may give assistance where there is poverty and need, Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all who are suffering: for those sick with the coronavirus, for the president, first lady, and all impacted in the White House; for those living with anxiety; for those whose sorrow is known only to you; for those who will die this day; for those who have lost loved ones, especially Carole L. and her family as they mourn the loss of her husband; and for those whose names we call out to you here . . . That we may sow hope where there is despair, Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray, finally for ourselves. Strengthen our faith in Christ, and hear our personal petitions. we may sow pardon where there is injury and love where there has been hatred, Lord, hear our prayer.
We praise you, God most high, for all the faithful who have gone before us into the fullness of your life. That at our end, where there is darkness, we will join in your light forever, Lord, hear our prayer.
Enfold in your loving arms all for whom we pray, as we trust in your salvation through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
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Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.
Sending
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The God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus. The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. The God of all grace ☩ bless you now and forever. Amen.
Go forth into the world to serve God with gladness; be of good courage; hold fast to that which is good; render to no one evil for evil; strengthen the fainthearted; support the weak; help the afflicted; honor all people; love and serve God, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Go in peace.
Share the good news.
Thanks be to God.
Sending Song
How Firm a Foundation
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How firm a foundation, O saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in Christ Jesus, the Word! What more can he say than to you he has said who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?
“Fear not, I am with you, oh, be not dismayed, for I am your God and will still give you aid; I’ll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand, upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.”
“When through fiery trials your pathway shall lie, my grace, all-sufficient, shall be your supply. The flames shall not hurt you; I only design your dross to consume and your gold to refine.”
“Throughout all their lifetime my people shall prove my sov’reign, eternal, unchangeable love; and then, when gray hairs shall their temples adorn, like lambs they shall still in my bosom be borne.”
Worship Assistants
Music: Lori
Message: Pastor Kristin
Readers: Leslie, Dick, Ally
Children’s Moment: Maddy Jo
From Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2005 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted and streamed by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #SAS002432. New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Hymns reprinted and streamed with permission. CCLI#1162147