Announcements
Confession and Forgiveness
Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
who pours love into our hearts
and healing upon the earth.
Amen.
Confident that God justifies us by grace through faith,
let us confess our sin.
Silence is kept for reflection.
Compassionate God,
we confess that we struggle to embody your goodness
in the world and in our own hearts.
Creation groans from overuse.
Jealousy and bitterness strain our relationships.
Indifference keeps us from seeking justice.
Divisions disrupt your call to show genuine love
to others.
Turn our hearts back to you.
Restore our world and reconcile us to one another.
Renew us to live as your holy people,
following the way of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Hear this good news:
We have peace with God through ☩ Jesus Christ,
in whom there is no condemnation,
but only forgiveness and the promise of eternal life.
Receive freely this healing gift of grace.
Amen.
Opening Hymn
ELW 522 - As We Gather at Your Table (vs. 1 & 2)
Greeting
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
Prayer of the Day
Lord of the feast, you have prepared a table before all peoples and poured out your life with abundance. Call us again to your banquet. Strengthen us by what is honorable, just, and pure, and transform us into a people of righteousness and peace, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
Hymn of Praise
ELW 525 - You Are Holy
First Reading: Isaiah 25:1-9
1 O Lord, you are my God;
I will exalt you; I will praise your name,
for you have done wonderful things,
plans formed of old, faithful and sure.
2 For you have made the city a heap,
the fortified city a ruin;
the palace of foreigners is a city no more;
it will never be rebuilt.
3 Therefore strong peoples will glorify you;
cities of ruthless nations will fear you.
4 For you have been a refuge to the poor,
a refuge to the needy in their distress,
a shelter from the rainstorm and a shade from the heat.
When the blast of the ruthless was like a winter rainstorm,
5 the noise of foreigners like heat in a dry place,
you subdued the heat with the shade of clouds;
the song of the ruthless was stilled.
6 On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines,
of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear.
7 And he will destroy on this mountain
the shroud that is cast over all peoples,
the covering that is spread over all nations;
8 he will swallow up death forever.
Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces,
and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth,
for the Lord has spoken.
9 It will be said on that day,
“See, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us.
This is the Lord for whom we have waited;
let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 23
You prepare a table before me, and my cup is running over. (Ps. 23:5)
1 The Lord | is my shepherd;
I shall not | be in want.
2 The Lord makes me lie down | in green pastures
and leads me be- | side still waters.
3 You restore my | soul, O Lord,
and guide me along right pathways | for your name’s sake.
4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall | fear no evil;
for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they | comfort me. R
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence | of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil, and my cup is | running over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days | of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the | Lord forever. R
Second Reading: Philippians 4:1-9
1 My brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.
2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my coworkers, whose names are in the book of life.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 As for the things that you have learned and received and heard and noticed in me, do them, and the God of peace will be with you.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation
ELW Setting 8
Gospel: Matthew 22:1-14
This is the holy gospel according to Matthew the 22nd chapter.
Glory to you, O Lord.
1 Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.’ 5 But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ 10 Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad, so the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, 12 and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon
Hymn of the Day
ELW 523 - Let Us Go Now to Your Banquet (vs. 1 & 2)
The Apostle's Creed
Prayers of Intercession
Seeking the Spirit of God who makes all things new, we pray for the church and the world.
A brief silence.
Holy God, we remember your promise of unity on your holy mountain. Empower the World Council of Churches and all those working across religious difference, that the world may know your undivided love. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
We remember your promise of green pastures and quiet waters. Preserve all places of natural beauty and restore our relationship with the land. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
We remember your promise to not abandon us amid storm and disaster. Renew all communities facing disasters (regions in crisis may be named) and give your courage to those leading relief efforts. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
We remember your promise to wipe away every tear. Heal and console all who are sick or suffering (especially). Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
We remember your promise of a banquet open to all people. Challenge this congregation to open wide our doors and welcome everyone to the table. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Here other intercessions may be offered.
We remember your promise to swallow up death forever. We give thanks for those who have gone before us. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Trusting in your boundless grace, O God, we lift up these spoken prayers and those in our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Passing of Peace
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
And also with you.
Anthem
Beautiful Savior (ELW 838)
Offertory Hymn
ELW 677 - This Little Light of Mine (vs. 1 & 2)
Offertory Prayer
God of creation,
you send rain and the earth springs forth abundantly.
All blessings are from you;
make us generous with what we have.
Use our gifts, our abilities, and our hearts
in service to you and in love to our neighbors,
today and always.
Amen.
The Great Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all
times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, almighty
and merciful God, for the glorious resurrection of our Savior Jesus
Christ, the true Paschal Lamb who gave himself to take away our
sin; who in dying has destroyed death, and in rising has brought
us to eternal life.
And so, with Mary Magdalene and Peter and all the witnesses of
the resurrection, with earth and sea and all their creatures, and
with angels and archangels, cherubim and seraphim, we praise
your name and join their unending hymn:
ELW Setting 8
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of pow’r and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory, full of your glory.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
Thanksgiving at the Table
Holy, living, and loving God, we praise you for creating the
heavens and the earth.
We bless you for bringing Noah and his family through the waters
of the flood, for freeing your people Israel from the bonds of
slavery, and for sending your Son to be our Redeemer.
We give you thanks for Jesus who, living among us, healed the
sick, fed the hungry, and with a love stronger than death, gave
his life for others.
In the night in which he was betrayed,
our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;
broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take and eat; this is my body, given for you.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks,
and gave it for all to drink, saying:
This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
Remembering, therefore, his life-giving death and glorious
resurrection, we await your promised life for all this dying world.
Breathe your Spirit on us and on this bread and cup: carry us in
your arms from death to life, that we may live as your chosen
ones, clothed in the righteousness of Christ.
Through him all glory and honor is yours, Almighty Father,
with the Holy Spirit, in your holy Church, both now and forever.
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Lord remember us in your kingdom and teach us to pray:
Our Father, Who art in heaven,
Hollowed by 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,
forever and ever. Amen.
Heaven has come near.
Come, share in the feast!
Lamb of God
ELW Setting 8
Communion Hymns
ELW 484 - You Satisfy the Hungry Heart
ELW 481 - Come to the Table
The Table Blessing
Christ invites you to this table.
All who are thirsty, all who are hungry, come!
Post Communion
ELW 801 - Change My Heart, O God
Prayer After Communion
Sustaining God,
with this bread and cup,
you nourish us with mercy and abundant life.
By your Spirit, send us from this table to serve a needy world.
Make us living signs of your liberation, healing, and love,
following the way of Jesus, in whose name we pray.
Amen.
Blessing
The God of love
draw you into full accord and one mind,
in the body of Christ Jesus.
Amen.
The God of hope
grant you strength and joy in all circumstances
through the interceding of the Spirit.
Amen.
The God of grace
☩ bless you now and forever.
Amen.
Sending Hymn
ELW 543 - Go, My Children, with My Blessing (vs. 1 & 3)
Dismissal
Go out in joy. Be led forth in peace.
Thanks be to God.
Photo by Erika Giraud on Unsplash
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