24th Sunday After Pentecost CALL TO WORSHIP P: In all our weakness and strength, with our youth-filled spirits and aging bodies, C: we come to be your people, O God. P: Strong in faith and eager with questions, singing our praise and whispering our prayers, C: we come to be your people, O God. P: Filled with saintly determination yet mindful of our human limitations, C: we come to be your people, O God. P: Made strong in your endless love for us, we know ourselves to be yours and C: we come to be your people, O God. P: May we truly become your people today. Amen. CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS Based on Amos 5 P: Beloved of God, we are called to live in right relationship with God by loving one another. Therefore, let us confess our sins to the one who pardons our offenses. P: Loving God, C: we confess that we have sinned against you by not honoring you or loving one another. When we ignore injustice in the world our worship brings you no delight. Make haste to help us, that we may stand in right relationship with you and the whole of your creation and sing your praises through the mercy of Christ, our resurrected Savior. Amen. P: Sisters and brothers in Christ, rejoice and be glad, for God is mighty to save and comes to you in peace to forgive, restore, and strengthen you eternally in Christ. In the name of Jesus, our Savior, + you are forgiven. C: Amen. HYMN “Look Who Gathers at Christ’s Table” PRAYER OF THE DAY P: O God of justice and love, you illumine our way through life with the words of your Son. Give us the light we need, and awaken us to the needs of others, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. C: Amen. READINGS Hebrew Bible Reading: Amos 5:18-24 Alas for you who desire the day of the Lord! Why do you want the day of the Lord? It is darkness, not light; as if someone fled from a lion, and was met by a bear; or went into the house and rested a hand against the wall, and was bitten by a snake. Is not the day of the Lord darkness, not light, and gloom with no brightness in it? I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals I will not look upon. Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Gospel: Matthew 25:1-13 [Jesus said to the disciples:] “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” SERMON Rev. Lori E.L. Kitzing HYMN “Soul, Adorn Yourself with Gladness” PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION P: Let us offer our prayers and intercessions to God, confident that the love of Christ continues to appear in our lives in surprising and unexpected ways. P: We pray for all who seek your radiant light in the darkened corners of our world; may we find our way to you through our love for one another. Hear us, O God. C: Your mercy is great. P: We pray for all who are oppressed by institutions and structures unjustly ordered; bless us with a joy for justice that all may share in the blessings of this life, walking in right relationship with you by caring for our neighbor. Hear us, O God. C: Your mercy is great. P: We pray for all who have no work, for those without adequate health care, and for all who hunger or have no shelter. Bless us with meaningful work and ample provision, as we love and care for each other under the protection of your sheltering sky. Hear us, O God. C: Your mercy is great. P: We pray for all who suffer violence on dangerous streets and in war-torn places; keep them from harm’s way. Bless us with your vision of peace, that all may flourish as one family under God with justice and freedom for all. Hear us, O God. C: Your mercy is great. P: We remember before you all who have died that they may know your peace. Bless each of us with a sure and certain hope of the resurrection, that we may know our risen Lord, as we share eternal life in you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. C: Amen. OFFERING PRAYER P: Let us offer the gifts of our life and labor and come into God’s courts with praise. Financial gifts may be sent to the church. P: O great and loving God, we give you thanks that you have given your faithful people a love for justice and the gift of generosity. Bless these gifts and with them reveal your righteousness as we await the coming of your peace. C: Amen. LORD’S PRAYER Spoken in Japanese BENEDICTION P: May God, who creates, redeems, and sustains, keep you fervent in faith and overflowing in love. And the blessing of God, Father, Son, + and Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. C: Amen. HYMN “Let Justice Flow Like Streams” CHARGE
P: Go And...Be Honest! So that you can better love and serve God and your neighbors. C: Thanks be to God. Printed by permission oneliscense.net A-717495
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April 2024
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