What Do You Have To Lose?

Twenty-forth Sunday of Pentecost

**Please note this service is based on the format of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada. Unless otherwise indicated, all prayers come from Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW). Hymns and other prayers have been sourced to give appropriate credit.

**NRSV translation used for the readings, unless otherwise stated.

**This is for personal use at home as the church is unable to gather in our houses of worship but together we can worship in our own homes.

Introduction to the Day

Our readings during November speak of the end times. It is proclaimed that the Israelites will be judged in front of the Lord. Paul says it will come like a thief in the night and urges us to be awake and sober. Jesus tells the parable of the talents, calling us to use our gifts, while we still have time, for the greater and common good. In a world filled with violence and despair, we gather around signs of hope – word, water, bread, and wine – eager to welcome the good news of Christ’s coming among us.

Confession and Forgiveness

Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,

who forgives all our sin,

whose mercy endures forever.

Amen.

Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.

Most merciful God,

we confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name.

Amen.

In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake God forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of the church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the God, and of the ☩ Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Gathering Song – Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart (ELW #873)

            Listen Here

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.

Canticle of Praise

            Listen Here

Prayer of the Day

Let us pray.

Righteous God, our merciful master, you own the earth and all its peoples, and you give us all that we have. Inspire us to serve you with justice and wisdom, and prepare us for the joy of the day of your coming, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

Readings

Deborah was a prophet and judge who, with her general, Barak, led a victorious holy war against a stronger Canaanite force from the north.

A reading from the Book of Judges                                                                                  4:1-7

The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, after Ehud died. So the Lord sold them into the hand of King Jabin of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; the commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-ha-goiim. Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help; for he had nine hundred chariots of iron, and had oppressed the Israelites cruelly twenty years.

At that time Deborah, a prophetess, wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the Israelites came up to her for judgment. She sent and summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you, ‘Go, take position at Mount Tabor, bringing ten thousand from the tribe of Naphtali and the tribe of Zebulun. I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army, to meet you by the Wadi Kishon with his chariots and his troops; and I will give him into your hand.’”

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Psalm 123

            Listen Here

Though we do not know and cannot calculate the day of Christ’s return, we live faithfully in the here and now as we anticipate the day when we will be given eternal salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

A reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians                                      5:1-11

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When they say, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. So then let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation

            Listen Here

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew                            25:14-30

Glory to you, O Lord.

Jesus tells a parable about his second coming, indicating that it is not sufficient merely to maintain things as they are. Those who await his return should make good use of the gifts that God has provided them.

“For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ But his master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 

The gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable and pleasing in your sight O Lord, for you are our rock and our redeemer. Amen.

Think back to your childhood or adolescence. At one point you may have felt ostracized by your peers. They may have wanted more than you could give. Or, they may have rejected you for whom you were and what you could offer them. They may have taunted you mercilessly. Their barbs may have stung deeply. For a while you might have felt that the world stood against you.

Now, from your memory, engage your imagination. Envision God as the bully. Impossible? Then, consider Jesus' parable of the Ten Talents.

A man who is going away on a journey leaves his servants with a certain amount of money, each according to his ability.  To the first he gave 5 talents, to the second, 2 talents and to the third servant, 1 talent."  The servants are entrusted with something special and they each need to decide what to do with what they have been given.

The first servant takes his talent, his portion, or his gift, and invests it; and through smart management, sees the talent start to grow.  In fact, he is able to double the master’s original amount.

The second servant, does the same thing.  He takes his two talents, and is able to double what he has been given.

Now the interesting thing about both of these servants, is that they were able to take what the master had given them, and they were able to recognize that what they had been given by the master was meant to be used.  Only in that conscious decision to risk using what they had been entrusted with, were they able to multiply that gift.

For both of these servants, it was a leap of faith, to risk perhaps losing the money, or if we are talking about a real talent, or spiritual gift, to risk making some mistakes.  But they did it, and because of that ability to take real chances, to step out in faith, they were able to do mighty things and to give a wonderful report to the master when he returned.

The third servant, however, wasn’t able to take the same risk.  He took his portion of the money, and he buried it in the ground.  On some level, one could say that maybe he was protecting the master’s money.  Maybe he was keeping it safe.  But this servant wasn’t able to take that leap of faith to try to use what he had been given. He was afraid of being punished.

Sometimes we find ourselves in similar situations – where we are given opportunities to use our talents, our time, our energy, our spiritual gifts – we see an opportunity, but are afraid that we might mess up, or we might use them in the wrong way.  We might see a chance to do something special, something that we know we have the ability to do, and we have the resources, but we lack the courage to step out in faith and use what God has given us.

If we are like the third servant, and we see God as an angry harsh God, waiting to hit us over the head with a lightning bolt when we mess up, then there is no way we can risk anything – there’s no way we will ever be able to step out in faith to use what God has given us. If we are afraid of consequences, if we are motivated by fear, then we’ll never be able to do great things and our gifts will never grow.

Can we really think of God as a bully? Would God punish us if we don’t use our gifts to our fullest extent?

I don’t think that’s the case at all. But sometimes it’s hard to get outside our head, cast aside our fear, and feel fully blessed.

Sometimes we feel God’s distance. There are even times God may feel like the enemy. We enjoy times of intimacy as graced moments. But we fail to realize that even in times of distance and estrangement God offers us God’s life.

God demands much from us. But God gave everything in return, the very life of God’s only Son.

We serve a God who has blessed us with gifts beyond our wildest imagination and the only risk involved is in not using those gifts at all.

Over and over, Jesus emphasizes that faithful Christian discipleship expresses itself through active and ready engagement.

As disciples of Christ, we possess an influence that makes us capable of ensuring the well-being of the meek, the merciful, the peacemakers, and those who long to experience the refreshment of a full dose of righteousness.

The parable of the talents – whether money or actual talents – tells us that the stakes are high and our involvement is essential.

It’s up to each of us to recognize the specific occasions we have to shape communities in accordance with the good news.

The parable urges us to regard our work and the witness of the whole church as nothing less than rising to the moment when good-news-centered leadership is absolutely needed.

All of this is hard work, especially when we are tired, burdened, and lonely.

Fortunately, none of us labors alone. None of us influences others all on our own.

It is our talent to announce and embody a society brought together in Jesus Christ.

It is our talent to hold leaders accountable for just policies and to advocate for those who have been silenced.

It is our talent to fight for doctors, nurse, and teachers who are struggling and on the edge of burn-out.

As disciples of Christ, knowing that God’s faith, trust, and love for us will never waver whether or not we use our talents…what have you got to lose?

I pray that you find the strength to use your gifts rather than bury them, especially as the pandemic marches on and your neighbour needs you more than ever.

Amen.

Hymn of the Day – Amazing Grace (ELW #779)

            Listen Here

Creed

Let us confess the faith of our baptism, as we say the Apostles’ Creed:

I believe in God the 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 of Intercession

Longing for Christ’s reign to come among us, we pray for the outpouring of God’s power on the church, the world, and all in need.

Silence

Lord of the church, ignite your people with the passion of your love. By the fire of your Holy Spirit, unify us across ministries, congregations, and denominations, and refine us to participate in your activity throughout the world.

Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

Lord of creation, we stand in awe at the works of your hands and praise you for the beauty of nature. Bless the earth for your glory and restore its integrity where exploitation has caused ruin.

Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

Lord of the nations, sound forth your justice in the ears of all leaders. Increase concern for those who are most vulnerable, especially as international leaders forge trade agreements and cooperate to end human rights abuses.

Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

Lord of all in need, search out all who cry to you in distress. Scatter the heavy clouds of depression, chronic illness, unemployment, and loneliness with your radiant light. Send us as encouragement and signs of your healing.

Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

Lord of the stranger, stir up holy restlessness in us to extend love to those at the margins. Release our desire for control and open us to learn from the perspectives of others.

Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

Here other intercessions may be offered.

Lord of the living and the dead, we give you thanks for all the saints at rest from their labors. Rouse us to live by their example, that saints yet to come may also know your love.

Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

Receive our prayers in the name of Jesus Christ our Savior, until that day when you gather all creation around your throne where you will reign forever and ever.

Amen.

Peace

The peace of Christ be with you always.

And also with you.

Offertory Hymn – Jesus, the Very Thought of You (ELW #754)

            Listen Here

Prayer over the Gifts

**Although not physically at our church buildings to share our offering together I would encourage you to set your offering of money aside so that it can be dropped off or placed in the church once services resume, to mail your offering to the church, or to make donations online. Please remember ministry is still taking place.

Let us pray.

Help us, through our offering thus day, to renounce all things that draw us from your love. This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Thanksgiving for the Word

Praise and thanks to you, holy God, for by your Word you made all things: you spoke light into darkness, called forth beauty from chaos, and brought life into being.

For your Word of life, O God,

we give you thanks and praise.

By your Word you called your people Israel to tell of your wonderful gifts: freedom from captivity, water on the desert journey, a pathway home from exile, wisdom for life with you.

For your Word of life, O God,

we give you thanks and praise.

Through Jesus, your Word made flesh, you speak to us and call us to witness: forgiveness through the cross, life to those entombed by death, the way of your self-giving love.

For your Word of life, O God,

we give you thanks and praise.

Send your Spirit of truth, O God; rekindle your gifts within us: renew our faith, increase our hope, and deepen our love, for the sake of a world in need. Faithful to your Word, O God, draw near to all who call on you; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory forever.

Amen.

Lord’s Prayer

Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us.

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be 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.

Blessing

Almighty God, Father, ☩ Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever.

Amen.

Sending Song – The Wellspring used with permission from Steve Bell

            Listen Here

Dismissal

The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord’s face shine on you with grace and mercy.

The Lord look upon you with favor and ☩ give you peace.

Amen.

Wisdom of Readiness

 

The Twenty-third Sunday of Pentecost

**Please note this service is based on the format of the Anglican Church of Canada. Unless otherwise indicated, all prayers come from the Book of Alternative Services (BAS) and the hymns from the Book of Common Praise (BCP). Other hymns and prayers have been sourced to give appropriate credit.

**NRSV translation used for the readings, unless otherwise stated.

**This is for personal use at home as the church is unable to gather in our houses of worship but together we can worship in our own homes.

Opening Prayer

Let us pray.

You let us choose, O God, between you and the false gods of this world. In the midst of the night of sin and death, wake us from our slumber and call us forth to greet Christ, so that with eyes and hearts fixed on him, we may follow to eternal light. Amen. (Revised Common Lectionary Prayers)

Opening Hymn – At the Name of Jesus (BCP #375)

Listen Here

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

And also with you.

Collect for Purity

Listen Here

The Gloria

Listen Here

Collect of the Day

Let us pray.

Eternal God, who caused all holy scriptures to be written for our learning, grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Readings

A reading from the Book of Joshua 24:1-3, 14-25

Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors—Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor—lived beyond the Euphrates and served other gods. Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac;

“Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; and the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”

But Joshua said to the people, “You cannot serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after having done you good.” And the people said to Joshua, “No, we will serve the Lord!” Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” The people said to Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and him we will obey.” So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be the God.

Psalm 78:1-7

Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;

    incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

I will open my mouth in a parable;

    I will utter dark sayings from of old,

things that we have heard and known,

    that our ancestors have told us.

We will not hide them from their children;

    we will tell to the coming generation

the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,

    and the wonders that he has done.

He established a decree in Jacob,

    and appointed a law in Israel,

which he commanded our ancestors

    to teach to their children;

that the next generation might know them,

    the children yet unborn,

and rise up and tell them to their children,

    so that they should set their hope in God,

and not forget the works of God,

    but keep his commandments.

A reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians 4:13-18

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Gradual Hymn – Rejoice Today with One Accord (BCP #318)

Listen Here

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. 25:1-13

Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

“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.

The Gospel of Christ.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Sermon

Guest speaker - Joan Merton

May the words that are written here and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in Thy sight O Lord, our Strength and our Redeemer.  Amen.

As a young child the Bible was a fascinating story book in my mind and I especially loved the parables.  I remember thinking this one was like a fairytale, ten beautiful bridesmaids all carry burning lamps and awaiting the excitement of the arrival of the groom and an impending wedding and celebration.  However just as is the case in many of the parables there is no fairytale ending to the story of the bridesmaids.  Like many of the other parables it contradicts our hopes, our expectations, even our values.  

This parable teaches us the importance of vigilance in an uncertain time and illustrates how one is able to “endure to the end” (Matthew24: 13).  This is a very important reminder in 2020 in the middle of the pandemic we all find ourselves in.  We all need to be vigilant in so many ways right now.  Early Christians would have been reminded that the return of Jesus might happen suddenly so it was important to be alert and this reminder is just as important today.  

We all know the story about the ten bridesmaids.  Five were wise and made sure they had enough oil for their lamps if there was a delay and five were foolish and did not prepare for any delays in the arrival of the groom.  However this is the only difference between the bridesmaids.  Otherwise all the bridesmaids act the same.  They all arrive on time, wait for the groom’s arrival, get tired and fall asleep.  When they awaken they all trim their lamps but when the bridegroom arrives the foolish ones do not have enough oil and their lamps are going out.  The wise ones will not share so they are forced to go to the supplier to get more oil.  So preparation is the only real distinction between the two groups.  Unfortunately for the five foolish bridesmaids when they arrive the bridegroom says he does not know them and will not let them enter.  

So some may ask, if the grace of Christ is free why then was the door shut against the unwise?  Truly His grace is free, offered, “without money and without price: but it is not a gift to man without any response on man’s part.  Each man must receive and appropriate it.  Christ cannot forgive, for instance, without our acceptance and trust, or without willingness on our part to forgive our neighbours.  This response cannot be shared or borrowed, at least not in full.  We do not need money, we only need to bring ourselves.  Nobody can go for us.

“Truly I tell you, I do not know you” (Matthew 25:12).  It appears unusual that the bridegroom says he does not know the five foolish bridesmaids.  They all must have been friends of the bride.  It begs the question of what is it to know and be known by the bridegroom and what is it to know and to be recognized by the one called Lord?  This question requires a lot of ardent prayer and a deeper understanding of God, one that we need to work on throughout our life.   

The most important lesson this parable teaches us is that it is not up to us to decide who is wise and who is foolish.  Even the five wise bridesmaids did not judge the five foolish ones.  They just refused to share their oil with them.  The church remains always a mixed community so making the center of interpretation the issue of the foolish or wise would miss the point of the parable because all the bridesmaids were familiar with the bridegroom.  

This quote from Greg Carey is very relevant, “The parable of the bridesmaids isn’t necessarily arbitrary, but it is challenging.  It calls Jesus’s disciples to a state of constant alertness, of perpetual openness to God’s dramatic future.  We’re talking about living with a keen awareness of Jesus’ return, an alertness tempered by preparation for a long haul.”  

Lord, make us aware of our weaknesses and vulnerability and help us to overcome our temptations as your only Son, our Saviour did.  May we carry the Spirit within our hearts, spreading the Good News to everyone we encounter by our words and deeds.  Amen.

Affirmation of Faith

The Prayers of the People

(From Intercessions for the Christian People)

The day of the Lord is soon upon us, a day not of wrath but of salvation. As children of the light and of the day, let us await the coming of the Lord in prayer on behalf of the human family around the world, saying: O God, for the sake of Christ, have mercy on us.

Let us pray for those who are not ready for the coming of the Lord, for the unbelieving, the skeptical, the scorners, that they may be brought to faith and rejoice to confess the name of the Lord.

O God, for the sake of Christ,

Have mercy on us.

Let us pray for those who use their lips and lives to proclaim the good news of Christ’s return, that they may persist in their zeal, empowered and emboldened through the gifts of your spirit.

O God, for the sake of Christ,

Have mercy on us.

Let us pray for those who, with joy and longing, await the return of the Messiah, that they may not grow weary in well-doing, but witness to the immediate and everlasting promise of our holy Redeemer.

O God, for the sake of Christ,

Have mercy on us.

Let us pray for those whose lives are marked by hunger and need, grief and loneliness, anger and strife, discord and uncertainty, that each may be assured of the grace and mercy of God.

O God, for the sake of Christ,

Have mercy on us.

Let us pray for those who suffer affliction of any kind, that God, their constant companion and champion, may grant them healing and hope and life.

O God, for the sake of Christ,

Have mercy on us.

Let us pray for those who are prevented from praying with us, the persecuted and their persecutors, that each may be convinced of the good news of Jesus Christ and respond with faith and commitment.

O God, for the sake of Christ,

Have mercy on us.

Let us pray for ourselves, that the Spirit will ready us for the return of our Saviour and King, that we may enjoy forever the exhilarating life awaiting the faithful in heaven.

O God, for the sake of Christ.

Have mercy on us.

Please take time to offer your own intercessions or to pray in silence.

Because you are God, you hear our prayers. Because you are merciful, you promise to answer. We commend to you, merciful God, ourselves and those for whom we pray, through the crucified and rise Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Confession and Absolution

Dear friends in Christ,

God is steadfast in love and infinite in mercy; God welcomes sinners and invites them to the table. Let us confess our sins, confident in God’s forgiveness.

(Silence)

Song of Confession - words and music by Gord Johnson, used with permission from st benedict's table

Almighty God, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

Offertory Hymn – The Trumpets Sound, the Angels Sing (BCP #404)

Listen Here

Prayer over the Gifts

**Although not physically at our church buildings to share our offering together I would encourage you to set your offering of money aside so that it can be dropped off or placed in the church once services resume, to mail your offering to the church, or to make donations online. Please remember ministry is still taking place.

Let us pray.

Gracious God, your word to us is food indeed. Receive all we offer you this day, and let your loving-kindness be our comfort, for the sake of Jesus Christ, your living Word. Amen.

And now, as our Saviour Christ has taught us, we are bold to pray,

Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be 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.
Save us from the time of trial,
And deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
The power, and the glory,
For ever and ever. Amen.

Doxology

Glory to God,

Whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to God from generation to generation, in the Church and in Christ Jesus, for ever and ever. Amen.

Blessing

The blessing of almighty God, Son, and Holy Spirit, be upon you now and always. Amen.

Closing Hymn – Once to Every Man and Nation (BCP #587)

Listen Here

Dismissal

Go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.

Thanks be to God.

We Are All Saints

All Saints Day

**Please note this service is based on the format of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada. Unless otherwise indicated, all prayers come from Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW). Hymns and other prayers have been sourced to give appropriate credit.

**NRSV translation used for the readings, unless otherwise stated.

**This is for personal use at home as the church is unable to gather in our houses of worship but together we can worship in our own homes.

Introduction to the Day

All Saints celebrates the baptized people of God, living and dead, who are the body of Christ. As November heralds the dying of the landscape in many northern regions, the readings and liturgy call us to remember all who have died in Christ and whose baptism is complete. At the Lord’s table we gather with the faithful of every time and place, trusting that the promises of God will be fulfilled and that all tears will be wiped away in the new Jerusalem.

Confession and Forgiveness

Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
in whose image we are made,
who claims us and calls us beloved.

Amen.

Holy One,
we confess that we are not awake for you.
We are not faithful in using your gifts.
We forget the least of our siblings.
We do not see your beautiful image in one another.
We are infected by sin
that divides your beloved community.
Open our hearts to your coming,
open our eyes to see you in our neighbor,
open our hands to serve your creation. Amen.

Beloved, we are God’s children,
and Jesus, our Beloved, opens the door to us.
Through ☩ Jesus you are forgiven,
by Jesus you are welcome,
in Jesus you are called to rejoice!
Let us live in the promises prepared for us
from the foundation of the world.

Amen.

Remembrance of All Saints

Let us remember all the saints before God.

We praise and bless you, O holy Trinity. You have taught your church that it is an ageless communion of saints. We thank you for gathering those who faithfully waited in hope for the redemption you promised, and now for adding us who celebrate the love of Christ for the redemption of the world. Prepare a place for us among those who are already with you. Help us remember them as an encouragement to saintly living, exciting us to love, in anticipation of an eternal reunion. With them we praise and bless you, O holy Trinity.
Amen.

Jesus says, Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me;
for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
And you will find rest for your souls.

Gathering Song – For All Your Saints, O Lord (ELW #427)

Listen Here

Greeting

Beloved of God, called to be saints:
Grace, mercy, and peace be with you all.
And also with you.

Canticle of Praise

Listen Here

Prayer of the Day

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
Almighty God, you have knit your people together in one communion in the mystical body of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Grant us grace to follow your blessed saints in lives of faith and commitment, and to know the inexpressible joys you have prepared for those who love you, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.

A reading from the Book of Revelation 7:9-17

The book of Revelation is written to seven churches in western Asia Minor during a time of great oppression. Today’s reading is a response to the question asked in 6:17: “Who is able to stand?” The writer gives the faithful the assurance of God’s protection and a vision of victory.

After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying,

“Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, singing,

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving and honor
and power and might
be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

For this reason they are before the throne of God,
    and worship him day and night within his temple,
    and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.
They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;
    the sun will not strike them,
    nor any scorching heat;
for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd,
    and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Psalm 34:1-10, 22

I will bless the Lord at all times;
    his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
    let the humble hear and be glad.
O magnify the Lord with me,
    and let us exalt his name together.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me,
    and delivered me from all my fears.
Look to him, and be radiant;
    so your faces shall never be ashamed.
This poor soul cried, and was heard by the Lord,
    and was saved from every trouble.
The angel of the Lord encamps
    around those who fear him, and delivers them.
O taste and see that the Lord is good;
    happy are those who take refuge in him.
O fear the Lord, you his holy ones,
    for those who fear him have no want.
The young lions suffer want and hunger,
    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
    none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

A reading from the First Letter of John 3:1-3

A saint is one who has been set apart by God for God’s purposes. God, out of divine love, set us apart to be the children of God. Our holy hope is that we shall see God as God really is.

See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Children’s Message

As Christians, we begin November by remembering those who have died. We call the first two days of November All Saints Day and All Souls Day.

November 1, All Saints Day, was called All Hallow’s Day because hallow is another word for holy. The night before was called All Hallow’s Eve, which was eventually shortened to Halloween. Dressing in scary costumes and putting up pictures of tombstones and ghosts are ways to make death seem less scary at a time when nature is reminding us of death.

But the Church offers us an even better way of thinking about those who have died. On All Saints Day and All Souls Day we remember that we are members of the People of God. United with God, we are also united with all Christians who have come before us in the Communion of Saints.

All Saints Day and All Souls Day are good opportunities for us to remember how we are connected to one another through the Communion of Saints. Listen for where those words come up during the service.

We pray in thanksgiving that we all have eternal life and are united in the Communion of Saints.

Amen.

Gospel Acclamation

Listen Here

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew 5:1-12
Glory to you, O Lord.

After Jesus begins teaching in the temple, religious leaders try to trap him with questions. First they ask if God’s people should pay taxes to an earthly tyrant like Caesar.

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable and pleasing in your sight O Lord, for you are our rock and our redeemer. Amen.

Very rarely does the book of Revelation come up in our Sunday readings. When it does, it seems to me that we should reflect on it.

The Book of Revelation is often considered to be apocalyptic literature – heavily symbolic displaying distinctive literary characteristics and claims to unveil the truth about the world as viewed from an apocalyptic perspective.1

It’s a very imaginative book, full of colour and sound. The stories are full of divine visions granted to a seer and then interpreted by angels or other spiritual beings. Symbolism is prevalent throughout the Book of Revelation, with the visions involving bizarre creatures and mysterious events.

Theologians like Calvin and Luther wanted nothing to do with Revelation, neither writing a word about it. In pop culture, it fuels films ranging from pulp fiction to rock operas. Revelation fuels the human imagination, taking readers beyond themselves, expanding our horizons as it travels from earth to heaven and from present to future. And most of the time, it is very difficult to figure out what the experience means.2

You can see maybe why the creators of the common lectionary leave Revelation out of the cycle for the most part.

So why is it part of our readings today? On All Saint’s Sunday?

The custom on All Saints Day is to remember those who have died in the last year. It gives us a moment to grieve those we have lost but also to move to thanksgiving for their life and, even more, for their place now among the saints gathered in the nearer presence of God.

All religions have saints – those who are deceased, and those who are living and walking among us, and if we think with Paul, perhaps even we ourselves are saints. The word saint is not limited to the “greats” of history, for Paul and other writers in the New Testament use the term synonymously with Christian and, at times, believer. No matter how you define it, the word saint has broad implications, and that is perhaps the best way to describe today’s passage from Revelation 7.

In contrast to the first eight verses in this chapter which depict a specific number of worshipers (144,000), Revelation 7:9 casts a larger and more general vision for those who are able to worship around the throne of the Lamb. Beginning with verse 9, the writer describes a great multitude that is countless, numbering those from every tribe, and people, and language. There is no limit to the scope of this multitude, be it geographic, ethnic, numeric, linguistic, economic, and on the list goes.

Also, this multitude is seen and heard. The multitude is clad in white, it is waving palm branches, and it is crying hymns of praise in a loud voice. While much of this imagery parallels the Triumphal Entry scene as depicted in the gospels, it should be noted that this multitude pledges itself to the Lamb. Unlike the multitude in the Triumphal Entry scene that later turns its back on the Messiah, this multitude will remain faithful to the Lamb “forever and ever.”3

They remain loyal to the Lamb, they wash their robes, and they worship in the temple. As a result, they are sheltered, they are fed, and they are protected. Summed up, it might be said that this multitude has found freedom in the One they worship. Herein, the prophecy of Isaiah 25 is fulfilled.

This passage reminds us that being a faithful witness – like the great multitude – is the baptismal vocation of us all. It also reminds us that when we live out our Christian vocation, we find freedom in the Lamb of God who sustains all of us.

Most importantly, this passage reminds us that the vision for sainthood is all encompassing. It is all-inclusive.

And so, on this Feast Day of All Saints, we Christians around the world gather to celebrate the lives of those saints who have gone on before us. We read the names of those who have passed since the last time we observed this day; do it with solemnity and dignity and reverence and joy.

But let us also remember that loss that deserves notice and demands comfort comes from many places, not only death. It comes in leave-takings, as we depart for a new job and home and leave beloved friends and colleagues behind. It comes as you slowly lose a loved one to Alzheimer’s. It comes in the loss of employment or dignity. It comes from struggles with illness both of body and mind. It comes from being isolated for months from friends and family.

Loss comes at us from so many sources.

The passage from Revelation then becomes a letter of encouragement, hope, and comfort to all of us who are struggling with enormous loss over the last 12 months, and not just in loved ones who have died.

When struck with grief or loss, there is little capacity to imagine, let alone move toward, a future not dominated by these difficult realities.

But Christ promises us that with faith in him, we will be sheltered, fed, and protected.

Jesus will indeed wipe every tear from our eyes one day.

In the meantime, Jesus sees our struggles and knows our grief. Indeed, he has borne them in his cross and bears them with us even now.

So I ask again, why does Revelation show up, really, only on All Saints Day in our lectionary?

Because this passage is a reminder that sanctity is a gift from God, and that commemorating the Saints in our lives, living and dead, is a way of affirming that the transformative power of Christ is at work all about us in human lives. We are saints because God’s sanctity is at work in us.4

Amen.

[1] Powell, Mark Allan. Introducing the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Publishing Group, 2009. P. 523.

[2] Ibid. P. 537.

[3] Rowland, Christopher C. “The Book of Revelation: Introduction, Commentary, and Reflections,” in The New Interpreter’s Bible: Volume XII, ed. Leander E. Keck, Thomas G. Long, David L. Petersen, et al, The New Interpreter’s Bible: A Commentary in Twelve Volumes. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1994. P. 621.

[4] Stookey, Lawrence Hull. Christ’s Time for the Church. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1996. P. 141-142.

Hymn of the Day – For All the Saints (ELW #422)

Listen Here

Creed

Let us confess the faith of our baptism, as we say the Nicene Creed:

We believe in one God,
    the Father, the Almighty,
    maker of heaven and earth,
    of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
    the only Son of God,
    eternally begotten of the Father,
    God from God, Light from Light,
    true God from true God,
    begotten, not made,
    of one Being with the Father;
    through him all things were made.
    For us and for our salvation
            he came down from heaven,
            was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary
            and became truly human.
            For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
            he suffered death and was buried.
            On the third day he rose again
            in accordance with the scriptures;
            he ascended into heaven
            and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
            He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
            and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
    who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
    who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
    who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
    and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Prayers of Intercession

Longing for Christ’s reign to come among us, we pray for the outpouring of God’s power on the church, the world, and all in need.

Silence

Lord of all the saints, we praise you for evangelists and martyrs whose sacrifices witness to your gospel across time and space. Inspire us by their courage to carry our faith to new people and places around us.

Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.

Lord of every place, the universe proclaims your greatness from generation to generation. Bless the work of naturalists, and conservationists who train our attention to the wonders of the world you have made.

Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.

Lord of every blessing, your Son’s blessing came to those living with poverty, grief, hunger, thirst, and persecution. Shape our vision of the saints to match his own. Awaken in us your call to serve all who suffer. We pray especially for all those we name aloud or in our heart.

Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.

Lord of every venture, anoint us with the missionary spirit of the early church. Bless all new missions of our synod. Empower testimony from new communities of faith to shape a diverse witness to your saving power.

Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.

Lord of every time, countless are the multitudes you have called by name and gathered to yourself. Comfort us as we grieve those who have died in the past year. In faith, may we join with them in ceaseless praise.

Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.

Receive our prayers in the name of Jesus Christ our Saviour, until that day when you gather all creation around your throne where you will reign forever and ever.

Amen.

Peace

The peace of Christ be with you always.
And also with you.

Hymn of Thanksgiving – Precious Lord, Take My Hand (ELW #773)

Listen Here

Thanksgiving for the Word

Let us pray.

O God of justice and love, we give thanks to you that you illumine our way through life with the words of your Son. Give us the light we need, awaken us to the needs of others, and at the end bring all the world to your feast; through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory forever.

Amen.

Lord’s Prayer

Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us.

Our Father, who art in heaven,
    hallowed be 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.

Blessing

May the God of all creation, in whose image we are made, who claims us and calls us beloved, who strengthens us for service, give you reason to rejoice and be glad! The blessing of God, Sovereign, ☩ Saviour, and Spirit, be with you today and always.

Amen.

Sending Song – Shall We Gather at the River (ELW #423)

Listen Here

Dismissal

Beloved of God, go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.