Proper 21
September 27, 2026
You are welcome to print this liturgy at home and bring it with you on Sunday.
Call to Worship
The Lord be with you.
and also with you.
+In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Opening Sentences
from the Northumbria Community
One thing I have asked of the Lord,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life;
to behold the beauty of the Lord
and to seek God in God’s temple.
Who is it that you seek?
We seek the Lord our God.
Do you seek God with all your heart?
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek God with all your soul?
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek God with all your mind?
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek God with all your strength?
Amen. Christ, have mercy.
Processional
Blueberry Blonde (Adam Levy)
Instrumental
The Collect of the Day from Common Worship: Additional Collects (2004)
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Gracious God, you call us to fullness of life: deliver us from unbelief and banish our anxieties through the liberating love of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
First Lesson Exodus 17:1-7
From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. The people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” But the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?” So Moses cried out to the Lord, “What shall I do for this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” The Lord said to Moses, “Go on ahead of the people and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile and go. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.” Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled and tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 25
To you, O Lord, I lift up my *soul.
O my God, in you I *trust;
do not let me be put to *shame;
do not let my enemies exult over *me.
Do not let those who wait for you be put to *shame;
let them be ashamed who are wantonly *treacherous.
Make me to know your ways, O *Lord;
teach me your *paths.
Lead me in your truth, and *teach me,
for you are the God of my sal*vation;
for you I wait all day *long.
Be mindful of your mercy, O *Lord,
and of your steadfast *love,
for they have been from of *old.
Do not remember the sins of my *youth
or my trans*gressions;
according to your steadfast love remember *me,
for your goodness' sake, O *Lord!
Good and upright is the *Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in the *way.
He leads the humble in what is *right,
and teaches the humble his *way.
All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and *faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his *decrees.
Glory be to the Father, and to the *Son,
and to the Holy *Spirit.
As it was in the *beginning,
is now, and ever shall be, world without end. A*men.
Second Lesson Philippians 2:1-13
If, then, there is any comfort in Christ, any consolation from love, any partnership in the Spirit, any tender affection and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or empty conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he existed in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be grasped,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
assuming human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a human,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.
Therefore God exalted him even more highly
and gave him the name
that is above every other name,
so that at the name given to Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence but much more now in my absence, work on your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation
We remember Jesus Christ,
who came in love, lived in love,
and died in love,
who was and is and is to come
The Gospel Reading Matthew 21:23-32
+ This is the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. Matthew.
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” And they argued with one another, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why, then, did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for all regard John as a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
“What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ He answered, ‘I will not,’ but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same, and he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him, and even after you saw it you did not change your minds and believe him.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
Gospel Acclamation
We remember Jesus Christ,
who came in love, lived in love,
and died in love,
who was and is and is to come
Homily
A Creed from the United Church of Canada
We are not alone,
we live in God’s world.
We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others
by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God’s presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God.
The Prayers of the People
by Rev. Terri Pilarski
For all the blessings of this life, we give thanks to you, Creator God. For families, friends, colleagues, neighbors, and strangers, who nurture us, that the love of God may grow within. That your love, your Word, like a seed, may grow to produce in us, good fruit.
May your love be like a seed, taking root and growing strong.
For the leaders of various nations and cities, that they may lead with strong hearts and gentle hands and generous spirits, with compassion and mercy, with wisdom and grace. May they reflect your will guiding all their actions and decisions.
May your love be like a seed, taking root and growing strong.
For those who serve in harms way, those who live in dangerous places, those who live in areas of war and strife, those who live in fear, those who worry about employment, bills, food, and struggle just to find dignity in life. May your grace bring peace and safety to all people, one to another.
May your love be like a seed, taking root and growing strong.
For those who suffer from any illness or dis-ease of mind, body, or spirit: Restore these, and all those we carry in our hearts, to fullness of health— health as only you, O God, can bring. May your mercy shower each of us with healing mercy and love.
May your love be like a seed, taking root and growing strong.
For those who are dying, and for those who have died: send forth your comforting love. Give solace to those who mourn. Console those who grieve. May your grace surround us like a mantle upon our heads,
a shawl upon our shoulders, a hand, to hold our hand.
May your love, be like a seed, taking root and growing strong.
Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Gracious God, we have hurt others, and we have been hurt. We have presumed upon others, and we have been presumed upon. We have taken others for granted, and we have been taken for granted. We have dishonored others, and we have been dishonored. As we receive your forgiveness for our wrongs, we extend forgiveness to others who have wronged us. Have mercy upon us all. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
Be reminded my friends: as far as the east is from the west, so far has God removed our transgressions from us. So, let us heed God’s admonitions that we need not be afraid and that God has not come to condemn the world but to redeem it! Amen.
The Peace
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
Song of Preparation
True Love Will Find You in the End (Daniel Johnston)
Instrumental
Presentation Hymn
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise him all creatures here below
Praise him above ye heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost
Amen
About Communion
On the night Jesus washed his disciples feet and promised to overcome the troubles of this world, he gave his friends a meal to remember their belonging to him and to one another. Friends of Jesus have continued to celebrate this communion meal since that night, and this table is open to all who desire the belonging and peace of Jesus.
Gluten free wafers and grape juice are available if you have those health needs. An usher will invite you to approach the kneelers to receive the meal. If for any reason you’re not prepared to join us, you’re welcome to remain in your seat. If coming to the front is physically difficult for you, please let an usher know and the elements will be brought to you. If you’d like to come up and simply receive a blessing, you can put your arms across your chest and a prayer of peace will be prayed over you.
The Great Thanksgiving
from the Children’s Sabbaths Celebration — Children’s Defense Fund (adapted)
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.
We give you thanks and praise, amazing God, who made heaven and earth and sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever, who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry; You watch over the strangers, uphold the children and most vulnerable caregivers, and have triumphed over sin and evil. And so we join the saints and angels in proclaiming your glory, as we say,
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
+ Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
We praise you, O God, for sending your beloved child Jesus born as a baby nurtured by his family, and protected by strangers, who grew as a child who was taught in his temple, surrounded by his community, and guided by his parents, who became an adult who loved and blessed the children, who cared for those who were sick, poor, and left out, who taught that God loves us like a parent, and who called us his friends. This one who was born a baby needing us died our Savior whom we all need, triumphant even over death, freeing us to live as your beloved children.
On the night before he died for us, Jesus was at the table with his friends. He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them, and said: “Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. As you do this, remember me.”
As supper was ending, Jesus took the cup of wine. Again, he gave thanks, gave it to them, and said: “Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is poured out for you and for all for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, remember me.”
Around your table, as your children, O God, we remember Jesus Christ, who came in love, lived in love, and died in love, who was and is and is to come. We offer to you our gifts of bread and wine, and we offer to you our lives.
Pour out your Spirit upon these gifts that they may be for us the body and blood of Christ, that they strengthen us to welcome the children, to show your love, to work for your justice, to bring your peace. Through Christ and with Christ and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, to you be honor, glory, and praise, for ever and ever. Amen.
As Christ teaches us, we pray:
The Lord’s Prayer
You are welcome to pray in any language.
Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Padre nuestro que estás en el cielo, santificado sea tu Nombre, venga tu reino, hágase tu voluntad, en la tierra como en el cielo. Danos hoy nuestro pan de cada día. Perdona nuestras ofensas, como también nosotros perdonamos a los que nos ofenden. No nos dejes caer en tentación y líbranos del mal. Porque tuyo es el reino, tuyo es el poder, y tuya es la gloria, ahora y por siempre. Amén.
The Breaking of the Bread
The bread which we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.
We being many are one body, for we all share in one bread.
The Invitation
The gifts of God for the people of God.
Jesus Christ is holy, Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Communion Music
True Love Will Find You in the End (Daniel Johnston)
Instrumental
The Great Silence
When all have received communion, ministers and people keep silence for reflection.
Prayer After Communion
Let us pray.
Eternal God, heavenly Father, you have graciously accepted us as living members of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, and you have fed us with spiritual food in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood. Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Blessing
Closing Song
Here Is the World (Frederick Buechner, Joseph Bradshaw)
Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible
Things will happen.
Don't be afraid.
The Dismissal
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God. Alleluia, Alleluia!