All Saints '23

DIALOG FOR ALL SAINTS

Praise the Lord, all you saints! Praise him all you heavenly hosts!

Let us praise the name of the Lord For his name only is exalted!

Abraham, Isaac & Jacob. Isaiah, Jeremiah & all you Patriarchs & Prophets!

Miriam, Ruth and Naomi Elizabeth, Mary and all you Holy Women!

Matthew, Mark & Luke James & John & all you Evangelists & Apostles!

Stephen Thomas Peter & Paul Philip Bartholomew & all you Holy Martyrs!

Praise the Lord! O praise the name of the Lord!

These are the saints whose robes are washed white in the blood of the Lamb. Praise the Lord!

We are the saints who are the living body of Christ, the Church.

Praise the Lord! O praise the name of the Lord!

PRAYER OF THE DAY

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 Savior and Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

GATHERING SONG “For All the Saints” #422

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Have mercy on us, O God, according to your lovingkindness;

in your great compassion blot out our offenses.

Silence for reflection and self-examination.

God of grace,

we confess to you the ways we have chosen death rather than life:

by trusting in ourselves rather than you;

by failing to follow your call;

by ignoring the cries of the poor;

by misusing your creation;

by seeking security through possessions;

by neglecting to give thanks for ail your gifts.

Renew your salvation within us, and hold us in your generous spirit. Amen

In great mercy, God abolished death and brought life through our Savior Jesus Christ.

As a called and ordained minister of the church of Christ, and by his authority, I declare to you that you are forgiven by the grace of God and empowered by the Holy Spirit to live a new life. Amen

FIRST READING: Revelation 7:9-17

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."

Word of God, Word of Life. Thanks be to God.

SECOND READING: I John 3:1-3

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.

Word of God, Word of Life. Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL: Matthew 5:1–12

The holy gospel according to Saint John, Glory to you, O Lord.

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2Then 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 Pastor Phil Wold

HYMN OF THE DAY “Alleluia, Jesus is Risen” #377

THE NICENE CREED

In infinite mercy God watched over the people of Israel. In unending love God sent his Son to be our Savior. God delivered us from sin through the waters of Baptism. With joy we proclaim in words and action the faith which makes us God’s own people. . .

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

THE SIGN OF PEACE IS SHARED

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

OFFERING AND OFFERTORY PRAYER

Let us pray. God of all creation, all you have made is good, and your love endures forever. You bring forth bread from the earth and fruit from the vine. Nourish us with these gifts, that we might be for the world signs of your gracious presence in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

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

SENDING SONG "Send Us Out"

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.