Join us for Worship
(it can be viewed after 8am)
Prelude
Confession and Forgiveness
Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
whose steadfast love is everlasting,
whose faithfulness endures from generation to generation.
Amen.
Trusting in the mercy of God, let us confess our sin.
Silence is kept for reflection.
Reconciling God,
we confess that we do not trust your abundance,
and we deny your presence in our lives.
We place our hope in ourselves and rely on our own efforts.
We fail to believe that you provide enough for all.
We abuse your good creation for our own benefit.
We fear difference and do not welcome others as you have
welcomed us.
We sin in thought, word, and deed.
By your grace, forgive us; through your love, renew us; and in
your Spirit, lead us; so that we may live and serve you in
newness of life. Amen.
Beloved of God,
by the radical abundance of divine mercy
we have peace with God through ☩ Christ Jesus,
through whom we have obtained grace upon grace.
Our sins are forgiven.
Let us live now in hope.
For hope does not disappoint,
because God’s love has been poured into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Opening Hymn
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
Let us pray. You are great, O God, and greatly to be praised. You have
made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.
Grant that we may believe in you, call upon you, know you, and serve
you, through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Readings
A reading from Romans.
15I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want,
but I do the very thing I hate. 16Now if I do what I do not want, I
agree that the law is good. 17But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but
sin that dwells within me. 18For I know that nothing good dwells within
me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do
it. 19For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what
I do. 20Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but
sin that dwells within me.
21So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil
lies close at hand. 22For I delight in the law of God in my inmost
self, 23but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my
mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my
members. 24Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this
body of death? 25aThanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Word of God. Word of Life. Thanks be to God.
The holy gospel according to Matthew.
Glory to you, O Lord.
[Jesus spoke to the crowd saying:] 16“To what will I compare this
generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to
one another,
17‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we wailed, and you did not mourn.’
18For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a
demon’; 19the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say,
‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’
Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”
25At that time Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and
earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the
intelligent and have revealed them to infants; 26yes, Father, for such
was your gracious will. 27All things have been handed over to me by
my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one
knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son
chooses to reveal him.
28“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy
burdens, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn
from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest
for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” The
gospel of the Lord. Praise to you O Christ.
Sermon
Hymn of the Day
Prayers of Intercession
Called into unity with one another and the whole creation, let us pray
for our shared world.
A brief silence.
We pray for the church. Sustain us as we share your word. Embrace us
as we struggle to find our common ground. Lift up leaders with
powerful and prophetic voices. Free us from stagnant faith. Hear us, O
God. Your mercy is great.
We pray for the well-being of creation. Protect the air, water, and land
from abuse and pollution. Free us from apathy in our care of creation
and direct us toward sustainable living. Hear us, O God. Your mercy
is great.
We pray for the nations, especially the United States, celebrating
nationhood. Guide leaders in developing just policies and guide difficult
conversations. Free us from patriotism that hinders relationship-building. Lead us to expansive love for our neighbor. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
We pray for all in need. For all who are tired, feeling despair, sick, or
oppressed. For those who work endlessly to eradicate racism and
rebuild unjust systems. For those whose burdens are known only to
you. Take their yoke upon you and ease their burdens. Give your
consolation and free us from all that keeps us bound. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
We pray for this synod and the congregations across our New Jersey.
Bless pastors, deacons, and congregational leaders. Energize children’s
ministry volunteers, church administrators, and those who maintain
our buildings. Shine in this place that we might notice the ways your
love transforms our lives. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
We pray for the relationships we share through you, O God. Help us to
speak the truth in love to one another. Lead us so we may be
strengthened in our common work. Give us courage to go where you
call and do what you ask, even when it means we risk our own safety.
Bind us together to one another as you draw us closer to your own
heart. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
We give thanks for those who have died in faith, whom we name
before you. (Silence) Especially we remember our black and brown
siblings who have been killed because of the color of their skin.
Welcome them into your eternal rest and comfort us in our grief until
we are joined with them in new life. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is
great.
Receive these prayers, O God, and those too deep for words; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Peace
The peace of Christ be with you always. And also with you.
Thanksgiving for the Word
Let us pray.
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
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.
Blessing
The God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in
harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus. Amen.
The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you
may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The God of all grace ☩ bless you now and forever. Amen.
Sending Hymn
Dismissal
Go in peace. Christ goes with you. Thanks be to God.
Postlude