For another form of worship in the home based on today’s lessons in the Revised Common Lectionary, go to https://blogs.elca.org/worship/2783/
Antiphon1
Ant. I am the salvation of the people, says the Lord; *
from whatever tribulations they cry out to me,
I will give heed to them;
and I will be their Lord for ever.
V. Give ear, my people, to my teaching; *
incline your ear to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable *
and utter hidden lessons of the past. cf. Psalm 37; Psalm 78
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 Christ our Lord. Amen.
Music: https://tinyurl.com/ycn4djk5
O Lord, open my lips.
And my mouth will declare your praise.
Make haste, O God, to deliver me;
make haste to help me, O Lord.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise to you, O Christ, Alleluia!
HYMN: William Williams; trans. Peter Williams
Tune: Cwm Rhonnda https://tinyurl.com/y4yup4ks
1 Guide me, O thou great Jehovah,
pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty;
hold me with thy powerful hand;
bread of heaven, bread of heaven,
feed me now and evermore,
feed me now and evermore.
2 Open now the crystal fountain,
whence the healing stream doth flow;
let the fire and cloudy pillar
lead me all my journey through;
strong deliverer, strong deliverer.
be thou still my strength and shield,
be thou still my strength and shield.
3 When I tread the verge of Jordan,
bid my anxious fears subside;
death of death, and hell’s destruction,
land me safe on Canaan’s side;
songs of praises, songs of praises,
I will ever give to thee,
I will ever give to thee.
PSALMS
For psalms in contemporary language, https://tinyurl.com/y9tjh7rk
Psalm 102 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/tru8yxv)
1 Hear my prayer, O Lord *
and let my crying come unto thee.
2 Hide not thy face from me in the time of my trouble *
incline thine ear unto me when I call; O hear me, and that right soon.
3 For my days are consumed away like smoke *
and my bones are burnt up as it were a fire-brand.
4 My heart is smitten down, and withered like grass *
so that I forget to eat my bread.
5 For the voice of my groaning *
my bones will scarce cleave to my flesh.
6 I am become like a pelican in the wilderness *
and like an owl that is in the desert.
7 I have watched, and am even as it were a sparrow *
that sitteth alone upon the house-top.
8 Mine enemies revile me all the day long *
and they that are mad upon me are sworn together against me.
9 For I have eaten ashes as it were bread *
and mingled my drink with weeping;
10 And that because of thine indignation and wrath *
for thou hast taken me up, and cast me down.
11 My days are gone like a shadow *
and I am withered like grass.
12 But, thou, O Lord, shalt endure for ever *
and thy remembrance throughout all generations.
13 Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Sion *
for it is time that thou have mercy upon her, yea, the time is come.
14 And why? thy servants think upon her stones *
and it pitieth them to see her in the dust.
15 The heathen shall fear thy Name, O Lord *
and all the kings of the earth thy Majesty;
16 When the Lord shall build up Sion *
and when his glory shall appear;
17 When he turneth him unto the prayer of the poor destitute *
and despiseth not their desire.
18 This shall be written for those that come after *
and the people which shall be born shall praise the Lord.
19 For he hath looked down from his sanctuary *
out of the heaven did the Lord behold the earth;
20 That he might hear the mournings of such as are in captivity *
and deliver the children appointed unto death;
21 That they may declare the Name of the Lord in Sion *
and his worship at Jerusalem;
22 When the people are gathered together *
and the kingdoms also, to serve the Lord.
23 He brought down my strength in my journey *
and shortened my days.
24 But I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of mine age *
as for thy years, they endure throughout all generations.
25 Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth *
and the heavens are the work of thy hands.
26 They shall perish, but thou shalt endure *
they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
27 And as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed *
but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
28 The children of thy servants shall continue *
and their seed shall stand fast in thy sight.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.
Psalm 103 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/wclpdz5)
1 Praise the Lord, O my soul *
and all that is within me praise his holy Name.
2 Praise the Lord, O my soul *
and forget not all his benefits;
3 Who forgiveth all thy sin *
and healeth all thine infirmities;
4 Who saveth thy life from destruction *
and crowneth thee with mercy and loving-kindness;
5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things *
making thee young and lusty as an eagle.
6 The Lord executeth righteousness and judgement *
for all them that are oppressed with wrong.
7 He shewed his ways unto Moses *
his works unto the children of Israel.
8 The Lord is full of compassion and mercy *
long-suffering, and of great goodness.
9 He will not alway be chiding *
neither keepeth he his anger for ever.
10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins *
nor rewarded us according to our wickednesses.
11 For look how high the heaven is in comparison of the earth *
so great is his mercy also toward them that fear him.
12 Look how wide also the east is from the west *
so far hath he set our sins from us.
13 Yea, like as a father pitieth his own children *
even so is the Lord merciful unto them that fear him.
14 For he knoweth whereof we are made *
he remembereth that we are but dust.
15 The days of man are but as grass *
for he flourisheth as a flower of the field.
16 For as soon as the wind goeth over it, it is gone *
and the place thereof shall know it no more.
17 But the merciful goodness of the Lord
endureth for ever and ever upon them that fear him *
and his righteousness upon children’s children;
18 Even upon such as keep his covenant *
and think upon his commandments to do them.
19 The Lord hath prepared his seat in heaven *
and his kingdom ruleth over all.
20 O praise the Lord, ye angels of his, ye that excel in strength *
ye that fulfil his commandment, and hearken unto the voice of his words.
21 O praise the Lord, all ye his hosts *
ye servants of his that do his pleasure.
22 O speak good of the Lord, all ye works of his,
in all places of his dominion *
praise thou the Lord, O my soul.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.
PRAYER
God of might and mercy,
you bring us to new life each day,
and nurture us in your tender love.
Keep us far from all sinfulness,
that our lives may be a blessing to you;
in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
Reading: Exodus 16:2-18
The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.’
Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.’ So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, ‘In the evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaining against the Lord. For what are we, that you complain against us?’ And Moses said, ‘When the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the complaining that you utter against him—what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the Lord.’
Then Moses said to Aaron, ‘Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, “Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.” ’ And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked towards the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. The Lord spoke to Moses and said, ‘I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, “At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.” ’
In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, ‘What is it?’ For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. This is what the Lord has commanded: “Gather as much of it as each of you needs, an omer to a person according to the number of persons, all providing for those in their own tents.” ’ The Israelites did so, some gathering more, some less. But when they measured it with an omer, those who gathered much had nothing over, and those who gathered little had no shortage; they gathered as much as each of them needed.
HYMN: Josiah Conder
Tune: Mercy https://tinyurl.com/y542vn6y
1 Day by day the manna fell;
O to learn this lesson well!
Still, by constant mercy fed,
Give me, Lord, my daily bread.
2 Day by day, the promise reads,
Daily strength for daily needs;
Cast foreboding fears away,
Take the manna of today.
3 Lord, my times are in thy hand;
All my sanguine hopes have planned
To thy wisdom I resign,
And would make thy purpose mine.
4 Thou my daily tasks halt give,
Day by day to thee I live;
So shall added years fulfil
Not my own, my Father’s will.
5 O to live exempt from care
By the energy of prayer;
Strong in faith, with mind subdued,
Yet elate with gratitude!
Reading: Matthew 20:1-16
Jesus told them this parable: ‘For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the market-place; and he said to them, “You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, “Why are you standing here idle all day?” They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You also go into the vineyard.” When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, “Call the labourers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.” When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, “These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.” But he replied to one of them, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?” So the last will be first, and the first will be last.’
CANTICLE Revelation 4:11, 5:9-10, 13
(Chant by Joe Cox: https://tinyurl.com/y499lmmp)
Ant. Splendor and honor and kingly power *
are yours by right, O Lord our God,
For you created everything that is, *
and by your will they were created and have their being;
And yours by right, O Lamb that was slain, *
for with your blood you have redeemed for God,
From every family, language, people, and nation, *
a kingdom of priests to serve our God.
And so, to him who sits upon the throne, *
and to Christ the Lamb,
Be worship and praise, dominion and splendor, *
for ever and for evermore. Ant.
THE PRAYERS Joe Milner
For the church: that we may humbly accept God’s gift of salvation and recognize that every day is God’s gift to us
For all who are seeking God: that the Spirit of God will lead them into an encounter with God and open them to God’s presence and action in their lives
For the grace to prefer nothing to Christ: that we may live each day striving to be faithful disciples through trusting in God’s providence and showing love and compassion to all who enter our lives
For freedom from envy: that we may appreciate the gifts and blessings that others receive and rejoice in their success
For all who have lost hope or who are isolated from family and friends: that they may experience God’s presence with them today and recognize someone’s love for them
For all who are working to aid those in need, particularly firefighters and rescue workers: that God will give them strength, wisdom, and protection from harm
For all who have been cheated out of their wages: that God will bring justice for those who have been defrauded and help them in their attempts to reclaim what they are justly owed
For all who are unemployed or underemployed: that God will open opportunities for them to use their gifts and talents for the good of society and not allow their time and energy to be idled away
For all who are suffering persecution for their faith: that God will protect them from harm and help them to give faithful witness to the Gospel
For an end to violence in local communities: that God will open the hearts of local leaders to address the injustices in their communities and promote dialogue and new understanding amongst citizens
For all who are approaching death, those with terminal illnesses, and those who care for them: that they may approach death as a gain and prefer Christ before all else
For all who have been impacted by the wildfires: that God will comfort those who have lost homes and livelihoods, help them find new homes and the resources that they need, and give eternal rest to those who have died
For safe and honest elections: that God will guide those who are organizing the elections, protect each district from interference, and motivate all to fulfill their civic responsibilities by voting
For greater stewardship of creation: that God will impel our hearts to oppose the misuse of earth’s resources and empower us to work tirelessly to protect the magnificence of nature for future generations
(Traditional chant: https://tinyurl.com/ydzx5jdp)
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,
for ever and ever. Amen.]
O God,
from your providing hand even the dissatisfied and grumbling
receive what they need for their lives.
Teach us your ways of justice
and lead us to practice your generosity,
so that we may live a life worthy of the gospel
make known through your Son Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen. RCLP
Music: https://tinyurl.com/y9efvwm5
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen. 2 Cor. 13:14
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BCW Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 1993.
RCLP Revised Common Lectionary Prayers. © 2002 Consultation on Common Texts admin. Augsburg Fortress.
BCP The Book of Common Prayer, The Episcopal Church, 1979.
1 Adam Bartlett, Simple English Propers; audio from https://musicasacra.com/additional-publications/sep-practice-videos/ ©
The intercessions are by Joe Milner http://liturgy.slu.edu
The three main scripture readings are from the The New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Edition, The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, 1995 by the 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.
The psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662).
Musical links are usually either to artists’ albums posted on Spotify or to recordings made available at smallchurchmusic.com. Audio stripped from YouTube videos is footnoted accordingly above.
Compilation © 2020 Stephen T. Benner. All links worked at the time they were created, but I cannot accept responsibility for their content or any damage resulting from their use. The linked content is under the control of the respective content creators and is subject to change at any time. Any copyright texts included in this compilation are provided for non-commercial purposes related to study or worship. Please contact the respective copyright holders for permission to use the texts in other contexts.
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