Order of Service
| Prelude | by Bach |
| Welcome Confession & Forgiveness | |
| Gathering Song | Shall We Gather at the River #423 |
| Greeting Prayer of the Day | |
| Scripture | 1 Kings 16:29 – 17:16 Luke 4:16-28 |
| Sermon | |
| Hymn | Sing With All the Saints in Glory #426 |
| Statement of Faith Prayers of Intercession Peace Offering Prayer Lord’s Prayer Benediction Dismissal | |
| Closing Hymn | Give Thanks for Saints #428 |
| Postlude | A Mighty Fortress |
Prelude
Chris Johansen
Welcome
Today is All Saints Day.
The festival of All Saints occurs just as the landscape in the northern hemisphere heralds the dying and dormancy of plants and the quiet of winter rest. In like manner, the readings and liturgy call us to rejoice in all the saints: those who have died and now rest in Christ, those alive now, and those yet to come.
As the church year draws to a close, we hear stories of crisis and judgment, of loss and death. The Christian community speaks honestly about human frailty and mortality.
At the same time, we confess our faith in the risen Lord, in the communion of saints, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. The liturgy calls us to hear the Lord’s promise that he is with us in life and in death. Christ has claimed us in baptism and nourishes us in the communion of his body and blood. He leads us to the new creation, where, with all the saints, we shall join in praise of God, in life everlasting.
We remember before God all the saints whose spirit is still with us even though their bodies are not. We are thankful for ways we have been loved and shaped through them.
We pray especially today for those who will light candles on behalf of loved ones who have died this year, and those whose grief is extended due to postponed funerals and lack of closure because of Covid-19 distancing.
Deaths of those beloved within our extended circle: Sonja Petersen-Richards, Johanne Hansen, Lois Dodge, Erling Grumstrup, Reimert Ravenholt, Doris Henriksen, Betty Bohn, Gerda Lyon
Announcements
Election week daily prayers will be posted on the website
Baptism of Magnus Hanson next week
Annual meeting 15 November following worship
Confession & Forgiveness
In heart and spirit, if not in physical presence, we are gathered together in the name of the Father, and of the +Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
P: All colors will agree in the dark, it has been said.
C: In suffering all people are united.
P: When surface differences are enshrouded
C: people find they are joined in a common struggle.
P: When the dark times of life come upon us
C: people discover they are linked by a common hope.
P: Out of the chains of disease, of fear, of failed relationships, of racism, of natural disasters
C: a common struggle, a common hope.
P: All colors will agree in the dark… and sometimes
C: the darkness is the best thing to happen to us.
Silence for reflection
P: God of the living, whose faithfulness extends from generation to generation, grant us grace to see the common struggle, to engage the common hope, and to “await your light, till shades of fear are gone.” Forgive, renew, and comfort us, and join us with the saints in light. Amen
~ adapted from Susan Palo Cherwein
Gathering Song – Shall We Gather at the River
1 Shall we gather at the river,
where bright angel feet have trod,
with its crystal tide forever
flowing by the throne of God?
Refrain
Yes, we’ll gather at the river,
the beautiful, the beautiful river;
gather with the saints at the river
that flows by the throne of God.
2 On the margin of the river,
washing up its silver spray,
we will walk and worship ever,
all the happy golden day. [Refrain]
3 Ere we reach the shining river,
lay we ev’ry burden down;
grace our spirits will deliver,
and provide a robe and crown. [Refrain]
4 Soon we’ll reach the shining river,
soon our pilgrimage will cease;
soon our happy hearts will quiver
with the melody of peace. [Refrain]
Greeting
The grace and loving-kindness of our Savior Jesus Christ be with you all.
And also with you.
Prayer of the Day
O loving God, to turn away from you is to fall, to turn toward you is to rise, and to stand before you is to abide forever. Grant us, dear God, in all our duties your help; in all our uncertainties your guidance; in all our dangers your protection; and in all our sorrows your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
~ Prayer of St Augustine of Hippo: died 430 AD
Scripture: 1 Kings 16:29 – 17:16
16:29 In the thirty-eighth year of King Asa of the southern kingdom, Judah, Ahab son of Omri began to reign over Israel in the north; Ahab reigned over Israel in Samaria for twenty-two years. 30Ahab son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord more than all who were before him.
31 And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam, he took as his wife Jezebel daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him. 32He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria. 33Ahab also made a sacred pole. Ahab did more to provoke the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than had all the kings of Israel who were before him. 34In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho; he laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by Joshua son of Nun.
17:1
Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, ‘As the Lord the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.’ 2The word of the Lord came to him, saying, 3‘Go from here and turn eastwards, and hide yourself by the Wadi Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. 4You shall drink from the wadi, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.’ 5So he went and did according to the word of the Lord; he went and lived by the Wadi Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. 6The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the wadi. 7But after a while the wadi dried up, because there was no rain in the land.
8 Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 9‘Go now to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and live there; for I have commanded a widow there to feed you.’ 10So he set out and went to Zarephath. When he came to the gate of the town, a widow was there gathering sticks; he called to her and said, ‘Bring me a little water in a vessel, so that I may drink.’ 11As she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, ‘Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.’ 12But she said, ‘As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of meal in a jar, and a little oil in a jug; I am now gathering a couple of sticks, so that I may go home and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.’
13Elijah said to her, ‘Do not be afraid; go and do as you have said; but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterwards make something for yourself and your son. 14For thus says the Lord the God of Israel: The jar of meal will not be emptied and the jug of oil will not fail until the day that the Lord sends rain on the earth.’ 15She went and did as Elijah said, so that she as well as he and her household ate for many days. 16The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.
Scripture: Luke 4:16-28
Luke 4:16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
18 ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’
20And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’ 22All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, ‘Is not this Joseph’s son?’
23He said to them, ‘Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, “Doctor, cure yourself!” And you will say, “Do here also in your home town the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.” ’ 24And he said, ‘Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s home town. 25But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up for three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; 26yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. 27There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.’
28When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. 29They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. 30But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.
Hymn – Sing With All the Saints in Glory
1 Sing with all the saints in glory,
sing the resurrection song!
Death and sorrow, earth’s dark story,
to the former days belong.
All around the clouds are breaking,
soon the storms of time shall cease;
in God’s likeness we, awaken,
knowing everlasting peace.
2 Oh, what glory, far exceeding
all that eye has yet perceived!
Holiest hearts, for ages pleading
never that full joy conceived.
God has promised, Christ prepares it,
there on high our welcome waits.
Ev’ry humble spirit shares it,
Christ has passed the eternal gates.
3 Life eternal! heav’n rejoices:
Jesus lives who once was dead.
Shout with joy, O deathless voices!
Child of God, lift up your head!
Life eternal! Oh, what wonders
crowd on faith; what joy unknown,
when, amid earth’s closing thunders,
saints shall stand before the throne!
Statement of Faith
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 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 center and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us. We are not alone. Amen
Prayers of Intercession
God of unfailing light, in your realm of glory the poor are blessed, the hungry filled, and every tear is wiped away. Strengthened by this vision, may we follow in the way of holiness that your Son made known in life and death.
We pray for the mercy of your kingdom….. hear our prayer.
Merciful God, we confess the sins and shortcomings of the world; its pride, its selfishness, its greed; its evil distortions and hatreds.
We confess our share in what is wrong, and our failure to seek and establish the peace you will for all your children.
We pray for the mercy of your kingdom….. hear our prayer.
You sent your Son to bring good news to the poor, sight to the blind, freedom to captives and salvation to your people: anoint us with your Spirit; rouse us to this work in his name.
Father, by your Spirit we pray for the mercy of your kingdom…. hear our prayer.
Send us to bring help to the poor and freedom to the oppressed.
Send us to tell, through word and deed, the good news of your healing love.
We pray for the mercy of your kingdom…. hear our prayer.
Send us to those who mourn.
Send us to proclaim that the time is here
Father, by your Spirit we pray for the mercy of your kingdom…. hear our prayer.
Lord of the Church, hear our prayer, and make us one in mind and heart to serve you.
We give you thanks for the whole company of your saints in glory, by your grace may we, like they, be made perfect in your love.
Blessing and glory and wisdom be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen.
Peace
To crown all things there must be love, to bind all together and complete the whole.
Let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts. Peace be with you.
Offering Prayer
Lover of our souls, you open wide your hands and satisfy the needs of every living creature. We thank you and bless you for your tender care. Through the time, skills, and financial resources we give to our congregation help us to serve our neighbors, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and bring justice to the oppressed in our world. Help us in these gifts to go where you send us, in all the beautiful names of God. 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 and 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
Benediction
Dismissal
Go forth into the world to serve God with gladness; be of good courage; hold fast to that which is good; render to no one evil for evil; strengthen the fainthearted; support the weak; help the afflicted; honor all people; love and serve God, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Thanks be to God.
Hymn – Give Thanks for the Saints
1 Give thanks for those whose faith is firm
when all around seems bleak:
on God’s good promise they rely,
so while they live and when they die
how forcefully they speak—
the strong, who once were weak!
2 Give thanks for those whose hope is clear,
beyond mere mortal sight:
who seek the city God has planned,
the true, eternal promised land,
and steer on toward that light,
a beacon ever bright.
3 Give thanks for those whose love is pure,
a sparkling precious stone:
they show by what they say and do
an inward beauty, warm and true,
for God’s concerns they own—
God’s love through them is known.
4 Give thanks for saints of ages past
and saints alive today:
though often by this world despised,
their hearts by God are richly prized.
Give thanks that we may say
we share their pilgrim way.