ORDER OF WORSHIP
Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
September 21, 2025
As we are invited today to consider what it means to be managers (rather than owners) of all that we have, it is crucial to recognize that we are bought with a price. “Christ Jesus, himself human, . . . gave himself a ransom for all.” Apart from the generosity of God we have nothing—we are nothing. By God’s gracious favor we have everything we need.
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRELUDE
Holy God, We Praise Your Name
arr. Michael Burkhardt
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
+ All may make the sign of the cross, the sign that is marked at baptism, as the presiding minister begins.
Blessed be the holy Trinity, + one God,
our maker, our helper, and our keeper.
Amen.
Trusting in God’s mercy, let us confess our sin
in the presence of God and of one another.
Silence is kept for reflection.
Merciful and loving God,
we are your stiff-necked people. We trample on the needy.
We grumble about your grace to others.
We turn away from the poor.
Have mercy on us and forgive our sins.
Rejoice over us as ones who were lost and have been found.
Amen.
Even when we are faithless, God remains faithful.
Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.
You who were lost have been found.
In the name of Jesus, your sins are forgiven!
Amen.
GATHERING HYMN
God Is Here
ELW 526
God is here! As we your people
meet to offer praise and prayer,
may we find in fuller measure
what it is in Christ we share.
Here, as in the world around us,
all our varied skills and arts
wait the coming of the Spirit
into open minds and hearts.
Here are symbols to remind us
of our lifelong need of grace;
here are table, font, and pulpit;
here the cross has central place.
Here in honesty of preaching,
here in silence, as in speech,
here, in newness and renewal,
God the Spirit comes to each.
Here our children find a welcome
in the Shepherd's flock and fold;
here as bread and wine are taken,
Christ sustains us as of old.
Here the servants of the Servant
seek in worship to explore
what it means in daily living
to believe and to adore.
Lord of all, of church and kingdom,
in an age of change and doubt,
keep us faithful to the gospel;
help us work your purpose out.
Here, in this day's dedication,
all we have to give, receive;
we, who cannot live without you,
we adore you! We believe!
TEMPLE TALK Dr. Terry Neal
APOSTOLIC 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.
KYRIE (page 193)
In peace, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace from above,
and for our salvation,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace of the whole world,
for the well-being of the Church of God,
and for the unity of all,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For this holy house,
and for all who offer here their worship and praise,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
Amen.
PRAYER OF THE DAY.
Let us pray together.
God among us, we gather in the name of your Son to learn love for one another. Keep our feet from evil paths. Turn our minds to your wisdom and our hearts to the grace revealed in your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
+ WORD +
FIRST READING: Amos 8:4-7
4 Hear this, you who trample on the needy, and bring to ruin the poor of the land, 5 saying, “When will the new moon be over so that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath, so that we may offer wheat for sale? We will make the ephah smaller and the shekel heavier and practice deceit with false balances, 6 buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals and selling the sweepings of the wheat.” 7 The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Surely I will never forget any of their deeds.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
PSALM 113 (read responsively by whole verse)
1Hallelujah! Give praise, you servants of the Lord; praise the name of the Lord.
2 Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore.
3 From the rising of the sun to its setting, let the name of the Lord be praised.
4 The Lord is high above all nations and God’s glory above the heavens.
5 Who is like the Lord our God, who sits enthroned on high,
6 who looks far down on the heavens and the earth?
7 God raises the weak from the dust and lifts the poor out of the ashes
8 enthroning them with the rulers,with the rulers of the people.
9 The Lord makes the woman of a childless house to be a joyful mother of children.
Hallelujah!
SECOND READING: 1Timothy 2:1-7
1First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is right and acceptable before God our Savior, 4 who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For
there is one God;
there is also one mediator between God and humankind,
Christ Jesus, himself human,
6 who gave himself a ransom for all
—this was attested at the right time.7 For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth; I am not lying), a teacher of the gentiles in faith and truth.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (page 198)
Alleluia. alleluia.
Alleluia. alleluia.
Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
Alleluia. alleluia.
Alleluia. alleluia.
GOSPEL: Luke 16:1-13
The Holy Gospel according to Luke.
Glory to you, O Lord.
1 Then Jesus said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property. 2 So he summoned him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management because you cannot be my manager any longer.’ 3 Then the manager said to himself, ‘What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. 4 I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.’ 5 So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 He answered, ‘A hundred jugs of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.’ 7 Then he asked another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘A hundred containers of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill and make it eighty.’ 8 And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly, for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. 9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone they may welcome you into the eternal homes.
10 “Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much, and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. 11 If, then, you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? 13 No slave can serve two masters, for a slave will either hate the one and love the other or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
SERMON The Rev. Dr. Olga-Maria Cruz
Silence is kept for reflection.
HYMN OF THE DAY
God Whose Giving Knows No Ending
ELW 678
God, whose giving knows no ending,
from your rich and endless store:
nature's wonder, Jesus' wisdom,
costly cross, grave's shattered door,
gifted by you, we turn to you,
off'ring up ourselves in praise;
thankful song shall rise forever,
gracious donor of our days.
Skills and time are ours for pressing
toward the goals of Christ, your Son:
all at peace in health and freedom,
races joined, the church made one.
Now direct our daily labor,
lest we strive for self alone;
born with talents, make us servants
fit to answer at your throne.
Treasure, too, you have entrusted,
gain through pow'rs your grace conferred;
ours to use for home and kindred,
and to spread the gospel word.
Open wide our hands in sharing,
as we heed Christ's ageless call,
healing, teaching, and reclaiming,
serving you by loving all.
APOSTLE’S CREED
We now profess the faith we share using the words of the Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.*
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Gracious God, we come to you in prayer for the church, the world, and all in need.
A brief silence.
O God, teach your church to act in solidarity with the poor, frustrating the efforts of those who trample on the needy and practicing justice in our own life and community. God of grace,
receive our prayer.
Almighty Creator, we pray for an end to the misuse of the earth and its resources, that all people may benefit from your abundant gifts and that our stewardship of creation would be marked by justice and sustainability.
God of grace,
receive our prayer.
Holy One, embolden elected leaders to pursue policies of economic justice for the benefit of all, especially those who are most vulnerable and marginalized. Persuade them by your example of generosity and compassion.
God of grace,
receive our prayer.
Compassionate God, we pray for all facing illness, those near death, or those grieving the loss of loved ones, especially Mary, Mabel, Doris, June, Ann, Julie, Rita, Carol, Anne, Judy, Tom, Lydia, Brian, James & Grace, Wil, Amy, Bob & Jane, Barbara, Scott, Lynda, Ron & Flo, Mac, Monica, Tom & Leona, Avery, Doris, John, Tim, Arleen, Betty, Linda, Jeff, Henry, Gary, Greg, Helen & Ron, and Max & Michelle. May they find comfort and strength in your love. Prepare us to surround them with your healing care. God of grace,
receive our prayer.
God of love, motivate our congregation to enact economic justice through tangible action, prioritizing the needs of our community and sharing resources generously through our outreach and justice ministries, including PEACE and Talbot House. God of grace,
receive our prayer.
Here other intercessions may be offered, whether silently or aloud.
Gracious God, we give thanks for the saints who now join the heavenly chorus
in praising your name. Lift us up from the dust of grief and remind us of your promise of new life.
God of grace,
receive our prayer.
We entrust these prayers to you, O God, in the name of Jesus Christ,
our redeemer and friend.
Amen.
SHARING OF THE PEACE
The peace of Christ be with you always.
And also with you.
THANKSGIVING
+ MEAL +
OFFERING
You may place your offerings in the offering plate as it is passed during the service. Alternatively, some are using Tithe.ly for online giving or are using their bank’s online banking option. Whichever way you choose to give, we are grateful for your stewardship and generosity.
OFFERTORY
There is a Wideness
Faber / Yoder
OFFERING SONG
Let the Vineyards Be Fruitful
ELW 182
Let the vineyards be fruitful, Lord,
and fill to the brim our cup of blessing.
Gather a harvest from the seeds that were sown,
that we may be fed with the bread of life.
Gather the hopes and dreams of all;
unite them with the prayers we offer.
Grace our table with your presence,
and give us a foretaste of the feast to come.
OFFERING PRAYER
Lord of the harvest,
we return to you a portion of what you have given to us.
Turn us to set our hope not on the uncertainty of riches,
but on you, who richly provides for us.
Multiply what we have gathered
to bless all who are suffering an in need,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
HOLY COMMUNION
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
DIALOGUE (page 199)
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.
PREFACE
It is our duty and delight
that we should everywhere and always
offer thanks and praise to you, oh God,
through Jesus Christ;
who calls us to follow his way
of humble service and love.
And so, with the church on earth,
all creation and the hosts of heaven,
we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
SANCTUS
Holy, holy, holy are you,
God of power and might;
heaven and earth are filled with your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the one who comes in your name,
Hosanna in the highest, hosanna in the highest.
THANKSGIVING AT THE TABLE
Holy, mighty, and merciful Lord,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
In great love you sent to us Jesus, your Son,
who reached out to heal the sick and suffering,
who preached good news to the poor,
and who, on the cross, opened his arms to all.
In the night in which he was betrayed,
our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;
broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take and eat; this is my body, given for you.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks,
and gave it for all to drink, saying:
This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
Remembering, therefore, his death, resurrection, and ascension,
we await his coming in glory.
Pour out upon us the Spirit of your love, O Lord,
and unite the wills of all who share this heavenly food,
the body and blood of Jesus Christ, our Lord;
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be all honor and glory, now and forever.
Amen.
LORD'S PRAYER
Lord, remember us in your kingdom, and teach us to pray:
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.
INVITATION TO COMMUNION
Jesus welcomes sinners and eats with them.
Come to the meal of mercy.
Thanks be to God.
DISTRIBUTION
The baptized children of God are invited by the Lord to the Lord’s Table where we receive Jesus’ very body and blood in, with, and under the bread and wine. We commune at the communion rail where we receive the Body and Blood of Christ. Gluten free bread and grape juice are available. If you wish to commune, but cannot come forward, let an usher know and Pastor will come to you. If you do not wish to commune, you are welcome to come forward to receive a blessing. You may wish to remain at the rail for a time of personal prayer following which you may return to your pew down the side aisle.
LAMB OF GOD (page 201)
Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God,
you take away the sins of the world:
grant us peace, grant us peace.
COMMUNION HYMNS
We Give Thee But Our Own
ELW 686
We give thee but thine own,
whate'er the gift may be;
all that we have is thine alone,
a trust, O Lord, from thee.
May we thy bounties thus
as stewards true receive,
and gladly, as thou blessest us,
to thee our firstfruits give.
The captive to release,
to God the lost to bring,
to teach the way of life and peace—
it is a Christlike thing.
And we believe thy word,
though dim our faith may be:
whate'er we do for thine, O Lord,
we do it unto thee.
Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us
ELW 789
Savior, like a shepherd lead us;
much we need your tender care.
In your pleasant pastures feed us,
for our use your fold prepare.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,
you have bought us; we are yours.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,
you have bought us; we are yours.
We are yours; in love befriend us,
be the guardian of our way;
keep your flock, from sin defend us,
seek us when we go astray.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,
hear us children when we pray.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,
hear us children when we pray.
You have promised to receive us,
poor and sinful though we be;
you have mercy to relieve us,
grace to cleanse, and pow'r to free.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,
early let us turn to you.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,
early let us turn to you.
Early let us seek your favor,
early let us do your will;
blessed Lord and only Savior,
with your love our spirits fill.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,
you have loved us, love us still.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,
you have loved us, love us still.
POST-COMMUNION BLESSING
The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.
Amen.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Let us pray.
O God,
through this meal you have strengthened us
and appointed us to be your servants.
Send us to do good and to share our possessions
with all in need.
With gratitude we pray.
Amen.
+ SENDING +
SENDING HYMN
Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise
ELW 834
Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise!
Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;
thy justice like mountains high soaring above
thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.
To all, life thou givest, to both great and small;
in all life thou livest, the true life of all;
we blossom and flourish like leaves on the tree,
and wither and perish, but naught changeth thee.
Thou reignest in glory; thou dwellest in light;
thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
all laud we would render; oh, help us to see
'tis only the splendor of light hideth thee!
BENEDICTION
The God of righteousness,
who gives justice to the oppressed,
who gives food to the hungry,
who sets the prisoners free,
bless you now and forever.
Amen.
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Do not lose heart.
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE
Praise My Soul, the King of Heaven
arr. Lani Smith
Liturgical Text and Music from Evangelical Lutheran Worship, © 2006, 2020, 2022 Augsburg Fortress. Reprinted and/or streamed with permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies License #SAS016761. All rights reserved.
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Holy God, We Praise Thy Name, Tune: Katholisches Gesangbuch, Vienna, 1774. Arr: Michael Burkhardt, b.1957. Arr. © 2006 Birnamwood Publications (ASCAP), div. MorningStar Music Publishers. Streamed with permission under OneLicense #A-722274. All rights reserved.
God Is Here!, Text: Fred Pratt Green, 1903-2000, Text © 1979 Hope Publishing Company, Music: Cyril V. Taylor, 1907-1991. Music © 1942, ren 1970 Hope Publishing Company. Reprinted and/or streamed with permission under OneLicense #A-722274. All rights reserved.
Now the Feast and Celebration, Text and Music: Marty Haugen, b. 1950. Text and music © 1990 GIA Publications, Inc. Reprinted and/or streamed with permission under OneLicense #A-722274. All rights reserved.
God, Whose Giving Knows No Ending, Text: Robert L. Edwards, 1915-2006. Text © 1961, ren 1989 by The Hymn Society, admin. Hope Publishing Company. Reprinted and/or streamed with permission under OneLicense #A-722274. All rights reserved. Music: C. Hubert H. Parry, 1848-1918. Public domain.
There is a Wideness, Text: Frederick W. Faber, 1814-1863, alt. Public domain. Music: Teresa Cobarrubia Yoder. Music © 2016 and 2022 Teresa Cobarrubia Yoder. Streamed with permission under OneLicense #A-722274. All rights reserved.
We Give Thee But Thine Own, Text: William W. How, 1823-1897, alt. Music: attrib. Robert Shumann, 1810-1856. Pub. 1850 in Cantica Lauda by Lowell Mason, 1792-1872 and George James Webb, 1803-1887. Public domain.
Savior, like a Shepherd Lead Us, Text: attr. Dorothy A. Thrupp, 1779-1847. Music: William B. Bradbury, 1816-1868. Public domain.
Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise. Text: Walter Chalmers Smith, 1824-1908, alt. Music: Welsh traditional; arr. John Roberts, 1807-1876, Public domain.
Praise My Soul, the King of Heaven, Tune: John Goss, 1800-1880, Arr. Lani Smith, 1934-2015. Arr. © 1975 Lorenz Publishing Co. Streamed with permission under OneLicense #A-722274. All rights reserved.
