| November 8, 2026
9:00am 24th Sunday |
The 10 Young Women based on Matthew 25:1-13 image by JESUS MAFA |
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GATHERING |
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Prelude Nun Freut euch, liebe Christen g’mein Matthias Weckmann
Communion Louis Raffy
Yeon Soh, Organ
WELCOME
Whether this is your first time with us or your one thousand and first, we are glad that the Spirit has drawn you here today! Visitors are invited to sign the Guest Book near the front doors of the church and take home a welcome brochure to learn more about us.
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
our dwelling place for all generations,
whose compassion never slumbers. Amen.
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
Silence is kept for reflection.
Holy God,
we confess that we have trusted in our preparation
instead of your invitation.
We prioritize our piety over care for your beloved.
We trust the voice of our shame and fear,
which keeps us from entering fully
into relationship with you and others.
We are not awake to the coming of your reign.
Rouse us and rescue us,
that we may enter into your joy.
Amen.
Inherit the riches of God’s grace.
Jesus, ☩ the good shepherd, feeds you with his mercy.
You are forgiven.
Blessed are you.
Amen.
GATHERING HYMN Come, We That Love the Lord ELW 625
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.
HYMN OF PRAISE
Prayer of the Day
Let us pray. O God of justice and love, you illumine our way through life with the words of your Son. Give us the light we need, and awaken us to the needs of others, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
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WORD God speaks to us in scripture reading, preaching, and song |
FIRST READING Amos 5:18-24
In the days of Amos, people thought that the day of the LORD would be a time of great victory, but Amos announced that it would be a day of darkness, not light. He said liturgy is no substitute for obedience. The LORD demands justice and righteousness in the community.
A reading from Amos.
18 Woe to you who desire the day
of the Lord!
Why do you want the day of the Lord?
It is darkness, not light,
19 as if someone fled from a lion
and was met by a bear
or went into the house and rested
a hand against the wall
and was bitten by a snake.
20 Is not the day of the Lord darkness,
not light,
and gloom with no brightness in it?
21 I hate, I despise your festivals,
and I take no delight in
your solemn assemblies.
22 Even though you offer me
your burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them,
and the offerings of well-being of
your fatted animals
I will not look upon.
23 Take away from me the noise
of your songs;
I will not listen to the melody of
your harps.
24 But let justice roll down like water
and righteousness like an
ever-flowing stream.
Word of God, word of life.
Thanks be to God.
SECOND READING 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Some of the Thessalonians are worried that dead Christians will be excluded from the resurrection to eternal life when Christ comes again. Paul reassures them with the word of hope that all Christians, living or dead, will be raised into everlasting life with Christ.
A reading from First Thessalonians.
13 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. 15 For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. 16 For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.
Children’s Message Pastor Jess
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
GOSPEL Matthew 25:1-13
Jesus tells a parable about his own second coming, emphasizing the need for readiness at all times.
The Holy Gospel according to Matthew. Glory to you, O Lord.
Jesus said to the disciples: 1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten young women took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those young women got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. 11 Later the other young women came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ 13 Keep awake, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon Pastor Jess
HYMN OF THE DAY Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning ACS 949
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 THE PEOPLE
United with the great cloud of witnesses, we offer our prayers for the church, the world,
and all of creation.
A brief silence.
You illumine the church with the hope of your new day. Prepare our hearts and minds for the inbreaking of your kingdom, that we might awaken to your transforming love at work all around us. God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
You create and sustain the earth’s natural rhythms so that all life might thrive. Show us the wisdom and wonder of nature’s balance; make us careful stewards of our common home.
God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
You make justice roll down in all places and among all nations. Encourage all who protect vulnerable communities and help rebuild in the aftermath of conflict. Uphold veterans and those who care for them. God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
You hasten to heal our wounds and make whole what is broken. Comfort individuals facing a difficult diagnosis, receiving palliative care, or facing uncertain treatment options. We pray especially for Deb, Lou, Bob, Bert, Bill, John, Donna, all those affected by addiction or mental illness, and all military personnel and first responders. God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
You give rest to weary hearts and bodies. As the days grow shorter in the north, help us to move more slowly and intentionally through our days, honoring the need for quiet and stillness.
God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Here other intercessions may be offered.
You welcome those who have come before us in faith into the joys of heaven. Sustain us by your grace and guide us into the promise of everlasting life. God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Into your steadfast love, faithful God, we entrust all for whom we pray, in the name of Jesus,
your beloved.
Amen.
Peace
The peace of the Lord be with you always. And also with you.
ANNNOUNCEMENTS
OFFERING INVITATION
(Gifts may be made online via debit or credit card using the QR code on the back of the bulletin)
OFFERING ANTHEM
Zion Hears the Watchmen Singing arr. Mark Schweizer
Chancel Choir
PRESENTATION
OF GIFTS Born, Reborn ACS 956
OFFERING PRAYER
Let us pray. God of creation, all blessings come from you; make us generous with what we have. Use our gifts, our abilities, and our hearts in service to you and in love to our neighbors. Amen.
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MEAL |
Dialogue
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 indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God, through our Savior Jesus Christ; who on this day overcame death and the grace, and by his glorious resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting life. And so, with all the choirs of angels, with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
Sanctus
THANKSGIVING AT THE TABLE
Holy One, the universe declares your praise:
beyond the stars; beneath the sea, within each cell; with every breath.
We praise you, O God.
Generations bless your faithfulness:
through the water, by night and day; across the wilderness; out of exile; into the future.
We bless you, O God.
We give you thanks for your dear Son:
at the heart of human life; near to those who suffer; beside the sinner; among the poor;
with us now.
We thank you, O God.
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 his love for us on the way, at the table, and to the end,
we proclaim the mystery of faith.
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
We pray for the gift of your Spirit:
in our gathering; within this meal; among your people; throughout the world.
Blessing, praise and thanks to you, holy God,
through Christ Jesus, by your Spirit, in your church, without end. Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
Let us pray as Jesus taught us, each in the words or language of our choice.
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 invites you to this table. Come and receive food for your soul!
ANGUS DEI
COMMUNION
At this table, Christ is both host and meal, and offers himself to all who hunger and thirst for his presence.
We believe that he is truly present in this sacrament.
Come to the front, where bread is placed in your hand (you can request a gluten-free wafer), and where you receive wine by taking a cup from the tray (the cups in the center contain white grape juice).
If you do not wish to commune, you are welcome to come forward and receive a blessing.
If you need to receive communion in your seat, simply notify an usher.
No one is too young to receive this sacrament, though some families wish to give their children some instruction before they take their first communion. If a young child accompanies you, please indicate to the pastor whether they should receive bread or a blessing.
COMMUNION HYMNS When Peace like a River ELW 785
(It Is Well with My Soul)
Oh, Happy Day When We Shall Stand ELW 441
TABLE BLESSING
The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in God’s grace. Amen.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Let us pray. Sustaining God, with this bread and cup, you nourish us with mercy and abundant life. By your Spirit, send us from this table to serve a needy world. Make us living signs of your liberation, healing, and love. Amen.
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SENDING |
VETERANS DAY BLESSING
God of peace, we pray for those who have served our nation
and have laid down their lives to protect and defend our freedom.
We pray for those who have fought, whose spirits and bodies are scarred by war,
whose nights are haunted by memories too painful for the light of day.
We pray for those who serve us now, especially for those in harm’s way.
Shield them from danger and bring them home. Teach us to tend their wounds in body and spirit.
Turn the hearts and minds of leaders around the world, even those we would call our enemies,
to the work of justice and a harvest of peace.
Amen.
BLESSING
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord’s face shine on you with grace and mercy.
The Lord look upon you with favor and ☩ give you peace. Amen.
SENDING HYMN Blessed Assurance ELW 638
Dismissal
Go in peace. Imagine more! Thanks be to God!
POSTLUDE Grand Processional Dale Wood Yeon Soh, Organ
Thank you to those who helped with worship today…
Worship Assistant Becky Nanof
Lector Paula Limberg
Communion Presenters Carie Corbett and Ellen Cloutier
Ushers Morgan & Tate Allen
Director of Choirs David Fontes
Chancel Choir Marilyn Banderet, Bruce Grams, Garrick Grant, David Hoyt, Katrina Lewonczyk, Karen Morrissey, Ernie Zimmermann
Organist Yeon Soh
Altar Care Katie Zimmermann and Trudy Roybal
Livestream Operator Bill Whalen
Hospitality Janet Golden
Upcoming Commemorations
Martin, Bishop of Tours, died 397
Wednesday, November 11, 2026
Martin’s pagan father enlisted him in the Roman army. Approached by a beggar, Martin cut his cloak in half and gave part to the man, whom he later understood as representing Christ. He asked to leave the army, but was jailed instead. After his release, he became a preacher, and later a bishop.
Søren Aabye Kierkegaard, teacher, died 1855
Wednesday, November 11, 2026
Kierkegaard was a Danish theologian whose writings also gave rise to the modern philosophy of existentialism. He frequently attacked the complacency of the state church of his day, as well as its desire to be accepted by polite society rather than be a stumbling block.
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| From sundaysandseasons.com.
Copyright © 2026 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #SAS007028. New Revised Standard Version Bible. Copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Revised Common Lectionary, Copyright © 1992 Consultation on Common Texts, admin Augsburg Fortress. Used by permission. |
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