Worship and Devotions

Welcome visitors and old friends. Welcome regardless of belief, ethnic background, sexual orientation, gender, socio-economic status, marital status, age, abilities, or life situation. Welcome believers and doubters as well as doubting believers. Welcome to share the fullness of Christ's love for the world!(Adapted from The welcome message from the Thomas Community in Finland. "Celebrating milestone moments" by Rev. Jukka Joensuu. Canada Lutheran January/February 2024 Vol. 39 No. 1; chorus of ELW 523)

Sunday October 4, 2026

Nineteenth Sunday After Pentecost

In today’s gospel reading, Jesus tells a vineyard parable, which serves as an image of Israel, the prophets’ mission, and Christ’s death. For Christians, the vineyard also speaks of God’s love poured out in the blood of Christ, given to us for the forgiveness of sin. Grafted onto Christ the vine at baptism, we are nourished with wine and bread so that we may share Christ’s sufferings and know the power of his resurrection.

In the beginning, the Spirit of God hovered over the waters. And God called them good.

Come Holy Spirit and cleanse the waters.

The prophet saw a river flowing from the Temple, and wherever the river flowed, everything lived.

Come Holy Spirit and renew the face of the Earth.

Jesus cried out, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me... Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water."

Come, Holy Spirit and heal your people.

(Season of Creation Celebration Guide 2026 page 20 adapted.)

Music

Shall We Gather at the River

Shall we gather at the river

Prayer of the Day

Beloved God, from you come all things that are good. Lead us by the inspiration of your Spirit to know those things that are right, and by your merciful guidance, help us to do them, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen.

Music

Can You Feel the Seasons Turning

Can You Feel the Seasons Turning - ELW/ACS 1065 - YouTube

Readings

Semicontinuous Readings

Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20; Psalm 19; Philippians 3:4b-14

Gospel - Matthew 21:33-46

Alternate Readings

Isaiah 5:1-7; Psalm 80: 7-15

Gospel - Matthew 21:33-46

Glory to you, O Lord.

Jesus tells a parable to the religious leaders who are plotting his death, revealing that their plans will, ironically, bring about the fulfillment of scripture.

[Jesus said:] 33 “Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went away. 34 When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. 35 But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other slaves, more than the first, and they treated them in the same way. 37 Then he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.’ 39 So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40 Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41 They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.”

42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures:

‘The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone;

this was the Lord’s doing,

and it is amazing in our eyes’?

43 “Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces its fruits. 44 The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.”

45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. 46 They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon

Music

There in God’s Garden

There in God’s Garden (ELW Accompaniment Edition) - ELW 342

Prayers of Intercession

Seeking the Spirit of God who makes all things new, we pray for the church and the world.

A brief silence.

God of every generation, we give thanks for all who have sought to renew and transform your holy church. Inspire us to follow their example in our own day. Grant wisdom, courage, imagination, and the ability to let go and let your Spirit lead us, to all of us and our leaders, lay and ordained. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

We pray for informal settlements and rural villages where taps run dry or water is unsafe to drink; for children walking miles to collect water or women burdened by scarcity; for those whose sickness is caused by contaminated supply. We pray for those whose lives are closely intertwined with water coastal peoples, fisherfolk, marine biologists, water engineers - who can teach us wise ways to live with water. We pray for people to be moved to action and use their inherent or entrusted power to create change. Stir governments, corporations, and communities to protect and share water justly. Where water flows, Lord, let everything live, trees for food and leaves for healing.(Season of Creation Celebration Guide 2026 page 26 adapted.) Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

God of every creature, bless ands protect the earth all those who dwell within it. We give thanks for those who have helped us see your Spirit in creation especially Francis of Assisi. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

O God, who loves us all, we remember before you all missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people and their families, and pray for an end to gender- based violence. Please move our governments to implement the remaining calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee Report. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

God of every tribe and nation, restore peace to the world’s conflict zones. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

We ask you to be with all the candidates in the upcoming municipal elections and the upcoming provincial election. Grant those who vote wisdom and move them to get out and vote. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

God of every comfort, you made us in your own image. Please grant healing, comfort and relief to all those sick, suffering or in mourning. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

Here other intercessions may be offered.

God of every truth, you draw us nearer to you through your holy word. We give thanks for teachers of the faith. Fill their hearts with your Spirit, that they inspire others with your truth. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

Trusting in your boundless grace, O God, we lift up these spoken prayers and those in our hearts, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Music

Christ is the Life

Christ Is the Life - ELW/ACS 927 - YouTube

The Church of Christ in Every Age

The Church of Christ In Every Age

Blessing

May the God who sprung water from a rock, quenching the thirst of those who wandered in fear, spare us from the drought of a senseless life. May the God who flows from the wells of salvation, and who is Living Water to the foreigner, the stranger, and the unknown, keep us in peace. May the God who rolls on like a river, changing the course of the world with streams of righteousness that guide the Church's vessel in this world, empower us to work for transformation. And may the blessing of our merciful God, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit, keep us and preserve us in eternal life. Amen. (Season of Creation Celebration Guide 2026 Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil page 28 adapted.)