SOUTH CHURCH - October 18, 2026 - Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost

SOUTH CHURCH October 18, 2026 Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost PRELUDE - Praeludium in e ('Great') - Nicolaus Bruhns GREETING, GATHERING AND PASSING THE PEACE Leader: This is the day that the Lord has made. People: Let us rejoice and be glad in it. INTROIT - My Peace I Leave With You - Franz Schubert CALL TO WORSHIP Leader: Show us the web, Lord, of our connection; teach us to value the gifts that all bring. People: We’re covenant people bringing together resources offered to make Your heart sing. Leader: Give us the courage, give us the wisdom, to be your hands and to be your feet. People: Give us compassion, give us the love to see Christ’s reflection in each face we meet. GATHERING HYMN “God of Grace, and God of Glory” God of grace and God of glo­ry, On Thy peo­ple pour Thy pow­er; Crown Thine an­cient Church’s sto­ry; Bring its bud to glo­ri­ous flow­er. Grant us wis­dom, grant us cour­age, For the fac­ing of this hour, For the fac­ing of this hour. Lo! the hosts of ev­il ’round us Scorn Thy Christ, as­sail Thy ways! From the fears that long have bound us, Free our hearts to faith and praise. Grant us wis­dom, grant us cour­age, For the liv­ing of these days, For the liv­ing of these days. Cure Thy child­ren’s war­ring mad­ness; Bend our pride to Thy con­trol; Shame our wan­ton, self­ish glad­ness, Rich in things and poor in soul. Grant us wis­dom, grant us cour­age, Lest we miss Thy righteous goal, Lest we miss Thy righteous goal. Set our feet on lof­ty plac­es; Fill our lives that they may be Strengthened with all Christ-like graces Pledge to set all captives free. Grant us wis­dom, grant us cour­age, Lest we fail our call from Thee, Lest we fail our call from Thee. Save us from weak re­sig­na­tion To the ev­ils we de­plore; Let the search for Thy sal­va­tion Be our glo­ry ev­er­more. Grant us wis­dom, grant us cour­age, Serving Thee whom we ad­ore, Serving Thee whom we ad­ore. UNISON PRAYER OF INVOCATION God Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love; For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life OUR SAVIOR’S PRAYER 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 sins, as we forgive those who sin 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. Amen. PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION SCRIPTURE READING – Luke Chapter 10 verses 25-37 A HOLY SURPRISE SERMON HYMN - “This is a Day of New Beginnings” This is a day of new beginnings, time to remember, and move on, time to believe what love is bringing, laying to rest the pain that's gone. For by the life and death of Jesus, God's mighty Spirit, now as then, can make for us a world of difference, as faith and hope are born again. Then let us, with the Spirit's daring, step from the past, and leave behind our disappointment, guilt and grieving, seeking new paths, and sure to find. In faith we'll gather round the table to taste and share what love can do. This is a day of new beginnings; our God is making all things new. SCRIPTURE READING - Genesis Chapter 33 versus 1-11 Leader: This is the word of God for the people of God. People: Thanks be to God. SERMON - “Can We All Get Along?” Rev. Jane Rowe ANTHEM - Pilgrim Song - Ryan Murphy PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH CHORAL RESPONSE - Amen CELEBRATION OF GENEROSITY PRESENTATION OF GIFTS - Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise God, all creatures here below: Alleluia! Alleluia! Praise God, the source of all our gifts! Praise Jesus Christ, whose power uplifts! Praise the Spirit, Holy Spirit! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! PRAYER OF DEDICATION SENDING HYMN - “Lord, I Want to Be a Christian” Lord, I want to be a Christian ina my heart, ina my heart, Lord, I want to be a Christian ina my heart. Ina my heart, ina my heart, Lord, I want to be a Christian ina my heart. Lord, I want to be more loving ina my heart, ina my heart, Lord, I want to be more loving ina my heart. Ina my heart, ina my heart, Lord, I want to be more loving ina my heart. Lord, I want to be like Jesus ina my heart, ina my heart, Lord, I want to be like Jesus ina my heart. Ina my heart, ina my heart, Lord, I want to be like Jesus ina my heart. BENEDICTION POSTLUDE - Toccata in d ('Dorian'). Johann Sebastian Bach