21st Sunday after Pentecost

Color: Green
Closest RCL Sunday(s): Proper 16(21)B or Proper 27(32)A
Readings: Joshua Renews the Covenant Sermon text – Joshua 24:1-26 Companion text – Matthew 4:8-10
Prayer of the Day (WorkingPreacher): God of deliverance, you saved the people of Israel and chose Joshua to lead your people to the Promised Land. Choose us, and equip us to live with faith and peace. We pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

Suggested hymns based on the Sermon text:

ELW #724. All who love and serve your city
ELW #838. Beautiful Savior
ELW #605. Forgive Our Sins As We Forgive
ELW #673. God, Whose Almighty Word
ELW #769. If You But Trust in God to Guide You
ELW #810. O Jesus, I Have Promised
ELW #538. The Lord Now Sends us Forth
ELW #631. Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
ELW #640. Our Father, by Whose Name
LBW #468. From God Can Nothing Move Me
LBW #512. Oh, Blest the House
LBW #389. Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus
DATH #92 We Will Serve God
Various Hymnals Happy the Home When God Is There
Various Hymnals Lord, What a Cloud of Witnesses
Various Hymnals We Will Serve the Lord
(ELW=Evangelical Lutheran Worship; DATH=Dancing at the Harvest)

Suggested hymns based on the companion text(s):

ELW #314. Arise, Your Light Has Come!
ELW #728. Blest Are They
ELW #455. Crashing Waters at Creation
ELW #658. O Jesus, Joy of Loving Hearts
ELW #322. Oh, Love How Deep
ELW #249. On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry
ELW #843. Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness
ELW #601. Savior, When in Dust to You
ELW #310. Songs of Thankfulness and Praise
ELW #334. Tree of Life and Awesome Mystery
WOV #783. Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God
Various Hymnals Christ Jesus Knew
Various Hymnals Jesus, Tempted in the Desert
Various Hymnals The Race That Long in Darkness Pined
Various Hymnals When We Are Tested
(ELW=Evangelical Lutheran Worship; WOV=With One Voice)

Other (mostly contemporary) options based on both:

“Come Now is the Time to Worship” By Brian Doerksen.
“The Family Prayer Song” By Morris Chapman.
“Name Above All Names” By Tim Hughes.
More contemporary suggestions here.

Prayers of Intercession:

(Introduction and Conclusion from Revised Common Lectionary Prayers, copyright © 2002)

Friends in Christ, God invites us to hold the needs of our sisters and brothers as dear to us as our own needs. Loving our neighbors as ourselves, we offer our thanksgivings and our petitions on behalf of the church and the world.

A brief silence.

God of the church, grant that we may be ever more faithful and sincere servants to your Word and will. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

God of creation, grant renewal to the earth and inspire in us a desire to heal and restore lands and waters to the glory you made them. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

God of the nations, grant peace and justice to all people and redeem our unjust and oppressive systems with your grace. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

God of eternity, grant that all people may come to know you as worthy of praise and service. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

God of healing, grant peace and comfort to all in pain and work through us to be your hands in the lives of any who suffer. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

God of freedom, grant that our knowledge of your saving grace move us to proclaim freedom and release to those imprisoned by sin and death. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Here other intercessions may be offered.

God of the generations, grant that we may continue in the long line of faithful people who have gone before us and bear witness to your eternal love to all who will follow after us. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Hear our prayers, God of power, and through the ministry of your Son free us from the grip of the tomb, that we may desire you as the fullness of life and proclaim your saving deeds to all the world. Amen.