Worship Guide - 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

Worship with One Click

You can choose to watch all of this Sunday's worship service in a series of linked videos, one after the other, by clicking this link. Just press the button that says "PLAY ALL" and sit back and relax. You can also just click on the graphic to the left.​ Otherwise, proceed as normal through the sections.

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W​ell done, good and trustworthy servant; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.
~Matthew 25:21
 
In the midst of a pandemic, a  group of Minneapolis tenants have worked together for better conditions, resisted evictions, and ultimately pooled resources and bought out their landlord.

Amidst a season of collective pain, they conceived of something new and unexpected, radically improving the lives of their neighbors and themselves. Perhaps they have something to teach these three servants about how best to use the “talents” they are given!

What if the last servant in this parable Jesus tells buried the wrong thing? Should he have used his talent, and buried his fear? Or was he right to take ill-gotten wealth out of circulation so it could no longer be used destructively in an unjust economy?
 
Jesus told parables, not allegories with coded meanings needing only a key to discover the “true meaning.” Jesus told parables like the one of the super-wealthy man who went on a journey and entrusted enormous sums to three servants while he was gone. This is a parable that defies any simple interpretation and instead invites us every time we encounter it to ask interesting questions of it and our own lives. There is always more “there” there. What for you, what for us this day?
 
Enter into worship. 

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Connections with Andrea

If you have prayers you would like to share, please do so here. These will be shared by email to our St Andrew prayer list so that we pray for what you hold by name. This information is not shared online in a searchable form.

Prelude

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Gathering Song

​Now,
in the silence,
when we struggle
to control our lives,
     may we, once again,
     empty ourselves of our pride and fears,
          to be filled with your hope.
Now,
in these moments,
when we cannot let go
of our worries and doubts,
     may we, once again,
     open our hands to hold your faith.
Now,
on this day
which is only and always
your gift to us,
     may we, once again,
     live into your kingdom.
Now,
as we lift our hearts to you,
God in Community, Holy in One.
Amen.

Hymn of Praise

Confession and Assurance

S​end a text to a couple of people. Make a call. Who comes to mind for you? Wish them well. More than that, wish them the peace that comes with justice. Then click below.

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The Word

Come, Holy Spirit,
open our minds and hearts this day,
that we may be illumined by your living Word
and walk together as children of light.
Amen.


Zephaniah 1:7, 12-18 † Psalm 90:1-12 † 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 † Matthew 25:14-30
*In the season after Pentecost (also known as Ordinary Time, or "Proper" Sundays, the first reading can follow one of two tracks—either a semi-continuous track that stays with a story over a number of Sundays or a paired track that companions more closely the gospel reading. This season we are mostly using the paired readings. ​

Psalm Response

Meditation

A text version of the sermon can be found here.

Song of Response

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Give Thanks and Praise

If you haven’t already, set the elements—some bread, some juice or wine—in the room or space where you worship in these days with our faith community. Set a table with things that draw out of you creativity and imagination and hope.

​If a joy or a concern has come to mind, please share it with the assembly here so you do not carry it alone. These will be shared by email to our St Andrew prayer list so that we pray for what you hold by name. This information is emailed to a curated group, not shared or posted online in a searchable form.

As we respond to God's grace and new life, consider those ways you can express gratitude, thanksgiving and blessing. And remember that we continue to keep our financial commitments to our mission partners and staff. Thank you for remembering to send in your financial pledges and offerings.

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Sending Song

Blessing and Charge