Recorded Worship Service for October 23, 2022






Watch this week’s service above.

Today’s Readings and Hymns:
(Click on each blue arrow to expand/collapse each section.)
7   
Although our iniquities testify against us,
act, O Lord, for your name’s sake;
our apostasies indeed are many,
and we have sinned against you.
8   
O hope of Israel,
its savior in time of trouble,
why should you be like a stranger in the land,
like a traveler turning aside for the night?
9   
Why should you be like someone confused,
like a mighty warrior who cannot give help?
Yet you, O Lord, are in the midst of us,
and we are called by your name;
do not forsake us!
10   
Thus says the Lord concerning this people:
Truly they have loved to wander,
they have not restrained their feet;
therefore the Lord does not accept them,
now he will remember their iniquity
and punish their sins.
19   
Have you completely rejected Judah?
Does your heart loathe Zion?
Why have you struck us down
so that there is no healing for us?
We look for peace, but find no good;
for a time of healing, but there is terror instead.
20   
We acknowledge our wickedness, O Lord,
the iniquity of our ancestors,
for we have sinned against you.
21   
Do not spurn us, for your name’s sake;
do not dishonor your glorious throne;
remember and do not break your covenant with us.
22   
Can any idols of the nations bring rain?
Or can the heavens give showers?
Is it not you, O Lord our God?
We set our hope on you,
for it is you who do all this.

1   
How dear to me is your dwelling,
O Lord of hosts!
2
My soul has a desire and longing for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God.
3
Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest where she may lay her young,
by the side of your altars, O Lord of hosts, my king and my God.
4
Happy are they who dwell in your house!
They will always be praising you.
5
Happy are the people whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on the pilgrims’ way.
6
Those who go through the balsam valley will find it a place of springs,
for the early rains have covered it with pools of water.
7
They will climb from height to height,
and the God of gods will be seen in Zion.

6As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

16At my first defense no one came to my support, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them! 17But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. 18The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

9[Jesus] also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: 10“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ 13But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”


Dearest Jesus, at your word
we have come again to hear you;
let our thoughts and hearts be stirred
and in glowing faith be near you
as the promises here given
draw us wholly up to heaven.

All our knowledge, sense, and sight
lie in deepest darkness shrouded
till your Spirit breaks the night,
filling us with light unclouded.
All good thoughts and all good living
come but by your gracious giving.

Radiance of God’s glory bright,
Light of Light from God proceeding,
Jesus, send your blessed light;
help our hearing, speaking, heeding,
that our prayers and songs may please you,
as with grateful hearts we praise you.

Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
praise to you and adoration!
Grant us what we need the most:
all your gospel’s consolation
while we here on earth await you,
till in heav’n with praise we greet you.


You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord,
who abide in this shadow for life,
say to the Lord: “My refuge,
my rock in whom I trust!”

Refrain
And he will raise you up on eagle’s wings,
bear you on the breath of dawn,
make you to shine like the sun,
and hold you in the palm of his hand.

The snare of the fowler will never capture you,
and famine will bring you no fear;
under God’s wings your refuge,
with faithfulness your shield. Refrain

You need not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day;
though thousands fall about you,
near you it shall not come. Refrain

For to the angels God’s given a command
to guard you in all of your ways;
upon their hands they will bear you up,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.

Final Refrain
And he will raise you up on eagle’s wings,
bear you on the breath of dawn,
make you to shine like the sun,
and hold you in the palm of his hand.
And hold you, hold you in the palm of his hand.


Let streams of living justice
flow down upon the earth;
give freedom’s light to captives,
let all the poor have worth.
The hungry’s hands are pleading,
the workers claim their rights,
the mourners long for laughter,
the blinded seek for sight.
Make liberty a beacon,
strike down the iron pow’r;
abolish ancient vengeance:
proclaim your people’s hour.

For healing of the nations,
for peace that will not end,
for love that makes us lovers,
God grant us grace to mend.
Weave our varied gifts together;
knit our lives as they are spun;
on your loom of time enroll us
till our thread of life is run.
O great weaver of our fabric,
bind church and world in one;
dye our texture with your radiance,
light our colors with your sun.

Your city’s built to music;
we are the stones you seek;
your harmony is language;
we are the words you speak.
Our faith we find in service,
our hope in others’ dreams,
our love in hand of neighbor;
our homeland brightly gleams.
Inscribe our hearts with justice;
your way—the path untried;
your truth—the heart of stranger;
your life—the Crucified.



Worship Leaders: Pastor Colleen Cox, Donnasue Thompson

Music: Deb Jenks (organ and piano), Senior Choir


Additional Resources:
View and print the pre-reader’s version of this Sunday’s children’s bulletin: Pre-reader’s Version
View and print the reader’s version of this Sunday’s children’s bulletin: Reader’s Version

The radio program Sing for Joy follows the weekly Sunday lectionary through music and reflection. To listen, click here: Sing for Joy. Program host Pastor Bruce Benson ties the biblical readings of the day with musical selections from a number of sources brought together by Dr. John Ferguson, retired professor of organ and church music. The program is produced by St. Olaf College.




“Cantilena”, from David Lasky, Partita on “HYFRYDOL,” © 1993, Randall M. Egan, Publisher of Music, Ltd./The Kenwood Press. Streamed by permission of the publisher, license #EO-62921. All rights reserved.

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE #A-730287. All rights reserved.

Liturgies and music graphics from Sundays and Seasons, © 2021 Augsburg Fortress Publishers. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission of Augsburg Fortress Publishers under license #SB143962.