the sEVENth sunday after pentecost

AN ORDER OF SERVICE FOR USE AT HOME

THE SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

July 27, 2025

THE WORD OF GOD

Opening Hymn: Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven         #410

The Opening Acclamation                                               BCP p. 355

  Presider:    Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.     

  People:       And blessed be His kingdom, now and for ever.  Amen.

Collect for Purity                                                             BCP p. 355

The Collect of the Day

O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.           

The First Reading                                          Genesis 18:20-32

The Lord said, “How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin! I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know.” So the men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the Lord. Then Abraham came near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.” Abraham answered, “Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” Again he spoke to him, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” Then he said, “Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” He said, “Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.” Then he said, “Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.”

              Reader:  The Word of the Lord.                  People:  Thanks be to God.

Psalm 138  

1            I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with my whole heart; 

                   before the gods I will sing your praise.

2            I will bow down toward your holy temple

               and praise your Name, 

                   because of your love and faithfulness;

3            For you have glorified your Name 

                   and your word above all things.

4            When I called, you answered me; 

                   you increased my strength within me.

5            All the kings of the earth will praise you, O Lord, 

                   when they have heard the words of your mouth.

6            They will sing of the ways of the Lord, 

                   that great is the glory of the Lord.

7            Though the Lord be high, he cares for the lowly; 

                   he perceives the haughty from afar.

8            Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you keep me safe; 

                   you stretch forth your hand against the fury of my enemies;

                   your right hand shall save me.

9            The Lord will make good his purpose for me; 

                   O Lord, your love endures for ever;

                   do not abandon the works of your hands.

Second Reading                               Colossians 2:6-10, 16-19

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority.       Therefore do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink                                                    or of observing festivals, new moons, or Sabbaths. These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, dwelling on visions, puffed up without cause by a human way of thinking, and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God. 

           Reader:     The Word of the Lord.                           People:    Thanks be to God.

Sequence Hymn            Seek Ye First                                     #711

The Holy Gospel                                         Luke 11:1-13                   

People: Glory to you, Lord Christ.

As Jesus and his disciples went on their way, Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”    

Priest:          The Gospel of the Lord. People:     Praise to you, Lord Christ.

The Nicene Creed                                                               BCP p. 358

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE          

Rooted in Christ and rising to serve, let us pray for the church, the world, and all in need.

You open the doors of your church, Lord, to all who feel distant or estranged. Give us courage to share your good news through conversation and love. Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

Cultivate in all people a care for the world you have made. Make us mindful of our impact on creation for the good of our neighbor and future generations. Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

Reconcile and bring peace to communities that suffer. Raise up and strengthen leaders and organizations that promote dialogue, hospitality, and restoration. Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

Open our eyes to see those suffering any affliction, even ourselves. Bring relief in body or spirit for all in need, especially for Christians being persecuted for their faith; for refugees; for the victims of terrorism, for the people of Ukraine and the Middle East; the victims of shootings and natural disasters; and for Becky, Cathy, Donna, Helena, Holly, Jeanne, Karin, Lee, Louise, Lyndon, Miriam, Pat, Ray, Ron, Zach, and others? (pause).

Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

Bless and keep safe campers, counselors, and families who experience the gift of outdoor ministry at camps this summer. Continue transforming them in Christ once they are safely home. Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

Comfort your children with the trust that your word is stronger than death. We remember saints and loved ones who have died and rest in you, especially Marge Lohman. Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

We lift our prayers to you, O God, trusting your promise to hear us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.        

The Confession of Sin                                                                      

Most merciful God,

we confess that we have sinned against you

in thought, word, and deed,

by what we have done,

and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved you with our whole heart;

we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.

We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.

For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,

have mercy on us and forgive us;

that we may delight in your will,

and walk in your ways,

to the glory of your Name.  Amen.

A Prayer for Spiritual Communion When We Cannot Receive The Sacrament

In union, O Lord, with your faithful people

at every altar of your Church

where the Holy Eucharist is now being celebrated:

I desire to offer you praise and thanksgiving.

I remember your death, Lord Christ,

I proclaim your resurrection,

and I await your coming in glory.

and since I cannot receive you today

in the Sacrament of your Body and Blood,

I ask you to come into my heart.

Cleanse and strengthen me with your grace, Lord Jesus,

and let me never be separated from you.

May I live in you, and you in me,

in this life, and in the life to come.  Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer BCP p. 364

Closing Hymn      Be Thou My Vision                           #488

The Blessing

May the peace of God which passes all understanding

keep our hearts and minds in the knowledge of God

and of his Son Jesus Christ;

and may the blessing of God Almighty:

the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be with us all, evermore. 

Amen.

The Dismissal

  Presider:     Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

  People:        Thanks be to God.