Pentecost: Summer Theme
Faithfully Following
our Refuge and Strength
Theme Write-up
written by Matthew Reece, Director of Music Ministries
As we come to the close of the Pentecost season, we are reminded that our journey of faith is rooted in the steadfast love and power of God, our refuge and strength. In every season of life—whether marked by joy or challenge—God remains our sure foundation, guiding us by the Spirit and upholding us in grace. Like the psalmist who proclaims, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble,” we are called to trust fully in the One who never leaves us nor forsakes us. This trust shapes how we live, encouraging us to follow Christ with courage, humility, and compassion, knowing that God’s presence surrounds us and equips us for each step along the way.
Faithfully following our refuge and strength means walking in the footsteps of Jesus, even when the path is uncertain or costly. It means listening for the Spirit’s call, loving our neighbors, seeking justice, and bearing witness to the hope we have in Christ. As we prepare to enter the new church year, we do so with hearts strengthened by God’s promises and with lives oriented toward God’s kingdom. In the face of change, challenge, and opportunity, we find our confidence not in our own abilities but in the unfailing grace of God, who leads us forward. Together as the body of Christ, we are sent into the world to reflect God’s light, trusting that the One who is our refuge and strength will sustain us in every time and place.
Altarscpape
Thank you, Julie, for the beautiful altarscape you created for the season.
Ardor (Worship Musicians)
The musicians rehearse from 9:00 – 9:45 am every Sunday morning. You are invited to join us in leading music during the worship service. The musicians for worship can find the service orders and music in the crate on the back pew in the sanctuary for each week. Contact the office if you plan to help lead worship.
Worship Information
Join us in-person for the weekly Worship Service at 10 am in-person or via Facebook Live if you are unable to attend in person (https://www.facebook.com/allsaintsdavenport/). The service will later be uploaded to YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@allsaintslutheranchurchdav1987) for your viewing.
Worship at All Saints might look and feel a little different. We carefully and prayerfully select a worship theme each season, and we choose songs and liturgical elements that help communicate that theme and bring us closer to God and to one another.
All Saints Lutheran Church is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and participates in the Synod Authorized Ministry (SAM) program offered by the Southeastern Iowa Synod. Bishop Amy Current has authorized Wanda Barber, Matthew Reece, and Julie Schoville to be Synod Authorized Ministers able to preside over all worship services and offer pastoral care. The Synod provides training and instruction throughout the year and fully supports this program.
If you would like the spoken words for the worship services, contact the office (office@allsaintsdavenport.org) to request the information.
All Saints Sunday
“In many Lutheran churches, All Saints’ Day is celebrated the Sunday after Reformation is celebrated, generally the first Sunday in November. The festival is commonly an occasion to remember those who have died in the Christian faith. In some places, the names of those within the congregation who have died in the last year are read during worship and each name is marked with the tolling of a bell or the lighting of a candle. While the dead are solemnly remembered during worship on All Saints’ Sunday, the festival is, ultimately, a celebration of Christ’s victory over death.”
Introduction
In holy baptism God makes saints out of sinners. In holy communion God forgives the sins of all the saints. In worship today we give thanks for all the saints “who from their labors rest.” In the same breath we petition our God for the strength to hear and to heed the admonitions of Jesus in today’s gospel. Sealed by the Spirit and sustained by the Savior’s body and blood, we live with joy as God gives us breath, to the praise of God’s glory.
Scripture
Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18 The holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingdom
The book of Daniel was written in the second century BCE, when the Syrian king Antiochus Epiphanes was severely persecuting the Jews. Daniel’s vision of the four beasts proclaims that human kings will come and go, but the kingdom will ultimately belong to God and to God’s people.
Psalm 149 Sing the Lord’s praise in the assembly of the faithful. (Ps. 149:1)
Ephesians 1:11-23 God raised Christ from the dead and made him head over all the church
After giving thanks for the faith of the Ephesians, the writer of this letter prays that they might understand the wisdom, hope, and power of God that is embodied in Jesus Christ.
Luke 6:20-31 Jesus speaks blessings and woes
In echoes of the prophet Isaiah and Mary’s song of praise, Jesus reveals surprising things about who enjoys blessing and who endures woe. He invites his disciples to shower radical love, blessing, forgiveness, generosity, and trust even on enemies and outsiders.
Prayer of the Day
Almighty God, you have knit your people together in one communion in the mystical body of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Grant us grace to follow your blessed saints in lives of faith and commitment, and to know the inexpressible joys you have prepared for those who love you, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Fellowship Time
After worship there is time for refreshments and fellowship in the gathering space.
Time after Pentecost
The Time after Pentecost began the Day after Pentecost and ends the Saturday before the First Sunday in Advent. The Sundays after Pentecost make up the longest portion of the Church Year. We call this half of the year the Time of the Church.
Throughout this season, we focus on the ministry of Christ and how He guides His church to grow in faith toward God and in love toward one another. During this time our will focus will be on the Gospel readings in Luke. These readings pick up the narrative of Jesus’ life in mid-ministry at the height of His teaching, storytelling, and healing. There is a bit of everything in Luke, with some well-known passages to experience again: the sending out of the disciples, the parable of the good Samaritan, Jesus visiting Mary and Martha, and instruction on prayer. These snapshots of Jesus’ ministry highlight various facets of discipleship practice: welcoming, listening, praying, peacemaking, rejoicing, and more.
The color for the season after Pentecost is green which signifies growth and life. We grow in faith and are nourished as we hear and study God’s Word and receive the Sacraments in the resurrection life in Christ.
Resources: Sundays and Seasons Copyright © 2024 Augsburg Fortress. | Enduring Grace A Church Year Journal for Kids Copyright © 2024 Concordia Publishing House