After Pentecost 15A – September 6

Sunday, September 6, 2026
Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost | Year A
Matthew 18:15-20 | “There Among Them”

Call to Worship (inspired by Psalm 149)
One: Praise the Holy One! Make our praise known in the gathering of the faithful, the hopeful, and even the questioning.
Many: Let us praise God with a new song. Let the rhythm of praise resonate in our being.
One: The Holy One takes pleasure in the presence of God’s people.
Many: Let us glorify God with our senses, our hearts, and our spirits.
One: Let us praise the God of justice with high praise!
Many: We worship the Holy One in truth and righteousness! Praise God!

Invocation
Spirit of the Living God, may your presence reign among us as we gather. We give thanks for your abiding covenant and the path of life you set before us. We delight in your revelatory word and your compassionate care. We come to you because you come to us. Keep our hearts tuned to your hopes and promises. Receive our prayers and praise with grace and love. Amen.

Prayer for Transformation and New Life (Inspired by Romans 13)
Holy One, Romans 13 reminds us that, “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.” Forgive us for those moments when we had the opportunity to choose love and did not. Forgive us for the days we kept silent when love required our voice. Forgive us for the instances when we could have extended grace and mercy and, instead, chose bitterness and resentment. Forgive us for the times when we have been hard to love and failed to appreciate the love given to us. Transform our lives and our hearts into vessels that reflect your love in the world. Amen.

Words of Grace
Beloved, rest in the love of God that is faithful and true. Know that love may be replicated through each of us toward one another and our neighbors. Be assured that the reservoir of love never runs dry and is amplified the more you draw from it. Let your love flow and the grace of God will sustain and strengthen you.

Invitation to Generosity
Creator provides for every need. Too often that abundance gets siphoned off by a few rather than shared by the many. When we practice generosity, we align ourselves with the Holy One’s order and plan for creation. Let us give for the kindom to reign in our lives and world.

Prayer of Dedication and Thanksgiving
Gracious God, may these gifts shift us from scarcity to abundance and from hoarding to sharing. Continue, Holy One, to plant seeds of generosity within us, and allow us to see these gifts bloom in and beyond this faith community. Amen.

Benediction
Go…in the peace of Christ.
Live…in the love of Christ.
Hope…in the name of Christ.
And rest…in the abiding presence of Christ,
Who is among us in our coming and our going.

There Among Them: Service Prayers for the Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost Year A was written by the Rev. Dr. Cheryl A. Lindsay, Minister for Worship and Theology for the United Church of Christ.