Nineteenth Sunday After Pentecost 
October 08, 2023
“Producing Fruit”

Ex 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20  and Ps 19 or Isa 5:1-7 and Ps 80:7-15, Phil 3:4b-14, and Matt 21:23-46

Other:	Access Sunday and Disabilities Awareness Week 

Introduction:
Hispanic/Latine Heritage is celebrated from September 15 – to October 15, so it’s an excellent opportunity to share with the congregation something about the Hispanic/Latine community and celebrate their gifts to us and the world.  Check out the list of Ideas to Celebrate for 30 days posted on the UCC webpage under Worship Ways.    

Call to Worship
One:	We come from the East, the West, the South, and the North into this sacred space to worship the living God who walks with us. 

People:	O, God, we worship you for who you are, for loving and granting us your grace.  

One: 	We lift our hands in praise to you and open our hearts to worship you in the fullness of who we are.  

ALL:	Let us worship the Lord our God with joyful and thankful hearts.  Amen!
Invocation
Jesus, we ask that You bless our time together, that we may hear Your words and apply them to our lives so that You will be honored and glorified.  Allow your Holy Spirit to move through us so our faith grows and bears fruit.  Amen!

Hymn of Praise		This is the Day			NCH 84

Prayer of Transformation and New Life
Lord Jesus, we bow before you to confess that we are sinners and need forgiveness.  We have failed you and your people many times and have neglected to do your will and love our neighbor as ourselves.   We seek your wisdom and ask that your Holy Spirit create a pure heart that moves us to do what is right.  We ask that your love overflow in us so we can live out our faith as a new creation to serve you and your people.  Help us to strive towards a more just and kinder world for all.  Lord Jesus, have mercy on us.  Amen!

Words of Grace	
People of God, “for it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—"Your sins are forgiven.  Ephesians 2:8 NIV

Hymn 		Spirit of the Living God			 NCH 283

Scripture Reading

Message

Prayer for the People
O Gracious God, we lift this community of faith in prayer and ask for your blessings upon them.  We pray for the needs of all gathered and ask you to meet them where they are.  

 We lift those in need of healing, those in financial need, those in need of employment, and those in need of shelter and food.  We ask that you be with those who are alone and isolated and for those mourning the loss of a loved one.  

We lift in prayer all those seeking you and needing a friend.  Watch over them, O God, and may your Spirit protect them from evil and harm.  We pray that those battling addiction and mental illness may get the help they need to live whole lives. 

We pray for our nation, for those in leadership, that they may lead with integrity, caring, and loving hearts so that the decisions made on our behalf will be made with the concern and well-being of all your people.  

O Gracious God, in your mercy, hear our prayer concerns and help us to be good stewards of your creation and give us grace to love and forgive as you forgive and love us.  Amen!

Invitation to Generosity 
We are invited to share our blessings generously with our church, community, and world. By sharing our gifts freely, God will be honored and glorified in our giving.  So, let's give with joy in our heats from our abundant blessings so that others may be blessed.  

Prayer for the Offering
Lord Jesus, we give thanks for each gift given. Bless them and multiply them so that others will be blessed, and your love will be shared worldwide.  Amen!

Closing Song     In the Midst of New Dimensions 	NCH 391

Benediction
Go forth to harvest fruit that impacts the world.
Go forth with God’s love to share with all.
Go forth with the peace of Jesus Christ and
With the communion with the Holy Spirit to be 
the transformative agents you are being called to be. Amen!
“Producing Fruit,” Order of worship for the Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost, October 8, 2023, continuing to Celebrate Hispanic/Latine Heritage Month, was written by the Rev. Pérsida Rivera-Méndez, retired UCC pastor. 

For ideas for celebrating Hispanic/Latine Heritage, see the list prepared by the Rev. Pérsida Rivera-Méndez titled IDEAS TO CELEBRATE FOR 30 DAYS.