Liturgy & Prayers - Sunday, 30 August 2026 – Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Year A (Proper 17)

Liturgy in One Document

Opening Sentence

Jesus said: ‘If any want to become my followers,

let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.’ (Matt 16:24)

OR, if using the first reading (1a) from Exodus:

God called to Moses out of the bush: ‘Remove the sandals from your feet,
for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.’ (Exod 3:5)

OR, before ‘In the name’ if using the first reading (1a) from Exodus:

God said to Moses: ‘I am who I am; the Lord, the God of your ancestors,
This is my name forever, and this my title for all generations.’ (based on Exod 3:14-15)

Prayer of the Day (Collect)

Traditional

Keep, O Lord, your church
with your continual mercy;
and because without you
we in our frailty cannot but fall,
keep us always by your help
from all things hurtful,
and lead us to all things
profitable to our salvation;
through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Modernised Traditional

Watch over your church, Lord,
with your constant mercy,
because without your support
we would fall.
Keep us from what might hurt us,
and lead us to what is good for us.
We ask this through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Alternative

(Let us pray that we may offer ourselves to God. [silence])

Lord God, your Son humbled himself
in obedience to your will
and gave up his life for us.
Transform and renew us within.
Help us not to be conformed to this world,
but to dedicate ourselves to you,
and do what pleases you.
We ask this through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

New

(Let us pray for dedication to Christ. [silence])

Thank you, loving Lord Jesus,
for freely giving your life for our sake.
Make us your faithful followers,
ready to take up our cross
and follow in your steps.
For you live and reign
with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Alleluia Verse

Alleluia, alleluia.
(Jesus said:) Those who want to save their life will lose it,
and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. (Matt 16:25 NRSV)
Alleluia.

Prayer After the Gospel

This is the gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Thank you, Lord Jesus,
for giving up everything and dying for us.
Help us to forget ourselves, carry our cross, and follow you.
Amen.

Offering Prayer

We thank you, Lord God,
that your Son gave up his life for our sake.
Lead us who are his followers
to take up our cross and follow him.
Help us to give of ourselves
and all we have in your service.
Amen.

Prayer of the Church

LCA International Mission Prayer Points

Services with Holy Communion

Preface

It is indeed right and good,
Lord God, holy Father,
that we should at all times and in all places
give thanks to you,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
On this day
he overcame death by his resurrection
and opened up for us
the way to eternal life with you.
And so, with angels and archangels,
and with all the company of heaven,
we adore and praise your glorious name:

Communion Invitation

Jesus says: ‘I am the bread of life.
Whoever comes to me will never be hungry,
and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’
(Thanks be to God.)
Come, everything is ready.

Jesus says: ‘My flesh is true food and my blood is true drink.
Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood remain in me, and I in them.’
(Thanks be to God.)
Come, everything is ready.

Prayer after Communion

See the service order for a standard post-communion prayer. Alternatively, use the fourth prayer of the day (as listed above) at this point. It may be modified as follows:

Lord God,
as we have received the body and blood
of your Son Jesus Christ,
transform and renew us within.
Help us not to be conformed to this world,
but to dedicate ourselves to you,
and do what pleases you.
We ask this through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Dismissal

Go in peace to serve the Lord and love one another.
Thanks be to God.

In the name of Christ. Amen.