Order of Worship for September 13, 2026
St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
16TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST / Grandparents Day
09-13-2026 10:00AM Worship (in person and online)
+ We Rejoice In God’s Presence +
THE OPENING RITE (based on PSALM 103):
L People of God, bless the Lord, bless God’s holy name!
With every fiber of your being, rejoice and praise God!
How can we ever forget God’s many blessings?
C God forgives me my sins and touches my afflictions with healing!
God snatches me back from the jaws of hell and delivers me at the door of death!
God embraces me with concern and surrounds me with love!
God gives me meaning for life and purpose for living!
How can I ever forget God’s many blessings?
L Rejoice with me, all you who seek and serve God!
Whoever… wherever… however you are – lift your hearts in praise to God!
This is no time for despair and discouragement.
Let us all remember and rejoice!
From head to toe… inside and out… always and in all ways… don’t forget a single blessing!
C Our God is full of compassion and overflowing with mercy!
Our God is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love!
Our God’s love reaches high and deep, far and wide, here and there, now and forever!
How can I ever forget God’s many blessings?
OPENING SONG: “OH, WHAT HE’S DONE FOR ME” Tan #154
A GREETING:
L Welcome, people of God! How can I ever forget God’s many blessings?
Rejoice with me! Shout God’s praises! Lift your hearts in joy and thanksgiving!
A SONG OF PRAISE: “I WILL BLESS THEE, O LORD” Tan #530 I will bless Thee, O Lord! I will bless Thee, O Lord!
With a heart of thanksgiving, I will Thee, O Lord!
With my hands lifted up, and my mouth filled with praise,
With a heart of thanksgiving, I will bless Thee, O Lord!” [repeat]
PRAYER OF THE DAY (together):
O Lord, what do we owe for love so divine, for mercy we have not earned, for forgiveness we do not deserve?
Help us to extend the patience and the pardon that you have given us to the world that we live in.
Teach us to forgive and forgive and, then, to forgive again
And help me to ask for forgiveness from you and from those I have wronged. Amen.
+ We Rejoice in God’s Saving Word +
“GRANDPARENT MOMENT #1”
FIRST READING: GENESIS 50:15-21
[Unexpected forgiveness instead of bitterness and revenge. Joseph will offer God’s mercy… will his brothers receive it?
Will you offer it? Receive it?]
SECOND READING: ROMANS 14:1-12
[In the Christian community we are called to stop fussing with, judging, and condemning one another. With the gifts of
righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit – and the awareness that each and all of us are judged by God – the Church can
abide a lot of disagreement over many other things. IF we are humble and obedient!]
SONG SELECTION: ALL SAINTS CHOIR
GOSPEL VERSE: “There is strength in the name of the Lord…
There is power in the name of the Lord…
There is hope in the name of the Lord…
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”
HOLY GOSPEL: MATTHEW 18:21-35
[How can a person who is forgiven the equivalent of 150,000 years of wages, in turn, be unwilling to forgive a debt of 100 days of
wages? And are we really listening to ourselves when we pray, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass…”?]
“GRANDPARENT MOMENT #2”
THE SERMON: Ryan Mathis, young adult member, a son, grandson, and father
SONG RESPONSE: “LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH” Tan #498
THE PRAYERS… We pray for NEW LIFE in the Spirit and for the MISSION of the Church to the world!
+ We Rejoice in God’s Nourishing Meal +
THE PEACE GREETING… We offer words and signs of GOD’S LOVE alive and real among us!
OFFERING… Let us give as God has so abundantly given to us. We are truly blessed. Will we be a blessing?
In the Sanctuary, place your offering in the offering plate or scan the QR code on the screen.
At home, mail a check or money order to St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2169 74th Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19138 or scan the QR code on the screen. You can also contribute online through bit.ly/stpetersgiving and set up a one-time donation or a recurring weekly gift to the categories you select. Or you can text Give+ at 833-914-0896 and follow the instructions for your contribution. Thank God, praise God, and serve God with your faithful giving.
SONG SELECTION ALL SAINTS CHOIR
THE OFFERTORY SONG: “More about Jesus would I know, more of his grace to others show,
More of his saving fullness see, more of his love who died for me.
MORE, MORE ABOUT JESUS… MORE, MORE ABOUT JESUS…
MORE OF HIS SAVING FULLNESS SEE, MORE OF HIS LOVE WHO DIED FOR ME.
More about Jesus let me learn, more of his holy will discern;
Spirit of God, my Teacher be, showing the things of Christ to me.”
OFFERING PRAYER (see PHILIPPIANS 3:10-11) led by the Communion Assistant:
Dear God, I want to know Christ inside and out. I want to experience the power of his resurrection and join him
in his suffering. I want to be like him in his death and be raised like him from death. As I grow in the grace of
Christ, make me strong in my faith, bold in my witness, and fervent in my servant-love. There is no better life
than life in Christ! Amen.
THE PREFACE:
L The Lord be with you. C And also with you.
L Lift up your hearts! C We lift them up in love for God!
L Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. C It is right to give God our thanks and praise.
L We are the Body of Christ! C His Spirit is in us! Alleluia!
L [continues the Preface]… we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
C [singing…] “Holy, holy, holy, holy,
holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!
and we lift our hearts before you as a token of our love,
holy, holy, holy, holy.
Precious Jesus, precious Jesus,
We’re so glad that you redeemed us, precious Jesus…
Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit,
come and fill our hearts anew, O Holy Spirit…”
THE EUCHARISTIC WORDS by the Celebrant, who recalls and re-enacts Jesus’ Holy Meal.
THE LORD’S PRAYER (spoken)
COMMUNION AND BLESSINGS… All believers in Christ are welcome at the Lord’s Table! You may come up by the center aisle and kneel or stand at the altar. Get an empty glass as you come up if you want wine from the chalice; we will also have a tray of pre-poured glasses of grape juice at the altar. You may return to your seats by the side aisles.
COMMUNION SONGS: “I AM THINE, O LORD” Tan #387
“CAN’T NOBODY DO ME LIKE JESUS” Tan #384
THE COMMUNION BLESSING by the Celebrant after all have communed.
POST-COMMUNION PRAYER by the Communion Assistant.
+ We Rejoice in Our Mission +
THE BENEDICTION by the Pastor…We are sent forth to be and become the BODY OF CHRIST for the world!
CLOSING SONG: “DOWN AT THE CROSS” Tan #248