St Ansgar Lutheran Church, London

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Sunday Morning

We invite you to join us for the following worship services:

Sundays
10:30 a.m. Worship service

Hand sanitizer will be available at the entrance and other locations in the church for
your use.

Washrooms will be available for use.

In the service: The service will be shown on the screen. The offering will not be gathered and presented, but there will be an offering plate at the back of the sanctuary where you can put your offering as you enter or leave. Pastor David distributes the communion wafers and an Assisting Minister distributes wine or grape juice in individual glasses.

We have coffee and fellowship time available again in Luther Hall after the service.

We will continue to evaluate our worship service procedures on a monthly basis.

SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST, SEPTEMBER 20, 2026.

St. Ansgar Lutheran Church, Outline for Worship (with sermon)
Sunday, September 27, 2026 – Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Based on ELW Setting Ten

GATHERING

WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS

BRIEF ORDER FOR CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
P: Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God, who pours love into our hearts and
healing upon the earth.
C: Amen.

P: Confident that God justifies us by grace through faith, let us confess our sin.

Silence is kept for reflection.

P: Compassionate God,
C: we confess that we struggle to embody your goodness in the world and
in our own hearts.
Creation groans from overuse. Jealousy and bitterness strain our
relationships. Indifference keeps us from seeking justice. Divisions
disrupt your call to show genuine love to others.
Turn our hearts back to you. Restore our world and reconcile us to one
another. Renew us to live as your holy people, following the way of Jesus
Christ. Amen.

P: Hear this good news: We have peace with God through ☩ Jesus Christ, in
whom there is no condemnation, but only forgiveness and the promise of eternal
life. Receive freely this healing gift of grace.
C: Amen.

ENTRANCE HYMN - God Is Here (ELW #526)

GREETING
P: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion
of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
C: And also with you

KYRIE (ELW p. 203)
Have mercy on us, Lord, and hear our solemn prayer.
We come to hear your living word; it saves us from despair.
Have mercy on us Christ, and wash away our sin.
Pour out your grace and make us whole that new life may begin.
Have mercy on us, Lord; make sin and shame depart.
Renew us with your saving pow’r; create in us new hearts!

CANTICLE OF PRAISE (ELW p. 204)
Glory be to God in heaven; peace, goodwill to all the earth.
Mighty God of all creation, Father of surpassing worth:
we exalt you, we adore you, we lift high our thanks and praise.
Saints and angels bow before you; here on earth our songs we raise.
Glory be to Christ forever, Lamb of God and Lord of love.
Son of God and gracious Saviour, you have come from heav’n above;
on the cross you died to save us; now you reign at God’s right hand.
Hear our prayer; restore, forgive us; in your promise firm we stand.
Holy One we now acclaim you; Lord alone, to you we call;
Holy One in faith we name you, God most high, yet near to all:
Jesus Christ, with God the Spirit, in the Father’s splendour bright.
For the peace that we inherit, glory be to God on high!

PRAYER OF THE DAY
P: Let us pray
P: God of love, giver of life, you know our frailties and failings. Give us your
grace to overcome them, keep us from those things that harm us, and guide us
in the way of salvation, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.
C: Amen

WORD

FIRST READING: Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32
1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 What do you mean by repeating this
proverb concerning the land of Israel, "The parents have eaten sour grapes, and
the children's teeth are set on edge"? 3 As I live, says the Lord GOD, this
proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. 4 Know that all lives are mine;
the life of the parent as well as the life of the child is mine: it is only the person
who sins that shall die. 25 Yet you say, "The way of the Lord is unfair." Hear
now, O house of Israel: Is my way unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair? 26
When the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity, they
shall die for it; for the iniquity that they have committed they shall die. 27 Again,
when the wicked turn away from the wickedness they have committed and do
what is lawful and right, they shall save their life. 28 Because they considered
and turned away from all the transgressions that they had committed, they shall
surely live; they shall not die. 29 Yet the house of Israel says, "The way of the
Lord is unfair." O house of Israel, are my ways unfair? Is it not your ways that
are unfair? 30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, all of you according
to your ways, says the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions;
otherwise iniquity will be your ruin. 31 Cast away from you all the transgressions
that you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new
spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the
death of anyone, says the Lord GOD. Turn, then, and live.

A: The word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.

PSALM: Psalm 25: 1-9
1 To you, O Lord,
I lift up my soul.
2 My God, I put my trust in you; let me not be put to shame,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.
3 Let none who look to you be put to shame;
rather let those be put to shame who are treacherous.
4 Show me your ways, O Lord,
and teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation; in you have I trusted all the day long.
6 Remember, O Lord, your compassion and love,
for they are from everlasting.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions;
remember me according to your steadfast love and for the sake of your
goodness, O Lord.
8 You are gracious and upright, O Lord;
therefore you teach sinners in your way.
9 You lead the lowly in justice
and teach the lowly your way.

SECOND READING: Philippians 2:1-13
1 If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any
sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, 2 make my joy complete:
be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one
mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others
as better than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not to your own interests,
but to the interests of others. 5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ
Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with
God as something to be exploited, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a
slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, 8 he
humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-- even death on a
cross. 9 Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is
above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in
heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12 Therefore, my
beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but
much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to
work for his good pleasure.

A: The word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (ELW p. 205)
Alleluia! Lord and Saviour: open now your saving word.
Let it burn like fire within us; speak until our hearts are stirred.
Alleluia! Lord, we sing for the good news that you bring

GOSPEL
P: The Holy Gospel according to Matthew 21:23-32
C: Glory to you, O Lord.

23 When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people
came to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing
these things, and who gave you this authority?" 24 Jesus said to them, "I will
also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by
what authority I do these things. 25 Did the baptism of John come from heaven,
or was it of human origin?" And they argued with one another, "If we say, 'From
heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' 26 But if we say,
'Of human origin,' we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet."
27 So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither
will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 28 "What do you think?
A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work in the
vineyard today.' 29 He answered, 'I will not'; but later he changed his mind and
went. 30 The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, 'I
go, sir'; but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?" They
said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the
prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came
to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax
collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did
not change your minds and believe him.

P: The Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise to you, O Christ.

SERMON
Matthew 21:23-32
The sermon for today has been prepared by Bishop Carla Blakley, Bishop of the
Eastern Synod of the ELCIC.
When I was in seminary, someone, one of the profs said to me, wouldn't it be a
wonderful way to imagine yourself as a pastor as if you were a billboard. So,
you're advertising something. You're out there, walking around, advertising.
What would your billboard say? I remember that conversation to this day, and I
think about it. What am I saying when I'm out publicly, not by my words, but what
do my actions say about who I am as a pastor, as a follower of Jesus? When I
think about this, I am reminded of some words that are ascribed to St. Francis. It
is uncertain whether he actually said this or not, but these are words that are
attributed to St. Francis: “Preach the gospel at all times and use words only if
necessary.”
So, what do our actions, not our words, say about who we are as God's people?
Let's look at the gospel of Matthew for today. This text only comes in the gospel
of Matthew; this parable of the two sons is sandwiched between this question of
Jesus' authority and next week’s gospel reading about the wicked tenants.
So, Jesus is asked, who gave you permission to change these things?
He turned everything upside down: in the marketplace, who he talked to, where
he went to, what he did. Everything was changed. Who gave him authority to
change these things is the question they're asking because everything was out
of line with what they understood.
But our transition from the ‘baby boom church ecosystem’ that we have just
come out of is also a huge change. The crisis for leadership that they
experienced in Matthew is no different from the crisis we're experiencing right
now. However, I don't think it's a crisis.
I think it's an opportunity. We came out of this huge baby boom ecosystem in the
church, where the Sunday schools were full, where church attendance was
booming, where our income was persistent and unquestionable, and where we
had cultural credibility in everything that we did. That has come to an end.
Who gives us authority to make the changes that we're making today? That is a
really good question. And I would say God is calling us into new ways of being,
and God is calling us into new ways of looking forward. So let's look at these
two sons.
Who gives you the authority? These two sons. The first one said, no, I'm not
going to do that. No, I am not going to do that.
And sometimes we have people in the church who say, “No, I don't think we
should do that.”
I don't think we should home the unhoused here. I don't think we should feed the
people who are hungry. I don't think we should welcome the 2SLGBT people
into our community. I don't know. No.
And then they go home. And then they think. And then they listen to Jesus'
words.
And then they think. And then they make a pot of soup and they take it down to
the homeless shelter, along with sleeping bags they have left over in their home.
And then they go to a drag show and listen to 2SLGBT people talk about the
difficulties in the world today.
And they change their mind. First it was a no. And then they repent. They
change. And they go on to a yes.
Or, on the other hand, like the second son, we have the people who say yes.
Yes, we welcome people here in our church. Yes, we are into reconciliation. Yes,
we absolutely do all kinds of anti-racism training.
Yes, we do this. But when push comes to shove, is it actually being done? What
kind of billboard are you walking when you leave your church on Sunday
morning? Are you actually doing what you say you do? Or are you just giving it
lip service? That’s what we call being performative.
Jesus called us to something different.
Jesus called us to be out there in the communities with the people. So, when
God asks us, how do we respond? Are we a ‘yes’ person or a ‘no’ person?
That's a really good question. When we're asked, where does the authority that
you have to make those changes come from? We say from God.
The church of the baby boom era of 1964 is no longer the church that we have
today. But we are being called to be the church of 2026 and 2027 and 2028 and
onward. Yes, we will be different, but we will still be God's church.
God is still with us. God is still calling us to do these things, to be who we are as
God's people.
One of the questions I often get is, aren't you being too political? My husband is
a Member of the Legislative Assembly in Saskatchewan. I get this question a lot.
We get this question a lot. He is political.
He deals with homelessness and the unhoused and all those kind of things. We
as the church respond to that with compassion. We are absolutely political, but
we're nonpartisan.
We are nonpartisan, but we are political. Because being political is when God
shows up and says, where are my people being hurt? And when we hear that,
we respond.
So we feed people. We look after the unhoused. We look after the 2SLGBT who
are not being considered. We challenge racism.
We look to where our land acknowledgements have fallen short of what we
need to do for reconciliation. And we constantly push ourselves.
So, what kind of billboard are you as a church, as people? What kind of billboard
are you walking around in your community? Who do you say that we are as a
church and community, through your actions, not necessarily only through your
words?
The church of 1964 is no longer. The church of 2026 is what God is calling us to
be. To feed the hungry. To walk with the marginalized. To be with the unhoused.
And to continue to work for justice in our world so that people will know we are
followers of Jesus Christ.
So, I wish you God's peace.
I wish you God's authority to be the change we need in the church today. To be
the church we need for the future.
Be creative. Be experimental. Be out there. Be the billboard that is proudly
saying we are followers of Jesus Christ.
Because that's who we are.
God's deepest peace. Amen.

HYMN OF THE DAY – O Master, Let Me Walk with You (ELW #818)

APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
A: Reminded of God’s gracious and abundant love, we offer our prayers,
confident that God hears us.
A: God of our church, send forth your Spirit as we pray for our Bishops Larry and
Carla. Empower them with your wisdom to lead the church. We also pray for the
Thames Ministry area, especially Pastor Nadine Schroeder-Kranz and the people
of Trinity Lutheran Church, London. Hear us, O God.
C: Your mercy is great.

A: Centre your church in humility as we strive to follow in your way. Help us
listen to the cries of those who have been unfairly hurt by the church and dare to
name difficult truths. Show all your love. Hear us, O God.
C: Your mercy is great.

A: You call us to care for your creation. Lead us into your promise of a better
world through sustainable practices and respect for your handiwork. Hear
us, O God.
C: Your mercy is great.

A: Inspire all in positions of authority to act honourably. Remind them of their call
to use their authority for the sake of the common good, Give them the gift of
humility. Hear us, O God.
C: Your mercy is great.

A: Comfort those who come before you in fear and trembling. Calm troubled
hearts with your forgiveness. Help all those in need, especially Beth, Jean,
Kristine, Karen, Emma, Cathy, Lene, Lyra, Bud, Pastor Bob, Margaret, Johnny,
the family and friends of Barbara Kress, and those others who are in our hearts.
Grant us your salvation. Hear us, O God.
C: Your mercy is great.

A: Change this congregation’s heart when we say no to your call. Open us to
courageous learning and service in our community, especially in new or
challenging places. Hear us, O God.
C: Your mercy is great.

A: Merciful God, we pray for peace as war continues in Ukraine and in the
Middle East. Shelter all living in fear; protect those seeking refuge in
neighbouring countries; sustain families separated by the horrors of war;
tend to those who are injured; comfort all who mourn their dead.
Direct your people into the way of peace. Hear us, O God.
C: Your mercy is great.

A: Your steadfast love holds all the saints who have finished their work and are
at rest. As we grieve, remind us of your mercy so we may also give thanks. Hear
us, O God.
C: Your mercy is great.

A: Grant the prayers we have offered, what we have forgotten to ask, and
whatever else you see that we need. We ask this in Jesus’ name.
C: Amen.

PEACE
P: The peace of Christ be with you always.
C: And also with you.

LORD’S PRAYER
P: Lord, remember us in your kingdom and teach us to pray.
C: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen.

SENDING

BLESSING
P: The God of love draw you into full accord and one mind, in the body of Christ
Jesus.
C: Amen.

P: The God of hope grant you strength and joy in all circumstances through the
interceding of the Spirit.
C: Amen.

P: The God of grace + bless you now and forever.
C: Amen.

SENDING HYMN – What a Fellowship, What a Joy Divine (ELW #774)

DISMISSAL

A: Go out in joy. Be led forth in peace.
C: Thanks be to God.

DISMISSAL HYMN – The Lord Now Sends Us Forth (ELW #538)
Verse 1
The Lord now sends us forth
with hands to serve and give,
to make of all the earth
a better place to live. Repeat (2X)

Verse 2
The angels are not sent
into our world of pain
to do what we were meant
to do in Jesus' name;
that falls to you and me
and all who are made free.
Help us, O Lord, we pray,
to do your will today. Repeat (2X)