Sunday 10 September, 2023
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings are laid out as for the continuous form of the lectionary. Alternative related readings (OT and psalm only) are below. Hymns marked with an asterisk (*) are suggested for more than one reading.
Today is Education Sunday. Churches Together in England have prepared resources for 2023 on the theme of The armour of light, inspired by the reading from Romans, below. They include sermon notes and all-age worship suggestions.
You may want to consider using Richard Mainwaring’s hymn Do all the good you can (website only), written for the Transforming Lives Methodist Education International Conference in May this year, which coincided with the 275th anniversary of John Wesley’s model school, Kingswood School, in 1748. If singing the hymn is going to be difficult for you, is there a way in which you can share the wonderful video, featuring singers from Methodist schools worldwide?
General
Be still and know that I am God (StF 19)
Jesus calls us here to meet him (StF 28)
Praise to the God who clears the way (StF 183)
You call us out to praise you (website only)
Being of beings, God of love (StF 490)
God beyond all names (StF 49)
It is God who holds the nations in the hollow of his hand (StF 705)
Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendour (StF 593)
One more step along the world I go (StF 476)
Only by grace can we enter (StF 565)
You call us to the wilderness (website only)
Hymns echoing the psalmist’s theme
Praise, my soul, the King of heaven (StF 83)
Praise the Lord! (StF 839) responsive version of Ps. 149
Sing to the great Jehovah's praise (StF 127)
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord! (StF 186)
As servants working an estate (StF 491)
Darkness like a shroud covers the earth (StF 170)
*Help us, O Lord, to learn the truths (StF 501)
Jesu, Jesu, fill us with your love (StF 249)
Love divine, all loves excelling (StF 503)
Love will be our Hallelujah (website only)
Soldiers of Christ, arise (StF 637)
Matthew 18: 15-20
God, how can we forgive (StF 613)
God! when human bonds are broken (StF 649)
Lord of life, we come to you (StF 651)
*Make us your prophets, Lord (StF 665)
Put peace into each other's hands (StF 712)
Seek ye first the kingdom of God (StF 254)
The love of God comes close (StF 654)
There's a quiet understanding (StF 36)
Alternative related readings:
A charge to keep I have (StF 658)
Called by Christ to be disciples (StF 660)
Day of judgment! Day of wonder! (StF 732)
Immortal, invisible, God only wise (StF 55)
*Make us your prophets, Lord (StF 665)
The right hand of god is writing in our land (StF 715)
We lay our broken world in sorrow at your feet (StF 718)
Psalm 119: 33-40
Hymns echoing the psalmist’s theme
Come, Lord, to our souls come down (StF 493)
*Help us, O Lord, to learn the truths (StF 501)
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord (StF 451)
Teach me, my God and King (StF 668)
What shall I do my God to love (StF 516)