November 2, 2025 – The Feast of All Saints (transferred)

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At Grace, all are welcome, which means we affirm people of every age, race, language, nationality, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, ability, family structure, or economic, social, immigration, and marital status.

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Welcome to Grace UMC! We’re blessed by your presence for worship. Please register your attendance using the red attendance pads in the Sanctuary or the link above. If you are in-person and need an assisted listening device, they are available at the back of the Nave. Please ask an usher or greeter. During worship, we use three hymnals: The United Methodist Hymnal, The Faith We Sing, and Worship & Song.

 

+Please rise in body or spirit

 

Prelude – Anita Lockwood

 

Welcome – The Rev. Seth O’Kegley

 

+Passing the Peace

May the peace of Christ be always with you.

And also with you.​​

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+Opening Hymn – UMH 709

"Come, Let Us Join Our Friends Above"

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+Opening Prayer

Almighty God, you have knit together your beloved in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord: Give us grace so to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those inexpressible joys that you have prepared for those who truly love you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.​

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+Gloria

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Prayer of Confession

Eternal God, although we are the communion of saints, we are also a circle of sinners. We cling to death, hiding out of fear and stubbornness. You lay a feast before us, but we fill ourselves with selfishness and wonder why we are hungry. We are convinced that our best days are behind us, not believing that you are making all things new. Forgive us, we pray, and show us the light that we yearn to see, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.​

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(Silence for personal confession and assurance of pardon.)​

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Scripture – Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18 (CEB)​​​

In the first year of Babylon’s King Belshazzar, Daniel had a dream—a vision in his head as he lay on his bed. He wrote the dream down. Here is the beginning of the account: I am Daniel. In the vision I had during the night I saw the four winds of heaven churning the great sea. Four giant beasts emerged from the sea, each different from the others. Now this caused me, Daniel, to worry. My visions disturbed me greatly. So I went to one of the servants who was standing ready nearby. I asked him for the truth about all this. He spoke to me and explained to me the meaning of these things. “These four giant beasts are four kings that will rise up from the earth, but the holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingship. They will hold the kingship securely forever and always.”

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This is the Word of God for the people of God.

Thanks be to God.

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Sing to the Lord a new song;
sing God’s praise in the assembly of the faithful!
    Let Israel celebrate its maker;
    let Zion’s children rejoice in their king!
Let them praise God’s name with dance;
let them sing God’s praise with the drum and lyre!
    Because the Lord is pleased with his people,
    God will beautify the poor with saving help.  R.

 

Let the faithful celebrate with glory;
let them shout for joy on their beds.
    Let the high praises of God be in their mouths
    and a double-edged sword in their hands,
    to get revenge against the nations
    and punishment on the peoples,

binding their rulers in chains and their officials in iron shackles, achieving the justice written against them.
     That will be an honor for all God’s faithful people.

     Praise the Lord!   R. 

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+Hymn of Preparation – UMH 708

"Rejoice in God's Saints" vs. 1,2​​

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+Scripture – Luke 6:20-31 (CEB)​​​

Jesus raised his eyes to his disciples and said: “Happy are you who are poor, because God’s kingdom is yours. Happy are you who hunger now, because you will be satisfied. Happy are you who weep now, because you will laugh. Happy are you when people hate you, reject you, insult you, and condemn your name as evil because of the Human One. Rejoice when that happens! Leap for joy because you have a great reward in heaven. Their ancestors did the same things to the prophets. But how terrible for you who are rich, because you have already received your comfort. How terrible for you who have plenty now, because you will be hungry. How terrible for you who laugh now, because you will mourn and weep. How terrible for you when all speak well of you. Their ancestors did the same things to the false prophets. But I say to you who are willing to hear: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on the cheek, offer the other one as well. If someone takes your coat, don’t withhold your shirt either. Give to everyone who asks and don’t demand your things back from those who take them. Treat people in the same way that you want them to treat you.”

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This is the Word of God for the people of God.

Thanks be to God.

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+Hymn of Preparation – UMH 708

"Rejoice in God's Saints" vs. 3,4

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Sermon – The Rev. Seth O’Kegley

“Saints in a Wild World” Click here for text.​​

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Commemoration of the Faithful Departed​

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Leonard McPherson, died Dec. 17, 2024

Fay Hicks, died May 10, 2025

Glenn Massey, died Aug. 19, 2025

Eugene Miller, died Sept. 30, 2025

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Molly Brown

The Rev. Allen Davis, Th.D.

Del Fischer

Billy Grisby, Ph.D.

Mary Regina Litchfield Grisby, RN

Max Hutchenson

John Lanzer

Larry Laurienti

Don Maehlenbrock

Sean Zenon Kurcbard

Vernon J. Racek

Vicki Lee Slife

John Paul Timmerman

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Parish Announcements​​​​

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Offertory – Chancel Choir

“Never Weather-beaten Sail" by Charles Wood

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Never weather-beaten sail more willing bent to shore, never tired pilgrim limbs affected slumber more, than my weary sprite* now longs to fly out of my troubled breast: O come quickly, sweetest Lord, and take my sprite* to rest! Ever blooming are the joys of heaven's high Paradise, Old age deafs not there our ears nor vapor dims our eyes: Glory there the sun outshines; whose beams the Blessed only see: O come quickly, come quickly, glorious Lord, and raise my sprite* to Thee!

 

*The word “sprite” is used as the word “spirit” or “soul.”

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Today’s loose coin offering is for Network Coffee House

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+Doxology – Lasst Uns Erfreuen 

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise God, all creatures here below: Alleluia, alleluia!

Praise God, the source of all our gifts.

Praise Jesus Christ, whose power uplifts.

Praise the Spirit, Holy Spirit, Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia.

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Celebration of Holy Communion

In our United Methodist tradition The Eucharist, or Holy Communion, is a gift from our abundant God. This is not Grace’s table or the United Methodist Church’s table, but it is God’s table. All that we ask is that you love God, earnestly repent of your sin, and seek to live in peace together. There is a gluten free station for persons who need that. 

 

The Lord be with you.   

And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.         

We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. 

It is right to give our thanks and praise. 

 

It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth: God of Abraham and Sarah, God of Miriam and Moses, God of Joshua and Deborah, God of Ruth and David, God of Mary and Joseph, God of Susanna, John, and Charles Wesley, God of the apostles and the martyrs, God of our mothers and our fathers, God of our children to all generations. And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

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Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

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Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ. By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection you gave birth to your Church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.

 

On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: "Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."

 

When the supper was over he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said: "Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."

 

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

 

Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.

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Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood.

 

Renew our communion with all your saints, especially Leonard, Fay, Glenn, and Gene. Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, strengthen us to run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith. By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory, and we feast at his heavenly banquet. Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty God, now and for ever. Amen.

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The Lord’s Prayer

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. Amen.​​​​​​

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Prayer After Communion

Eternal God, we give you thanks for this holy mystery in which you have given yourself to us. Grant that we may go into the world in the strength of your Spirit, to give ourselves for others, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.​

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+Hymn of Discipleship – UMH 712

“I Sing a Song of the Saints of God”

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+Benediction

 

+Dismissal

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

 

Postlude – Anita Lockwood

"Grand Choeur" by Gordon Young​

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Worship Leaders

The Rev. Seth O’Kegley, celebrant

The Rev. Stacy Collins, Suzanne McPherson, liturgist

Steven Burchard, Anita Lockwood, Chancel Choir, musicians

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