Prepared by Rev. Rosemary Mutopo
Call To Worship (based on Psalm 105)
Come, let us give thanks to the Lord and call upon His name.
Let us sing of His goodness and tell of His wonderful works.
Seek the Lord and rejoice in His presence.
Come, God’s people—let us worship Him together! Amen,
STF 20 Be still, for the presence of the Lord
1 Be still,
for the presence of the Lord,
the Holy One, is here;
come bow before him now
with reverence and fear:
in him no sin is found —
we stand on holy ground.
Be still,
for the presence of the Lord,
the Holy One, is here.
2 Be still,
for the glory of the Lord
is shining all around;
he burns with holy fire,
with splendour he is crowned:
how awesome is the sight —
our radiant King of light!
Be still,
for the glory of the Lord
is shining all around.
3 Be still,
for the power of the Lord
is moving in this place;
he comes to cleanse and heal,
to minister his grace:
no work too hard for him —
in faith receive from him.
Be still,
for the power of the Lord
is moving in this place.
David J. Evans (b. 1957)
Let us pray
Gracious and loving God, we come before You with thankful hearts. You are faithful, generous, and worthy of all our praise. We give thanks to You and call upon Your name. We remember Your wonderful works and rejoice in Your goodness. Lord, You are a generous and gracious God. Your goodness is beyond measure, and Your mercy reaches all who call upon You. You do not treat us according to what we deserve, but You freely give from Your abundant grace. We praise You because Your ways are higher than our ways, and Your generosity is greater than we can understand.
Merciful God, forgive us when we compare ourselves with others and become envious of Your blessings. Forgive us when we feel entitled to Your goodness or question Your generosity. Help us to remember that everything we have is a gift of Your grace. Forgive us when we forget Your faithfulness and fail to seek You wholeheartedly. Teach us to trust Your ways, rejoice in Your goodness, and give thanks in every circumstance. Create in us humble and grateful hearts, that we may celebrate Your generosity toward us and toward others. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
STF 94 To God be the glory,
1 To God be the glory, great things he has done!
So loved he the world that he gave us his Son,
who yielded his life in atonement for sin,
and opened the life-gate that all may go in:
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
Let the earth hear his voice!
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son;
and give him the glory — great things he has done!
2 O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
to every believer the promise of God!
And every offender who truly believes,
hat moment from Jesus a pardon receives:
3 Great things he has taught us, great things he has done,
and great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
but purer, and higher, and greater will be
our wonder, our rapture, when Jesus we see:
Frances Jane van Alstyne, (Fanny Crosby) (1820–1915)
Please, read Matthew 20:1-16 The Labourers in the Vineyard
‘For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the market-place; and he said to them, “You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, “Why are you standing here idle all day?” They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You also go into the vineyard.” When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, “Call the labourers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.” When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, “These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.” But he replied to one of them, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?” So the last will be first, and the first will be last.’
Reflection
Today’s Gospel gives us the beautiful and challenging parable of the workers in the vineyard. Jesus tells us about a landowner who invites people to work at different times throughout the day. At the end of the day, he gives everyone the same wage. Those who worked from early morning complain because they feel they deserve more. Yet the landowner reminds them that they received exactly what was promised. Their difficulty was not that they had received too little, but that someone else had received the same generosity.
This parable teaches us something important about the heart of God. God's grace is a gift, not something we earn. His love is not measured by how long we have served Him or by how much we believe we deserve. Sometimes we can be grateful for God's blessings until we see Him blessing someone else. We may wonder why someone who has made mistakes should receive forgiveness or another opportunity. But Jesus reminds us that God's mercy is greater than our human calculations. Someone else's blessing does not take away God's love for us.
This message is especially meaningful for us as a Church community. Some have followed Christ since childhood; others discover Him later in life. Some may have been away from the Church for many years and are now returning. Others may feel forgotten, lonely, or uncertain about their place. The Gospel assures us that God never forgets us. Like the landowner who continued going out to find workers, God continues to call each of us. Whatever our age, circumstances, or past, we remain precious in His sight and have a place in His vineyard.
For those of us who are homebound, this is especially important. Even when we cannot participate in church life as we once did, our prayers, our faith, our suffering, and our love remain valuable gifts to the Church. Our vocation has not ended. We can still pray for our families, our churches, our leaders, and those in need. God sees and treasures what others may never see.
Jesus says, “The last will be first, and the first will be last.” God's kingdom is not based on status or recognition, but on love, humility, faithfulness, and grace. So today, let us ask ourselves: Am I grateful for God's blessings? Can I rejoice when God is generous to others? Do I trust that His love for me does not depend on what I can accomplish? Let us place our lives in God's hands and trust His generosity. Whether we are active in the Church or confined to our homes, we are still part of God's vineyard.
May we remain grateful for His mercy, generous in our love, and faithful in prayer. And may we remember that the greatest gift God gives us is not simply what He gives, but His presence with us. Amen.
STF 440 Amazing grace
1 Amazing grace — how sweet the sound —
that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
was blind, but now I see.
2 God’s grace has taught my heart to fear,
his grace my fears relieved;
how precious did that grace appear
the hour I first believed!
3 Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
God's grace has brought me safe thus far,
and grace will lead me home.
4 The Lord has promised good to me,
his word my hope secures;
he will my shield and portion be
as long as life endures.
5 And, when this heart and flesh shall fail
and mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil
a life of joy and peace.
6 When we’ve been there ten thousand years
bright shining as the sun,
we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
than when we first begun.
John Newton (1725–1807) (alt.)
Prayers of Intercession
Let us pray to our generous and loving God, trusting in His mercy and care for all His people.
For our Church, our ministers, leaders and all who serve God’s people, that they may proclaim His generous love and welcome everyone into His vineyard.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For those who feel forgotten, lonely, unemployed, discouraged, or without hope, that they may experience God’s presence and know that they are precious in His sight.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For all who are confined to their homes, for the elderly and those living with illness or weakness, that they may be strengthened by God’s grace and know that their prayers and lives remain a blessing to the Church.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For our families, friends, and neighbours, that we may overcome jealousy and comparison and learn to rejoice in the blessings of others.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For those who have been away from the Church or feel unworthy to return, that they may encounter God’s mercy and receive a warm welcome among His people.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For our departed loved ones and all who have died, that God in His mercy may welcome them into the joy of His eternal kingdom.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Generous and merciful God, hear the prayers we offer today. Help us to trust in Your love, to be generous with others, and to remain faithful workers in Your vineyard. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
We bring all our prayers together as we say the Lord’s Prayer… AMEN.
STF 51 Great is thy faithfulness,
1 Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
there is no shadow of turning with thee;
thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not;
as thou hast been thou for ever wilt be:
Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
all I have needed thy hand hath provided.
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.
2 Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
join with all nature in manifold witness
to thy great faithfulness, mercy and love:
3 Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Thomas O. Chisholm (1866–1960)
Benediction
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May His generous grace fill your hearts with peace and gratitude.
May He strengthen you in times of weakness and remind you that you are never forgotten.
Remain in the assurance that you are always part of God’s vineyard,
and may His love guide you today and always. Amen.