Weekly Worship

Middleton United Methodist Church Liturgy

Updated for Sunday, October 25th, 2026 [Ordinary Time - Proper 25]

Prelude - James

Welcome/Announcements - Pastor Mary Beth

Passing the Peace - Pastor Mary Beth

One: May the peace of the Lord be with you!

Many: And also with you!

Gathering Hymn  - James

Call to Worship - Sarah Dawson

One: Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Many: And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever!

One: The Lord our God is worthy of praise!

Many: God’s faithful love lasts forever!

One: Come! Let us worship the Lord with thanksgiving!

Many: We give thanks to the Lord, for God is good!

Opening Prayer (in unison) - Sarah Dawson

God of love, to whom our hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden: cleanse our hearts by the power of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Christ our Lord, amen.

Sing together - Glory be to the Father (UMH #70)

Scripture Reading - Sarah Dawson

God, open our hearts and minds, that as the scriptures are read and your Word proclaimed, we may hear with joy what you say to us today.

Almighty God, your Son has shown us how to love one another. May our love for you overflow into joyous service and be a healing witness to our neighbors through Jesus Christ our Lord. And all the beloved said: Amen.

Scripture Reading - Psalm 1 (CEB)

The truly happy person doesn’t follow wicked advice, doesn’t stand on the road of sinners, and doesn’t sit with the disrespectful. Instead of doing those things, these persons love the Lord’s Instruction, and they recite God’s Instruction day and night! They are like a tree replanted by streams of water, which bears fruit at just the right time and whose leaves don’t fade. Whatever they do succeeds.

That’s not true for the wicked! They are like dust that the wind blows away. And that’s why the wicked will have no standing in the court of justice—neither will sinners in the assembly of the righteous. The Lord is intimately acquainted with the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked is destroyed.

One: This is our prayer.

Many: Lord, hear our prayer.

Lectionary Hymn - James

Prayers of the People - Pastor Mary Beth

Holy One, you planted us by living water, that we might be rooted in righteousness. You call us to be holy as you are holy. Assured of your love, help us to cast aside all fear, that we may love our neighbors as ourselves. 

Creator God, you call us to love and serve you with body, mind, and spirit through loving your creation and our siblings. Open our hearts in compassion and receive these petitions on behalf of the needs of the church and the world.

Are there any requests or praises?

(The congregation is invited to speak their requests. After each request is spoken, we all respond in unison. For prayer requests, we respond, “Lord, hear our prayer.” For praises, we respond, “Lord, we lift this praise.”)

Holy One, hear our prayers and make us faithful stewards of the fragile bounty of this earth so that we may be entrusted with the riches of heaven. And all the beloved said: Amen.

(A moment for silent prayers)

And now let us pray the prayer the Lord taught all the disciples to pray. Let’s be so bold as to say:

Our Father, who art in heaven,

Hallowed by 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, now and forever. Amen.

Doxology - Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow (UMH #95)

Prayer for Today’s Offering

Generous God, in this season of autumn harvest, we bring these offerings with hearts full of gratitude. Bless these gifts and multiply them, that they may nourish our neighbors, sustain our ministry, and reflect your faithful stewardship in our world. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, all the beloved said: Amen.

Prayer Hymn - James

Sermon - Matthew 22:34-46 (CEB) - Pastor Mary Beth

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had left the Sadducees speechless, they met together. One of them, a legal expert, tested him. “Teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

He replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: You must love your neighbor as you love yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”

Now as the Pharisees were gathering, Jesus asked them, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?”

“David’s son,” they replied.

He said, “Then how is it that David, inspired by the Holy Spirit, called him Lord when he said, The Lord said to my lord, ‘Sit at my right side until I turn your enemies into your footstool’? If David calls him Lord, how can he be David’s son?” Nobody was able to answer him. And from that day forward nobody dared to ask him anything.

One: This is the Gospel of our Lord!

Many: Praise to you, Lord Christ!

Sermon Hymn - James

Sending:

Benediction - Pastor Mary Beth

May the All-Loving bless you and keep you; may Christ’s face shine upon you and be gracious unto you; may the Holy Spirit’s countenance be lifted upon you and give you peace; from this day forth and forevermore; amen.

Sending Hymn: Song of Hope (TFWS #2186) -  James

Postlude - James