17th Sunday after Pentecost, Sept 20, 2026
*Indicates please stand in body or in spirit
WE BECOME AWARE OF GOD’S PRESENCE
PRELUDE Brad Lambrecht
WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS Pastor Jill
POURING OF THE BAPTISMAL WATER Rev. Dr. Jill Sanders
*CALL TO WORSHIP Lee Becker
One: In the prayers and the praise, in the words and wonder:
Many: We are given enough joy to live each day.
One: In the justice for the oppressed, in the unexpected generosity for the lost.
Many: We are given enough compassion to use in service each day..
One: In the promises made to all, in the mercy offered to each:
Many: We are given enough grace to share each day.
*OPENING Hymn Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing Blk 459
*OPENING PRAYER (unison) Lee
Merciful God, the world often seems unfair, confusing or threatening. You are our solid ground, our mercy, our hope. Speak to us your peace as we open our hearts to your grace. Fill us with your Spirit in the presence and love of Christ. Amen.
*ACT of PRAISE BLK 760
The congregation sings once in Zulu, then twice in English.
PASSING OF THE PEACE Lee
GOD SPEAKS TO US
HYMN OF THE MONTH David Larson
READING FROM THE HEBREW BIBLE Jonah 3:10-4:11 Lee
10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them, and he did not do it.
4 But this was very displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry.
2 Jonah prayed to God and said, “O Lord! Is not this what I said while I was still in my own country? That is why I fled to Tarshish at the beginning, for I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from punishment.
3 And now, O God, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” 4 And God said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
5 Then Jonah went out of the city and sat down east of the city and made a booth for himself there. Jonah sat under it in the shade, waiting to see what would become of the city.
6 The Lord God appointed a bush and made it come up over Jonah, to give shade over his head, to save Jonah from his discomfort, so Jonah was very happy about the bush.
7 But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the bush, so that it withered.
8 When the sun rose, God prepared a sultry east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint and asked that he might die. Jonah said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”
9 But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the bush?” And Jonah said, “Yes, angry enough to die.”
10 Then God said, “You are concerned about the bush, for which you did not labor and which you did not grow; it came into being in a night and perished in a night.
11 And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left and also many animals?”
MOMENT WITH THE YOUNGER CHURCH Pastor Jill
READINGS FROM THE GOSPEL Matthew 20:1-16
20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for their vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3 When the landowner went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went.
5 When the landowner went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same.
6 And about five o’clock the landowner went out and found others standing around, and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’
7 They said to owner, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’
8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’
9 When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received a denarius. 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius.
11 And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner,
12 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.’
13 But the landowner replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you.
15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’, 16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”,
HYMN OF PREPARATION There’s A Wideness in God’s Mercy Blk 23
SERMON God’s Scandalous Grace Rev. Dr. Jill Sanders
MUSIC FOR REFLECTION Brad Lambrecht
WE RESPOND TO GOD
SHARING JOYS AND CONCERNS
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND JESUS’ PRAYER
Our God in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever. Amen.
INVITATION TO GIVE
*PRESENTATION OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS
OFFERTORY Brad Lambrecht
*DOXOLOGY TUNE: Old Hundredth
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise God, all creatures here below;
Praise God for all that love has done;
Creator, Christ, and Spirit, One! Amen.
*PRAYER OF DEDICATION
*SENDING Hymn We All are One in Mission TFWS 2243
*BLESSING & SENDING FORTH
POSTLUDE Brad Lambrecht
| Bulletin cover and sermon slide art by Kim Justinen. |
We welcome all who are joining us for worship virtually, on YouTube, https://tinyurl.com/firstcongalex or Cable Channel #181 (each weekday). Our service is broadcast on KXRA 1490 AM at 11 am the second Sunday of the month.
NEWS IN THE PEWS: SUNDAY Sept 20, 2026
THE WEEKLY CALENDAR
Sunday, Sept 20
10:00 Worship in person and online,
11:00 Coffee Fellowship
Monday Sept 21
10:00 “Caffeinated Christianity” @ Common Ground
4-8 Voice lessons
6:30 Parent/youth Information/Confirmation-GUP
Tuesday Sept 22
12-4 Elder Network
2:30 Voice lessons
Wednesday Sept 23
4-6 Labyrinth
4:45 Choir rehearsal
5:30 Calvary partnership—child/parent program
7:00 Gender Affirming Care Champion information session online
Thursday Sept 24
4:30 Holy Happy Hr
Next Sunday, Sept 27
9:15 Choir rehearsal
10:00 Worship in person and online
11:00 Coffee Fellowship
11:00 Memorials Board Meeting
12:30 Celebration of Life of Diane Alveshere, Broadway Ballroom
5:00 Samaritans Doc
Pastor Jill’s Office Hours
Pastor Jill is available throughout the week for pastoral care, conversation, or coffee! She is typically in the office on Tuesday mornings—and other times as well. It is always best to schedule a time if you want to talk. She can be reached directly at jill@firstcongregationaluccalex.com or (319) 361-0737. Shetypically takes Fridays off.
Confirmation information session
We will have a Parent/Youth information session for Confirmation on Monday Sept 21, at 6:30 pm. All parents/youth that are interested in confirmation this school year are invited to come. It is at Glenwood United Parish. 10 17th Ave NW, Glenwood, MN 56334. Confirmation will meet beginning Oct 5, the first and third Mondays. The 1st Mondays will be at Glenwood United Parish and the 2nd Mondays will be either at Alexandria United Methodist or here.
Come walk our Labyrinth: A path for Contemplative Prayer
Lee Becker will host the labyrinth on Wednesday. The labyrinth is open on Wednesdays from 4-6. Anyone at church or the greater community is warmly invited to participate. The labyrinth is a path of prayer, a walking meditation, a crucible of change, a watering hole for the spirit, and a mirror of the soul. May it serve as one of these, and more, for you.
Calvary Partnership
We will host the parents of Calvary’s Kid and Student Programming. 5:30 Wednesdays. If you have a child between newborn to 5th grade, you can meet with other parents while your child is attending a Wednesday evening program at Calvary.
Gender Affirming Care Champion Information Session (Hybrid Event)
September 23, 2026 – 7:00pm Location: United Theological Seminary (767 N Eustis St #140, St Paul, MN 55114) And hybrid/online.
At our annual meeting in June, the Minnesota Conference of the United Church of Christ voted to affirm the sacredness of trans people and the vital importance of protecting access to gender affirming care. Steady, grounded advocates are necessary to provide a counterpoint to the abounding misinformation and we as an entire Conference have been charged with resourcing those voices. Are you interested in finding out more about what it means to be a Gender Affirming Care Champion and connecting with others who are engaged in this advocacy work? Don’t worry – you don’t have to know all the answers or have the perfect solution. All that’s needed is a desire to care deeply for our trans siblings and connect with other advocates. Join us for an initial hybrid meeting, hosted at United Theological Seminary (767 N Eustis St #140, St Paul, MN 55114) and online. Please register so we are able to plan, contact the office to register or register online at https://uccmn-reg.brtapp.com/GenderAffirmingCareChampionInformationSession
Diane Alveshere’s celebration of life
Please join us for Celebration of Diane’s life September 27, 2026 @ 12:30pm at Broadway Ballroom 115 30th Ave East Alexandria, MN. All are welcome!
Samaritans screening
Sept 27, 5 pm. We will be hosting a screening of the documentary Samaritans. The director of the documentary will be here for the screening along with one of the Samaritans. It is a volunteer project in the southern Arizona desert and with a border town in Mexico.
Thrivent Community Action Grant
Are you a Thrivent member? Have you used your Thrivent Action Grant this year? If you are a member of Thrivent consider using your allotted grant money for the Samaritans documentary (for pizza or other refreshment), the Spaghetti dinner or Christmas dinner. See Joy in the office for possible grant ideas for all three coming events.
Worship Volunteers Needed
We have sign ups at the back of the sanctuary for volunteers interested in ushering, greeting and providing coffee fellowship. You are free to sign up for as many as you wish at a time. If you are interested in tech, let someone at the tech desk know and we can train you on the job.
Harvest Table
If you have extra produce from your garden, please consider sharing your bounty. If you have need of veggies, herbs, flowers or other produce, consider making a free will donation to be used by the Missions committee as they determine needs.
Bountiful Basket
The Bountiful Basket is back Sunday as we begin our Sept/Oct collection for the Alexandria College. (ATCC) Items needed will be posted on the basket but we encourage gift cards for gas, groceries and local restaurants, items for their food shelf and items appropriate for Bingo prizes.
VIRTUAL GIVING OPTIONS: ONLINE AND TEXT
Check out our updated website: firstcongregationaluccalex.com.
Click on the word “Give” at the top of the screen. You can also text (844) 987-4483 to give to our general fund. Please contact the office if you need help setting up a giving account online using our provider, Churchtrac.
BIRTHDAY AND ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS
Cathy Johnson 09/28
Mike Hemann 09/29
Adrian Thompson 09/29
Cathy Grove Barker 10/01
Betty Anderson 10/02
If we have missed your birthday or other important date, please let us know.
Upcoming Events or Community Events
Evening Prayer Services
All are welcome to join the First Lutheran Care for Creation Team for a time of music, scripture, and prayer. The purpose is to pray for the world, for peace, for all leaders, for creation, and for God’s presence in our lives. This prayer service is the 3rd Sunday of every month at 5:00 pm. There is a change in the schedule for August and September. August is canceled and September’s will be Sept 13. October will return to the 3rd Sunday Oct 18.
Group Spiritual Direction Orientation
Again this year, The Board of Spiritual Life is offering a listening process called Group Spiritual Direction. It’s a place to gather with other people in this hectic noisy world, to slow down for an hour and a half once a month, October through May, and try to see God in whatever has been occupying your mind. At each meeting, we sit in silence for a few minutes to quiet ourselves and then take turns listening as a group member shares. We ask clarifying questions. We reflect what we’ve heard. Rather than jumping in with quick-fix solutions of our own, we try to understand how God is involved. We gain new insights about God from others, and we grow closer to God in surprising ways. Sign up for the Orientation on October 3, 10 am -noon at the back of the Sanctuary or contact Marcie directly at marciewatson2027@gmail.com, or at (319) 310-0565.
UCAN Domestic Abuse Awareness and Prevention Luncheon
Sign up for the UCAN Luncheon October 14 at 11:30 at Broadway Ballroom. Tickets are $25. We plan to get two tables as a church group. Please write checks out to UCAN. Sign up at the back of the sanctuary.
We are an inclusive community that welcomes extravagantly, seeks God and follows Jesus into the world.
We are also a member of the Open and Affirming Coalition of the United Church of Christ and honor the dignity of each person created in God’s image. All are welcome here.
