Music for the 16th Sunday after Pentecost
Year A, September 13, 2026

OPENING VOLUNTARY Two Settings of "Herzlich tut mich verlangen"
J. Walther (1684-1748), Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706)

One of the most beloved Lutheran Chorales, the tune was written by Hans Leo Hassler (1564-1612). He was a Lutheran, but he wrote several settings for the Roman Catholic mass and even played and conducted in the Catholic churches of Augsburg, Germany.

The tune is mostly associated with the text "O Sacred Head, Now Wounded." Today, we sing it with "Our Father, We Have Wandered" at the Hymn of the Day.

GATHERING HYMN In Thee Is Gladness ELW 867

Grace Cathedral, San Francisco

The Italian composer Giovanni Giacomo Gastoldi (c. 1550-c.1622) included this tune in his balletti - dance rhythms written for vocal, rather than instrumental, music.

Evangelical Lutheran Worship credits Johann Lindemann (1549-1631) with the text, but his authorship has been called into question in recent years. 

Today's second reading says we belong to Jesus, and this hymn boldly claims that Jesus also belongs to us. 

HYMN OF THE DAY Our Father, We Have Wandered ELW 606

Kevin Nichols (1929-2006), a Roman Catholic priest, wrote this text with the parable of the prodigal son in mind. He also intended for it to be sung with this tune.

It also relates to the story that Jesus tells in today's gospel reading. The slave enjoys the mercy offered by his king, but shows no mercy in dealing with a fellow slave. 

The harmonization, by J. S. Bach, is slightly different than what we normally hear because it borrows elements from two of his harmonizations used in the St. Matthew Passion.

MUSICAL OFFERING Out of the Depths Richard Frost
The text of this song comes from Psalm 130, but it closely relates to today's gospel reading by highlighting God's boundless mercy. Instead of a God who holds our sins against us, we find a God who always forgives.

San Diego, California

COMMUNION HYMNS
Bless the Lord, My Soul
Come and Fill Our Hearts
Christ, Our Peace

Each of these hymns (two from the community of Taizé and one from Marty Haugen) are sung prayers. The first one quotes today's psalm. (We sang a metrical setting, so the quote isn't obvious.)

After singing it with the music in hand once or twice, try to set the music down and sing it from memory. This helps you focus on the act of prayer more than the act of reading.

SENDING HYMN God's Work, Our Hands
"The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America held a contest inviting hymnwriters to submit a new hymn for "God's Work. Our Hands" Sunday on September 13, 2019. Wayne Wold wrote the winning hymn, developing the denomination's tagline with other parts of the person God uses, listing concrete ways of manifesting God's presence for the world, confessing God's activity beyond the church's work, and inviting blessing on the church's work on behalf of the gospel." 

(From SundaysandSeasons.com)

 

"God's work. Our hands." is the ELCA's annual day of service . . . It is a blessed opportunity for all our congregations to celebrate who we are as a church, engaging in projects and activities that explore our convictions as Lutherans: that all life in Jesus flows from a living, daring confidence in God's grace. The ELCA is one church, freed in Christ to love and serve our neighbor every day." (from ELCA.org)

CLOSING VOLUNTARY A Trumpet Dialogue   Alfred V. Fedak

Sources:
Evangelical Lutheran Worship Hymnal Companion
Wikipedia
SundaysandSeasons.com (vine graphic)
ELCA.org (God's work. Our hands. graphic