Sunday BETWEEN 6 and 12 Nov (Proper 27), year A 
THIRD-LAST SUNDAY OF THE CHURCH YEAR

2020 - 08 November (23rd Sunday after Pentecost)
2023 - 12 November (24th Sunday after Pentecost)
2026 - 08 November (24th Sunday after Pentecost)
2029 - 11 November (25th Sunday after Pentecost)
2032 - 07 November (25th Sunday after Pentecost)
2035 - 11 November (26th Sunday after Pentecost)
2038 - 07 November (21st Sunday after Pentecost)

Note: For explanations and suggestions on the various resources provided, see the documents 'General notes and resources' and 'Time after Pentecost' in the 'General and seasonal' folder.

THE LAST SUNDAYS OF THE CHURCH YEAR
As the church year draws to a close, the readings begin to reflect themes of eschatology, that is, the 'last things'. This theme culminates in the celebration of the Last Sunday of the Church Year (Day of the Fulfilment) and the First Sunday of Advent.

LITURGY

SENTENCE
See the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Sentence', in the 'General and seasonal' folder for suggestions on using a Sentence.

Choose this day whom you will serve, 
but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.  
(Josh 24:15 NRSV)

OR
Let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.  (Amos 5:24 NRSV)

OR
The Lord himself, with a cry of command, 
with the archangel's call and with the sound of God's trumpet, 
will descend from heaven, 
and the dead in Christ will rise first.  (1 Thess 4:16 NRSV)

OR
At midnight there comes a shout:
Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!  
(cf Matt 25:6 NRSV)

OR, use one of the general Sentences in the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Sentence', in the 'General and seasonal' folder.

PRAYER OF THE DAY (COLLECT)
Traditional
Stir up, O Lord, the wills of your faithful people, 
that they may richly bear the fruit of good works, 
and receive your rich reward; 
through your Son, 
Jesus Christ our Lord, 
who lives and reigns 
with you and the Holy Spirit, 
one God, now and forever. 
Amen.

OR, modernised traditional
Stir up, Lord, the wills of your faithful people. 
Help us richly bear the fruit of good works, 
and give us your rich reward. 
We ask this through your Son, 
Jesus Christ our Lord, 
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, 
one God, now and forever. 
Amen.

OR, alternative
(Let us pray for vigilance. [silence])
Heavenly Father, 
keep us watchful and alert 
as we wait for the coming of your Son, our Lord. 
When he stands at the door and knocks, 
may he not find us asleep 
in carelessness and sin, 
but awake in hope and rejoicing, 
so that we may live with you forever. 
We ask this through Jesus Christ, 
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, 
one God, now and forever. 
Amen.

OR, new
(Let us pray for faithfulness until Christ's return. [silence])
Awaken us, Lord, 
so that when your Son comes 
we may be ready to receive him with joy 
and serve you with clean hearts. 
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord, 
who lives and reigns 
with you and the Holy Spirit, 
one God, now and forever. 
Amen.

FIRST READING AND PSALM
Note: There are two sets of first readings (with accompanying Psalms) given for the Sundays after Pentecost: (a) a new semi-continuous set, and (b) a set related thematically to the gospels (as in the earlier form of the lectionary). It is intended that either one of these two sets be used throughout and that they not be mixed.

1a
Joshua 24:1-3a,14-25 Israel promises to serve the Lord
Psalm 78:1-7
Antiphon:
We will tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord. (Ps 78:4b NRSV)

OR, 1b
Amos 5:18-24 The day of the Lord
Psalm 70
Antiphon:
Be pleased, O God, to deliver me. (O Lord, make haste to help me!) (Ps 70:1 NRSV)

SECOND READING
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Questions about the Lord's coming

ALLELUIA VERSE (Matt 24:42 NRSV)
Alleluia, alleluia.
Keep awake therefore, 
for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.
Alleluia.

GOSPEL
Matthew 25:1-13 Parable of the wise and foolish girls
(Begin: 'Jesus said:')

PRAYER AFTER THE GOSPEL
This is the gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, 
for promising to return as the heavenly bridegroom. 
Make us always watchful and ready. 
Amen.

OFFERING PRAYER
Thank you, Lord, for all your gifts, 
and for giving us the privilege of serving you. 
Help us to be alert and ready for your coming, 
serving you faithfully and doing your will. 
Amen.

Prayer of the Church
Call to prayer
God gives us the wisdom to prepare for the revelation of our Lord in glory. Let us remain alert in prayer, remembering the whole people of God in Christ Jesus, and all people according to their needs.

The regular response, OR:
Lord of glory,
hear our prayer.

Suggested intercessions
*	for the fulfilment of our hope in the promises of God
*	for the church, that it may be alert and watchful
*	for justice to come from God in answer to the cry of the oppressed
*	for protection from flood, fire, disease, famine, war, and other disasters
*	for the comfort of the bereaved, grieving, widows, widowers, and orphans, that they may have hope in God.

Concluding prayer
Father, when we are tired, give us strength; when we are careless, make us alert; and when we feel like giving up, fill us with the hope of the day your Son will be revealed in glory. Only you can keep us in true faith, so hear the prayers we pray in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.

PREFACE
It is indeed right and good, 
Lord God, holy Father, 
that we should at all times and in all places 
give thanks to you, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
(On this day)* 
he overcame death by his resurrection 
and opened up for us 
the way to eternal life with you. 
And so, with angels and archangels, 
and with all the company of heaven, 
we adore and praise your glorious name:

* The words 'on this day' are used only on Sundays.

COMMUNION INVITATION
For a choice of communion invitations, see the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Communion invitation', in the 'General and seasonal' folder. Alternatively, the following invitation may be used.

Jesus said: The next time I drink the fruit of the vine
will be that day when I drink it new with you 
in my Father's kingdom.  (Matt 26:29)
(Thanks be to God.)
Come, everything is ready.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
See the service order for a standard post-communion prayer. Alternatively, use the third prayer of the day (as listed above) at this point. It may be modified as follows.

Heavenly Father, 
keep us watchful and alert 
as we wait for the coming of your Son, 
Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Help us to hear his voice 
when he stands at the door and knocks, 
so that he may come in to us 
and eat with us. 
For he lives and reigns 
with you and the Holy Spirit, 
one God, now and forever. 
Amen.

DISMISSAL
Go in peace, watching and waiting for the Lord's coming.
Thanks be to God.  OR  In the name of Christ. Amen.

HYMNS AND SONGS

FOR THE READINGS
Please note:	* =	Modernised version available
	G3, G4 . . . =	Guitar chords available in the Music Package 3, 4 . . . 
	GS =	Guitar chords in the Supplement to LH

First reading (a): Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25
LHS
164	Love divine, all loves excelling G3
440	Sing praise to God who reigns above G3
454	Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim G6
587	O happy home, where Thou art loved the dearest G7
588	O blest the house, whate'er befall* G6
615	Who is on the Lord’s side?
AT
261	From heav’n you came (The Servant King)
292	Because we bear your name
TIS
110	Sing praise to God who reigns above
215	You servants of God, your master proclaim
217	Love divine, all loves excelling
256	From heaven you came
581	Happy the home that welcomes you, Lord Jesus
686	Because we bear your name

First reading (b): Amos 5:18-24
LHS
314	Turn, Lord, Thine anger, and in mercy spare us G4
490	O Son of God, we wait for Thee* G3
AT
332	We are sorry
TIS
160	Father all-loving
181	Come, O God of all
416	Great God, your Spirit
616	O day of God
690	Beauty for brokenness

Second reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
LHS
92	Christ the Lord is risen today (vv 4,5,6) (G, STJ 11)
95	He is risen, he is risen* G3
101	Jesus lives! thy terrors now* G5
103	I know that my Redeemer lives* G3
279	He that believes and is baptized* (alt tune 106, G3)
479	Jesus my Redeemer lives* G5
485	The day is surely drawing near* G5
486	Great God, what do I see and hear* G5
782	At the name of Jesus G7
854	Be still, my soul
AT
150	Sing a new song
167	I am the Bread of Life
179	Come let us eat (v 4)
235	In your hand, my Saviour
268	Christ has died (Response)
TIS
123	Be still, my soul 
216	Rejoice, the Lord is king (esp v 6)
231	At the name of Jesus
285	Your coming, Lord, to earth in Bethlehem
366	Jesus my Redeemer lives
370	Christ the Lord is risen today
372	Jesus lives! your terrors now
376	I know that my Redeemer lives
379	He is risen, he is risen!
479	They that believe and are baptized

Gospel: Matthew 25:1-13
LHS
287	Deck thyself, my soul, with gladness* (esp v 2) G5
487	Wake, awake for night is flying* G6
489	Rejoice, rejoice, believers* G4
AT
85	Give me oil in my lamp
187	Help us, Lord, to wait for you
309	When the Lord returns
TIS
266	Wake, awake for night is flying 
280	When he comes back
503	Robe yourself, my soul, in gladness

PSALM 78:1-7
For musical settings of Psalm 78:1-7, see Music Package 3. TIS 41, Give ear, O my people, is a version of Psalm 78:1-4,12-16.

PSALM 70
For musical settings of Psalm 70, see Music Packages 3 and 10.

NOTES ON THE READINGS

See the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Notes on the readings', in the 'General and seasonal' folder.

JOSHUA 24:1-3a,14-25: After the people of Israel had settled in Canaan, Joshua could see that their covenant made by God at Sinai needed renewal. On calling the people together at Shechem he offered them the choice of whom they would serve, the gods of the peoples surrounding them, or the Lord who had formed them as a nation and brought them to the land of promise. Unless obedience were given from a willing heart, it would not be meaningful or lasting. Joshua's discouragement of their profession of willingness was to stop a shallow and false piety offering an easy and shallow commitment which would in time collapse. To ascribe the same power and majesty to the Baals of Canaan which belonged only to the God of Israel alone would be a sin that would bring destruction upon themselves. Their ultimate answer led to a renewed sealing of the covenant which God had made with them.

AMOS 5:18-24: Political peace had brought prosperity to Israel just at this time during the reign of King Jeroboam.  Prosperity brought ease, affluence, arrogance and consequential greed to succeed at the expense of the poor and underprivileged. Amos speaks some extremely sharp words of denunciation against the peoples' comfortable assumption that they enjoyed God's favour. The people also liked to believe that 'the day of the Lord' would reveal the Lord's judgment against his enemies. They thought success indicated that God was on their side. Amos lists reasons here why the Lord God of Israel will certainly come at his own appointed time, but many who thought themselves friends would find out to their devastation they were actually his enemies. Herein is a great denunciation of hypocritical half-hearted forms of worship and service to the Lord. Right conduct is an act of true worship rather than simply the outward trappings.

1 THESSALONIANS 4:13-18: Paul here reasssures new Christians who were worried that those who had died since he had first preached the gospel to them would not meet the Lord at his second coming. He states quite clearly that those who have died in faith will accompany Jesus when he comes to be joined by those who are still alive on the earth. Note that it is the word of the Lord which precipitates this great event. The sound of the trumpet of God could be describing the same exercise of power.

MATTHEW 25:1-13: In this parable the 'bridegroom' represents the Messiah and the 'maidens' represent professing Christians. That they all slumbered indicates the unexpectedness of the Lord's coming. That the five who had no oil were shut out from the feast teaches that there is a proper time for spiritual preparedness which cannot be put off. The 'wise' were unable to share their oil not because they were selfish, but because it is an unalterable reality that each believer can only believe and act for him- or herself.

VISUAL

VISUALS FOR THE READINGS
Pictures or visual symbols could be displayed on banners or the overhead screen during the readings. 

DRAMA

'MEGA DRAMA'
See a drama for the day in Mega Drama resources (Openbook Publishers), originally included in these worship resources when they were released on disks.

dramatising the READINGS
The readings can be read by more than one person to make the dramatic meaning of the text clearer. For instance, the first reading (1a) could be read by three or four readers: narrator, Joshua, people (1 or 2); the alternative first reading (1b) could be read by three readers: one reader to announce and close the reading, Amos, the Lord; and the gospel could be read by several readers: narrator (the pastor), Jesus, the crier, foolish girl(s), wise girl(s), bridegroom.

CHILDREN

'COME AND SEE JESUS'
The Come and See Jesus curriculum published by Openbook Publishers has a wealth of material and ideas that may be adapted for use in worship. Please note that a new edition of this material is currently available for the Revised Common Lectionary.

This week's story is 'The parable of the ten girls (Matthew 25:1-13)'. Material for this story may be found in: 
Original Edition, Year A, Semester 2, 24 Pentecost
OR
Revised RCL Edition, Year A, Semester 2, Proper 27.