Live in the rhythm of the Church Year.
Explore the readings, prayers, hymns and seasons that form Christian life week by week.
September 20, 2026
See TodaySixteenth Sunday after Trinity
One-Year Lectionary
- First Reading
-
1 Kings 17:17–24 (read in NKJV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
NKJV Scripture text
Select ESV to load this Scripture text.
Select NIV to load this Scripture text.
Select KJV to load this Scripture text.
Scripture text is in high demand right now. Cached readings remain available; other readings can be opened on Bible Gateway. Read 1 Kings 17:17-24 in NKJV on Bible Gateway (new tab)
- Psalm
-
Psalm 30 (read in NKJV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
NKJV Scripture text
Select ESV to load this Scripture text.
Select NIV to load this Scripture text.
Select KJV to load this Scripture text.
NKJV text is shown for one reading at a time. Show the Psalm in NKJV
- Epistle
-
Eph. 3:13–21 (read in NKJV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
NKJV Scripture text
Select ESV to load this Scripture text.
Select NIV to load this Scripture text.
Select KJV to load this Scripture text.
NKJV text is shown for one reading at a time. Show the Epistle in NKJV
- Gospel
-
Luke 7:11–17 (read in NKJV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
NKJV Scripture text
Select ESV to load this Scripture text.
Select NIV to load this Scripture text.
Select KJV to load this Scripture text.
NKJV text is shown for one reading at a time. Show the Gospel in NKJV
Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity
One-Year Lectionary
About this service
Jesus Calls forth Life from Death
A large funeral procession carrying the only son of a widow is confronted by another large procession, Jesus and His followers. Death and Life meet face to face at the gate of the city (Luke 7:11–17). Filled with compassion, Jesus comes into direct contact with our mortality in order to overcome it. He touches the coffin and speaks His creative words of life, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” Jesus does what is neither expected nor requested. For through Christ, God the Father “is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think” (Eph. 3:14–21). Jesus bore our death in His body that we may share in His resurrection. Even as Elijah stretched himself out three times over the Zarephath woman’s son (2 Kings 17:17–24), God stretched Himself out over us in the threefold application of His name in the baptismal water, breathing new and everlasting life into us. “To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
Source: LCMS Worship, Lectionary Summaries — One-Year Lectionary (opens in a new tab). Used by permission. These pages may be reproduced for congregational use only. Commercial reproduction, or reproduction for sale of this work or any portion of this work, without the written permission of the copyright holder, is prohibited. © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Scripture quoted in the summary is from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Introit, Gradual and Verse
Source: LCMS One-Year Series Propers Chart (opens in a new tab). Citations only; no liturgical or Scripture text is reproduced.
Collect
Historical Collect — Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity
LORD, we pray Thee, that Thy grace may always go before and follow after us, and make us continually to be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Source: Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-Book (Baltimore, 1893), Introits and Collects for the Church Year (opens in a new tab). Public-domain text (published 1893), transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of the Princeton Theological Seminary Library copy.
Prayers of the Church
Prayers of the Church for September 20, 2026 — Responsive Form
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Almighty God, You sent Your Son into the world to put an end to death. Keep us from losing heart in the face of sorrow, strengthen us with power through Your Holy Spirit, and help us to know the love of Christ, that through Him we will no longer weep. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, we ask You to raise up pastors, teachers, missionaries and servants for all church-work vocations. Bless church planters and new congregations, that they may endure. Bring hope and renewal to all struggling congregations and to the pastors who serve them. Do not let fear keep us from Your Word and Sacraments. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Faithful Father, when loss and heartache invade our homes and tempt us to doubt Your divine care, hear our cries and renew our faith and life in You. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord of life and death, You have given all things into the hands of Your Son. Inspire those who bear the sword in His stead to do so in faithfulness and love for their fellow man. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Merciful God, in His compassion Your Son responded to the need of the widow of Nain and raised her son from death to life. Have mercy on all who are ill or receiving treatments [especially _____________]. Relieve them of their discomfort and grant them healing and recovery according to Your will, that they may glorify You in all things. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord, You invite us again to Your table to receive the medicine of immortality in the body and blood of Christ, Your Son. May we receive this Sacrament rightly, that with faith strengthened and sins forgiven our lives may be lived in holiness and godliness. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord of hosts, Your saints in heaven now know as they are known and comprehend the fullness of Your love in Christ. Conduct our way through this fallen world to join them in Your heavenly presence. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, heavenly Father, we gratefully remember the sufferings and death of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation. Rejoicing in His victorious resurrection from the dead, we draw strength from His ascension before You, where He ever stands for us as our own High Priest. Gather us together from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers, deliver and preserve us, for to You alone we give all glory, honor and worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Source: LCMS Worship, Prayers of the Church — One-Year 2025–2026 (opens in a new tab). Prepared by LCMS Worship for congregational use. Used by permission. © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
Prayers of the Church for September 20, 2026 — Ektene Form
In peace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For confidence in Christ, who is risen to put an end to death, that we would not lose heart in the face of sorrow; that the Spirit would strengthen us with His power; and that we would know the love of Christ and through Him no longer weep, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all pastors, church planters and congregations, that they might receive hope, renewal and endurance from God; and that fear would never keep us from the Word and the Sacraments, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For our homes, especially in times of loss and heartache, that hearing our cries, our faithful Father would bless us and renew our faith and life in Him, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For those who bear the sword and rule the nations in the stead of Christ, that they would do so faithfully, ever mindful of His authority over all things, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all who are ill or receiving treatments, [especially _____________,] that they would be relieved of discomfort and granted healing and recovery according to God’s will, and so glorify Him in all things, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all who commune this day, that they may receive this Sacrament rightly as Christ’s true medicine of immortality; and that, with faith strengthened and sins forgiven, they may live in holiness and godliness, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For a faithful path through this fallen world, that we may join the saints in heaven, know as we are known and comprehend the fullness of the love of Christ, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
O Lord, heavenly Father, we gratefully remember the sufferings and death of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation. Rejoicing in His victorious resurrection from the dead, we draw strength from His ascension before You, where He ever stands for us as our own High Priest. Gather us together from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers, deliver and preserve us, for to You alone we give all glory, honor and worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Source: LCMS Worship, Prayers of the Church — One-Year 2025–2026 (opens in a new tab). Prepared by LCMS Worship for congregational use. Used by permission. © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
Hymn of the Day
LSB 758 The Will of God Is Always Best
The LCMS Hymn of the Day list appoints this hymn as the Hymn of the Day for Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity (One-Year).
Source: LCMS Worship, Hymn of the Day — Arranged by Church Year, p. 169 (opens in a new tab). Appointment identity only. Lutheran Service Book text and LCMS study content are not reproduced.
Suggested hymns
- Entrance LSB 548 Thanks to Thee, O Christ, Victorious
- Distribution LSB 791 All People That on Earth Do Dwell
- Distribution LSB 754 Entrust Your Days and Burdens
- Distribution LSB 601 All Who Believe and Are Baptized
- Closing LSB 741 Jesus Christ, My Sure Defense
Source: LCMS Worship, Hymn Suggestions — One-Year Lectionary Series 2025–26 (opens in a new tab). Hymn numbers and titles only; hymn texts are not reproduced. Reproduction for individual, church or school use does not require permission. © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.