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October 26, 2026
All Saints' Day
· Three-Year Lectionary · Series A
- First Reading
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Rev. 7:(2–8) 9–17 (read in NIV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
NIV Scripture text
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2Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 3“Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” 4Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.5From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed,from the tribe of Reuben 12,000,from the tribe of Gad 12,000,6from the tribe of Asher 12,000,from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000,from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,7from the tribe of Simeon 12,000,from the tribe of Levi 12,000,from the tribe of Issachar 12,000,8from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000,from the tribe of Joseph 12,000,from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.9After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10And they cried out in a loud voice:“Salvation belongs to our God,who sits on the throne,and to the Lamb.”11All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12saying:“Amen!Praise and gloryand wisdom and thanks and honorand power and strengthbe to our God for ever and ever.Amen!”13Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”14I answered, “Sir, you know.”And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15Therefore,“they are before the throne of Godand serve him day and night in his temple;and he who sits on the thronewill shelter them with his presence.16‘Never again will they hunger;never again will they thirst.The sun will not beat down on them,’anor any scorching heat.17For the Lamb at the center of the thronewill be their shepherd;‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’b‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’c”Select KJV to load this Scripture text.
- Psalm
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Psalm 149 (read in NIV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
NIV Scripture text
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Sing to the Lord a new song,his praise in the assembly of his faithful people.2Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;let the people of Zion be glad in their King.3Let them praise his name with dancingand make music to him with timbrel and harp.4For the Lord takes delight in his people;he crowns the humble with victory.5Let his faithful people rejoice in this honorand sing for joy on their beds.6May the praise of God be in their mouthsand a double-edged sword in their hands,7to inflict vengeance on the nationsand punishment on the peoples,8to bind their kings with fetters,their nobles with shackles of iron,9to carry out the sentence written against them—this is the glory of all his faithful people.Praise the Lord.Select KJV to load this Scripture text.
- Epistle
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1 John 3:1–3 (read in NIV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
NIV Scripture text
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1See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,a we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.Select KJV to load this Scripture text.
- Gospel
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Matt. 5:1–12 (read in NIV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
NIV Scripture text
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1Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them.He said:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.4 Blessed are those who mourn,for they will be comforted.5 Blessed are the meek,for they will inherit the earth.6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,for they will be filled.7 Blessed are the merciful,for they will be shown mercy.8 Blessed are the pure in heart,for they will see God.9 Blessed are the peacemakers,for they will be called children of God.10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.Select KJV to load this Scripture text.
All Saints' Day
Three-Year Lectionary · Series A
About this service
Saints Are Blessed in the Eternal Presence of Christ
“A great multitude … from all tribes and peoples and languages” cry out, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne” (Rev. 7:9–10). Faith-filled saints from every place and time with unified voices eternally magnify the Lamb of God. As His beloved children, we, too, “shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). Joined with the throng of angels and myriad saints, we shall “serve him day and night in his temple” (Rev. 7:15). In our earthly tension vacillating between saint and sinner, faith and doubt, sacred and profane, we earnestly seek Jesus to calm our fears, comfort our spirits and forgive our sins. The Holy Spirit, through faith in Christ, propels us forward to our eternal home, fortifying us in Word and Sacrament. In the midst of our constant struggle as believers, we need to be blessed. And so we are. The poor in spirit, the meek, the hungry, the thirsty, the merciful, the pure and the persecuted are all blessed, and we will most certainly inherit the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5:1–12).
Source: LCMS Worship, Lectionary Summaries — Three-Year Lectionary Series A (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
Reviewed Introit, Gradual and Verse citations have not yet been published in the Toolbox for this service.
Prayers of the Church
Prayers of the Church for November 1, 2023 — Responsive Form
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
O Lord, faithful God, we commend ourselves, our bodies and souls, and all things into Your keeping. Deliver us in Your righteousness from all that would harm the body or assault the soul. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, send Your Spirit to the ministers of the Church who bring the Good News of Christ’s death and resurrection, that they may work through the preaching of this Gospel to gather the lost, kindle faith in those who do not yet believe and sustain us all to the day of Christ’s coming. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gentle Lord, visit the homes of Your people, that they may be places where faith is nurtured and where we learn to live our new lives in holiness and righteousness. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Blessed are You, O God, and blessed are the persecuted, who suffer for Your sake and whose witness calls all to faithfulness. Bring peace to the nations; make our leaders wise, just and honorable; and deliver us from terror, violence and oppression. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, comfort us by Your abiding presence and satisfy all who call on You in need [especially _____________]. Grant them patience in the midst of suffering and, according to Your will, release them from their afflictions. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, be with Your Church and all her members who belong to You by Baptism and faith. At the bidding of the Lamb, our Shepherd, give us ears to hear Your Word and faith to receive Him in His blessed Sacrament. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, grant that we may be brought to everlasting life with the faithful who have gone before us who now rest from their labors. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty Father, we give You thanks that You have washed us in the blood of the Lamb, written our names in the Book of Life, and made us a royal priesthood and heirs of an eternal inheritance. Though we are unworthy of Your saving grace, we pray You to hear us in the name of Jesus Christ, in whom, with whom and through whom all honor and glory is Yours, heavenly Father, with the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Source: LCMS Worship, Prayers of the Church — Series A 2022–2023 (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 November 1, 2023 — Ektene Form
In peace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For deliverance from all that harms the body and assaults the soul; and for trust to commend ourselves and all things into the hand of our faithful God, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the ministers of the Church, that by their preaching the Spirit would gather the lost, kindle faith in those who do not yet believe and sustain us all to the day of Christ’s coming, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all Christian homes, that they may be places where faith is nurtured and where we may learn to live our new lives in holiness and righteousness, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the persecuted who suffer for the sake of Christ, that God would call all to righteousness by their witness; and for the nations, that God would establish His peace, make our leaders wise and honorable, and deliver us from violence and oppression, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all who call on our heavenly Father in need, [especially _____________,] that God would comfort them with His abiding presence, grant them patience in the midst of suffering and, according to His will, release them from their afflictions, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the Church and all her members, gathered at the bidding of the Lamb, our Shepherd, that we may have ears to hear His Word and faith to receive Him in His blessed Sacrament, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
In thanksgiving for the faithful who have gone before us with the sign of faith and now rest from their labors, that we may be brought with them to everlasting life, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
Almighty Father, we give You thanks that You have washed us in the blood of the Lamb, written our names in the Book of Life, and made us a royal priesthood and heirs of an eternal inheritance. Though we are unworthy of Your saving grace, we pray You to hear us in the name of Jesus Christ, in whom, with whom and through whom all honor and glory is Yours, heavenly Father, with the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Source: LCMS Worship, Prayers of the Church — Series A 2022–2023 (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 677 For All the Saints Who from Their Labors Rest
The LCMS Hymn of the Day list appoints this hymn as the Hymn of the Day for All Saints' Day (One-Year and Series A) and All Saints' Day (observed) (One-Year and Series B and C).
Source: LCMS Worship, Hymn of the Day — Arranged by Church Year, p. 171 (opens in a new tab). Appointment identity only. Lutheran Service Book text and LCMS study content are not reproduced.
For All the Saints Who from Their Labors Rest — Historical TLH Edition
Historical text notice: This is the public-domain text of The Lutheran Hymnal 463, not the Lutheran Service Book 677 text. Wording and stanza form may differ.
1. For all the saints who from their labors rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confess,
Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
2. Thou wast their Rock, their Fortress, and their Might;
Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well-fought fight;
Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
3. Oh, may Thy soldiers, faithful, true and bold,
Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old
And win with them the victor’s crown of gold.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
4. O blest communion, fellowship divine,
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
Yet all are one in Thee, for all are Thine.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
5. And when the fight is fierce, the warfare long,
Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
And hearts are brave again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
6. But, lo, there breaks a yet more glorious day;
The saints triumphant rise in bright array;
The King of Glory passes on His way.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
7. From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast,
Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
Singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
8. The golden evening brightens in the west;
Soon, soon, to faithful warriors cometh rest.
Sweet is the calm of Paradise the blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
by William W. How, 1823-1897
Source: Project Wittenberg; The Lutheran Hymnal, Hymn 463; text as printed in The Handbook to The Lutheran Hymnal (1942) (opens in a new tab). Public domain. Project Wittenberg permits distribution, copying and printing.
Suggested hymns
- Entrance LSB 679 Oh, How Blest Are They
- Distribution LSB 671 Sing with All the Saints in Glory
- Distribution LSB 676 Behold a Host, Arrayed in White
- Closing LSB 678 We Sing for All the Unsung Saints
Source: LCMS Worship, Hymn Suggestions — Three-Year Lectionary Series A 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.