Revised Common Lectionary Readings for September 06, 2026

Revised Common Lectionary Readings (Three-Year Cycle)

Lectionary Readings for Sunday, September 6, 2026

First Reading Exodus 12:1-14 1The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: 2This month shall mark for you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you. 3Tell the whole congregation of Israel that on the tenth of this month they are to take a lamb for each family, a lamb for each household. 4If a household is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join its closest neighbor in obtaining one; the lamb shall be divided in proportion to the number of people who eat of it. 5Your lamb shall be without blemish, a year-old male; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembled congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight. 7They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. 8They shall eat the lamb that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 9Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted over the fire, with its head, legs, and inner organs. 10You shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. 11This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly. It is the passover of the LORD. 12For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both human beings and animals; on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD. 13The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live: when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. 14This day shall be a day of remembrance for you. You shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD; throughout your generations you shall observe it as a perpetual ordinance. Psalm Psalm 149:1-9 1   Praise the Lord!      Sing to the Lord a new song,           his praise in the assembly of the faithful. 2   Let Israel be glad in its Maker;           let the children of Zion rejoice in their King. 3  Let them praise his name with dancing,           making melody to him with tambourine and lyre. 4   For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;           he adorns the humble with victory. 5   Let the faithful exult in glory;           let them sing for joy on their couches. 6   Let the high praises of God be in their throats           and two-edged swords in their hands, 7   to execute vengeance on the nations           and punishment on the peoples, 8   to bind their kings with fetters           and their nobles with chains of iron, 9   to execute on them the judgment decreed.           This is glory for all his faithful ones.      Praise the Lord! Second Reading Romans 13:8-14 8Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet”; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. 11Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; 12the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; 13let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. Gospel Matthew 18:15-20 15“If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. 16But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY 40202

Prayers for Our Community, Our Nation and Our World

We can offer specific daily prayers for our community, nation and world. Between Monday, September 7 and Sunday, September 13, we'll lay before God the needs listed below.

• Monday, September 7, 2026 - That the racial, ethnic, religious, and political divisions within the United States be healed.
• Tuesday, September 8, 2026 - That  Ukrainian refugees are protected and sheltered.
• Wednesday, September 9, 2026 - That we reject the politics of division and hatred and join together as we work to solve the problems we face.
• Thursday, September 10, 2026 - That the body of Christ would fervently pray for our nation and its leaders.
• Friday, September 11, 2026 - That people put the needs of others before their own wants.
• Saturday, September 12, 2026 - That we unite to deal with gun violence within our society.
• Sunday, September 13, 2026 - That we remember those who died in service to their country.

The Sligo Presbyterian Church Celebration Service - Sunday, August 30, 2026

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Sunday's Message (The 10 Commandments Through the Eyes of Jesus: Do Not Commit Adultery)

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WCC news: WCC expresses profound sorrow in wake of catastrophic flood on Nepal-Tibet border

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay expressed profound sorrow over the catastrophic flash flood that struck the Nepal-Tibet border region on 26 August.  Photo: DCA/ACT Alliance 28 August 2026 “We have followed the reports with shock and sadness: several hundred people have died, with the toll still rising, and close to a thousand more - residents, security personnel, hydropower and border workers, and hundreds of foreign pilgrims and travellers from many nations - remain missing or unaccounted for,” wrote Pillay in a pastoral letter sent to the Christian Conference of Asia. “Many more have been injured, displaced, or have lost their homes, land, and livelihoods.” Whole villages, bridges, roads, and places of pilgrimage have been swept away in a matter of minutes.  “Our hearts are heavy, and we hold this tragedy before God in lament,” wrote Pillay. “We grieve with you.” Many families are still waiting for news of the missing: a parent, a child, a pilgrim son or daughter, a foreign traveller far from home. "We pray that search and rescue teams may yet bring answers, and that God's presence may hold you through the anguish of not knowing,” Pillay wrote. “To the injured, and to those who have lost their homes, their land, their animals, and their livelihoods in these remote mountain valleys, we assure you that you are not alone and not forgotten, however far from the world's attention your villages may seem.” Pillay expressed solidarity with the government and people of Nepal, with the National Council of Churches of Nepal and its member churches, and with the WCC’s ecumenical partners across the region, including the Christian Conference of Asia. "We also hold in our prayers the communities across the border in the Tibet Autonomous Region, who share with us in this same disaster and this same sorrow,” he wrote. “We give thanks to God for the courage and endurance of the first responders - the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, and Nepal Police; the pilots and crews of the helicopters that have flown into treacherous mountain terrain; and the volunteers, health workers, local leaders, and ordinary neighbours who, often at great personal risk, have searched the debris, carried the wounded, and comforted the grieving.” Pillay urged that the people and communities of remote mountain valleys must never be neglected. “We encourage our member churches, and all people of faith and goodwill, to act together in response to the needs of these communities, building on the God-given agency present in every person,” Pillay wrote. “May our response help rebuild trust - trust in one another, trust in our shared humanity, and ultimately, openness to faith and trust in God.” Read the full letter CCA General Secretary offers prayers and solidarity following deadly Nepal-Tibet floods (CCA news release, 27 August 2026) See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland

Revised Common Lectionary Readings for August 30, 2026

Revised Common Lectionary Readings (Three-Year Cycle)

Lectionary Readings for Sunday, August 30, 2026

First Reading Exodus 3:1-15 1Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. 3Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” 4When the LORD saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. 7Then the LORD said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, 8and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. 10So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” 11But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.” 13But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” 15God also said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you’:      This is my name forever,      and this my title for all generations.” Psalm Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45c 1   O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name,           make known his deeds among the peoples. 2   Sing to him, sing praises to him;           tell of all his wonderful works. 3   Glory in his holy name;           let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. 4   Seek the LORD and his strength;           seek his presence continually. 5   Remember the wonderful works he has done,           his miracles, and the judgments he has uttered, 6   O offspring of his servant Abraham,           children of Jacob, his chosen ones. 23  Then Israel came to Egypt;           Jacob lived as an alien in the land of Ham. 24  And the LORD made his people very fruitful,           and made them stronger than their foes, 25  whose hearts he then turned to hate his people,           to deal craftily with his servants. 26  He sent his servant Moses,           and Aaron whom he had chosen. 45cPraise the LORD! Second Reading Romans 12:9-21 9Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; 10love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. 11Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. 13Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. 14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. 17Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. 18If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Gospel Matthew 16:21-28 21From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” 23But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” 24Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. 26For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life? 27“For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. 28Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY 40202

WCC News: WCC joins prayers for peace and stability in Nigeria: “Many voices, one witness”

An ecumenical service in Abuja, Nigeria, on 26 August at All Saints Anglican Church drew church leaders from across the nation. World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay brought greetings and prayers on behalf of the global fellowship.  Church leaders from across the Nigeria took part at the Ecumenical service in Abuja, Nigeria, on 26 August 2026 at All Saints Anglican Church. Photo: Omotayo Akanbi/WCC 27 August 2026 Prayers particularly emphasized peace, security, justice, and the forthcoming 2027 general elections. Those gathered also prayed for families and all those experiencing suffering, hardship, and affliction. Archbishop Filibus Musa of the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria offered a reflection entitled “Many voices, one witness,” expressing the joy of gathering. “This is important for us as Christians,” he said. “Christian unity does not require uniformity.” He noted that those gathered come from came from different traditions, histories, theological emphases, cultures, and languages. “Yet our differences need not become walls between us,” he said. “They can become gifts through which we hear more clearly what God is saying to the church and to the world.” Our world is fragile, and Nigeria is not exempted, Musa continued. "In the midst of all that is happening around us, what is God calling the church to be and to do?” he asked. “The Spirit calls us to be a witnessing people—to proclaim the mighty works of God and to make those works visible in the way we live together.” In a deeply divided world, Musa said, our unity itself becomes part of our witness. “This is one reason why the World Council of Churches matters,” he said. “It brings churches together so that our many voices can become a common witness that none of us can adequately offer alone.” Musa emphasized that the WCC reminds us that the church of Jesus Christ is larger than any one denomination, nation, or tradition. “We belong to one another because we belong to Christ,” he said.  Archbishop Filibus Musa of the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria delivering the reflection during the Ecumanical service in Abuja, 26 August 2026. Photo: Omotayo Akanbi/WCC An ecumenical welcome address from the WCC president from Africa, His Eminence Most Rev. Dr Rufus Okikiola Ositelu, primate of the Church of the Lord (Aladura), was read by His Eminence Rev Dr Israel Akanji, a WCC central committee member from Nigeria. Ositelu expressed joy at Pillay’s historic visit to Nigeria. “We wish to express our profound appreciation to the WCC for the visionary decision to relocate the Africa Regional Programme Office to Abuja,” he noted. “This milestone has significantly strengthened the WCC's engagement with African churches and enhanced the visibility and accessibility of its ministry across the continent.” Ositelu further commented that Pillay’s visit comes at a critical moment in the life of Nigeria. “We are equally concerned by recurring incidents of afro-phobic attacks and the unfair treatment experienced by many Nigerians in parts of Africa, particularly in South Africa,” he said. “We therefore invite the World Council of Churches and the entire global ecumenical fellowship to continue standing with Nigeria in prayer and solidarity during this important period.” Ositelu said that churches felt encouraged to continue their common Pilgrimage of Justice, Reconciliation, and Unity.    “Once again, we warmly welcome you to Nigeria,” he said. “May Almighty God bless your visit abundantly, grant you wisdom and strength in your ministry, and continue to bless the World Council of Churches as it serves the global Christian community.” Prayers were also offered by Rev. Dr Daniel Abaya, a former student of the WCC Ecumenical Institute at Bossey and president of the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria. A final prayer was offered by His Most Eminence Rev. Dr Bob Manuel, prelate of Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church Worldwide.  The service was followed by a meeting between the WCC general secretary and representatives of the WCC member churches in Nigeria, with each member church represented by five delegates. During visit to Nigeria, WCC general secretary expresses gratitude for churches’ powerful witness (WCC news story, 24 August 2026) WCC general secretary: “Women have stood at the heart of God's mission” (WCC news release, 21 August 2026) WCC general secretary to visit Nigeria to strengthen bonds (WCC news release, 19 August 2026) Photos from the WCC visit to Nigeria See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland