This is part of the worship series,
"Rooted and Established in Love”
Introduction
Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4—World Communion Sunday
Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8—All Saints /Reformation Sunday
Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12—Christ the King Sunday
Week Eight: The Family Tree (All Saints Sunday)
Scripture: Hebrews 11
Faith Practice: Spiritual Friendship, Mentoring, and Faith Stories
Reflection: Can you name the people who have impacted you spiritually? Whom do you have in your life who is helping you grow in the faith? Are there individuals whom you mentor, either formally or informally? Each of us needs people to accompany us on the journey of life, and we need to do the same for others. We are all members of the same tree.
[Since this service fell on All Saints Sunday, instead of a traditional service we invited several members of the congregation to share their faith stories around particular themes. You can find those themes interspersed throughout the service. Feel free to adapt the service to fit the stories from your community. Each story was three to five minutes.]
The Family Tree
Introduction
[This service began with a short personal story about a tree. You are encouraged to begin by telling your own story in just a few sentences before moving on to the following text.]
...Every tree can tell a similar kind of tale if you look at the etchings in its bark or listen to the whisperings of its leaves. It belongs to generations of people, telling stories from decades of living, climbing, and tending. It might be yours for only a short period of time, but it doesn’t make it any less a part of your story, and you are not any less a part of its story.
This morning we turn our attention to our family tree—not your personal, great-grandparent/parent/sibling kind of family tree, but the broader family tree that is our community of branches rooted in Jesus Christ, ingrafted by our shared unity and faith in him, and called to spread wide our branches to grow God’s kingdom. In our worship this morning we will go back to our roots, remembering and celebrating where we began. We will take time to pray for and tend to the weaker branches of the tree. We will commit ourselves once again to being part of a community of believers, and finally we will gather together to share a meal where life-giving words are spoken, where we are fed, sustained, and nourished by the grace of God and called once again to go and live into the stories of our faith.
On this All Saints Sunday, it is so right and fitting that we celebrate our family tree, one made up of those on earth and in heaven who call this tree their own. These are the ones who cared for this tree, who handed it down to us in faith. And here’s the thing about this family tree: it is not so much a part of our individual story; rather, we have the unique and wonderful privilege for a short time to be a part of its story. Along with all of God’s people on earth, in heaven, and yet to come, we find ourselves in the branches of this tree, lifting our voices in praise to the heavenly realms. It is a tree that holds the whole of God’s beloved ones, from the fruit in Eden to the final springs of eternity in the New Jerusalem. It is the tree that holds the cloud of witnesses described for us in Hebrews 12:1–2: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”
So together, we join our voices with saints of all times and all places to sing “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty.”
—Kathryn Roelofs © 2025 ReformedWorship.org, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
Song
“Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty” Heber
Greeting from God
Song
“O Christ, the Great Foundation” Lew
We Return to Our Roots
Choral Anthem
“Psalm 28” Ivory
Scripture Reading
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Selah
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved;
God will help it when the morning dawns.
The nations are in an uproar; the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice; the earth melts.
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
Come, behold the works of the Lord;
see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God!
I am exalted among the nations;
I am exalted in the earth.”
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
—Psalm 46 NRSVUE
Song
“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” Luther
Declaration of Faith
Here, we worship God as one Church:
The Church Reformed and always Reforming.
Here, the Holy Spirit pours over us:
Reforming us into the Body of Christ.
Here, we return to our roots:
Seeking the beginnings, middles, and ends of our faith.
—Rev. Lucus Levy Keppel 2013 © Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. Rev. Keppel is currently serving Trinity Presbyterian Church in Bixby, OK. (From LiturgyLink.net). Used by permission.
Faith Story
“Rooted”
Caring for All Parts of the Tree
Offering and Offertory Prayer
[We adapted a prayer from a previous issue of Reformed Worship (“I Was Hungry: A Litany of Remembrance and Confession”). During the prayer we paused for several seconds of silence as facts about poverty in our community, state, nation, and world were projected.]
Faith Story
“Nourished”
Morning Prayer
[The following prayer could be interspersed with the singing of Tommy Walker’s “Beatitudes Song” (charts available at tommywalkerministries.org), another song on the Beatitudes, or a simple prayer refrain. You could also choose to use two voices, one to read the Scripture texts included throughout and the other to offer the prayer.]
Using Jesus’ words from the Sermon on the Mount, we turn to our God in prayer. This morning we are praying through the Beatitudes, remembering the weaker parts of our family tree—the branches who lack nutrients, who are suffering from illness, who are tossed about in the winds, who feel alienated from the whole. Let’s bow our heads in prayer.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3).
We pray for the poor: for those globally and within our borders who lack basic necessities like healthy and nutrient-rich food, clean water, shelter, and clothing. We pray also for the poor in spirit. We pray that all might have a spiritual humility that turns us towards our saving Lord.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4).
We pray for those who mourn the loss of loved ones, good health, regular employment, mental faculties, and more. There are many among us who grieve, some more publicly and some in the quiet ache in their own hearts. Be close to those who mourn.
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).
We pray for those who willingly serve God in whatever place or task to which they are called. We pray for their efforts to be obedient in building Christ’s kingdom. We pray for our missionaries: for [name missionaries and their fields]. We pray for the many members of our church family who are currently serving abroad in their own vocations, bringing forth your kingdom all over the world: for [name the families].
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6).
We pray for those who ardently desire and pursue righteousness and goodness in the world. We pray for those who give their lives and service in pursuit of justice.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7).
We remember those who are daily in the trenches of dealing with human misery and suffering. We pray for health care professionals globally and domestically. We pray for those who work for disaster aid agencies.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8).
We pray that you will help us all to be pure in heart, to see God and do everything for God’s glory. We pray that our love for you will be unadulterated and unswayed. Give us pure hearts to seek after you, to serve you, and to love you with all our heart, mind, and strength.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9).
We pray for those who strive for shalom in their own lives and in the lives of others—to be right with God, to trust him wholeheartedly and obey him. In a world where there seems to be little peace between countries, between people and their governments, between brothers and sisters, neighbors and friends, we pray for peace. We pray for mutual respect, for a recognition of each other’s worth, for a willingness to seek peace.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10).
We pray for the millions of Christians in the world who are persecuted for their belief in you. Give them strength in the face of trial and courage in the face of danger. On this day, when many around the world are praying for the persecuted church, we join our voices and cry to you. We pray for the persecuted church and the people you love so dearly.
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11–12).
We pray for those building the kingdom of God by living with countercultural values—for those who choose your way instead of the easy way. For those who choose to stand up for their beliefs when conforming to popular opinion is the more attractive option.
We rejoice and we are glad, for you are blessed, you are holy, you are worthy of all our praise. Hear our prayers and hear our praises. Amen.
—Kathryn Roelofs © 2025 ReformedWorship.org, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
The Tree Thrives in Community
Responsive Reading
What do you believe concerning “the holy catholic church”?
I believe that the Son of God through his Spirit and Word,
out of the entire human race,
from the beginning of the world to its end,
gathers, protects, and preserves for himself
a community chosen for eternal life and united in true faith.
And of this community I am and always will be a living member.
—Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 54, Translation © 2011, Faith Alive Christian Resources. Used by permission.
Faith Story
“Communal”
Song
“Beneath the Cross”(st. 1–2) Getty
Prayer of Confession
We stand beneath the cross, confident that God hears our prayers and has already accomplished the great work of redemption for us. But as we look up at the cross and remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we acknowledge the sin and brokenness in our world and in our own lives. Please pray with me.
Life-giving God, Creator of all things good, Redeemer of the cosmos, breath of life for all living things, we praise you for the many ways you are at work in this world. At your word, creation came to life—vast oceans with unfathomable depths, mountain peaks reaching up to the heavens, golden prairies that reach as far as the eye can see, trees of every variety and size providing us with shade, air to breathe, colors to stand in awe of. You, O Lord, have also created us in your image and called us to be good stewards of your creation. You call us to tend the earth, to bring forth your kingdom through our vocations, to be your body here on earth, united with your church in doing your will. We confess that in so many ways we fall short of these mandates. Instead of seeking unity, we seek conflict. Instead of seeking community, we choose to isolate. Instead of seeking peace, we tolerate dysfunction. You do not call us to a life of relying on our own selfish pride and independence; you call us to be your body: joined together, working together, seeking you together. Forgive us when our own actions have a negative impact on your world—creation and people alike. May we and all your children strive to bring you all the honor and glory and praise you deserve, until we as your people are united with each other and all the world in singing an unending hymn of praise to you, our Creator, Redeemer, and Lord. Amen.
—Kathryn Roelofs © 2025 ReformedWorship.org, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
Song
“Beneath the Cross”(st. 3) Getty
Assurance of Pardon
Hear these words of assurance from Ephesians 2:19–22 NIV:
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
We Greet Each Other
Thanks be to God that God forgives our sins and calls us to unity with Christ and all God’s people. In response and in gratitude we greet one another in peace and love.
Song
“Koinonia” McKay
Our Family Tree Has Many Members
Faith Story
“Whole”
[Annie Kotowicz, the creator of the image to the right, shared the story of the painting.]
Song
“One Bread, One Body”(st. 2–3) Foley
The Tree Is a Foretaste of the Creation to Come
Communion Celebration
Revised Common Lectionary
Year C: Season after Pentecost—Proper 14 (19)
Year C: Season after Pentecost—Proper 15 (20)
