Virtual Worship for Sunday, July 19, 2020
Virtual Worship for
Sunday July 19, 2020
But First!
A Preview of Coming Attractions!
GATHERING
As the Grains of Wheat
Marty Haugen
Arranged and Performed by Robert Prester & Adriana Samargia
As the grains of wheat
Once scattered on the hill
Were gathered into one
To become our bread;
So may all your people
From all the ends of earth,
Be gathered into one in you.
As this cup of blessing
Is shared within our midst
May we share the presence
Of your love.
As the grains of wheat
Once scattered on the hill
Were gathered into one
To become our bread;
So may all your people
From all the ends of earth,
Be gathered into one in you.
As the grains of wheat
Once scattered on the hill
Were gathered into one
To become our bread;
So may all your people
From all the ends of earth,
Be gathered into one in you.
Introduction to today's service
It is an age-old question: why is there evil in the world? In the parable of the wheat and the weeds Jesus suggests that both grow together until the harvest. With Paul, we long for the day that all creation will be set free from bondage and suffering. Having both weeds and wheat within us, we humbly place our hope in the promises of God, and from the Lord’s table we go forth to bear the fruit of justice and mercy.
Resources for children:
For pre-readers
For readers
The Childrens Activity bulletin
GATHERING SONG
My Hope is Built on Nothing Less
My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
no merit of my own I claim,
but wholly lean on Jesus' name.
Refrain
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
all other ground is sinking sand,
all other ground is sinking sand.When darkness veils his lovely face,
I rest on his unchanging grace;
in ev'ry high and stormy gale
my anchor holds within the veil. RefrainHis oath, his covenant, his blood
sustain me in the raging flood;
when all supports are washed away,
he then is all my hope and stay. RefrainWhen he shall come with trumpet sound,
oh, may I then in him be found,
clothed in his righteousness alone,
redeemed to stand before the throne! Refrain.
Confession and Forgiveness
Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
whose steadfast love is everlasting,
whose faithfulness endures from generation to generation.
Amen.
Trusting in the mercy of God, let us confess our sin.
Reconciling God,
we confess that we do not trust your abundance,
and we deny your presence in our lives.
We place our hope in ourselves
and rely on our own efforts.
We fail to believe that you provide enough for all.
We abuse your good creation for our own benefit.
We fear difference and do not welcome others
as you have welcomed us.
We sin in thought, word, and deed.
By your grace, forgive us;
through your love, renew us;
and in your Spirit, lead us;
so that we may live and serve you in newness of life. Amen.
Beloved of God,
by the radical abundance of divine mercy
we have peace with God through ☩ Christ Jesus,
through whom we have obtained grace upon grace.
Our sins are forgiven.
Let us live now in hope.
For hope does not disappoint,
because God’s love has been poured into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
GREETING
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
Kyrie!
Kyrie eleison, on our world and on our way,
Kyrie eleison, ev’ry day.
For peace in the world, for the health of the church, for the unity of all;
for this holy house, for all who worship and praise,
let us pray to the Lord, let us pray to the Lord
Kyrie eleison, on our world and on our way,
Kyrie eleison, ev’ry day.
That we may live out your impassioned response to the hungry and the poor;
that we may live out truth and justice and grace,
let us pray to the Lord, let us pray to the Lord
Kyrie eleison, on our world and on our way,
Kyrie eleison, ev’ry day.
For peace in our hearts, for peace in our homes, for friends and family;
for life and for love, for our work and our play,
let us pray to the Lord, let us pray to the Lord
Kyrie eleison, on our world and on our way,
Kyrie eleison, ev’ry day.
For your Spirit to guide; that you center our lives in the water and the Word;
that you nourish our souls with your body and blood,
let us pray to the Lord, let us pray to the Lord
Kyrie eleison, on our world and on our way,
Kyrie eleison, ev’ry day.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray. Faithful God, most merciful judge, you care for your children with firmness and compassion. By your Spirit nurture us who live in your kingdom, that we may be rooted in the way of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
WORD
READING: Isaiah 44:6-8
There are no other gods besides God: the word of the Lord does not fail to come to pass. We can trust in God, through whom Israel—and we—are redeemed.
6Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel,
and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:
I am the first and I am the last;
besides me there is no god.
7Who is like me? Let them proclaim it,
let them declare and set it forth before me.
Who has announced from of old the things to come?
Let them tell us what is yet to be.
8Do not fear, or be afraid;
have I not told you from of old and declared it?
You are my witnesses!
Is there any god besides me?
There is no other rock; I know not one.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Musical Reflection
Jesus My Everything
Matt Maher
Performed and Arranged by Robert Prester & Adriana Samargia
I've been looking for a reason
I've been longing for a purpose
Losing all my meaning
Run out of excuses
Lord it's hard to know you
I don't always see your plan
But holiness is calling me
So take me as I am
'Cause you are my everything
You are the song I sing
I'll do anything for you
Teach me how to pray
To live a life of grace
I'll go anywhere with you
Jesus be my everything
Lord I get so tired
Of the struggle within
I settle in complacency
And I’m weighed down in my sin
So lead me past emotion
'Cause they change with the wind
I want to be a true disciple
To daily choose your hand
'Cause you are my everything
You are the song I sing
I'll do anything for you
Teach me how to pray
To live my life of grace
I'll go anywhere for you
You are my everything
You are the song I sing
I'll do anything for you
Teach me how to pray
To live my life of grace
I'll go anywhere any anywhere with you
Jesus be my everything
Jesus be my everything
GOSPEL: Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
The holy gospel according to Matthew.
Glory to you, O Lord.
24[Jesus] put before [the crowds] another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field;25but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ 28He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 30Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’ ”
36Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, 42and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!”
The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
SERMON
(Im)Patient Tolerance
HYMN OF THE DAY
We Plow the Fields and Scatter
A nice congregational version (with "plow" spelled "plough"!)!
We plow the fields and scatter
the good seed on the land,
but it is fed and watered
by God's almighty hand,
who sends the snow in winter,
the warmth to swell the grain,
the breezes and the sunshine,
and soft refreshing rain.
Refrain
All good gifts around us
are sent from heav'n above.
We thank you, Lord,
we thank you, Lord,
for all your love.You only are the maker
of all things near and far.
You paint the wayside flower,
you light the evening star.
The winds and waves obey you,
by you the birds are fed;
much more to us, your children,
you give our daily bread. RefrainWe thank you, our creator,
for all things bright and good,
the seedtime and the harvest,
our life, our health, our food.
No gifts have we to offer
for all your love imparts,
but what you most would treasure--
our humble, thankful hearts. Refrain
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
OFFERING
Please remember, the Church is not Closed (while our building is!)
We are called by God to pray, to care for one another,
and to love God and our neighbors as best we can!
Our offerings not only “pay bills” they help us continue God’s work in the world
You may send your contributions to the church through the mail, directly from your bank,
or by clicking on this secure link.
ANTHEM
I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing!
Cook and Greenaway; performed by Linda and Lee Ann Riley
OFFERING PRAYER
God of goodness and growth,
all creation is yours,
and your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.
Water and word, wine and bread:
these are signs of your abundant grace.
Nourish us through these gifts,
that we might proclaim your steadfast love
in our communities and in the world,
through Jesus Christ, our strength and our song. Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen.
SENDING
Blessing
Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers,
nor things present, nor things to come,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
God, the creator, ☩ Jesus, the Christ,
and the Holy Spirit, the comforter,
bless you and keep you in eternal love. Amen.
Dismissal
Go in peace. Christ is with you!
Thanks be to God!
SENDING SONG
For the Fruit of All Creation
Not a sing-along. The same organist as earlier plays it magnificently on the organ
For the fruit of all creation,
thanks be to God.
For these gifts to ev'ry nation,
thanks be to God.
For the plowing, sowing, reaping,
silent growth while we are sleeping,
future needs in earth's safekeeping,
thanks be to God.In the just reward of labor,
God's will is done.
In the help we give our neighbor,
God's will is done.
In our worldwide task of caring
for the hungry and despairing,
in the harvests we are sharing,
God's will is done.For the harvests of the Spirit,
thanks be to God.
For the good we all inherit,
thanks be to God.
For the wonders that astound us,
for the truths that still confound us,
most of all, that love has found us,
thanks be to God.
Postlude:
You Are the Seed/This Little Light of Mine
Cesareo Gabarain / Harry Dixon Loes
Arranged and Performed by Robert Prester & Adriana Samargia
You are the seed that will grow a new sprout
You're a star that will shine through the day
You are the yeast and a small grain of salt
A beacon to glow in the night
Go my friends go the world
Proclaiming love to all
Messengers of my forgiving peace
Eteneral love
Messengers of my forgiving peace
Eternal love
You are the dawn that will bring a new day
You’re the wheat that will bear golden grain
You are the sting and a soft gentle touch
My witness is wherever you go
Be my friends a loyal witness
From the dead I arose
Though I’ll be with you forever
Till the end of the world
Though I’ll be with you forever
Till the end of the world
Till the end of the world
From sundaysandseasons.com.
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