Welcome
Below you will find prayers, songs, readings, and a message to help you experience worship. You can light a candle to remind yourself of the presence of the Holy Spirit. Whether you are alone or with others, we hope that you can feel each other’s presence, and the presence of God, as we find creative ways to worship together, even though we are not in the same building. One good thing about virtual worship is that if you really like a song, you can listen to it again! Do what you need to do to worship God wherever you are.
Announcements and Call to Worship
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Our call to worship is from Micah 6:8.
God has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Let’s pray: It is good to be together, God, on these screens, with these people, together listening for your voice, united by your Spirit. In this time of worship
tell us about your kingdom of kindness so that we can seek it. Show us your justice.
We want to walk with you, humbly, closely, daily.
Opening Song
Seek Ye First
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Seek ye first the Kingdom of God And His righteousness And all these things shall be added unto you Allelu Alleluia
Ask and it shall be given unto you Seek and ye shall find Knock and it shall be opened unto you Allelu Alleluia
Prayer of the Day
Beloved and sovereign God, through the death and resurrection of your Son you bring us into your kingdom of justice and mercy. By your Spirit, give us your wisdom, that we may treasure the life that comes from Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Reading
Romans 8:26-39
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26The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. 27And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
28We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 29For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. 30And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.
31What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? 33Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. 35Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all day long;
we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Children’s Moment
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Gospel and Message
Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
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31Jesus put before the crowd another parable: “The dominion of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in a field; 32it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
33Jesus told them another parable: “The dominion of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.
44“The dominion of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45“Again, the dominion of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; 46on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
47“Again, the dominion of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; 48when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. 49So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
51“Have you understood all this?” They answered, “Yes.” 52And Jesus said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the dominion of heaven is like a householder who brings out of the household treasure what is new and what is old.”
Hymn of the Day
Be Thou My Vision
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Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; naught be all else to me, save that thou art: thou my best thought both by day and by night, waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word; I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord. Thou my soul’s shelter, and thou my high tow’r, raise thou me heav’nward, O Pow’r of my pow’r.
Riches I heed not, nor vain, empty praise, thou mine inheritance, now and always: thou and thou only, the first in my heart, great God of heaven, my treasure thou art.
Light of my soul, after victory won, may I reach heaven’s joys, O heaven’s Sun! Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
Apostles’ Creed
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With the whole church, let us confess our faith.
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Prayers
Called into unity with one another and the whole creation, we pray for the church, our nation, and for all who are in need.
For the church, O God of mercy, we pray. Open your word to Christians around the world. Reveal yourself to us in ways both traditional and surprising, in places old and new. Bless our bishops, pastors, deacons, and other church leaders, as they face their challenging tasks. Lord, hear our prayer.
For education and nurture in the church, O God of wisdom, we pray. Give us the will to seek your wisdom. Guide the many churches in their uses of technology, and show us during this time ways to study your word. Accompany all church musicians as they seek to help the church offer its praise. Lord, hear our prayer.
For the earth, O creative God, we pray. Give to plants and animals the water and land they require. Form us into grateful and healing caretakers of your earth. Bless the efforts of scientists and researchers, especially those seeking a vaccine. Lead all people to honor the scientific discoveries that you grant to humankind. Lord, hear our prayer.
For the nations, O God of justice, we pray. Direct leaders of nations to build trust with each other and to resist the ways of violence. Move us away from racist attitudes and policies. Form our president, governor, and legislators to speak with honesty, to strive for justice, and to work to alleviate the nation’s needs. Lord, hear our prayer.
For all in need, O God of compassion, we pray. Heal the sick. Feed the hungry. House the refugee. Comfort the countless thousands who are dealing with the coronavirus. Accompany those living with anxiety and despair. Form us to be your arms of mercy. Lord, hear our prayer.
For the youth, O God of grace, we pray. Give to the youth of afflicted nations an inspiring dream of what their future might be. Give them patience to await a time of safety. Direct all schools from daycare through graduate school to find an acceptable way forward. Lord, hear our prayer.
In gratitude for the lives of our beloved dead, we pray that nothing, neither death nor life, will separate us from your love. At the end, gather us with all your saints in light everlasting. Lord, hear our prayer.
Into your hands, gracious God, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy; through Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
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Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.
Franciscan Sending
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Read this out loud. If you are with other people, take turns reading the parts out loud.
May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.
May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy.
May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.
And the Blessing of God, who Creates, Redeems, and Sanctifies, be upon you and all you love and pray for this day, and forevermore. Amen.
Sending Song
Heaven is in My Heart
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O heaven is in my heart O heaven is in my heart
The kingdom of our God is here (Heaven is in my heart) The presence of His majesty (Heaven is in my heart) And in His presence joy abounds (Heaven is in my heart) The light of holiness surrounds (Heaven is in my heart)
His precious life on me He spent (Heaven is in my heart) To give me life without an end (Heaven is in my heart) In Christ is all my confidence (Heaven is in my heart) The hope of my inheritance (Heaven is in my heart)
We are a temple for His throne (Heaven is in my heart) And Christ is the foundation stone (Heaven is in my heart) He will return to take us home (Heaven is in my heart) The Spirit and the Bride say come (Heaven is in my heart)
Blessing
Go forth into the world to serve God with gladness; be of good courage; hold fast to that which is good; render to no one evil for evil; strengthen the fainthearted; support the weak; help the afflicted; honor all people; love and serve God, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. Thanks be to God.
Dismissal
Go in peace. Christ is with you. Thanks be to God.
Worship Assistants
Music: Lori, Ian
Message: Pastor Kristin
Readers: Karen, Cindy, Ruth, Amy
Children’s Moment: Maddy Jo
From Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2005 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #22432. New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission.
All rights reserved. Hymns reprinted with permission. CCLI#116214
