Worship Service – July 12, 2020

The Building is Closed and the Church is Open

While we have restricted access to the building, Peace Church is very much open to ministry—working to respond to our own congregation, as well as the needs of our neighbors and community.  Please consider giving either to Peace Church general fund or the Gabriel Fund – which is used to meet the needs in the community.

We recognize that in this time, people’s financial situations may have changed. We ask you to prayerfully consider what you can give.  If you use electronic giving, we thank you for your constancy of support.  If you would like to give through our online form, we would be grateful. For all the contributions from our members and friends—whether financial, time, or prayer—we ask God’s blessings on those gifts that Peace Church may be healing balm in this time when we are living in our own Gilead.

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July 12, 2020  ⁂  10:30 am

Liturgists

The People of Peace Church
Cindy McLean, Lay Leader
Jim Pospisil, Music Director 
Doug Bowen-Bailey, ASL Interpreter
Nathan Holst, Faith Formation Minister 
Rev. Kathryn Nelson 

Prelude      “It is Well with My Soul”    Melanie Sever, flute

Announcements and the Ringing of the Peace Bells

God is Revealed as We Gather

Responsive Call to Worship

We gather together in God’s presence with expectation, hungry for an encounter with the sacred, eager to hear words of hope.
May God open our eyes and ears to the presence of the Spirit.
May the seeds of the Word scattered among us this morning fall on fertile soil.
May they take root in our hearts and lives, and produce an abundant harvest of justice and love.

Opening Hymn    “I Sing the Mighty Power of God”    (#12)

Unison Prayer of Confession adapted from Thom Schuman

We know the seeds we have sown, Harvesting God:
anger which springs from our flinty hearts; bitterness which flows out and into the world; hurtful words which wrap their thorny briars around another’s heart.

Forgive us, Loving God, and have mercy. Your grace can turn our fallow hearts into rich fields of love. Your hope can smooth the rocks in our way, so we can go to be reconciled to another. Your love for us can untangle the thorny mess we have made of our lives. Bless us with your grace and love, we pray.

Assurance of God’s Forgiveness 

Story for All Ages 

God is Revealed in the Word

God’s Word in the Prophets:   Isaiah 55:6–13

Special Music   “Let You Go” by Will Reagan  sung by Madeline Carpenter

God’s Word in the Gospel:   Matthew 13:1–9 and 18–23

Sermon    “Sown Together”

Song    “Garden Song” by Pete Seeger and Arlo Guthrie

We Respond to God’s Presence

Sharing Our Prayer Concerns, Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer by Nathan Holst, the Lord’s Prayer and Choral Amen

Sharing Our Offerings

Offertory    “Afternoon on a Hill” sung by Cathy Ameel  music by Eric Barnum, words by Edna St. Vincent Millay

The Thanksgiving     “Doxology”

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise God, all creatures here below;
Praise God for all that love has done;
Creator, Christ and Spirit, One.

Prayer of Dedication

Closing Hymn   “You Are Salt for the Earth, O People”   (#181)

Benediction

Postlude

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