ORGAN PRELUDE

WELCOME and CALL to WORSHIP

(from Psalm 105)

Give thanks to the LORD, proclaim his greatness;

tell the nations what he has done.

Sing praise to the LORD;

tell of the wonderful things he has done.

Be glad that we belong to him;

let all who worship him rejoice.

Go to the LORD for help;

and worship him continually.

The LORD is our God;

his commands are for all the world.

He will keep his covenant for ever,

his promises for a thousand generations.

Hymn 257 * Singing, we gladly worship

People’s Choice Hymns are marked with an asterisk (*)

OPENING PRAYER

God, your kingdom is among us all

in surprising places, hidden in the everyday,

small but precious, above us and below us.

Your kingdom is here and we gather as part of it

to worship and adore you, O God.

We become before you, ready to praise you

and ready to open our eyes, our hearts and

minds to the values of the Kingdom.

The Kingdom is real, it is here and it is waiting to

welcome all for it is inclusive in its depth, it is for

the whole of humanity.

Gracious God, we are people of good intentions.

We have good intentions to love one another;

good intentions to be a kingdom community

together, to honour our words and promises, to

always honour you, to follow in your Way.

We confess that we have not always lived up

to our good intentions. We are broken

people with broken promises. Forgive us,

dear God, for the ways in which we have

failed one another, and the ways in which we

have failed your kingdom and you. Amen.

Hymn 262 * For the world and all its people

(Hymn of the Month, July 2014)

ASSURANCE of PARDON

Hear the good news: God forgives us again and

again. We have second chances and third

chances and fourth chances… to keep trying to

get it right – and to live up to our good

intentions. Even though we sometimes fail God,

God never fails us; Thanks be to God. Amen.

CHILDREN’S TIME

SHARING GOD’S PEACE

(Children may gather at the large table for Kids’ Church)

SCRIPTURE READINGS

Romans 8:26-39 NT p. 196 (195)

St. Matthew 13:31-33 + 44-52 NT p. 20

People may stand for the Gospel reading.

The word of God: Thanks be to God!

Hymn 641 * Seek ye first the kingdom of God

SERMON Rev. James Brown

Hymn (PH 348) My faith looks up to thee

(Offerings are gathered and brought forward)

My faith looks up to thee,

Thou Lamb of Calvary, Saviour Divine!

Now hear me while I pray; take all my guilt away;

Oh, let me from this day be wholly thine.

May thy rich grace impart

Strength to my fainting heart, my zeal inspire;

As thou hast died for me, oh may my love to thee

Pure, warm and changeless be, a living fire.

While life’s dark maze I tread,

And griefs around me spread, be thou my guide;

Bid darkness turn to day; wipe sorrow’s tears

away, Nor let me ever stray from thee aside.

When ends life’s transient dream, When

death’s cold, sullen stream shall o’er me roll,

Blest Saviour, then, in love, fear and distrust

remove; Oh bear me safe above,

A ransomed soul.

DEDICATION PRAYER

Giving and Gracious God, you shower us

with gifts of love, of grace, and of life itself.

Now, with gratitude, we offer you back

humble gifts; we offer you our whole selves.

We pray that you will bless all of our gifts,

and that you will show use them and us for

your continued ministry in creation. Amen.

ANNOUNCEMENTS (See Notices overleaf)

PRAYERS for OTHERS

May your Kingdom come:

Your will be done on earth, O Lord. ♫

(Sung response = Hymn 805)

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.

Hymn 468 Son of God, eternal Saviour

(Hymn of the Month, November 2012)

BLESSING and Threefold Amen (No. 819)

ORGAN POSTLUDE