ORGAN PRELUDE

WELCOME and CALL to WORSHIP

(from Psalm 139, The Message translation)

God, investigate my life;

get all the facts firsthand.

I’m an open book to you; even from a

distance, you know what I’m thinking.

You know when I leave and when I get back;

I’m never out of your sight.

You know everything I’m going to say

before I start the first sentence.

I look behind me and you’re there, then up

ahead and you’re there, too – your

reassuring presence, coming and going.

This is too much, too wonderful –

I can’t take it all in!

Investigate my life, O God, find out everything

about me; cross-examine and test me,

get a clear picture of what I’m about;

see for yourself whether I’ve done

anything wrong – then guide me

on the road to eternal life.

Hymn 160 * Praise, my soul, the King

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

OPENING PRAYER

God eternal, we come into your presence,

worried and distracted by many things.

Calm our thoughts and our hearts;

help us to fix our minds on you;

and assist us by your Spirit; so that we may

praise you as you deserve

.

Have mercy upon us, O God, for we are

sinners. Impure in heart and mean of spirit,

careless of others and deaf to your voice, we

have lived for ourselves and neglected your

calling. Yet you are gracious and full of

compassion, abounding in kindness and

Forgive our sins, and teach us your way, that

we may walk in your truth and give glory to

you, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Hymn 97 O God, you search me

ASSURANCE of PARDON

The good news is that our God is a God of

patience and understanding. Even when we

stray, we are accompanied by a love that is too

deep for words. Hear this! Know this!

Remember this! Thanks be to God. Amen.

CHILDREN’S TIME

SHARING GOD’S PEACE

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

SCRIPTURE READINGS

Genesis 28:10-19 OT p. 29

St. Matthew 13:24-30 + 36-43 NT p. 20

People may stand for the Gospel reading.

The word of God: Thanks be to God!

Hymn 268 O God of Bethel

SERMON Rev. James Brown

Hymn 262 * For the world and all its people

(Offerings are gathered and brought forward)

(Hymn of the Month, July 2014)

DEDICATION PRAYER

With all that we have, and all that we are, we

reach out to you, our God of generosity.

We ask that you receive these ordinary gifts;

may they be used to offer extraordinary

blessings in our community and world.

May these gifts remind us that through you,

everything is possible! Amen.

ANNOUNCEMENTS (See Notices overleaf)

PRAYERS for OTHERS

God of mercy: hear us as we pray.

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 476 Mine eyes have seen the glory

(Can anyone explain why this hymn has no star – yet?)

BLESSING and Threefold Amen (No. 819)

ORGAN POSTLUDE

“Then instead of wheat and barley,

may weeds and thistles grow.”

(Job 31:40)