CANDLE LITURGY
The embers of a campfire produce a red glow. The sun rising and setting makes a brilliant array of pink and purple and orange shadows. A lighthouse emits a flashing beam of light, warning of danger. Lightning flashes a dazzling streak of light across the sky during a storm.
And our Christ candle sends out gleams of soft light, reminding us of Christ's presence in our lives. We light our Christ candle.
     Adapted/Used with permission Pentecost 1 Gathering 2025; Laura J. Turnbull

Sung Response: “Let There Be Light”  679 VU
1.  Let there be light, let there be understanding,
let all the nations gather, let them be face to face

2.  open our lips, open our minds to ponder,
open the door of concord opening into grace;

3.  perish the sword, perish the angry judgement,
perish the bombs and hunger, perish the fight for gain;

4.  hallow our love, hallow the deaths of martyrs,
hallow their holy freedom, hallowed be your name;

5.  your kingdom come, your spirit turn to language,
your people speak together, your spirit never fade;

6.  let there be light; open our hearts to wonder,
perish the way of terror, hallow the world God made.

1. CALL TO WORSHIP:
From the rising to the setting of the sun,
God summons us.
In the perfect beauty all around us,
God brightens our hearts.
When we worship with acts of love and mercy,
God is pleased to give us the kingdom.
Come! Let justice and righteousness be our worship.
     From the Abingdon Worship Annual 2025.
     Copyright @2024 by Abingdon Press. Used by permission.

2. OPENING PRAYER:
Mighty God, dress us for action, for the world is in need of our care. Turn us from our selfish ways and help us share the fat of this good land. For when we refuse and rebel, we reap what we have sown. Your care and compassion call to us. Your mercy and grace reach out to us. Heal us this day, and may it be your good pleasure to give us your kingdom.
     From the Abingdon Worship Annual 2025.
     Copyright @2024 by Abingdon Press. Used by permission.

3. LEARNING TIME:

4.  HYMN: VU 410 “This Day God Gives Me”
1.  This day God gives me strength of high heaven,
sun and moon shining, flame in my hearth,
flashing of lightning, wind in its swiftness,
deeps of the ocean, firmness of earth.

2.  This day God sends me strength to sustain me,
might to uphold me, wisdom as guide.
Your eyes are watchful, your ears are listening,
your lips are speaking, Friend at my side.

3.  God's way is my way, God's shield is round me,
God's host defends me, saving from ill.
Angels of heaven, drive from me always
all that would harm me, stand by me still.

4.  Rising, I thank you, mighty and strong One,
King of creation, giver of rest,
firmly confessing Threeness of Persons,
Oneness of Godhead, Trinity blest.

5. PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION
Wise and Loving God, we open our hearts to ancient words of scripture, seeking wisdom for today.  Amen.
     Used with permission from Gathering: Pentecost 1, 2025; Gary Simpson

6. SCRIPTURE LESSON
Isaiah 1: 1, 10 - 20
1 I am Isaiah, the son of Amoz. And this is the message[a] that I was given about Judah and Jerusalem when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were the kings of Judah:[b] 10 You are no better than the leaders and people of Sodom and Gomorrah! So listen to the LORD God: 11 "Your sacrifices mean nothing to me. I am sick of your offerings of rams and choice cattle; I don't like the blood of bulls or lambs or goats. 12 "Who asked you to bring all this when you come to worship me? Stay out of my temple! 13 Your sacrifices are worthless, and your incense disgusting. I can't stand the evil you do on your New Moon Festivals or on your Sabbaths and other times of worship. 14 I hate your New Moon Festivals and all others as well. They are a heavy burden I am tired of carrying. 15 “No matter how much you pray, I won't listen. You are too violent. 16 Wash yourselves clean! I hate your filthy deeds. Stop doing wrong17 and learn to live right. See that justice is done. Defend widows and orphans and help the oppressed.” 18 I, the LORD, invite you to come and talk it over. Your sins are scarlet red, but they will be whiter than snow or wool. 19 If you willingly obey me, the best crops in the land will be yours. 20 But if you turn against me, your enemies will kill you. I, the LORD, have spoken.

Responsive Reading Psalm 50: 1 - 8, 22 - 23 VU page 775
Refrain: “The mighty one, God the Sovereign, speaks and summons the earth.”

God, the Almighty, has spoken;
and summoned the world from the rising of the sun to its setting.
God shines out from Zion, a city perfect in beauty.
Our God appears, and will not keep silence.  Refrain

Before you, God, runs a consuming fire, and a mighty tempest rages about you.
You call on the heavens above, and on the earth below, to witness the judgement of your people:
'Gather my people before me, the people who made covenant with me by sacrifice.'
The heavens proclaim your justice, for you yourself are judge.  Refrain

7. REFLECTION:

8. HYMN: VU 686 “God of Grace and God of Glory”
1.  God of grace and God of glory,
on your people pour your power;
now fulfil your church's story;
bring its bud to glorious flower.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, for the facing of this hour.

2.  Lo, the hosts of evil round us
scorn your Christ, assail your ways;
fears and doubts too long have bound us;
free our hearts to work and praise.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, for the living of these days.

3.  Cure your children's warring madness,
bend our pride to your control;
shame our wanton selfish gladness,
rich in goods and poor in soul.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, lest we miss your kingdom's goal.

4.  Set our feet on lofty places,
gird our lives that they may be
armoured with all Christlike graces,
pledged to set all captives free.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, that we fail not them nor thee.

9. SCRIPTURE LESSONS
Hebrews 11: 1 - 3, 8 - 16
The Great Faith of God's People
11 Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see. 2 It was their faith that made our ancestors pleasing to God. 3 Because of our faith, we know that the world was made at God's command. We also know that what can be seen was made out of what cannot be seen. 8 Abraham had faith and obeyed God. He was told to go to the land that God had said would be his, and he left for a country he had never seen. 9 Because Abraham had faith, he lived as a stranger in the promised land. He lived there in a tent, and so did Isaac and Jacob, who were later given the same promise. 10 Abraham did this, because he was waiting for the eternal city God had planned and built. 11 Even when Sarah was too old to have children, she had faith that God would do what he had promised, and she had a son. 12 Her husband Abraham was almost dead, but he became the ancestor of many people. In fact, there are as many of them as there are stars in the sky or grains of sand along the seashore. 13 Every one of those people died. But they still had faith, even though they had not received what they had been promised. They were glad just to see these things from far away, and they agreed that they were only strangers and foreigners on this earth. 14 When people talk this way, it is clear they are looking for a place to call their own. 15 If they had been talking about the land where they had once lived, they could have gone back at any time. 16 But they were looking forward to a better home in heaven. This is why God wasn't ashamed for them to call him their God. He even built a city for them.

Luke 12: 32 - 40
Treasures in Heaven
32 My little group of disciples, don't be afraid! Your Father wants to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell what you have and give the money to the poor. Make yourselves moneybags that never wear out. Make sure your treasure is safe in heaven, where thieves cannot steal it and moths cannot destroy it. 34 Your heart will always be where your treasure is. 35 Be ready and keep your lamps burning 36 just like those servants who wait up for their master to return from a wedding feast. As soon as he comes and knocks, they open the door for him. 37 Servants are fortunate if their master finds them awake and ready when he comes! I promise you he will get ready and let his servants sit down so he can serve them. 38 Those servants are really fortunate if their master finds them ready, even though he comes late at night or early in the morning. 39 You would surely not let a thief break into your home, if you knew when the thief was coming. 40 So always be ready! You don't know when the Son of Man will come.

11. HYMN VU #708  “My Lord What a Morning”
Refrain: “My Lord, what a morning. My Lord, what a morning. My Lord, what a morning when the stars begin to fall”.

1.  You'll hear the trumpet sound
to wake the nations underground,
Looking to my God's right hand
when the stars begin to fall.  Refrain

2.  You'll hear the sinner cry
to wake the nations underground,
Looking to my God's right hand
when the stars begin to fall.  Refrain

3.  You'll hear the Christian shout
to wake the nations underground,
Looking to my God's right hand
when the stars begin to fall.  Refrain

12.  PRAYER OF YEARNING:
When our prayers and devotions are divorced from works of love and justice, we long to return to your ways. Wash us with your grace and mercy and help us store up treasure in heaven where neither thief nor moth destroy. Remove the evil we harbor in our hearts, and transform our selfish deeds into acts of righteousness. In your holy name, we pray.  Amen.
     From the Abingdon Worship Annual 2025.
     Copyright @2024 by Abingdon Press. Used by permission.

13.  WORDS OF ASSURANCE:
Don't be afraid, little flock. God delights in giving us the kingdom.
Thanks be to God.  Amen.
     From the Abingdon Worship Annual 2025.
     Copyright @2024 by Abingdon Press. Used by permission.

14.  SUNG RESPONSE: 835 VU “Praise to the Lord”
1.  Praise to the Lord, all of you, God's servants.
Blessed be the name of our God now and ever.
From the rising up of the sun may the Lord be praised,
praise to the name of the Lord!

2.  There is none like our God in the heavens or on earth,
who lifts the poor from the dust seating them with the mighty,
who stoops to raise the weak and low: may the Lord be praised,
praise to the name of the Lord!

15.  PASSING OF THE PEACE:
It is God's good pleasure to give us the kingdom. Let us share this treasure with one another as we pass the peace of Christ.
     From the Abingdon Worship Annual 2025.
     Copyright @2024 by Abingdon Press. Used by permission.

16.  INVITATION TO OFFERING:
Where our treasure is, there our hearts will be also Let us bring the treasure of our love. Let us present our offering.
     From the Abingdon Worship Annual 2025.
     Copyright @2024 by Abingdon Press. Used by permission.

17. OFFERTORY VU 540 “Grant Us, God the Grace”
Grant us, God, the grace of giving, with a spirit large and free, that ourselves and all our living we may offer faithfully.

18.  OFFERING PRAYER:
God of grace and God of glory, transform these gifts into vessels of your love and mercy. By the power of your Holy Spirit, may our offering bring treasure from above. May these gifts bring justice and righteousness to your children everywhere.   Amen.
     From the Abingdon Worship Annual 2025.
     Copyright @2024 by Abingdon Press. Used by permission.

19. PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND LORD'S PRAYER:

20. HYMN 212 MV “Sent Out in Jesus' Name”
Sent out in Jesus' name, Our hands are ready now
To make the world the place in which the kingdom comes.  X2

The angels cannot change A world of hurt and pain
Into a world of love, Of justice and of peace.
The task is ours to do, To set it really free.
O, help us to obey, And carry out your will.

21.  BLESSING:
People get ready.
We are dressed for love.
People get ready.
We are dressed for service.
People get ready.
We are dressed to shine Christ's light.
     From the Abingdon Worship Annual 2025.
     Copyright @2024 by Abingdon Press. Used by permission.

Next Sunday:  Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
        August 17, 2025:
         Isaiah 5: 1 - 7;  Psalm 80: 1 - 2, 8 - 18;
         Hebrews 11: 29 - 12 : 2;  Luke 12: 49 - 56.

1. SUNDAY, August 10, 2025  “Ninth Sunday after Pentecost”   10:45 AM   Rev. Jo-Ann Hills  “RECOLLECTIONS”   ALL ARE WELCOME!


2. WEDNESDAY, August 13, 2025  “MEETING OF THE OFFICIAL BOARD”   7:00 PM   Chairperson, Cathy Richardson  ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE REQUESTED TO ATTEND


3. SUNDAY, August 17, 2025  “Tenth Sunday after Pentecost”   10:45 AM   Rev. Jo-Ann Hills  “RECOLLECTIONS”   ALL ARE WELCOME!


4. WEDNESDAY, August 27, 2025  “SPAGHETTI DINNER FUNDRAISER”   5:00 - 7:00 PM   Wesley Hall  “For Tickets Call: (306) 445-8171”   ALL ARE WELCOME!
   [SEE POSTER ON THE “HAPPENINGS” TAB FOR FULL DETAILS]