Welcome!
As we greet this new day may we feel welcomed and included.
We come, in our differences and in our uniqueness,
to listen and as we listen to connect with each other and with God on our webpage.
May we truly come together as we worship in this way.
As we offer hospitality and welcome to each other, so we would welcome the presence of Holy Mystery, the God who is love.
We come together as one.
That we might be one with and in Christ.
We come together to worship.
Amen

Opening Hymn: “Praise the Lord with the Sound of ” # 245 VU

1. Praise the Lord with the sound of trumpet, praise the Lord with the harp and lute,
praise the Lord with the gentle-sounding flute.
Praise the Lord in the field and forest, praise the Lord in the city square,
praise the Lord anytime and anywhere. Praise the Lord in the wind and sunshine,
praise the Lord in the dark of night, praise the Lord in the rain or snow or in the morning light.
Praise the Lord in the deepest valley, praise the Lord on the highest hill,
praise the lord, never let your voice be still.

2. Praise the Lord with the crashing cymbal, praise the Lord, with the pipe and string,
praise the Lord with the joyful songs you sing. Praise the Lord on a weekday morning,
praise the Lord on a Sunday noon, praise the Lord by the light of sun or moon.
Praise the Lord in the time of sorrow, praise the Lord in the time of joy,
praise the Lord every moment, nothing let your praise destroy.
Praise the Lord in the peace and quiet, praise the Lord in your work or play,
praise the Lord everywhere in every way!

A Reading from the Book of Genesis: 25: 19 - 34
These are the descendants of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, sister of Laban the Aramean. Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived. The children struggled together within her; and she said, “If it is to be this way, why do I live?” So she went to inquire of the LORD. And the LORD said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples born of you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the elder shall serve the younger.” When her time to give birth was at hand, there were twins in her womb. The first came out red, all his body like a hairy mantle; so they named him Esau. Afterward his brother came out, with his hand gripping Esau's heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them. When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents. Isaac loved Esau, because he was fond of game; but Rebekah loved Jacob.
Esau Sells His Birthright
Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!” (Therefore he was called Edom.) Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.”Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

Time with the Young & the Young at Heart:

Hymn: “One More Step Along the World I Go” #639 VU

1. One more step along the world I go, one more step along the world I go,
from the old things to the new, keep me travelling along with you:
And it's from the old I travel to the new; keep me travelling along with you.

2. Round the corner of the world I turn, more and more about the world I learn;
all the new things that I see you'll be looking at along with me:
And it's from the old I travel to the new; keep me travelling along with you.

3. As I travel through the bad and good, keep me travelling the way I should;
where I see no way to go you'll be telling me the way, I know:
And it's from the old I travel to the new; keep me travelling along with you.

4. Give me courage when the world is rough, keep me loving though the world is tough,
leap and sing in all I do, keep me travelling along with you:
And it's from the old I travel to the new; keep me travelling along with you.

5. You are older than the world can be, you are younger than the life in me,
ever old and ever new, keep me travelling along with you:
And it's from the old I travel to the new; keep me travelling along with you.

Expressing our Faith: (Reading a Portion of a Song of Faith)
We sing of the Creator who made humans to live and move and have their being in God. In and with God we can direct our lives toward right relationship with each other and with God. We can discover our place as one strand in the web of life. We can grow in wisdom and compassion. We can recognize all people as kin. We can accept our mortality and finitude, not as a curse, but as a challenge to make our lives and choices matter. Made in the image of God, We yearn for the fulfillment that is life in God. Yet we choose to turn away from God. We surrender ourselves to sin, a disposition revealled in selfishness, cowardice or apathy. Becoming bound and complacent in a web of false desires and wrong choices, we bring harm to ourselves and others. . . . . We sing of lament and repentance

Words of Affirmation:
Yet evil does not-cannot-undermine or overcome the love of God. God forgives, and calls all of us to confess our fears and failings with honesty and humility. God reconciles, and calls us to repent the part we have played in damaging our world, ourselves, and each other. God transforms, and calls us to protect the vulnerable, to pray for deliverance from evil, to work with God for the healing of the world, that all might have abundant life. We sing of grace.

Halle, Halle, Halle: Sing Twice  # 958 VU {Please Stand}
HALLE, HALLE, HALLELUYAH, HALLE, HALLE, HALLELUYAH
HALLE, HALLE, HALLELUYAH, HALLELUYAH, HALLELUYAH.

A Responsive Reading from the Psalms: 119 (Part 5)  Pg. 840-841 VU
Refrain:
Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.

Your word is a lamp for my feet, and a light for my path.
I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to keep your righteous judgements.
I am in deep distress; give me life, O God, according to your word.
Accept, O God, the willing tribute of my lips, and teach me your decrees. Refrain

I take my life into my hands continually, yet I never forget your law;
the wicked have laid a snare for me, but I have not strayed from your precepts.
Your testimonies are my heritage forever, the very joy of my heart.
I have set my heart to fulfil your statutes, forever, even to the end.
Refrain

A Reading from the Gospel of Matthew: 13: 1 - 9, 18 - 23.
The Parable of the Sower
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!”
The Parable of the Sower Explained
“Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

Message:

Hymn: “We Plough the Fields” # 520 VU

1. We plough the fields and scatter the good seed on the land,
but it is fed and watered by your almighty hand;
you send the snow in winter, the warmth to swell the grain,
the breezes and the sunshine, and soft refreshing rain. Refrain

2. You only are the maker of all things near and far;
you paint the wayside flower, you light the evening star;
the winds and waves obey you, by you the birds are fed;
much more to us, your children, you give us daily bread. Refrain

3. We thank you then, O Maker, for all things bright and good,
the seed-time and the harvest, our life, our health, our food;
accept the gifts we offer for all your love imparts,
and, what from us you long for, our humble, thankful hearts. Refrain

Invitation to Offering:
The Word of grace has been sown among us. We are the soil, the receivers of truth. The harvest is the result of our acceptance and embracing of that word. May the Word of grace take root in us and yield a rich harvest. What we offer is a return on all that has been invested in us. Let us give with gratitude and joy.

Doxology:  (Tune # 537 VU)
Your work, O God, needs many hands to help you everywhere,
and some there are who cannot serve unless our gifts we share.
Because we love you and your work, our offering now we make
be pleased to use it as your own, we ask in Jesus' name.

Prayer:
Gracious God, We recognize and celebrate all the gifts we've been given. May the gifts we freely offer be without expectation for anything in return. May you bless the work of these gifts this day and in the days ahead. Amen.

Sharing our Joys and Concerns  (if the joy or concern you wish to bring is not your own please seek the agreement of the person to whom it belongs before bringing it on their behalf )

Prayers of the People:  “Every Time I Feel the Spirit”
Refrain:
Every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart, I will pray.
Yes, every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart, I will pray.

God of grace, we come this day open to the ways you are longing to transform our lives.
We pray for places in our lives where walls of division have been built walls to keep out those who love us, or those who want to love us. Yet we know, that by tearing down these walls we not only offer a gift to ourselves of forgiveness and renewal but also the potential offering of a gift to another of presence and love.
May we let go of the things that cause us to build walls between ourselves and others. And between ourselves and You. May we let go of any greed, jealousy, or frustration that is weighing us down. May we let go of…
(pause for silent prayer).
As we leave this time of shared worship may we leave open to the ways your Spirit is stirring us to mend relationships and show love to others.
May our infectious encounters with you and each other bring peace to the world beyond. Thank you, God, for your patience with us as we navigate what it means to live our lives with others who are both similar and different from us, and what it means to live out our lives in partnership with each other and the Earth. Amen.

Closing Hymn: “Go Forth for God” #418 VU

1. Go forth for God, go to the world in peace;
be of good courage, armed with heavenly grace,
in God's good Spirit daily to increase,
till in the kingdom we see face to face.
Go forth for God, go to the world in peace.

2. Go forth for God, go to the world in love;
strengthen the faint, give courage to the weak;
help the afflicted, richly from above
God's love supplies the grace and power we seek.
Go forth for God, go to the world in love.

3. Go forth for God, go to the world in strength;
hold fast the good, be urgent for the right;
render to no one evil; Christ at length
shall overcome all darkness with his light.
Go forth for God, go to the world in strength.

4. Go forth for God, go to the world in joy,
to serve God's people every day and hour,
and serving Christ, our every gift employ,
rejoicing in the Holy Spirit's power.
Go forth for God, go to the world in joy.

*Commissioning - Benediction - Choral Amen: # 967 VU

Go from this time finding strength to right any wrongs,
to be the peace brought to division,
to be the love that is needed within the world.
Go in peace. Amen.

Lectionary Reading for July 19, 2020  Seventh Sunday after Pentecost Genesis 28:10-19a;  Psalm 139: 1-11, 22-23;  Romans 8:12-25;  Matthew 13:24-30,36-43.

July 5, 2020