June 17, 2018

THEME: All God's Creatures - We Are All Made By God's Loving Hands

NOTES: This week we celebrate a lively Vacation Bible School and Father's Day! We consider the story Jesus told his disciples about the sower, the seeds and the four kinds of soil. We reflect on how Jesus described his own role in sharing the good news of God's love. We consider what our role is in sharing this precious, yet abundant treasure of seed.

SCRIPTURE: Mark 4:1-20

Again he began to teach beside the sea. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. ² He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: ³ “Listen! A sower went out to sow. ⁴ And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵ Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. ⁶ And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. ⁸ Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.” ⁹ And he said, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen!”
¹⁰ When he was alone, those who were around him along with the twelve asked him about the parables. ¹¹ And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret^[a] of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables; ¹² in order that

‘they may indeed look, but not perceive,
    and may indeed listen, but not understand;
so that they may not turn again and be forgiven.’”

¹³ And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand all the parables? ¹⁴ The sower sows the word. ¹⁵ These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. ¹⁶ And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, they immediately receive it with joy. ¹⁷ But they have no root, and endure only for a while; then, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.^{[b] 18} And others are those sown among the thorns: these are the ones who hear the word, ¹⁹ but the cares of the world, and the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it yields nothing. ²⁰ And these are the ones sown on the good soil: they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”

8:30 AM Order of Service

The Gathering

Welcome                                                                             

Prelude

We Gather in The Light of Christ

Lighting the Christ Candles                                               

Children come forward to light the candles as we share the responsive reading.

Leader:  In the beginning, God said,
People: 'Let there be light' and there was light!
Leader: We light these candles today,
People: Because God is with us in this time and in this place!

Hymn of Praise:#86 "Great is Thy Faithfulness" all verses

Call to Worship    

Leader: Called to be branches in Christ’s body,

People: We yearn to be connected to the vine.

Leader: Called to be mustard bushes offering shade to God’s creatures,

People: We search for places to plant the seeds of faith.

Leader: Called to be growing with God in unexpected places,

People: We seek God’s nurturing presence.

— adapted from a piece written by Katherine Hawker for the Union Church UCC of Tekonsha. Posted on Liturgy Outside. http://liturgyoutside.net/

Invocation (UNISON)

God of small seeds and mighty plants, you take our meager lives and with your love cause them to produce acts of loving kindness for you in this world.  Prepare our hearts to receive your word and our spirits to respond in eagerness to serve you. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

— adapted from a prayer written by Nancy C. Townley, on the Worship Connection page of the Ministry Matters website. http://www.ministrymatters.com/ 

We Contemplate God’s Word

Scripture                                      

Sermon                
                                       

We Pray Together

We Share Our Joys & Concern     
                                   

Prayer Hymn:#628 "Precious Lord, Take My Hand" all verses

Praying Together  

We Gather at The Lord’s Table

Invitation to the Table                        

Communion  Hymn#395 "Seed, Scattered and Sown" verses 1 & 2

The Elder’s Prayer of Communion

Words of Institution

The Lord’s Supper

All are welcome to share at the Table.  Come forward using the center aisle.  As you partake of the bread and the cup you are welcome to place an offering in the wooden bowl in front of the table.  The offering you share supports the ministries and life of Christ’s church.

The Lord’s Prayer                  

We Go Forth into the World

Challenge for Discipleship                                              

Discipleship Hymn#59 "This is My Father's World" all verses

Blessing                                                                      

Children extinguish the candles as we share the responsive reading.  

Leader: The light that was in one place at one time, is now in all places and all times,
People: For God has placed the light in us!
Leader: We go in peace!
People: Amen!

10:40AM Service

Welcome    

Prelude                                                                     

We Gather in the Light of Christ

Call to Worship   

Leader: Called to be branches in Christ’s body,

People: We yearn to be connected to the vine.

Leader: Called to be mustard bushes offering shade to God’s creatures,

People: We search for places to plant the seeds of faith.

Leader: Called to be growing with God in unexpected places,

People: We seek God’s nurturing presence.

— adapted from a piece written by Katherine Hawker for the Union Church UCC of Tekonsha. Posted on Liturgy Outside. http://liturgyoutside.net/

       

Hymn of Praise:# 86 "Great is Thy Faithfulness" all stanzas

Invocation (UNISON)

 

              Passing of the Peace

We return to our seats as the piano music begins.   
   

Hymn of Faith:#530"I've Got Peace Like a River" all stanzas

We Offer Our Hearts to God

Call to Offering

The offering you share supports the ministries and life of Christ’s church.

Offertory

Doxology CH #46

Prayer of Dedication

We Contemplate God’s Word

Scripture
                                                                     

Anthem

Children’s Sermon                                                       

Sermon                                                        

We Prayer Together

We Share Our Joys & Concerns                                        

Prayer Hymn#628 "Precious Lord, Take My Hand" all stanzas

Praying Together      

We Gather at The Lord’s Table

Invitation to the Table                        

Communion  Hymn#395 "Seed, Scattered and Sown" stanzas 1 & 2

The Elder’s Prayer of Communion

Words of Institution

The Lord’s Supper

All are welcome to share at the Table.  Come forward using the center aisle.  As you partake of the bread and the cup you are welcome to place an offering in the wooden bowl in front of the table.  The offering you share supports the ministries and life of Christ’s church.

The Lord’s Prayer                  

We Go Forth into the World

Challenge for Discipleship                                                    

Discipleship Hymn:#59 " This is My Father's World" all stanzas

Acolytes come forward.

Blessing                                                                          

Acolytes extinguish the candles as we share the responsive reading. 
 

Leader: The light that was in one place at one time, is now in all places and all times,

People: For God has placed the light in us!
Leader: We go in peace!
People: Amen!
 

Parting Song:# 438 "Shalom Chaverim" sing twice