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PRELUDE
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
TEMPLE TALK: Church Council Vice President, Galen Albrecht
RINGING OF THE BELL
Please stand as you are able.
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Blessed be the holy Trinity, one God, whose compassion endures
forever. Amen.
Let us confess our sin to God.
Silence is kept for reflection.
Compassionate God, we confess to you all our sins. Our burden
is heavy, and we cannot free ourselves. In your mercy, call us
back to you. Your yoke is easy and your burden is light. Restore
us to dwell in your peace. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.
Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying
heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” In the name of God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, your sins are forgiven. Rest in God’s
love. Amen.
GATHERING HYMN “O Holy Spirit, Root of Life” Hymn #399
GREETING
The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the
communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
And also with you.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray. Faithful God, most merciful judge, you care for your
children with firmness and compassion. By your Spirit nurture
us who live in your kingdom, that we may be rooted in the way
of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Please be seated.
WORD
FIRST READING Isaiah 44:6-8
There are no other gods besides God: the word of the Lord does not
fail to come to pass. We can trust in God, through whom Israel—and
we—are redeemed.
6 Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel,
and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:
I am the first, and I am the last;
besides me there is no god.
7 Who is like me? Let them proclaim it;
let them declare and set it forth before me.
Who has announced from of old the things to come?
Let them tell us what is yet to be.
8 Do not fear or be afraid;
have I not told you from of old and declared it?
You are my witnesses!
Is there any god besides me?
There is no other rock; I know not one.
Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.
PSALM “Undivided Heart” (based on Psalm 86)
Choir sings first time through. Congregation joins on the repeat.
SECOND READING Romans 8:12-25
For Paul, true spirituality means that we experience the reality of the
Spirit, which enables us to pray as God’s children, keeps us in solidarity
with creation, and gives us unseen hope that God will liberate
us and creation from bondage to death and decay.
12 So then, brothers and sisters, we are obligated, not to the flesh, to
live according to the flesh—13 for if you live according to the flesh,
you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the
body, you will live.
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 For
you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you
received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 it is
that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of
God, 17 and if children, then heirs: heirs of God and joint heirs with
Christ, if we in fact suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth
comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation
waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of
God, 20 for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will,
but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation
itself will be set free from its enslavement to decay and will obtain
the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 We know that the
whole creation has been groaning together as it suffers together the
pains of labor, 23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who
have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for
adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in hope we were
saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, for who hopes for what
one already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait
for it with patience.
Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.
CHILDREN’S SERMON Pastor Chris Steubing
Please stand as you are able for the gospel reading.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
GOSPEL Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
The holy gospel according to Matthew.
Glory to you, O Lord.
Jesus tells a parable about the coexistence of good and evil in this
world. God’s judgment will remove all evildoers and causes of sin, but
not until the end of human history.
24 [Jesus] put before [the crowds] another parable: “The kingdom of
heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his
field,25 but while everybody was asleep an enemy came and sowed
weeds among the wheat and then went away. 26 So when the plants
came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27 And the
slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not
sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come
from?’ 28 He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to
him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he replied,
‘No, for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with
them. 30 Let both of them grow together until the harvest, and at harvest
time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in
bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’ ”
36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples
approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the
weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good
seed is the Son of Man; 38 the field is the world, and the good seed
are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the
evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest
is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the
weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end
of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect
out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, 42 and they
will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in
the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!”
The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
SERMON Pastor Chris Steubing
HYMN OF THE DAY “For the Fruit of All Creation” Hymn #679
Please stand as you are able.
THE APOSTLES’ CREED
Together with the whole church, we confess our faith:
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
THE PRAYERS
...God of grace, hear our prayer.
SHARING THE PEACE
The peace of Christ be with you always.
And also with you.
Let us share the peace with one another.
OFFERING
OFFERING MUSIC “Praise and Thanksgiving" Hymn #689
Please stand as you are able on the last verse as the offering is brought forward.
OFFERING PRAYER
Let us pray. Loving God, we offer at your table the gifts of our
hearts. Help us take heart in you and share freely of your love,
so that all creation can taste your abundance. We ask this in the
name of Jesus, through the Spirit abiding with us now and forever.
Amen.
MEAL
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and
in all places give thanks and praise. . . We praise your name and join
their unending hymn.
In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread,
and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, Take and eat;
this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.
Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all
to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for
you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.
With this bread and cup we remember our Lord’s Passover from
death to life as we proclaim the mystery of faith;
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
Remember us in your kingdom and teach us to 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.
INVITATION TO COMMUNION
Heaven has come near. Come, share in the feast!
All are welcome to receive Holy Communion at the Lord's table. We
practice a continuous communion distribution. You are invited to
come forward at the direction of the ushers and kneel or stand at the
altar rail, filling in spaces starting from the center as they become
available. If you'd like to receive a blessing instead, you may simply
come forward and cross your arms over your chest. If you are unable
to come forward, please notify an usher and we will bring the sacrament
to you. The communion cups contain wine (red) or grape juice
(white). Gluten-free wafers are available upon request.
Communion Hymns
Hymn #465 “As the Grains of Wheat”
Hymn #479 “We Come to the Hungry Feast”
Hymn #471 “Let Us Break Bread Together”
POST COMMUNION BLESSING
Please stand as you are able.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Let us pray. Compassionate God, through the gifts of bread and
wine our hearts are filled with the abundance of your love.
Strengthen us that we, through this holy meal, may share your
love freely, as you have shared with us. We ask this in the name
of Jesus, through the Spirit nourishing us now and forever.
Amen.
BENEDICTION
Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever.
SENDING HYMN “Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ” Hymn #674
DISMISSAL
Heaven has come near. Go, share the good news!
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE
Church Staff and today’s worship leaders:
Pastor—Rev. Chris Steubing
Visitation Pastor—Rev. Judi Miller
Our Reader—Miranda Murphy
Our Liturgist—Don Gillett
Our Communion Assistants –Randy and Claire Roberts
Organist/Pianist—Jimmy Cheung
Choir and Hand Bell Director—Wendy Kuenemann
Children & Youth Ministry Intern—Ameya Steubing
Office Administrator—Trista Stubblefield
Liturgy and songs reprinted by permission of One License.net License # - A-744251. “Undivided Heart” Words and Music by Brian Doerksen,
Daphne Rademaker and Cindy Rethmeier. © 1991 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing. Used by permission. CCLI License # 2561118.