The Ringing of the Bell
Hymn Open your ears, O faithful people
Opening Sentences
Blessed be God, whose word gives hope and shapes our dreams, whose love has conquered death. Blessed be God who orders our way and guides our steps, who leads us into life.
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your Holy Name, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Lord be with you. And also with you. Let us pray.
O sovereign God, in Jesus Christ you set your holy reign upon this earth and within us, your people. May the coming of your kingdom be like the mustard seed that grows into greatness, and like the yeast that mixes with the grain, until the whole becomes full and plenteous through the Spirit’s power and all creation gives you glory. Amen.
A Reading from 1 Kings 3:5-12
At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask what I should give you.” And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?”
It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you.”
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Psalm 119:129-136 Mirabilia
129 Your decrees are wonderful; *
therefore I obey them with all my heart.
130 When your word goes forth it gives light; *
it gives understanding to the simple.
131 I open my mouth and pant; *
I long for your commandments.
132 Turn to me in mercy, *
as you always do to those who love your Name.
133 Steady my footsteps in your word; *
let no iniquity have dominion over me.
134 Rescue me from those who oppress me, *
and I will keep your commandments.
135 Let your countenance shine upon your servant *
and teach me your statutes.
136 My eyes shed streams of tears, *
because people do not keep your law.
A Reading from Paul’s Letter to the Romans, Chapter 8, Verses 26-39
The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.
What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all day long;
we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Hymn Like the murmur of the dove’s song
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew, Chapter 13, verses 31-33, 44-52
Jesus put before the crowds another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
“Have you understood all this?” They answered, “Yes.” And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Sermon and Discussion
Affirmation
We are not alone; we live in God’s world.
We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God’s presence,
to love with respect in creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us.
We are not alone. Thanks be to God.
The Confession
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, keep you in eternal life. Amen.
The peace of the Lord be always with you. And also with you.
Announcements
Eunice Key’s Birthday July 28, 2020
Watch over your child, Eunice, O Lord, as her days increase. Bless and guide her wherever she may be. Strengthen her when she stands; comfort her when discouraged or sorrowful; raise her up if she falls, and in her heart may your peace abide all the days of her life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
No Evening Prayer service tonight due to the heat. Vestry and I will be thinking about how to proceed regarding outdoor worship opportunities. Village Dinner returns. Take out only in August.
Hymn Seek ye first
The Prayers
We are on a journey of becoming and do not fully know how to pray. Yet the Spirit helps us in our weakness and intercedes with sighs too deep for words. Therefore, let us offer our prayers, confident that the Spirit prays in us according to God’s will.
The Lord’s Prayer
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, for ever and ever. Amen.
Creator God, you have planted and given growth to your Church around the world. May we be your seed and yeast in barren places. May our life in you bind us to one another and to this earth, for no need is beyond your strength, and no child of yours is expendable. Grant us wisdom and courage beyond our imaginings.
You have blessed us with the gift of creation and call us to uphold its purpose of declaring your holy splendor. Join us with the Spirit’s movement in caring for your world as together we await our redemption from glory to glory. And we pray, in this time of ongoing need, for the gift of rain, so that this thirsty earth may drink deeply and be satisfied, and that all may receive the fruits of the earth, to our comfort and for your glory.
Holy God, you have blessed humanity with understanding and the ability to choose the good; give to all the leaders and elected officials of this nation the humility to seek your wisdom to discern what is your will in all that they do. Give them your vision of this world–your world –completed and whole, with liberty, justice, and peace for all. We pray for all refugees, immigrants, and for those who have no home. May they find their homes in the places that you intend for them in your kingdom here on this earth.
We pray for those who serve in the armed forces of our nation, that they may work for justice and peace and defend us in danger, especially those on our prayer list; Cheyenne, Cliff, Alexis, Scott, Steven, Michael, George and Greg; that in war you would inspire them to serve our country well; in peace hold them ready and alert. In their lives may they bring honor to our country’s name. We pray for their safe return when their work is done.
O God of peace, who has taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be our strength: By the might of your Holy Spirit, bring us into your presence, we pray, where we may be still and know that you are God. We pray for all who suffer from anxiety, worry and stress.
We pray for those who are ill, for Marilyn Newman, for Catherine’s parents, and for all on our prayer list. We pray for all who are ill with COVID and for their families. Grant that as time continues to pass, that leaders will develop a unified response to slow the spread of the virus in this country and around the world.
O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal.
We give thanks for the gift of hope that never ends and that we are more than victors through him who loved us. We remember all who have died, especially Betty Southworth and Wayne Williams, friend of Catherine’s parents, and give thanks that nothing, not even death, can separate us from you.
Holy One, keep calling us into the world—your world—as seed and yeast and treasure. Equip each of us for the challenges we will face as we worship in the most unlikely places, for you are the source of our song, and the well from which we pray, wherever we are planted. By the power of your Spirit, we make our prayer with resurrection hope, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
May the Spirit of God make within us a dwelling place and a home.
May the Spirit dispel our darkness with the fire of God’s light,
Calm our troubles by the breath of God’s peace;
Redeem all evils through the power of God’s love,
Transform all pain through the suffering of Christ
And glorify all dying by Christ’s risen life. And the blessing of Abba God, our brother Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit be with you now and always. Amen.
Closing Hymn God of grace, and God of glory
Go and grow in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.