From Rev. Ben:
In preparation for my sermon this week I walked around my garden with my camera, taking macro photos of various flowers, leaves and fruit. I’m not sure what is stranger—the fact that my sermon preparation now includes my camera, or that it felt so natural to be preparing for a sermon by thinking about things like aperture, shutter speed and which of my lenses has amore interesting bokeh effect. It is just one of many ways my work as a pastor has been affected by COVID-19.
You can submit comments and prayer requests via our Comments Form at mpcfamily.org/comments . We’d love to hear from you!
If you are visiting today, we hope you’ll fill out our online Visitor Card at mpcfamily.org/hello .
View July 26th Celebration online
- Debbie Dille provides us with a prelude “Larghetto” Op. 15, by Clara Schumann,
- Talitha welcomes us to celebration,
- Former MPC member Lori Kendall calls us to celebration,
- The opening hymn is “To Bless the Earth”, a setting of Psalm 65 (words below),
- Beth Sutkus and BlakeThompson lead us in a prayer for peace,
- Kit Land reads Matthew 13:31-35,
- I will preach a sermon on the parable of the mustard seed, a sermon I’m calling “The God of Bad Gardeners”,
- The special music/hymn of response is called “Mustard Seed” (words below),
- Talitha will lead us in a prayer,
- The closing hymn is “For the Fruit of All Creation” (again, words below), and
- A family life video will include announcements, our charge, and a benediction.
TO BLESS THE EARTH
1 To bless the earth, God sends us
From heaven’s abundant store
The waters of the springtime,
Enriching it once more.
2 The seed by God provided
Is sown o’er hill and plain,
And then come gentle showers
To bless the springing grain.
3 God crowns the year with goodness,
The earth God’s mercy fills,
The wilderness is fruitful,
And joyful are the hills.
4 With grain the fields are covered,
The flocks in pastures graze;
All nature joins in singing
A joyful song of praise.
MUSTARD SEED
Oh, once there was a mustard seed
Almost too small to see.
I planted it and watched it grow
Into a spreading tree.
The tree became a home for birds;
The branches held their nests.
The birds they came from miles around
to find a place to rest.
But mustard seeds will never grow
Into such spreading trees
We tell the tale so we will know
God’s kingdom yet to be.
How can we live our lives today
to be the mustard seed?
We’ll share God’s love with all we meet
and help the ones in need.
Oh, once there was a mustard seed
Almost too small to see.
I planted it and watched it grow
Into a spreading tree.
FOR THE FRUIT OF ALL CREATION
1.For the fruit(s) of all creation,
thanks be to God;
for the gifts of every nation,
thanks be to God;
for the ploughing, sowing, reaping,
silent growth while we are sleeping,
future needs in earth’s safe-keeping,
thanks be to God.
2.In the just reward of labour,
God’s will is done;
in the help we give our neighbour,
God’s will is done;
in our world-wide task of caring
for the hungry and despairing,
in the harvests we are sharing,
God’s will is done.
3.For the harvests of the Spirit,
thanks be to God;
for the good we all inherit,
thanks be to God;
for the wonders that astound us,
for the truths that still confound us,
most of all that love has found us,
thanks be to God.
The Charge (say together) Go out into the world in peace. Have courage; hold on to what is good. Return no one evil for evil. Strengthen the faint-hearted, support the weak, and help the suffering. Honor all people. Love and serve God, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit.