CALL TO WORSHIP - PSALM 92:1-4, 12-15
It is a good thing to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praise to your name, O Most High; to herald your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night; on the psaltery, and on the lyre, and to the melody of the harp.
For you have made me glad by your acts, O LORD;
and I shout for joy because of the works of your hands.
The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
and shall spread abroad like a cedar of Lebanon.
Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God; they shall still bear fruit in old age;
they shall be green and succulent;
that they may show how upright the LORD is,
my rock, in whom there is no injustice.
GATHERING SONG “Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty” # 533
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray. O God, you are the tree of life, offering shelter to all the world. Graft us into yourself and nurture our growth, that we may bear your truth and love to those in need, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen
THE EPISTLE LESSON: 2 Corinthians 5:6–10, 14–17
So we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord — for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil. For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them. From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!
Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.
GOSPEL HYMN “Almighty God Your Word is Cast” #516
THE GOSPEL FOR THE DAY: Mark 4:26–34
The holy gospel according to Saint Mark. Glory to you, O Lord.
He also said, "The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come."
He also said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade."
With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.
The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
SERMON “The Greatest of All Shrubs” Pastor Phil Wold
HYMN OF THE DAY “Children of the Heavenly Father” #781
THE APOSTLES’ CREED
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,
and 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
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
THE SIGN OF PEACE IS SHARED
The peace of Christ be with you always. And also with you.
THE OFFERING AND OFFERING PRAYER
Let us pray. Blessed are you, O God, maker of all things. Through your goodness you have blessed us with these gifts: our selves, our time, and our possessions. Use us, and what we have gathered, in feeding the world with your love, through the one who gave himself for us, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
BLESSING
SENDING SONG “My Life Flows On in Endless Song” #763
SENDING
Go in peace. Share the good news. Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE
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