Crandall United Methodist Church

Worship Guide

July 30, 2023

Ninth Sunday After Pentecost

Creating Disciples of Jesus who Transform the World

ENTRANCE WITH PRAISE

Greetings:

Minister: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!

People: And also with you!

Special Music: “God is in this Story” Stefanie & Charles

Centering Words:

Good things come to those who wait. Like seeds buried in the ground, God’s love bursts forth in the fullness of time to bring new life and new possibilities.

*Call to Worship:

Leader:    Sing God’s praise.

People:   Give thanks to the Lord above.

Leader:    Seek the Lord and trust God’s strength.

People:   Proclaim God’s wonderful works.

Leader:    Live in the Spirit of love and grace.

People:   Give thanks for Christ’s marvelous love.

Leader:    Let us pray.

ALL: Spirit of God, you intercede for us with sighs too deep for words. When all seems lost, you heal our hearts and give us strength to carry on. Set our hearts and minds on you, Great Spirit, that we may know your abiding presence and your never-failing love. Amen.

Hymn: “To God Be the Glory”

To God be the glory, great things he has done!

So loved he the world that he gave us his Son,

who yielded his life an atonement for sin,

and opened the life-gate that all may go in.

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,

let the earth hear his voice!

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,

let the people rejoice!

O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,

and give him the glory, great things he has done.

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,

to every believer the promise of God;

the vilest offender who truly believes,

that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,

let the earth hear his voice!

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,

let the people rejoice!

O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,

and give him the glory, great things he has done.

Great things he has taught us,

great things he has done,

and great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;

but purer, and higher, and greater will be

our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,

let the earth hear his voice!

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,

let the people rejoice!

O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,

and give him the glory, great things he has done.

PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD

Words of Assurance

Remember, beloved children of God, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, can separate us from the love of God.

Give thanks to God for this marvelous gift.

Amen

Special Music: “Love Like This” Meagan

*Old Testament Reading:  Genesis 29:15-28

¹⁵ Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” ¹⁶ Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. ¹⁷ Leah’s eyes were lovely, and Rachel was graceful and beautiful. ¹⁸ Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” ¹⁹ Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” ²⁰ So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.

²¹ Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” ²² So Laban gathered together all the people of the place, and made a feast. ²³ But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. ²⁴ (Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid.) ²⁵ When morning came, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” ²⁶ Laban said, “This is not done in our country—giving the younger before the firstborn. ²⁷ Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” ²⁸ Jacob did so, and completed her week; then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as a wife.

Leader:    This is the Word of God for the People of God

People:   Thanks be to God.

WORD AND RESPONSE

Time with Young Friends: “Jesus Loves Me”

Children’s Message: “Mustard Bread”

Special Music: “How Great is our God” Stefanie & Meagan

Sermon: “Hidden & Mixed In” Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

³¹ He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; ³² 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.”

³³ 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.”

⁴⁴ “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.

⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; ⁴⁶ on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

⁴⁷ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; ⁴⁸ when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. ⁴⁹ So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous ⁵⁰ and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

⁵¹ “Have you understood all this?” They answered, “Yes.” ⁵² 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.”

RESPONSE TO THE WORD

Special Music: “Cornerstone” Charles

Hymn: “Have a Little Talk with Jesus”

I once was lost in sin but Jesus took me in

and then a little light from heaven filled my soul;

it bathed my heart in love and wrote my name above,

And just a little talk with Jesus made me whole.

Now let us have a little talk with Jesus,

let us tell him all about our troubles,

he will hear our faintest cry,

and he will answer by and by;

now when you feel a little prayer wheel turning,

and you know a little fire is burning,

you will find a little talk with Jesus

makes it right, makes it right

Sometimes my path seems drear, without a ray of cheer,

and then a cloud of doubt may hide the light of day;

the mist of sin may rise and hide the starry skies,

but just a little talk with Jesus clears the way.

Now let us have a little talk with Jesus,

let us tell him all about our troubles,

he will hear our faintest cry,

and he will answer by and by;

now when you feel a little prayer wheel turning,

and you know a little fire is burning,

you will find a little talk with Jesus

makes it right, makes it right

I may have doubts and fears, my eyes be filled with tears,

but Jesus is a friend who watches day and night;

I go to him in prayer, he knows my every care,

and just a little talk with Jesus makes it right.

Now let us have a little talk with Jesus,

let us tell him all about our troubles,

he will hear our faintest cry,

and he will answer by and by;

now when you feel a little prayer wheel turning,

and you know a little fire is burning,

you will find a little talk with Jesus

makes it right, makes it right

Psalter: Psalm 105:1-11

¹    O give thanks to the Lord, call on God's

name, make known God's deeds among the people!

²    Sing to the Lord, sing praises!

Tell of all God's wonderful works!

³   Glory in God's holy name; let the hearts

of those who seek the Lord rejoice!

⁴   Seek the Lord and his strength;

seek the Lord's presence continually!

⁵    Remember the wonderful works God has

done, the miracles and judgments God has uttered,

⁶    O offspring of Abraham,

God's servant, children of Jacob, God's chosen ones.

⁷    The Lord is our God, whose judgments

are in all the earth.

⁸    The Lord is mindful of his everlasting

covenant, of the word commanded for a thousand generations,

⁹    the covenant made with Abraham,

his promise sworn to Isaac,

¹⁰    and confirmed to Jacob as a statute,

to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying,

¹¹   "To you I will give the land of

Canaan as your portion for an inheritance."

Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

praise him, all creatures here below;

praise him above, ye heavenly host;

praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Amen

Special Music: “Still” Meagan

Prayers of the People: Joys and concerns

   Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer

SENDING FORTH

Hymn: “I Know Whom I Have Believed”

I know not why God’s wondrous grace

to me he hath made known,

nor why, unworthy, Christ in love

redeemed me for his own.

But I know whom I have believed,

and am persuaded that he is able

to keep that which I’ve committed

unto him against that day.

I know not how this saving faith

to me he did impart,

nor how believing in his word

wrought peace within my heart.

But I know whom I have believed,

and am persuaded that he is able

to keep that which I’ve committed

unto him against that day.

I know not how the Spirit moves,

convincing us of sin,

revealing Jesus through the word,

creating faith in him.

But I know whom I have believed,

and am persuaded that he is able

to keep that which I’ve committed

unto him against that day.

I know not when my Lord may come,

at night or noonday fair,

nor if I walk the vale with him,

or meet him in the air.

But I know whom I have believed,

and am persuaded that he is able

to keep that which I’ve committed

unto him against that day.

Benediction