TO OUR GUESTS, we extend a warm welcome. We invite you to participate in signing our Friendship Folder, adding your address and phone number if you'd like to receive our church newsletter or a pastoral call. When we pray the Lord's Prayer at Bethel, we say "sins...sin against us" rather than "debts..." or "trespasses..."; during "a time for sharing" we welcome prayer requests from the congregation. On first Sundays each month, all who put their trust in Christ and who have received baptism in any Christian church are invited to share his sacred meal. We are glad you are with us. Please come again.

The Service For The Lord’s Day
Bethel Presbyterian Church
Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
July 3, 2005

GREETING, WORDS OF WELCOME, RITUAL OF FRIENDSHIP AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Worship the Lord with gladness.

And enter the Lord’s presence with songs of joy.

PRELUDE   

CALL TO WORSHIP

Let us rejoice together in the God of justice and righteousness.

Let us sing a new song to God, making melody with strings and voices.

How happy is the nation who trusts in God!

How happy are those who hope in God’s holy name!

A ruler is not saved by a great army; a warrior is not delivered by great strength.

Stockpiles of weapons are powerless to win peace.

But God is faithful to the reverent, whose hope is in God’s steadfast love.

We wait for God, our help and shield. Let your steadfast love, O God, be upon us, even as we hope in you. Amen.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

*HYMN #423   Jesus Shall Reign Where’er the Sun   Duke Street

*CALL TO CONFESSION

*UNISON CONFESSION OF SIN

God our Father: you led our ancestors to this land, and, out of conflict, created in us a love of peace and liberty. We have failed you by neglecting rights and restricting freedoms. Forgive pride that overlooks national wrong, or justifies injustice. Forgive divisions caused by prejudice or greed. Have mercy, God, on the heart of this land. Make us compassionate, fair, and helpful to each other. Raise up in us a right patriotism, that sees and seeks this nation’s good; through Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.

*ASSURANCE OF PARDON

Hear good news!

God has forgiven each one of us and calls us to take our parts in the drama of redeeming love.

Praise God, who accepts and uses our very human lives in the unfolding story of salvation and new life! Thanks be to God! In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!

*CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE   Gloria Patri   Hymn #579

SPECIAL MUSIC   Songs Our Grandparents Sang . . . Michener Family
                              (Feel free to sing along!)

SCRIPTURE READING   Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

SERMON   Minding Our Own Business   Rev. Marc Sherrod, ThD

*HYMN #551   Come, Ye Thankful People, Come St.   George’s Windsor

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH – Apostle’s Creed (Traditional)   Hymnal Page #14

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

DEDICATION OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS

*DOXOLOGY   Hymn #592

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.

THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION

*HYMN #560 (vs. 1 & 2)   We Plow the Fields and Scatter   Nyland

INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE

GREAT THANKSGIVING AND THE LORD’S PRAYER

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.

Blessed are you, strong and faithful God. All your works, the height and the depth, echo the silent music of your praise. In the beginning your Word summoned light, night withdrew, and creation dawned. As ages passed unseen, waters gathered on the face of the earth and life appeared. When the times at last had ripened and the earth grown full in abundance, you created in your image man and woman, the stewards of all creation.You gave us breath and speech, that all the living might find a voice to sing your praise, and to celebrate the creation you call good. So now, with all the powers of heaven and earth, we sing the ageless hymn of your glory:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

All holy God, how wonderful is the work of your hands! When sin had scarred the world, you entered into covenant to renew the whole creation. As a mother tenderly gathers her children, as a father joyfully welcomes his own, you embraced a people as your own and filled them with longing for a peace that would last and for a justice that would never fail. Through countless generations your people hungered for the bread of freedom. From them you raised up Jesus, your Son, the living bread, in whom ancient hungers are satisfied. He healed the sick, though he himself would suffer; he offered life to sinners, though death would hunt him down. But with a love stronger than death, he opened wide his arms and surrendered his spirit. On the night before he met with death, Jesus came to the table with those he loved. He took bread and praised you, God of all creation. He broke the bread among his disciples and said: Take this, all of you, and eat it. This is my body, given for you. When the supper was ended, he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to you, God of all creation. He passed the cup among his disciples and said: Take this, all of you, and drink from it. This is the cup of the new covenant sealed in my blood for the forgiveness of sin. Do this in remembrance of me. Gracious God, as we offer you our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, we commemorate Jesus, your Son. Death could not bind him, for you raised him up in the Spirit of holiness and exalted him as Lord of creation. Great is the mystery of faith:

Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

Eternal God, let your Holy Spirit move in power over us and over these earthly gifts of bread and wine, that they may be the communion of the body and blood of Christ, and that we may become one in him. May his coming in glory find us ever watchful in prayer, strong in truth and love, and faithful in the breaking of the bread. Then, at last, all peoples will be free, all divisions healed, and with your whole creation, we will sing your praise, through your Son, Jesus Christ. Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor are yours, almighty Father, forever and ever. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

COMMUNION OF THE PEOPLE

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

*HYMN #560 (vs. 3) We Plow the Fields and Scatter Nyland

*CHARGE AND BLESSING

*CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE God Be with You Till We Meet Again Hymn #540

*POSTLUDE

A Special Thank You

The Liturgist today is Frank Harris.

The Ushers are Bill & Marianne Shadden.

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