Dear CCCV Friends in Christ,
Grace and peace to you on this day. You are welcome to join us for worship on Sunday at 9:30 AM as Pastor Liz live streams. Below are your worship materials and link to the video. Blessings!
Order of Worship for July 26, 2020
Eighth Sunday After Pentecost
On-line Worship Service
Community Congregational Church, UCC
P.O. Box 5574 Chula Vista, CA 91910
www.chulavistachurch.com
Call To Worship (Based on Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52)
Pastor: The kingdom of heaven is like:
People: A tiny mustard seed that carries the life of a tree
Pastor: The kingdom of heaven is like:
People: A tiny portion of yeast that makes bread rise
Pastor: The kingdom of heaven is like:
People: A tiny pearl of great price
that we would give all our “stuff” to have
Pastor: The kingdom of heaven is like:
People: A fishing boat filled with catch—good and bad together—
With fisherfolk wise to recognize the good.
Prayer of Invocation (in unison)
(Please note- the word “kin-dom” is intentionally spelled that way.)
Holy One,
you call us to find your kin-dom
already hidden in our world—
in tiny, transforming possibilities;
in beauty that calls us to surrender all;
in complicated choices that call for wisdom.
Reveal yourself here in this moment
And heighten our senses that we may find you
And join you in building this kin-dom of love, and hope, and peace.
In the name of the One who calls us to seek,
Jesus, the Christ. Amen.
Opening Hymn of Praise “Open My Eyes That I May See” (Red, #486, vrs. 1,2,3)
Open my eyes that I may see
Glimpses of truth You have for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key that shall unlock and set me free.
Silently now I wait for You, ready my God, your will to do;
Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine!
Open my years, that I may hear voices of truth so sharp and clear;
And while the message sounds in my ear, everything else will disappear.
Silently now I wait for You, ready, my God, your will to do;
Open my ears, illumine me, Spirit divine!
Open my mouth, let me declare words of assurance everywhere;
Open my heart and let me prepare your loving kindnesses to share.
Silently now I wait for You, ready my God, your will to do;
Open my heart, illumine me, Spirit divine!
Prayers of the People and Lord’s Prayer
Scripture Reading 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[a] 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.”
Special Music “Through It All” By Lionel Jasmin
Sermon “Parables for Today”
Closing Hymn “Be Though My Vision” (NCH, #451; vrs. 1,2,4)
Be now my vision, O God of my heart;
Nothing surpasses the love you impart
You my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, your presence my light.
Be now my wisdom, and be my true word;
Ever within me, my soul is assured;
Mother and Father, you are both to me,
Now and forever your child I will be.
Sovereign of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever be fall,
Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
Announcements
While we may still be separated by distance, we continue united in Christ’s love. We thank you for your continued service to God through our offering. Please send in your pledges and offerings to our new mailing address: P.O. Box 5574 Chula Vista, CA 91912. Thank you.
Our Church Council has a meeting today at 11 a.m. Please pray for continued wisdom and guidance as we move forward, together. If you are on Council and did not receive the zoom link for it please contact Moderator Mike Bishop asap.
Prayer Time resumes THIS Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. Pastor Liz will go back to leading this time live (instead of zoom). Please go to www.facebook.live/chulavistUCC to watch. Please type in prayer requests as needed.
Please look for a special email this coming week with times for you to sign up for conversation/check-in with Pastor Liz via any of the following on-line platforms: zoom, face-time, skype or messenger.
Benediction
Note: The Call to Worship and Prayer of Invocation were written by the Rev. Susan A. Blain, Minister for Worship and Gospel Arts, Faith INFO Ministry Team, UCC. Copyright 2020 (Used with permission by Local Church Ministries, Faith INFO Ministry Team, United Church of Christ, 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115-1100.)