Christ’s Reformed Church – United Church of Christ

~ growing people of faith who live in Jesus, love one another and bear abundant fruit ~

July 30, 2023

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

PRELUDE

CALL TO WORSHIP
Creator of the Cosmos, who knows what the kin-dom of God is like, but also remembers what it was like
before.
Before creation and kin-doms, before mustard seeds and fine pearls, before yeast and bakers to make
bread.

So, you know what it is like to long for them, to imagine them into being,
And it is from this longing for your kin-dom and for you that we enter our worship.

Yes, come, let us praise and pray to our God of promise.

Let us rejoice in the Good News together—how nothing can separate us from the presence of God.
Amen.

INVOCATION
O Spirit, who helps us in our struggles, and teaches us how to pray when we don’t know what to say or
how to feel, we call on you from a sigh too deep for words. Within that sigh, we wonder, we question,
and we hope that all things do, indeed, work together for your good. And in this experience of being
here together, in this time set apart to be side by side in community, we are reminded how connected
we already are. Let us open ourselves to your presence here. Let us seek first, the kin-dom of God, and
in our searching, may we be found by you, Beloved, the One who searches for us first. Amen.
HYMN OF PRAISE This Is the Day (See Attachment)
The Old Rugged Cross

PRAYER RESPONSE Sanctuary (See Below or Attachment)

Lord prepare me to be a sanctuary, Pure and holy tried and true
With thanksgiving, I'll be a living Sanctuary for You

OLDER TESTAMENT 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 weak,[a] but 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 his love 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.

GOSPEL LESSON 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 a man found and reburied; 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 become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who
brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

The word of God for the people of God.

Thanks be to God

HOMILY Rev. Mary Jane Norville

 *HYMN OF RESPONSE Pass It On (See Attachment)

OFFERING

*Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise God all creatures here below
Praise God for all that love has done; Creator, Christ, and Spirit, One. Amen.

*Prayer of Dedication for Offering

Like the net that was thrown into the sea and brought in fish of every kind, we celebrate the multitude
and diversity of gifts that have been shared here today. May God bless these treasures with the
abundance of Christ’s love and passion to embody justice in our world. Amen.

*HYMN OF SENDING Shine Jesus Shine (See Attachment)

*BENEDICTION
May the Kin-dom of Abundance and Multiplicity be with you. May it be among you. May it live and move
and have its dwelling within you. And may we take the love we’ve found, our inseparable bond with the
Creator, and bring it into fullness out in our world. Amen.

*BENEDICTION SONG Halle, Halle, Halleluja (See Attachment)

Halle, Halle, Halleluja (sung 4x’s)

POSTLUDE

*Please stand if you would like.

Please lift the people below in your prayers.

Bill & Ella Andrews

Paul & Becky Corderman
Geraldine Cromer
Kathy Fisher
Francis Gross, Sr. Family
Web Harbaugh
Larry Hoeck
Sue Kessler (Mother of John Kessler)
Lois Kirk Family
Dave Kolenc (Betty Spessard's Cousin)
Kristi Lawson (Daughter of Martin & Kathy Fisher)
Janie Neff (Mother-In-Law of Debbie Eichelberger)
Ginger Nichols
Kimberly Palmer (Sister of Stephanie Seward)
Fran Paris
Georgia Price (Friend of Cheryl Wilson)
Traci L. Ross (Friend of Jackie P. & Becky L.)
Doris Stanley
Tammy Swope (Friend of Cheryl Wilson)
Linda VanMetre
 Welcome to our Guests: We gather to praise “the
Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
(John 1:29). Because of Jesus, you can be at peace in
the assurance of God’s forgiveness and love.
Welcome to worship!! If you have come as a visitor,
we hope that you’ll leave as a friend who’s been
blessed by worshiping in this house of God. We look
forward to seeing you again.
August 6 Tenth Sunday after Pentecost w/Communion
August 9 11 AM Lectionary
August 10 6:30 PM Consistory Meeting
August 12 9:00 AM - Music Room Clean up
August 12 10:00-12:00 School Supply Sorting
August 13 Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost/HARC Aces Presentation
August 16 11 AM Lectionary
August 20 Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost at Park w/Brunch Potluck -Back to School
August 23 11 AM Lectionary
August 27 Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
August 28 7 PM ATS Meeting
August 30 11 AM Lectionary
September 2 8:30 AM Women’s Fellowship Breakfast (in person)
September 3 Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost w/Communion
September 4 Labor Day – Office Closed
September 6 11 AM Lectionary
Liturgist: Kayden McCauley
Altar Preparation:
Flower Deliverers Jackie Plume
Ushers: Jim Morris, Bob Barkdoll, Steve Lohr, Faye Metz
Financials for June 2023 YTD Jan-June 2023
Offerings $ 9,400.92 Offering $ 59,887.69
ATS Repayment $ 0 ATS Repayment $0
Endowment Interest $ 25,000.00 Endowment Interest $ 80,000.00
Expenses $ 22,579.19 Expenses $138,720.60
Net Profit/Loss $ 11,821.73 Net Profit/Loss $ 1,167.09
Christ's Reformed Church Church Staff
Phone No: 301-733-4144 Margaret Bussard – Custodian
Fax No. 301-733-4145 Thomas Greenawalt - Technology Support
Church General email: Larry Hoeck - Consistory President
crc1854@myactv.net Rev. Mary Jane Norville - Sr. Minister
Website: www.crcucc.org Cheryl Wilson - AA/Organist
Morning Worship 9:30 am Charlotte Trout – ATS Board President
YouTube: CRC Christ’s Reformed Church