August 11th, 2024

12th Sunday after Pentecost

Find this service at www.graceunitedthornbury.ca/live

Leading us today in Worship:
Worship Leader: Ingrid Remkins
Music Director: Dr. Christopher Burton
Lay Leader: Jim Dolmer

Leader: regular font ~ All: bold font ~ Sung words: bold italics.
Asterisk * Indicates when the congregation may stand if able.

We Gather 

PRELUDE
Selections from “Little Preludes” - J.S. Bach

GREETING (2 Cor. 13:13)
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all!
And also with you!

The CHRIST CANDLE
The light of Christ is with us always!
The light of Christ is in this place!
The light of Christ fills us with hope and courage
and gives us strength for the journey ahead!
(the candle is lit)
Thanks be to God for the light of Christ!

WELCOME & INTRODUCTION

OUR COMMITMENT to SAFE SPACE & ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of the LAND
We believe all people are made in the image of God and are entitled to dignity and respect.  At Grace United Church we try to offer a safer, inclusive and generous space for all who are seeking a faith community.  We offer full participation of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, all races, ages and abilities in the life and work of the ministry.
Grace United Church is situated on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabek, Petun, Huron-Wendat, and Mississauga peoples, located within the boundary of the region of Treaty 18 of 1818. We humbly acknowledge the First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples of Canada as traditional stewards of the land on which we work and worship and are committed to working actively toward genuine restitution and reconciliation.

CALL to WORSHIP
We are old. We are young… at heart.
We are in-between.
There are those of us who have been coming for years.
There are those who are just new.
But we are here.
We are curious. We come with questions.
We are witnesses. And we are participants.
We carry our stories. Silently and out loud.
Precious words and hurting words…
Sacred memories and troublesome memories are carried by each and every one of us.
We are part of the unfolding tale of that which makes us human.
Peel away the layers that we show the world, God’s kinship glimmers here.
We are God’s children.
And so we come…
We come together. We come to hear stories. We come to share stories. We come.
Come, let us worship.

OPENING PRAYER
Holy One, Holy Mystery, Wholly Love,
In worship and wonder, in plays and playing,
By sharing and caring…
May your Holy Spirit move through us.
In hugging and healing,
Through laughter and longing,
In tales and tears,
May your Holy Spirit move through us.
By listening and loving,
In stillness and silence, in gardens and gatherings,
May your Holy Spirit move through us.
In stories and song,
By praying and praising, in lunching and lounging,
May your Holy Spirit move through us.
And remind us we are your children.
In the name of the One who teaches and heals by telling us stories and hearing our stories, we pray. Amen.

*HYMN: VU #415
“God, We Praise you for the Morning”

1. God, we praise you for the morning;
hope springs forth with each new day,
new beginning, prayer, and promise,
joy in work and in play.

2. God, we praise you for creation,
mountains, seas, and prairie land.
Waking souls find joy and healing
in your bountiful hand.

3. God, we praise you for compassion,
all the loving that you show;
human touching, tears, and laughter,
help your children to grow.

4. God, we praise you for your Spirit,
Comforter and daily friend,
restless searcher, gentle teacher,
strength and courage you send.

5. God, we praise you for the Saviour,
come that we may know your ways.
In his loving, dying, rising,
Christ is Lord of our days.

6. Hallelujah, hallelujah,
hallelujah, hallelujah!
Hallelujah, hallelujah!
Christ is Lord of our days!

PRAYER for WHOLENESS
God who has created and is creating. God, keeper of our stories. Who listens. And would have us listen. To You. And to each other. Tho’ we know in our hearts, each one of us has our story, and loved by You, still we suppress their telling. And so, we suppress You. At our own expense, we stop listening.
Help us to keep our ears, our eyes, our very hearts, open. So that together, we might heal. In faith, we pray. Amen.

WORDS of ASSURANCE

We Listen

PRAYER for ILLUMINATION
Let grace, let love, let hope flow through your word to us, O God. Let new life and possibility jump from the page.
Let the word we need to hear leap into our hearts.
Let your word transform us today and always. Amen.

SCRIPTURE READINGS
Psalm 78   VU #792 (Psalm is responsive)

Refrain:
We will tell generations of the wonders God has done.

Part One (1-7)
Give heed to my teaching, O my people,
turn your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable;
I will reveal the hidden meaning of things in the past.
What we have heard and known,
what our parents have told us,
we will not hide from their grandchildren,
but declare to the next generation
the testimony that you gave to Jacob
and the law you appointed in Israel,
which you commanded them to teach their children,
that the next generation might know them,
children yet unborn,
and these in turn should arise, and tell their children,
that they should put their trust in you,
and not forget your great deeds,
but keep all your commandments.   
Refrain:
We will tell generations of the wonders God has done.

Part Two (12-16)
Marvellous things you did in the sight of our ancestors,
in the land of Egypt, in the plain of Zoan.
You divided the sea and let them go through,
and made the waters stand up like a wall.
By day you led with a cloud,
and all the night long with a beacon of fire.
You split rocks in the wilderness,
and gave drink in plenty as from the great deep.
You brought streams out of the rock,
and made water run down like rivers.  
Refrain:
We will tell generations of the wonders God has done.

Matthew 13: 1-9 & 34-35
(New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition)
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.  Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach.  And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow.  And as he sowed, some seeds fell on a path, and the birds came and ate them up.  Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil.  But when the sun rose, they were scorched, and since they had no root, they withered away.  Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.  Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.  If you have ears, hear!”
Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing.  This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet:
“I will open my mouth to speak in parables;
  I will proclaim what has been hidden since the foundation.”

RESPONSE
The word of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God.

INTERLUDE
Improvisation on a Hymn - C. Burton

PRAYER OF PREPARATION

MESSAGE:  “Our Stories”

*HYMN:  VU # 595
“We Are Pilgrims”

1. We are pilgrims on a journey,
fellow travellers on the road;
we are here to help each other
walk the mile and bear the load.

2. Sister, let me be your servant,
let me be as Christ to you;
pray that I may have the grace to
let you be my servant too.

3. I will hold the Christ-light for you
in the night-time of your fear;
I will hold my hand out to you,
speak the peace you long to hear.

4. I will weep when you are weeping,
when you laugh I’ll laugh with you;
I will share your joy and sorrow,
till we’ve seen this journey through.

5. When we sing to God in heaven,
we shall find such harmony,
born of all we’ve known together
of Christ’s love and agony.

6. Brother, let me be your servant,
let me be as Christ to you;
pray that I may have the grace to
let you be my servant too.

We Respond 

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

THE LORD’S PRAYER (VU 910)
As a child turns to a loving caregiver who watches over them, we turn in prayer to you O God, our heavenly parent..
Our Father, who art in Heaven…

PASSING THE PEACE OF CHRIST
The Peace of Christ be with you. 
And also with you.

MUSIC for PASSING the PEACE
Improvisation on a Hymn - C. Burton

INVITATION to the OFFERING 

PRAYER OF DEDICATION OF GIFTS AND SELF
Nurturing God, we are gathered as your family of faith, diverse and difficult, wondering and wonderful, challenged and challenging. Bless the gifts we offer this morning that they may do the work of your shalom. That our beating hearts may join with our human and creature family everywhere.
In the name of the One who continues to show us the Way, Amen.

Donate online:   www.graceunitedthornbury.ca,  select “Give” 
     or contact the office by email: accounting@graceunitedthornbury.ca
     or  phone: 519-599-2438 to arrange a cheque pick-up, or an e-transfer.
     Mail: Grace UC, 140 Bruce St. S. PO Box 219, Thornbury, ON N0H 2P0
     or  Offering Plate at the back of the sanctuary.

Tap your debit card at the door of the church, or donate to Grace United Church through CanadaHelps.org.   Our account is set up with them now and it is easy to register.  Tax receipts are given automatically at the time of giving.                             

Care, Prayer, Share

What’s Up at Grace?

We Go Out 

*HYMN: VU #299
“Teach Me God to Wonder “

1. Teach me, God, to wonder, teach me, God, to see;
let your world of beauty capture me.
Praise to you be given, love for you be lived,
life be celebrated, joy you give.

2. Let me, God, be open, let me loving be;
let your world of people speak to me.
Praise to you be given, love for you be lived,
life be celebrated, joy you give.

3. Let me, God, be ready, let me be awake,
in your world of loving my place take.
Praise to you be given, love for you be lived,
life be celebrated, joy you give.

4. Teach me, God, to know you, hear you when you speak,
see you in my neighbour when we meet.
Praise to you be given, love for you be lived,
life be celebrated, joy you give.

*COMMISSIONING and BENEDICTION

*SUNG BLESSING:  VU #298
“When You Walk from Here”

When you walk from here,
when you walk from here,
walk with justice, walk with mercy,
and with God’s humble care

POSTLUDE
“Sonata Opus 10 No 1  1st Mov’t” - L. van Beethoven

*****

LITURGY SOURCES: The following are used with permission: