Planting and Nurturing Seeds of Faith

All of the information normally found in our bulletin is below the video. Simply click on "Read More" to load the rest of the bulletin. You can use this to follow the service, as well as to pray our unison prayers. All joys and concerns that we know, as well as our continuing prayer list is within the Joys and Concerns. Announcements can be found at the bottom of this service

Hymn: O Day of Rest and Gladness
 
Call to Worship
​The seeds are spread. On the path and on the rocks and among the thorns they fall. We are here to worship the divinity embedded in creation by our creator. Our God is worthy and our God is gracious. Holy essence, open our hearts and minds that we may be inspired to be the seeds that fell on good soil.

Prayer of Confession
Gracious God, source of wisdom and insight, we know that you see us as we are, and we know how often we try to pretend we are something we are not. We even put others down so we can look better. We stretch the truth of our accomplishments and push off to others our failures. Lord, set us free from pride and arrogance and bring us home. Amen. 

Time of Personal Reflection
 
Assurance of Pardon
In Christ there is no east or west,
In him no south or north,
But one great fellowship of love throughout the whole wide earth.
In Jesus Christ, there is new life.
In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
 
Hymn: How Great Thou Art
 
Apostle's Creed
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
      and born of the virgin Mary.
      Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
      was crucified, dead and buried.
      On the third day he arose 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 living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
      the holy catholic church,
      the communion of saints,
      the forgiveness of sins,
      the resurrection of the body,
      and the life everlasting. Amen.
 
Children's Sermon
 
Prayer of Illumination
 
Scripture Lesson
​Matthew 13:1-23

The Parable of the Sower
13 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”
11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables:
“Though seeing, they do not see;
    though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
    you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
    they hardly hear with their ears,
    and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
    hear with their ears,
    understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’
16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

Sermon: Planting and Nurturing Seeds of Faith
 
Hymn: Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus
 
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Lift up your hearts
We lift them up to the Lord
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God
It is right to give God thanks and praise
 
Church Joys and Concerns
If you have a joy or concern to share that is not listed below, and you feel comfortable doing so, you may share it in the comments.
 
Birthdays
   25  Greg Duntz
   28  Chad Durbin
   29  Frank Baker, Suzy McCkoy
   31 Dawn Miles, Brianna Wilson      

Anniversaries October 25 Hope and Wesley Shumaker

SYMPATHY: The Family of Gaylord Grimes (Becky Phillips brother)
  
Added to the prayer list this week was Helen Wagner (Debbie Mary’s mother) who fell and broke her hip.  Surgery was Thursday.  Shirley Richman (Bob Moore’s sister) had surgery on Wednesday.  Mark Knabenshue (Debbied Durila’s brother) will have surgery on Tuesday the 27th.  Rick McFeeley was taken to Canonsburg Hospital with a swollen leg and unable to walk.  They operated on Thursday putting a drain in his leg and antibiotics drip for infection.  Ricky Amos was life-flighted to a hospital in Pittsburgh after having a heart attack, she is in critical care.    Dick McFeeley fell and is in Allegheny General.  He is Rick McFeeley’s father.

Continued prayers for Roma Grose, Ruth Hampe, Dave Burt, Susan Schively, Jimmy Davis, Judy Donaldson, Margo Johnson, Melissa Pedigo, Aaron Blake, Lisa Phillips, Mickey Gubitti, Chip Rogers, Dixie Avoila, Virginia Coffield,  Dennis McWreath, Chuck Warlow, Chuck Dicks, Randy Moore, Margaret Knabenshue, Janet Schively, Mary Ann Durila, Patty Nagey, Dr. Craig Fox, Karen Eisiminger, Kelley Gump, Mary Ann McFeeley, Ron Westfall, Ed Horne, DonnaWest, June and Keith McGill, Dianna Donaldson, Jessica Duke, Chuck Montecello, April Hincy, 3 yr. old Hayden Dijean, Linda Hatfield, Glenn Miles, Dave Cummings, Ken Jackson, Doug Ward, Jim Colbert, Shirley Richman, Mark Knabenshue, Helen Wagner, Rick McFeeley and Ricky Amos.   

Pastoral Prayer and the Lord's Prayer
 
Hymn: Sweet, Sweet Spirit
 
Charge and Benediction
​

---

We're so happy you decided to join us in worship today.

If you need anything during this time, please contact Pastor Gary or a session member. If you have requests for our prayer chain, contact Linda Miller. If you need food from our food pantry, contact Becky Phillips.