Cashmere Hills Presbyterian Church
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Cashmere Hills Presbyterian Church Minister The Rev David Coster BA, BTh. Church Office: 2 Macmillan Avenue Cashmere Telephone 332 7129 Website: www.cashmerechurch.org.nz Mission Statement Cashmere Hills Presbyterian Church will make the life and teachings of Jesus Christ known and will share in God’s loving purposes of truth, justice, peace and wholeness for all people and the world. Sunday 10 th July 2011 Pentecost 4~Family Service A very warm welcome to you all, whether this is your first time or thousandth time in church. You are welcome whatever your age, gender, marital status, disability, poverty or wealth, race or sexuality. You are welcome whether you have a deep and mature faith in Christ; are uncertain and still seeking; or have no faith. If you are new to church, please do not hesitate to ask one of those on duty if you have any questions. You are invited to stay for Morning Tea, which will be served in the Lounge after the service. Lectionary Readings set down for today: Genesis 25: 19-34; Psalm 119: 105- 112; Romans 8: 1-11; Matthew 13: 1-9, 18-23. A Story! A man moved into a house that had been empty for months, and the garden was horribly overgrown and a shambles. But he got busy and in weeks he had transformed the place, so that there were beautiful flowers, lovely shrubs and tidy lawns – a real picture. He was working in it one day when the Minister went past, and he stopped and complimented the man. The man then began to brag that he had done this and he had done that, till the Minister thought he needed taking down a peg or two. So he said that it was God who created the flowers and the trees, so it was God who really was responsible for the change in the garden. “That may well be,” said the man, “but you should have seen the place when the Lord had it all to himself!” We are partners with God in helping make the world a better place. Ivan Pierce Freewill Offerings cards for the offering plate, for those who offer by way of automatic payment, are at the entrance to the Church. 1 Order of Worship (Congregational responses are printed in bold italics) Welcome Candle Lighting APPROACH TO GOD From Psalm 119: 105-112: Lord your word is a lamp to guide me, and a light for my path. I will keep my solemn promise and obey your instructions. My sufferings Lord can be awful – keep me alive as you have promised. Accept my prayer of thanks O Lord, and teach me your commands. Your commands are my eternal possession, and the joy of my heart. I will keep them until the day I die. Hymn 102: Come Children Join To Sing Hallelujah. Greeting: May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you, with all whom you love, and with all whom you pray for here this day. And may the grace and peace of our Lord be with you also. Prayer: Most loving and wonderful God we praise you, we worship you, we thank you for everything you have given us. We thank you for life itself and for everything that makes life worth living – for the things we like to do, the things we like to eat, and especially for the people who love us and care for us. But as we say thank-you now, we know that we do not always show it in the way we live our lives. We are sorry as we remember the wrong things we have done, the things we should not have said, and the ways we have hurt other people. Forgive us for everything that is not right in our lives, and with the aid of your Holy Spirit, help us change the way we are, that we might live more like Jesus, so that we are living as him in the world about us. Help us to do that, our Lord. Now we sum up our prayers as we sing together the prayer that Jesus taught us (676) Our Father…. 2 Greeting each other: May the peace of Christ be with you (or) God loves you and I love you too. Notices: (Vivienne Boyd) Recognising Birthdays and Anniversaries: Hymn: If I Were A Butterfly 1. If I were a butterfly, I’d thank you, Lord, for giving me wings; and if I were a robin in a tree, I’d thank you, Lord that I could sing; and if I were a fish in the sea, I’d wiggle my tail and I’d giggle with glee, but I just thank you, Father, for making me “me”. Refrain: For you gave me a heart and you gave me a smile, you gave me Jesus and you made me your child, and I just thank you, Father, for making me “me”. 2. If I were an elephant. I’d thank you, Lord, by raising my trunk; and if I were a kangaroo, you know I’d hop right up to you; and if I were an octopus, I’d thank you, Lord, for my fine looks, but I just thank you, Father, for making me “me”. Refrain: 3. If I were a wiggly worm, I’d thank you, Lord, that I could squirm; and if I were a crocodile, I’d thank you, Lord, for my big smile; and if I were a fuzzy-wuzzy bear, I’d thank you, Lord, for my fuzzy-wuzzy hair, but I just thank you, Father, for making me “me”. Refrain: 4. If I were a busy bee I’d buzz among the flowers very thankfully, I’d suck sweet nectar from each one, I’d share their yellow pollen from my tum. They’d thank you, Lord, that they would thrive, And I’d thank you, Lord, for honey in my hive, But I just thank you, Father, for making me ‘me’. Refrain: Words & music: Brian Howard Reproduced with permission under licence #604819 LicenSing Online 3 LISTENING FOR GOD SPEAKING TO US Time with the Children: Oysters! Hymn: It’s a world of sunshine 1. It’s a world of sunshine, a world of rain; it’s a world of laughter, a world of pain; it’s a world we must share, where we must learn to care, for the world belongs to God. This is God’s world after all, this is God’s world after all, this is God’s world after all. Yes, it’s God’s good world. 2. It’s a world of plenty, a world of need; it’s a world of love, and a world of greed; it’s a world we must share, where we must learn to care, for the world belongs to God. 3. It’s a world of water, a world of drought; it’s a world of faith, and a world of doubt; it’s a world we must share, where we must learn to care, for the world belongs to God. Iain D. Cunningham (b. 1954) Reproduced with permission under license #604819 LicenSingOnline Reading: Matthew 13: 1-9 Homily: God’s seed growing in us. WE RESPOND TO GOD Song: For the fruits of all creation 1. For the fruits of all creation, thanks be to God. For his gifts to every nation, thanks be to God. For the ploughing, sowing, reaping, silent growth while we are sleeping, future needs in earth’s safe keeping, thanks be to God. 4 2. In the just reward of labour, God’s will is done. In the help we give our neighbour, God’s will is done. In our world-wide task of caring, for the hungry and despairing, in the harvests we are sharing, God’s will is done. 3. For the harvests of the Spirit, thanks be to God. For the good we all inherit, thanks be to God. For the wonders that astound us, for the truths that still confound us, most of all, that love has found us, thanks be to God. Words: Fred Pratt Green, 1970 Reproduced with permission under Licence #604819 LiceSingOnline Offering and Dedication: Let us pray together: Loving God we bring you this money to help bring your love and friendship with you to people in our Parish and beyond our shores. May it help needy people who live in our city, and help Alvin our adopted child through World Vision. We also offer these groceries to help feed those who do not have enough money to buy what they need. Help us Lord to do what we can on your behalf to help others, and to bring love faith and cheer into their lives. Amen. Prayers of the People: (Prayer Request Book) Hymn 148: Love Divine All Loves Excelling (Tune Blaenwern 165ii) Benediction (Sung Amen) 5 After-Church Lunch today A ‘SOUP & ROLLS’ lunch will be held after the Family Service today. Everyone is welcome to stay for fellowship, and to enjoy a range of lovely hot soups to warm the heart on a cold winter day. A cup for the soup would be helpful and a koha/donation gratefully accepted. Church Fair The Church Fair will be held this year on Saturday 1st October . It will be a White Elephant sale only, so that we just use the hall area. However we expect more surplus goods than usual. If you are moving house, or simply getting rid of stuff you don't need, it would be great if you could store it until the last week of September, otherwise please contact Leith (337 2008) for an arrangement to store your contributions.