Bulletin – Sunday, August 10, 2025 – Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
Sunday, August 10, 2025
Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
We Gather as People of Faith
Welcome
Announcements
Lighting the Christ Candle
As we light the Christ Candle it is a reminder that each of us and all of us are held in God’s heart and that all are welcome here as we gather in the name of the beloved one.
Call to Worship
One: We gather today as one in the Body of Christ. God, we know you desire to be known to us.
All: As followers of Christ, we find joy and comfort when we gather in your name and we listen for your word and guidance among us.
One: In this time together, we desire to know more fully how to be true followers of your way.
All: Through our fears and laments, our joys and thanksgivings we seek your grace.
One: Oh Loving God, you come to us in unexpected ways, through many voices, in all of creation, and with all we encounter.
All: Let us come seeking to know your ways and embody your wisdom. Let us come trusting you will be made known to us. Amen.
Hymn – “Are You A Shepherd?” (MV #126)
Are you a shepherd, good shepherd who leads us
Safely through danger, while calming our fears?
Are you a father who shelters and feeds us,
Shares in our laughter and wipes away tears?
Yes, you are shepherd, parent and teacher,
But you are greater than all that we know.
Holy and living, loving and giving,
God, you are with us wherever we go.
Are you a mother, good mother who bears us,
Comforts, protects us and helps us to rest?
Are you a teacher who daily prepares us,
Challenging students to offer their best?
Yes, you are shepherd, parent and teacher,
But you are greater than all that we know.
Holy and living, loving and giving,
God, you are with us wherever we go.
Great, gentle shepherd, forever beside us,
Lead all your children in paths that are right.
Great, loving parent, wise teacher, you guide us.
We want to love you and bring you delight.
Yes, you are shepherd, parent and teacher,
But you are greater than all that we know.
Holy and living, loving and giving,
God, you are with us wherever we go.
Prayer of Approach and Confession
Oh Loving Creator, come close and help us to settle ourselves apart from all our concerns, and preoccupations. We come together to focus our attention on your unexpected gifts poured out for us today. We need your renewal and courage to seek justice for all, respond with love, and walk humbly with you in a world that cries out for justice and equity, care and comfort.
Words of Assurance
We know through all our pains, and with all our joys, you are with us. Your spirit emboldens us to become greater servants to others as followers of Christ for the world today. With the peace that is yours, we stand firm even as troubles and concerns may rock us. With dedication and trust we open our hearts to your healing presence now and always. Amen.
Sung Response – “Trust These Words”
Trust these words: you are forgiven!
Through Christ’s mercy, broken hearts can be restored;
Trust these words: you are forgiven!
Live in peace, beloved, know you are adored;
Trust these words, trust these words, trust these words.
Trust these words: we are forgiven!
Through God’s mercy broken lives can be restored;
Trust thee words: we are forgiven!
Live in grace and peace, oh, love and serve the Lord;
Trust these words, trust these words, trust these words.
Trust these words.
A Story for All
We Hear God’s Word
Hymn: “Saviour, Like a Shepherd Lead Us” (VU #356)
Saviour, like a shepherd lead us, much we need your tender care;
In your pleasant pastures feed us, for our use your folds prepare.
Blessed Jesus, gentle shepherd, you have saved us, yours we are.
We are yours, in mercy tend us, be the guardian of our way;
Keep from ill, from sin defend us, seek us when we go astray,
Blessed Jesus, gentle shepherd, hear your children when we pray!
You have promised to receive us, poor and sinful tho’ we be;
You have mercy to relieve us, grace to cleanse and power to free.
Blessed Jesus, gentle shepherd, early let us turn to you.
Early let us seek your favour, early let us do your will;
Blessed Lord and only Saviour, with your love our spirits fill.
Blessed Jesus, gentle shepherd, you have loved us, love us still.
Scripture Reading: Psalm 23
One: 1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;3 he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.
All: 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me.
One: 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
All: 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.
Gospel Reading: Luke 12:32-40
32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
35 “Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; 36 be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. 38 If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.
39 “But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”
May God speak to us through these readings of scripture.
Thanks be to God!
Reflection: “We Watch for You Oh Loving Parent”
Hymn: “I Saw the Rich Ones” (MV #127)
The widow who offered two pennies she’d saved;
And I saw she was smiling and I knew she was glad,
And I wondered because she gave all that she had…
But with God the world is turned upside down;
The poor are embraced and the lost they are found.
Let’s work for a world where all people are free;
Where it’s good to feel good about God loving you and me.
I saw Zaccheus, a sinner they said,
But to his house I saw Jesus go to break bread;
And I knew something special had happened that day
When Zaccheus gave half of his riches away…
But with God the world is turned upside down;
The poor are embraced and the lost they are found.
Let’s work for a world where all people are free;
Where it’s good to feel good about God loving you and me.
The men in the vineyards were grumbling one day;
I knew they weren’t happy with what they’d been paid;
For the ones who came later were paid just the same
As the workers who greeted the dawn when they came…
But with God the world is turned upside down;
The poor are embraced and the lost they are found.
Let’s work for a world where all people are free;
Where it’s good to feel good about God loving you and me.
We Respond to God’s Word
Invitation to Share
Offering Sung Response – “There’s Enough for All”
There’s enough for all if we would learn to share it,
There’s enough for all, oh, help us to believe.
There’s enough for all.
Let’s bring our loaves and fishes, and offer them to Jesus.
There’s more than enough for you and me.
Offering Prayer
Prayers of the People
One: Oh Loving Creator, hear our prayer
All: In you we place our trust and hope
Passing of the Peace
The Prayer Jesus Taught Us:
One: Please join me in praying as Jesus taught us to our Creator who is like.
All: Our Mother and our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
We Go Into God’s World
Hymn – “He Leadeth Me” (VU #657)
He leadeth me; O blessed thought!
O words with heavenly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where’er I be, still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.
He leadeth me! He leadeth me!
By his own hand he leadeth me!
His faithful follower I would be,
For by his hand he leadeth me!
Sometimes ‘mid scenes of deepest gloom,
Sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom,
By waters calm, o’er troubled sea,
Still ’tis his hand that leadeth me.
He leadeth me! He leadeth me!
By his own hand he leadeth me!
His faithful follower I would be,
For by his hand he leadeth me!
Lord, I would clasp thy hand in mine,
Not ever murmur nor repine,
Content, whatever lot I see,
Since ’tis my God that leadeth me.
He leadeth me! He leadeth me!
By his own hand he leadeth me!
His faithful follower I would be,
For by his hand he leadeth me!
And when my task on earth is done,
When by thy grace they victory’s won,
even death’s cold wave I will not flee,
Since God through Jordan leadeth me.
He leadeth me! He leadeth me!
By his own hand he leadeth me!
His faithful follower I would be,
For by his hand he leadeth me!
Commissioning
Go forward this day, ready to find God in the world, in small and surprising place; willing and open to see God at work, in unexpected ways; eager to serve as co-creators with God in the kingdom of heaven on earth, attentive to those God calls us to love. Willing to seek justice and equity for all.
Benediction
May the God of love be shown to us through the encounters with those we meet. May the spirit of the Risen Christ strengthen us to speak truth to power in love. May the spirit of wisdom lead us on the road we are meant to travel walking humbly with our God. Amen.
Sung Response – “May the Peace of Christ”
May the peace of Christ be with you,
May the love of God dwell deep in your heart.
May the Spirit enlighten your way.
May you walk in the comfort of God’s care.
