Welcome to St. Paul s Wherever you are on your spiritual journey, we invite you to join our growing community as we learn to follow Jesus together. Pentecost IX July 22, 2018 9:30 a.m.
Preacher: Sandra Seaborn Sermon Series: Roots in Eternity the bridge Welcome Children & Youth Come join our Children s Ministry Summer Program upstairs in Cody Hall. We have fun and learning in a safe environment for children ages 3-10. Our staff will care for your baby in our Nursery & Toddler Room. Come up and explore! New friends are always welcome! There is no Youth Group Today. Any youth present are welcome to stay in church today. Assistive Hearing Devices Assistive Hearing Devices are available to those who would benefit from them. Please ask a greeter for assistance. They would be glad to help. Be considerate of those who are sensitive to fragrance chemicals. Please avoid using scented products. 2
Welcome Call to Worship based on Psalm 36 Your love is as high as the heavens, O God; your faithfulness soars through the skies. Your righteousness reaches the towering peaks; your justice the depths of the sea. We shelter beneath your wings; we feast on the food you provide. We open our eyes to drink in your goodness; for you are the source of all life, and because of your light we see light. Song Spirit of Heaven Spirit of Heaven, flood over me, forming Christ in all that I do. Turn every sinful desire in me into holy passion for You. Refrain: O, Spirit of God, come down, Let mercy and grace abound. My passionate prayer shall be: Christ in me. Spirit of beauty and holiness, Come refine with fire from above, Till I am cast in Your righteousness And I love the things that you love. O, Spirit of God Breathe Your forgiveness when darkness falls, And my heart is heavy with sin. Fill me with faith for the higher cause of the ceaseless praise of the King. O, Spirit of God 3
Song All Praise to Him All praise to Him the God of light Who formed the mountains by His might All praise to Him Who names the stars That sing His fame in skies afar All praise to Him Who reigns in love Who guides the galaxies above Yet bends to hear our every prayer With sovereign power and tender care All praise to Him Whose love is seen In Christ the Son the servant King Who left behind His glorious throne To pay the ransom for His own All praise to Him Who humbly came To bear our sorrow sin and shame Who lived to die Who died to rise The all-sufficient sacrifice All praise to Him whose power imparts The love of God within our hearts The Spirit of all truth and peace The fount of joy and holiness To Father Son and Spirit now Our souls we lift our wills we bow To You the Triune God we raise With loving hearts our song of praise The Word Isaiah 5: 1-4 1 Now I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a rich and fertile hill. 2 He plowed the land, cleared its stones, and planted it with the best vines. 4
Reader: In the middle he built a watchtower and carved a winepress in the nearby rocks. Then he waited for a harvest of sweet grapes, but the grapes that grew were bitter. 3 Now, you people of Jerusalem and Judah, you judge between me and my vineyard. 4 What more could I have done for my vineyard that I have not already done? When I expected sweet grapes, why did my vineyard give me bitter grapes? This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Luke 13: 6-9 Reader: The Message 6 Then Jesus told this story: A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. 7 Finally, he said to his gardener, I ve waited three years, and there hasn t been a single fig! Cut it down. It s just taking up space in the garden. 8 The gardener answered, Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. 9 If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down. This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Sandra Seaborn You can also listen to the sermon again online at stpaulsbloor.org. 5
The Offertory The Offertory provides an opportunity to regularly contribute to the work of God, as expressed through St Paul s. Our Vision is, by the power and grace of Jesus Christ, to be a transformative community for the city. As followers of Jesus we have the privilege to participate in and stewardship responsibility to support God s Kingdom ministry through the local church. You can give by: putting contributions in the offering plate that is passed around, setting up preauthorized giving, or giving online using either our website or app. Thank you for your generosity. Song Praise My Soul the King of Heaven Praise my soul the King of heaven To His feet thy tribute bring Ransomed healed restored forgiven Who like thee His praise should sing Praise Him Praise Him Praise Him Praise Him Praise the everlasting King Father-like He tends and spares us Well our feeble frame He knows In His hands He gently bears us Rescues us from all our foes Praise Him Praise Him Praise Him Praise Him Widely as His mercy flows Angels in the height adore Him We behold Him face to face Sun and moon bow down before Him Dwellers all in time and space Praise Him Praise Him Praise Him Praise Him Praise with us the God of grace 6
Offertory Prayer God you are eternally blessed, and possess all things in heaven and on earth. All things come from you, and we give back to you from what you have so generously given us. Amen. What We Believe Do you believe and trust in God the Father? I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. Do you believe and trust in his Son Jesus Christ? I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead. Do you believe and trust in the Holy Spirit? 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. Prayers for the World, the Church, Ourselves The Lord s Prayer 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, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. 7
The Confession Most merciful Father, we have sinned and are guilty before you. Forgive us for deception and untruthfulness in our dealings with others. Forgive us in our glances and imagination; for pining after more comfort, status, beauty and wealth than you have given us. Forgive us for our hard-heartedness toward you and our neighbours; for our pride and self-absorption; and above all, for doubting your love for us. We thank you for your mercy and the grace to amend our lives, and we ask for your Spirit to transform us into your likeness. Amen. May Almighty God, whose steadfast love is as great as the heavens are high above the earth, remove your sins from you, as far as the east is from the west, strengthen your life in his kingdom, and keep you upright to the last day; through Jesus Christ our merciful Lord. Amen. The Eucharistic Prayer The Lord is here. Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. 8 Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give thanks and praise. It is right to praise you, Father, Lord of all creation; in your love you made us for yourself. When we turned away you did not reject us, but came to meet us in your Son. You embraced us as your children and welcomed us to sit and eat with you. In Christ you shared our life that we might live in him and he in us. He opened his arms of love upon the cross and made for all the perfect sacrifice for sin. On the night he was betrayed, at supper with his friends he took bread, and gave you thanks; he broke it and gave it to them, saying:
Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me. Father, we do this in remembrance of him: his body is the bread of life. At the end of supper, taking the cup of wine, he gave you thanks, and said: Drink this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins; do this in remembrance of me. Father, we do this in remembrance of him: his blood is shed for all. As we proclaim his death and celebrate his rising in glory, send your Holy Spirit that this bread and this wine may be to us the body and blood of your dear Son. As we eat and drink these holy gifts make us one in Christ, our risen Lord. The Communion All who are baptized in any Christian Church and seek to follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour may receive the bread and the wine. To receive the bread, hold out your hands, crossed with palms up To receive the wine, hold the bottom of the cup and guide it to your mouth If you prefer to receive a blessing, please indicate this by crossing your arms over your chest. For health reasons, dipping the bread in the wine is not permitted. If you require gluten-free wafers, please let an administrant know. Song Lord I Need You Lord, I come, I confess, Bowing here I find my rest Without You I fall apart, You re the One that guides my heart Refrain: Lord, I need You, oh, I need You. Every hour I need You My one defence, my righteousness Oh God, how I need You 9
Where sin runs deep Your grace is more Where grace is found is where You are And where You are, Lord, I am free Holiness is Christ in me Lord, I need You Song Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery Come behold the wondrous myst ry In the dawning of the King He the theme of heaven s praises Robed in frail humanity In our longing in our darkness Now the light of life has come Look to Christ who condescended Took on flesh to ransom us Come behold the wondrous myst ry Christ the Lord upon the tree In the stead of ruined sinners Hangs the Lamb in victory See the price of our redemption See the Father s plan unfold Bringing many souls to glory Grace unmeasured love untold Come behold the wondrous myst ry Slain by death the God of life But no grave could e er restrain Him Praise the Lord He is alive What a foretaste of deliv rance How unwavering our hope Christ in power resurrected As we will be when He comes Song 10 I See the Lord I see the Lord, Seated on the throne, exalted And the train of His robe, Fills the Temple with glory
And the whole earth is filled, And the whole earth is filled And the whole earth is filled, With His glory Holy, holy, Holy, holy, Holy is the Lord The Prayer After Communion Everlasting God, in faith you have adopted us as your children, made us members of the body of Christ and chosen us as inheritors of your kingdom: We thank you that in this bread and wine you renew your promises within us, empower us by your Spirit to witness and to serve, and send us out as disciples of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Greeting Announcements Song Before the Throne of God Above Before the throne of God above I have a strong and perfect plea A great high Priest whose name is Love Who ever lives and pleads for me. My name is graven on His hand My name is written on His heart I know that while in heaven He stands No tongue can bid me thence depart. When Satan tempts me to despair and tells me of the guilt within upward I look and see Him there Who made an end of all my sin. Because a sinless Saviour died my sinful soul is counted free For God the just is satisfied to look on Him and pardon me. 11
Behold Him there, the risen Lamb My perfect spotless righteousness The great unchangeable I AM The King of Glory and of grace. One in Himself, I cannot die My soul is purchased with His blood My life is hid with Christ on high With Christ my Saviour and my God. Closing Responses (A Gaelic blessing) May the strength of God pilot us, and the power of God preserve us. May the wisdom of God instruct us, and the hand of God protect us. May the way of God direct us, may the shield of God defend us. And may the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be with you now, and for evermore. Amen. Come and join us for coffee! Did you like the music today? Check out our contemporary worship playlist on Spotify! You can follow our account stpaulsbloor 12 the bridge St. Paul s Bloor Street 227 Bloor St E Toronto, ON M4W 1C8 CCLI # 2730035 OneLicense. net # A-719342 Charitable # 119194942RR0001 stpaulsbloor.org