WELCOME & NOTICES:
CALL TO WORSHIP (together):
Lord, as Winter makes its presence felt we come to worship
revelling in the beauty each season brings.
Give us insight this morning into how the work of your hands
should always be as part of the work of our hands.
In this hour give us provision for our journey.
Courage and faith and compassion and endurance
to face any hardship. Fill us with the joy of service.
We pray all these things in the name of Jesus. Amen.
HYMN: For the Beauty of the Earth
For the beauty of the earth, for the beauty of the skies,
for the love which from our birth over and around us lies,
Christ our God to thee we raise this our sacrifice of praise.
For the beauty of each hour of the day and of the night,
hill and vale, and tree and flower, sun and moon and stars of light,
For the joy of ear and eye, for the heart and mind’s delight,
for the mystic harmony linking sense to sound and sight,
For the joy of human love, brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth and friends above, for all gentle thoughts and mild,
For each perfect gift of thine to our race so freely given,
graces human and divine, flowers of earth and buds of heaven,
For the church that evermore lifteth holy hands above,
offering up on every shore her pure sacrifice of love,
©FS Pierpoint (WOV77)
OPENING PRAYER
TIME WITH THOSE YOUNG AT HEART ~ Gillian Cree
HYMN: Here I Am Lord
I, the Lord of sea and sky, I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin my hand will save.
I, who made the stars of night, I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them? Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of snow and rain, I have borne my people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them. They turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone, give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak my Word to them. Whom shall I send? Here I am…
I, the Lord of wind and flame, I will tend the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them. My hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give my life to them. Whom shall I send? Here I am…
©Daniel L. Schutte (OCP, CH4 251)
INTRODUCTION TO THE READINGS:
Psalm 5: 1-8 Jill Grierson
Matthew 13: 18-23 Lyn Steele
MESSAGE: Soil
HYMN: Joy to the World!
Joy to the world! The Lord is come; let earth receive her king;
let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing, and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.
Joy to the world! The Saviour reigns; let all their songs employ;
while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy, repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove the glories of his righteousness and wonders of his love,
and wonders of his love, and wonders, wonders of his love.
©Isaac Watts (WOV224)
PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE
SUNG LORD’S PRAYER
THE OFFERING (together):
We dedicate these gifts freely given and gratefully received to the work of the congregation building honest caring relationships across all line of difference, promoting religious freedom, practising compassion
and working for justice.
May these gifts and work of our hands and hearts give power to all we stand for as a community of faith.
GREET AND BLESS ONE ANOTHER
HYMN: Nothing is Lost on the Breath of God ©Shirley Murray (FFS)
Nothing is lost on the breath of God, nothing is lost forever;
God’s breath is love, and that love will remain,
holding the world forever.
No feather too light, no hair too fine, no flower too brief in its glory,
no drop in the ocean, no dust in the air,
but is counted and told in God’s story.
Nothing is lost to the eyes of God, nothing is lost forever;
God sees with love, and that love will remain,
holding the world forever.
No journey too far, no distance too great,
no valley of darkness too blinding,
no creature too humble, no child too small
for God to be seeking and finding.
Nothing is lost to the heart of God, nothing is lost forever;
God’s heart is love, and that love will remain,
holding the world forever.
No impulse of love, no office of care,
no moment of life in its fulness,
no beginning too late, no ending too soon,
but is gathered and known in its goodness. ©Shirley Murray (FFS)
BLESSING
THREEFOLD AMEN
NOTICES
A very warm welcome to all who worship with us this morning. Many thanks to David Beaumont for leading our worship today.
FOOT CLINIC TOMORROW 1-4pm at Beckenham Methodist. New helpers always welcome. See Lyndsey 388 1264.
WEDNESDAY WALKERS 15th June: Meet 9.30am at venue to be advised. Check with Sonya 339 7038 for details.
COMBINED MEETING OF BOARD OF MANAGERS & SESSION Wednesday 15th June 7.30pm at Joan’s 15 Locarno St.
QUIZ THIS Saturday 18th June, Cashmere Presbyterian Church Centre Rata Lounge at 5pm for 5.30pm start. $10 per person. Bring some cash for a raffle ticket. Irene Gray & Judith Mackay have tickets.
PARISH OFFICE: Wednesday & Thursday 9am – 12 noon, Fridays 9-11am Ph 332 6192. Email:stmartpresch@xtra.co.nz. Website:www.stmartins.org.nz.
Please make sure Anna has any notices by 9am Thursday.
ALPINE PRESBYTERY newsletter is on the noticeboard in the Lounge.
BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK: Tue 14th John; Wed 15th Julian.