(words for hymns and bible reading can be found below the order of service)
Welcome and Intimations
Call to Worship
MP 14 : All heaven declares
Prayer and Lord’s Prayer
CH4 625 : O thou who camest from above
Reading Ezekiel 17 : 22 – 24
Reading Mark 4 : 26 – 34
MP 419: Like a mighty river flowing
Sermon
Video : God will make a way (by Don Moen)
Prayer of Intercession
CH4 257 : Singing we gladly
Benediction
Call to Worship
Come God, come walk with your people for you alone are our strength and glory
And we put our trust in you
Come God, come walk beside us, before us for you alone are our shelter and direction
And we put our trust in you
Come God, come seek and find and put us right for you alone are the light in the darkness
And we put our trust in you
Come God, we know you are near, the sound of your footsteps sets us dancing
Help us to praise and worship you
MP 14 : All heaven declares
- All heaven declares
the glory of the risen Lord;
who can compare
with thee beauty if the Lord?
For ever He will be
the Lamb upon the throne;
I gladly bow the knee,
and worship Him alone. - I will proclaim
the glory of the risen Lord,
who once was slain
to reconcile man to God.
For ever You will be
the Lamb upon the throne;
I gladly bow the knee,
and worship You alone.
CH4 625 : O thou who camest from above
- O thou who camest from above
the pure celestial fire to impart,
kindle a flame of sacred love
on the mean altar of my heart. - There let it for thy glory burn
with inextinguishable blaze,
and trembling to its source return,
in humble prayer and fervent praise. - Jesus, confirm my heart’s desire
to work, and speak, and think for thee;
still let me guard the holy fire,
and still stir up thy gift in me: - Ready for all thy perfect will,
my acts of faith and love repeat,
till death thy endless mercies seal,
and make the sacrifice complete.
Reading Ezekiel 17 : 22 – 24
This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will take a shoot from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain. On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches. All the trees of the forest will know that I the Lord bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish.
‘“I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.”’
Reading Mark 4 : 26 – 34
The parable of the growing seed
He also said, ‘This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces corn – first the stalk, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. As soon as the corn is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.’
The parable of the mustard seed
Again he said, ‘What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.’
With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. 34 He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything
MP 419: Like a mighty river flowing
- Like a mighty river flowing,
like aa flower in beauty growing,
far beyond all human knowing,
is the perfect peace of God. - Like the hills serene and even,
like the coursing clouds of heaven,
like the heart that’s been forgiven,
in the perfect peace of God. - Like the summer breezes playing,
like the tall trees softly swaying,
like the lips of silent praying
is the perfect peace of God. - Like the morning sun ascending,
like the scents of evening blended,
like a friendship never ended
is the perfect peace of God. - Like the azure ocean swelling,
like the jewel all-excelling,
far beyond our human telling
is the perfect peace of God.
CH4 257 : Singing we gladly
Refrain (sung twice:)
Singing, we gladly worship the Lord together.
Singing, we gladly worship the Lord.
Those who are travelling the road of life
sow seeds of peace and love.
- Come, bringing hope into a world of fear,
a world which is burdened down with dread,
a world which is yearning for a greater love
but needs to be shown the true way. - Come, bringing joyfully in both your hands
some kindling to light the path of peace,
some hope that there is a more human world
where justice and truth will be born. - Whenever hatefulness and violence
are banished for ever from our hearts,
then will the world believe the day is near
when sadness and pain shall find their end.