3rd Sunday After Pentecost – 6/21/20

Eschatology Junkies – Mark 4.21-29
Available Here
To support Cokesbury financially, you can give online here: http://cokesburyumc.church/about/

GATHERING

Prayer:
Lord, our God, you know who we are: People with good and bad onsciences; satisfied and dissatisfied, sure and unsure people; Christians out of conviction and Christians out of habit; believers, half-believers, and unbelievers. But now we are before you: in all our inequality equal in this, that we are all in the wrong before you and against each other; that we all must die some day; that we all would be lost without your grace; but also in that your grace is promised to and turn toward all of us through your beloved Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Announcements:
In keeping with Governor Northam and Bishop Lewis, we will not be gathering in-person so long as there is a risk for those who would come to church.
We will keep everyone updated as to our plans going forward and we will continue to provide online worship until it is safe for us to gather together in person again.
Our primary concern is the safety and well-being of our immediate community.
Until we are back together in person, online giving can be made on our About page on the church website, cokesburyumc.church which will be linked in the video description for live worship as well as checks through the mail.
We’ve been sending out regular emails from the church about opportunities for online Bible Studies, devotionals, prayer requests, and updates on our local community. If you are not receiving those emails, and would like to, please send an email to cokesburyumc@gmail.com

Hymn 249 – Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in his wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of his glory and grace.

Prayer:
Lord, God of Light, shine in our darkness that we may see that this world, for all its distortion by sin, is still your world. Give us the virtue of courage to fear rightly that which we should rightly fear. Give us the virtue of love that we might rightly hate that which is hateful. Give us the virtue of prudence that we might know what to fear and hate. For this task we pray that we might learn to trust one another, as we are incapable of being faithful alone…

And as you taught us, so now we pray… 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 forever. Amen.

PROCLAIMING

Scripture – Mark 4.21-29:
He said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under the bushel basket, or under the bed, and not on the lampstand? For there is nothing hidden, except to be disclosed; nor is anything secret, except to come to light. Let anyone with ears to hear listen!” And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you. For to those who have, more will be given; and from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.” He also said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.”

Hymn 561 – Jesus, United by Thy Grace:
V1. Jesus, united by thy grace and each to each endeared,
With confidence we seek thy face and know our prayer is heard.
V2. Help us to help each other, Lord, each other’s cross to bear;
Let all their friendly aid afford, and feel each other’s care.
V3. Up unto thee, our living Head, let us in all things grow;
Till thou hast made us free indeed and spotless here below.
V4. Touched by the lodestone of thy love, let all our hearts agree,
And ever toward each other move, and ever move toward thee.
V5. To thee, in separably joined, let all our spirits cleave;
O may we all the loving mind that was in thee receive.
V6. This is the bond of perfectness, thy spotless charity;
O let us, still we pray, possess the mind that was in thee.

Sermon: Eschatology Junkies

RESPONDING

Prayer:
Lord, make us have perpetual love and reverence for your holy Name, for you never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of your loving kindness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Offering – Reminder for online giving, through the mail, or the drop slot at the church.

Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth; And 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, dead, and buried; the third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. 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.

SENDING FORTH

Blessing and Benediction