Called to hate some things

Cling to what is good. Love without a mask. Be authentic. Be open. Love the unlovable. Be a friend to have friends. Hate what (not who) is evil. Live as much as it depends upon you, in peace.

Click here for a text version of the Sunday Worship Service.

Message: Spirit and Truth

“The Lord’s Supper, Holy Communion, or the Eucharist is eating bread and drinking wine in remembrance of Christ’s body broken and his blood shed for us, in anticipation of his joyous return. The cup is sharing in Christ’s blood and the bread is a sharing in his body. The real presence of Christ does not come through some change in the bread and wine (as the Lutherans and Catholics believe) or through Christ being in or under the elements, but rather we are lifted up into the presence of Christ by faith in the power of the Holy Spirit.” This is Calvin’s view of this sacrament. This understanding of communion is known as Spiritual presence.

Catechism for Today:  Question 8

Click here for the text of the service of worship.

Who do the people closest to Jesus try to exclude?

Click here for a text version of the Sunday Worship Service.

Message: “Walking on Water”

God sometimes sends us into the storm that he will later save us from. We are called to obedience, but obedience does not mean easy. When we falter, all we need is a mustard seed size of faith or to pray, I believe, to help my unbelief. And when we reach out, Jesus takes our hand and lifts us up.

Click here for the text of the service of worship.

Just what is happening at the famous feeding of the 5000? More importantly, what does it mean, and what does it mean for us and those around us?

Click here.

Click here.

Worship on the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
10:00 am      July 19, 2026
Minister: The Rev. Brad Childs
Worship led by: Lynn Vaughan
Music Director: Binu Kapadia      Vocalist: Fionna McCrostie
Welcoming Elder: Sam Malayang   Reader: Nesta Sawdon
Children’s time: Courtney Vaughan

We gather to worship God

Music prelude

Greeting
L: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you
P: and also with you

Lighting of the Christ candle
Welcome and announcements
Preparation for worship

Call to worship:
L: We gather in the presence of God;
P: We have come to worship and praise God’s name.
L: We gather in joy and expectancy;
P: We have come to encounter God in beauty and wonder.
L: Speak, Lord, for your servants are listening;
P: Speak your word of life to us, O God.

Opening praise: Forever God is faithful

Prayers of adoration and confession
Creator God,
in you, we live and move and have our being:
You have been with us through good times and difficult ones.
You give us strength to face the challenges around us.
You offer us rest for our bodies and souls when life seems too demanding.
We turn to you for wisdom this day,
trusting we will find the peace and comfort we long for in your presence.
We praise you for all you offer us in your great faithfulness.
Fill us with your Spirit in this time of worship.
Open our minds and hearts, so that we may see as you see,
love as you love, and follow your ways for the sake of Christ our Lord.
In recalling all that you are and all that you have done,
we remember who we are and what we have done,
and we confess to you our sins in this moment of silence.

………………

Ever present God,
you know our innermost thoughts and see our thoughtlessness.
We confess our impulsive actions and reactions
when we spoke before we thought,
acted rashly and hurt others.
We confess our stubborn attitudes
and ask forgiveness for refusing to show mercy to others or to forgive.
In your kindness, O God,
forgive who we have been,
amend who we are,
and direct who we shall be
through the grace of Christ, our Lord. Amen

Response: Glory, glory, hallelujah

Assurance of God’s pardon

Remember that God is slow to be angry and quick to forgive; kind and gracious to all. Know that your sins are forgiven through the grace of Jesus Christ, and forgive those who have sinned against you, just as Christ teaches us.

We listen for the voice of God

Song: Jesus, we are gathered (514)

Children’s time: Good or Bad?

Today, we’re going to play a little game show called ‘Good or Bad?’ Everyone is welcome to participate, children and congregation alike, so let’s have some fun with it! I will put up on the screen a couple photos, and you will vote on which one you think is good … and which one is bad or poisonous. Let’s see how we do. Are you ready? (pictures can be seen here)

All right, here’s our first set of pictures.

These look like some beautiful flowers that can be found in our own gardens.
(point to one picture) If you think this is the dangerous one, raise your hand.

(point to other picture) If you think this is the dangerous one, raise your hand. Let’s see how you did.
Angel’s trumpet is the poisonous one; Snapdragon is safe.

All right, let’s look at the next one.

(repeat process for other pix)

Ooooh, some plump red berries this time. What do you think?

Lingonberry is safe to eat; Yew Berry is not.

These look like delicious apples, don’t they?

Manchineel Apple is also known as “the little apple of death” and is sometimes

referred to as the most dangerous tree in the world; Granny Smith apples are a

favourite for most of us to eat.

Here’s some lovely purple flower stalks. So pretty and soothing looking.

Lupines are toxic; Lavender is good.

Lasty, we have these juicy looking berries. They remind me of plants growing in my parent’s yard!?

Huckleberries are yummy; Ivy Berries are extremely toxic.

So, how did you do? Some of those were really, really tricky, weren’t they?

It’s hard sometimes to know what is safe and good and what is bad just by looking at it.

Jesus told a parable about the kingdom of God, where he talked about some weeds that had got mixed in with a whole lot of good wheat plants, and the farmer had to try and sort them out from each other.

God is like that farmer whose job it is to decide which people are good and which are not, and that parable is to remind us that God is the only one who truly knows what’s in the heart of each person. It is not our job to decide or judge other people. Our job is just to share Jesus with others, so they can learn about God’s kingdom and make their own decision to know and love him, too.

Let’s have a short prayer together before you head out to Sunday School.

This is a repeat-after-me prayer.

Dear God,

Thank You for loving us.
Help us grow like the good wheat,
showing kindness, love, and obedience every day.
When we see wrong choices,
give us patience and wisdom,
remembering that only You know
what’s in each person’s heart.

The Lord’s Prayer (535)

Song: God of mercy, God of grace  (39)

Scripture: Psalm 86:11-17 and Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

Response: Behold the lamb of God

Message: Weeds!

In today’s gospel reading, we get another agricultural-themed story. This is part two, you might say, of Jesus telling us parables about farming – to teach us about ministry, and to teach us about his kingdom. Last week, we heard the Parable of the Sower, about the farmer who scattered his seed widely, and found some of his seed landing on the good soil and bearing much fruit.

I’d mentioned last week that I have a university degree in agriculture, and that’s why these particular parables are some of my favourites. This one, though, hits even a little closer to home because I actually worked as a crop inspector for Agriculture Canada during the summers while I was in school. My job was, literally, to look for weeds among the wheat … or whatever crop I happened to be walking through … for farmers growing pedigreed seed. I find it very fitting that I get to share a gospel message with you today about that very same thing!

So, last Sunday’s parable offered a very optimistic teaching – we were told to just sow the seeds of God’s word, without worrying about where those seeds land, and trust God with the results. And when you do, some of the seeds that you plant will bear much fruit. But Jesus follows up that optimistic parable with today’s parable, which is either pessimistic, or realistic, depending on how you look at it. Either way, it points out that whenever we are trying to sow the seeds of God’s word, there is always an enemy trying to undermine our efforts.

The surprising thing about today’s parable to me is that it is not just about weeds. We all know about weeds, which grow very naturally, without any help, and cause a lot of problems in our gardens and our lawns. But Jesus is warning us here about an enemy, who intentionally plants weeds.

The Enemy

So, today, we need to think a little about this enemy. But as we do this, we will keep in mind not to fall into either of two common traps – either refusing to believe that the enemy even exists – or – spending too much time thinking and worrying about this enemy.

First of all, let’s acknowledge that we have an enemy. As we sow the seed of God’s word, as we sow seeds of faith and love and hope, and kindness and forgiveness and patience and justice, in our world, our enemy is sowing seeds of discontent and fear, of anger and hatred and frustration and despair.

We have an enemy, and his name is Satan. And Jesus reminds us in this parable that Satan is very real and is very busy trying to undo what Jesus and his followers are doing. Satan will work with whatever is available: things like pandemics and uprisings and corrupt government leaders and wars and … the list goes on. These things raise anxiety and frustration, and that’s just like fertilizer in Satan’s garden. He is just using all of that to grow his harvest of discontent and frustration and anger and despair.

But let’s also remember today that Satan’s cause is lost. The war is over. Jesus willingly went to the cross to defeat Satan once and for all, and all we have left is the clean-up operation. Satan has nowhere to go. He’s dead, he just doesn’t know it yet. He’s still running around making a mess, but it is just a matter of time before he is no more. We don’t want to deny that he exists, but we don’t need to worry about him succeeding at his quest.

False Wheat

But now there’s a part where this parable really gets interesting. Because it is not just teaching us about the gospel’s enemy, it is also showing us one of his favourite tactics. And it is a very clever tactic. You see, when the farmer sows the good seed, the enemy does not try to dig it up. He doesn’t try to burn the field. He doesn’t poison the wheat or steal the wheat. Instead, he plants weeds among the wheat. Weeds that, at first, look just like the wheat. These particular weeds were called “tares” in biblical times, or “darnel” these days, or sometimes even “false wheat.” And this false wheat looks just like the real wheat until it matures and bears seed. But by then, the roots of this weed have surrounded the roots of the wheat in order to suck up all of its nutrients. And because its roots are so intertwined with the roots of the wheat, pulling the weed out at this point would also uproot the wheat plant.

So, even though the farmer’s servants in this parable want to go and get rid of these weeds, the farmer wisely tells them no, because at this point, they can’t be distinguished from one another, and even if they could, pulling up one will pull the other up also. Instead, the farmer suggests that they let them both grow together until the harvest. And then, at harvest time, they can collect the weeds and burn them before gathering the wheat into the barn.

So, you can see how clever this farmer’s enemy is. And obviously, Jesus is trying to teach us that the gospel’s enemy is just as clever. He is very good at planting evil in the world that looks good, and that is so intertwined, that to get rid of one, we would have to do away with the other.

Just as the wisest farmer cannot always tell the difference between the weeds and the wheat, the wisest Christian cannot always tell the difference between good and evil. In that way, this is a very humbling parable, isn’t it? It teaches us that we can’t do it all. We can’t fix all the problems of our world. Even if we were in charge. Most of us, truth be told, have enough of a time fixing our own problems. And we certainly can’t fix all of our neighbour’s problems, or our loved ones’ problems, or society’s problems, as tempted as we are to try. So, this parable reminds us not to judge other people too quickly, and not to judge what is happening in our lives too quickly, either. It is hard to tell the wheat from the weed. So, we are encouraged to be patient, and to await the final harvest.

That doesn’t mean that we should ignore all the weeds in our world. But this parable does caution us, by reminding us that it is often very hard to distinguish between the two types of plants. We can’t always pull the weeds without also uprooting the wheat. And our view of the world is limited. We don’t always know God’s ways and God’s purposes. And oftentimes, it is only in hindsight that we can see God’s purpose being worked out in our life, or in our world.

That seems to me to be what Jesus is teaching us today. That it is very hard, sometimes, to tell what is good and what is bad. Who is good and who is bad. Sometimes, we have to wait until the final harvest to sort it all out. And that takes patience, and faith, and hope.

What to Do?

But you still might be wondering: what do we do about all the weeds in our world, and the evil all around us? We can’t just ignore it all, can we? We can’t just ignore the gospel’s enemy. So, what should we do?

I think that this parable, when it comes right down to it, teaches us something similar to last week’s parable. That in the midst of our very complicated world, what we should do is keep planting seeds. We should spend more time planting wheat than pulling up weeds. We should spend more time planting kindness and mercy and forgiveness and love, than trying to pull up hatred and envy and frustration and anger.

It is true, as we learned last week, that some of the seeds we plant will fall on the path, and not even take root. And it is also true, as we’ve learned today, that even the seeds that fall on good soil will still have to deal with weeds planted by the enemy. But it will all get sorted out in the end. And when it comes time for the harvest, our job is simply to make sure that there is plenty of wheat to gather.

In this world of ours, it is easy to grow discouraged, as we see the weeds – as we see the evil – seemingly growing out of control. But here in this parable, Jesus again reminds us that our work done for him is not done in vain. That the seeds we plant will bear fruit. That the weeds will not win the day. And that the wheat will prevail, in the end.

Closing

Our world has a master gardener who knows exactly what he is doing. Isn’t that good news? And our master gardener assures us that come harvest time, the wheat will be gathered and brought into his barn, and the weeds will be burned. It will all be sorted out in the end, by the only one truly able to sort it all out. And that frees us up to confidently, and joyfully, sow the seeds of God’s kingdom in this world. We can sow the seeds of God’s grace, mercy, and love, in our homes, and in our communities. And then trust God to bring in the harvest. Yes, it’s true that as we sow the seeds of good, the enemy will keep sowing the seeds of evil. But we can’t worry about that, and we don’t have to.

Our job is simply to sow the seeds of the kingdom. And not to worry about whether the seed will fall on good soil. Or whether the weeds will grow among the wheat. We plant the seeds, and we leave the rest to the master gardener. We leave it to God. And we look forward to the day when the wheat will be gathered together, for a harvest like no other, and a feast that has no end. Thanks be to God. Amen,

Based on ‘Pastoral Ponderings’ by Rev. James Laurence, First Lutheran Church, Albemarle, NC

Song: Come, ye thankful people, come (803)

We respond to serve God

Our time of giving

Prayer: Gift-giving God, we are so grateful for all that we enjoy in the world around us, and in the assurance that you love us all. Bless the gifts we offer today, that they may express your love for the world itself and to all who need to know you care, through Christ Jesus, your greatest gift.

Prayer of gratitude, and for others and ourselves
Gracious God,
sometimes we can simply breathe in the wonders of your creation
n a summer evening or in a quiet forest, and know your presence.
Other times, you surprise us in a word,
an unexpected kindness, a sense of your tenderness in prayer.
Whenever and however we meet you,
we are so grateful for your presence at the heart of our lives.
Assured of your great love for us, we bring before you the people we love
and the situations that cause us deep concern.

Today, we pray with those who rejoice at a baby’s birth or a summer wedding,
and with those who mourn the loss of a friend or loved one.
Silence for 5-10 seconds
We pray with those whose work has been rewarding and joy-giving,

and with those who are anxious because there is little or no work to be found.
Silence for 5-10 seconds
We pray with those who feel bored, without enough to do this summer,
and with those who are exhausted, facing still more to do and a never-ending list of tasks.
Silence for 5-10 seconds
We pray with those grateful for renewed good health,

and with those who find illness, anxiety or uncertain concerns lingering.
Silence for 5-10 seconds
We pray with those who have found peace or safety after turmoil,
and with those who fear what tomorrow might bring.
Silence for 5-10 seconds
We pray with those who enjoy the love of family and friends nearby,
and with those who feel lonely or isolated.
Silence for 5-10 seconds
Ever present God,
we thank you that you hear us in every situation of life,
for we all find ourselves in these situations sooner or later.
Help us to support each other, standing together in gladness and challenge.
Strengthen our life together as your people.
Give us the generosity we meet in Jesus
to respond wisely to those whose lives touch ours –
inside and outside your church.
May our hands serve as your hands in all that we do for Jesus’ sake.
We pray all this in your name. Amen.

Song: One more step along the world I go (641)

Sending out with God’s blessing

Go out into the world with patience, wisdom, and hope. Resist the urge to judge too quickly, remembering that God sees every heart and is always at work, even where we cannot yet see it.

Sow kindness, nurture what is good, and trust God with the harvest. May you grow in faith, bear good fruit, and share Christ’s love wherever you go.

Response: Sing Amen

Music postlude

————————————————————————-

Numbers in brackets after a song/hymn indicate that it is from the 1997 Book of Praise of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Those and other songs are being used in accordance with the specifications of Dayspring’s licensing with One License (3095377) and CLC (A735555).

Lynn Vaughan retains the copyright (© 2026) on all original material in this service. As far as She is is aware, all of the material that has not been attributed to others is her own creation or is in the public domain. Unacknowledged use of copyrighted material is unintentional and will be corrected immediately upon notification being received.

Worship on the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
0:00 am      July 12, 2026
Minister: Rev. Brad Childs     Worship led by: Lynn Vaughan
Music Director: Binu Kapadia     Vocalists: Sam and Ann May Malayang
Elder: Shirley Simpson     Reader: Emma Pivato
Children’s time: Lynn Vaughan

We gather to worship God

Music prelude

Greeting
L: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ  be with you
P: and also with you

Lighting of the Christ candle

Welcome and announcements

Preparation for worship

Call to worship:
L: God’s Word is a lamp to our feet;
P: and a light to our path.
L: God’s Word is made visible in Christ;
P: in him, we are rooted in truth.
L: God’s Word is revealed through the Holy Spirit;
P: and lived out in faithful service.
L: Come and listen for God’s Word in this time of worship.
P: We wait to receive the Word of Life.

Opening praise: Come, now is the time to worship

Prayer of adoration and confession
God of wisdom,
You are the light of the minds that know you,
the strength of those who serve you,
and rest for those who seek you.

God of growth,
you sow and you gather,
you tend and you prune,
you judge and you save.

God who gives us life,
we come to you in worship,
to rest from our responsibilities,
to turn from our distractions,
and worship you as Creator, Christ and Spirit,
this day and always.

Loving God,
you have planted the seeds of faith in us,
but we confess we have too often not trusted you.
We fail to keep studying the wisdom of your word,
satisfied instead with what we think is true.
We consider that we already know enough,
rather than pursuing deeper encounters with you.
Forgive us, God, when we think you have nothing more to offer us.

Open our hearts to receive your truth with humility,
open our minds to wonder at your wisdom,
and open our lives to be shaped by your Spirit.
Prune away our pride, uproot our complacency,
and cultivate in us a hunger for your presence.
Renew us by your grace, so that we may grow in faith,
bear the fruit of love, and serve you with joy.
Thanks be to God. Amen.

Response: Glory, glory, hallelujah

Assurance of God’s pardon
The Apostle Paul reminds us that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. God’s Spirit sets us free from the powers of sin and death. Know that you are forgiven and forgive one another in Jesus’ name.

We listen for the voice of God

Song: Jesus we are gathered (514)

Children’s time: Seeds of Generosity

(Show kids a small packet of seeds) Look what I’ve got here. A great big garden full of delicious green beans. Yes sirree, that’s what I’ve got. // You don’t look convinced. (some kids may point out that you have only seeds, not plants)

Let’s find out exactly what we’ve got here. (pour seeds into hand) I need someone to help me count these seeds. // How many of these seeds do you think I should plant? One? Two? OR should I plant all of the seeds?

People who live in towns or cities might have flower beds or vegetable gardens. It doesn’t take too many seeds to grow those. People who live on farms and grow whole, big fields of crops need a lot more seeds. In Bible times, many people were farmers. Getting the land ready to plant was a big job.

What do you suppose would happen if they scattered just a few seeds like these over the entire farm field? Right – they’d only get a few plants. If they wanted a big harvest, they had to plant a lot of seeds. There’s a verse in the bible, 2 Corinthians 9:6, that says …

⁶ But remember this—if you give little, you will get little. A farmer who plants just a few seeds will get only a small crop, but if he plants much, he will reap much.

The Apostle Paul wrote this verse. He was writing to some people who weren’t sure they wanted to share what they had with others. He wanted them to know that if they were generous, it would be like planting a lot of seeds; they would get a big harvest. But if they were selfish, it would be like planting only a few seeds in a big field; they would get a small harvest.

God wants us to give generously – he wants us to plant lots of seeds! And he wants us to give cheerfully. God gives generously to us. Everything we have comes from God. He makes sure that we have what we need, so we can be generous with other people.

Let us pray: God, we thank you for everything that you give us. Make us grateful and glad to share in abundance. Help us see where we can plant seeds of generosity with other people, because you are generous with us. And now, together, we say the prayer that you taught us.

The Lord’s Prayer (535)

Song: Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet (496)

Scripture readings: Isaiah 55:10-13 and Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Response: Behold the lamb of God           

Message: How does your garden grow?

The Parable of the Sower has always been near and dear to my heart. Many of you probably don’t know this, but I have a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture. When I was growing up in the city, I always felt deep down in my heart that I was meant to be a farm girl. I worked on a couple different farms over the years – in Alberta and Manitoba, but also in New Zealand. After graduating from the University of Alberta, I worked for a few different government agencies, mainly sitting in offices and writing reports on agricultural trade statistics. So, I never really got much chance to get my hands dirty, so to speak, in the actual planting of the crops … and to this day, I can’t say that I have much of a green thumb when it comes to tending a garden. Even so, I really connect to this story with its agricultural theme, being such a farm girl at heart!

We’re told that the farmer is scattering seed widely and not worrying about where it would land. Some would land on rocky ground, some among the thorns, and some even on the walking path. But some of the seed does land on good soil, and the promise is that this seed will bring forth much grain. Jesus teaches us in this parable that when we sow the seed in this way, we don’t know where it will land. So, we are meant to just sow the seed of God’s word all over our corner of the world, and trust that some of it will find good soil.

Broadcasting

We can get so focused on results these days, on being efficient, that we can forget that this is a perfectly legitimate way to sow seed. I am no farmer, as I mentioned, but I have learned that this way of sowing seed is called “broadcasting.” It is a common way to sow seed, especially in days gone by. The farmer would walk the field with his bag of seed and scatter it all over, in a rainbow kind of pattern, casting it broadly. And the reason for doing this was simple: you farm on the field you’ve got. You plant on the land you have. Some of it might be rocky. Some of it might have some thorns. But, you farm on the field you’ve got. You prepare the ground that you have as best as you can, and you scatter the seed. And then? You take care of it …  and let the good Lord do the rest.

This was the original use of the word, “broadcast” – to cast the seed broadly. It was not until the 1920s that the word began to have a new use. It was used to describe radio broadcasting, and eventually television broadcasting. In fact, NBC, CBS, ABC, and PBS all have the word “Broadcast” in their name. Just like radio, these networks sent out their signal to anyone who wanted to tune in. They scattered their programming widely. They “broadcast” it. And this created a whole new way of communicating and connecting our world together. Everyone could be listening or watching the same thing at the same time. It really was revolutionary, when you think about it.

It is kind of ironic to think of this now, as the Covid experience five years ago forced us to start “broadcasting” our worship services! It was a new way of doing church, that we could not have imagined previous to 2020. But it is one way to share the gospel to people potentially far away from here.

We are all searching for new ways to share our faith and our hope and our love these days. Social media. Texts and phone calls. Zoom calls. A lot has changed, but some things have not. We are still being called to scatter the seed, to broadcast the gospel, and we are continually having to find new ways to do so.

What Do We Want to Plant?

The truth is that we are scattering seed in our life all the time. Every day and in every way, we are scattering seed. The only question is, what kind of seed? What kind of seed are we scattering in this world? And, is it seed that will bring forth the harvest that we want to see?

What do we want to grow in this world? What do we want to see more of in the world? What would God like to see more of in the world? If we would like to see more kindness in the world, then shouldn’t we be sowing seeds of kindness? If we want to see more justice, then plant seeds of justice. More hope, then plant seeds of hope.

Throughout our day, every day, we all are planting seeds of one kind or another. Our words and our actions plant seeds. Everything that we do plants seeds. So, it is worth thinking about what kind of seeds we are planting with our lives. This applies to everyone: to pastors, teachers and students. To nurses and engineers. To those in sales and in business. To retirees. To all who follow Jesus.

In many different ways, through our daily lives, we are called to broadcast our seeds. To sow them widely. To take care of the field that we have been entrusted with. And then, to entrust the results of our labours to God. That is one of the things that this parable teaches us – to keep sowing the seed of God’s word, and don’t worry too much about where it lands. Just keep sowing. Keep loving. Keep giving. Keep praying. Keep serving. Keep sharing our faith. Keep hoping. Keep believing. And leave the results to God.

Good Soil

But there is one other point to this parable that I want to highlight today. Because this parable is not just addressed to those sowing the word. It is also addressed to those hearing the word. We know this is true because of the explanation of the parable that Jesus later gave to his disciples.

He shared with them that there are four different ways to hear this parable, or to hear God’s word. And only one of these ways is fruitful. Just because we are listening to God’s word, in other words, doesn’t mean that it will bear any fruit in our lives. So, it’s worth thinking about these four ways of hearing God’s word this morning. Because only one of these ways actually bears any fruit or makes any difference.

The first way of hearing the word, Jesus tells us, is what happens when the seed of God’s word lands on the walking path. It never really stands a chance. The evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart, because the one hearing hasn’t taken the time or made the effort to understand God’s word. These are people who aren’t really listening. They have shut their minds to any other truth than their own. You’ve heard the saying, “I’ve made up my mind, so don’t confuse me with the facts”? Jesus tells us that there is no point in even approaching God’s word if we aren’t willing to be changed by it. An open mind and an open heart are both necessary for the seed to find good soil.

The second way to mis-hear God’s word, Jesus tells us, happens when the seed falls on shallow, rocky ground. It isn’t able to grow any roots, so that when the first storm of life comes, this person’s faith immediately blows away like a tumbleweed. Roots are important to the long-term health of a plant. Our faith roots cannot be seen by others, but they are essential to thrive. And making sure that our faith has deep roots, is essential to surviving life’s many storms with our faith and our hope intact.

The third way that God’s word does not find good soil happens when the seed lands among thorns. Jesus tells us that these thorns represent “the cares of the world and the lure of wealth.” And these cares and desires choke the word, so that it yields nothing. It is a challenge these days, more than ever I think, to make sure these types of thorns don’t take over our soil. There are so many cares and concerns in our world today – things like the idolization of material things, more pandemic scares, never-ending riots and uprisings, wars, and extreme weather issues, to name just a few. We need to stay vigilant, and rooted in God’s word, so that these cares and concerns, these thorns, don’t shout at us so loudly that we are no longer able to hear God’s voice in this world.

And finally, there is the good soil – those who truly hear God’s word, and who embrace it with open minds and open hearts, and who let it change their lives. And when we do that, God’s word planted in our hearts very naturally bears fruit, and yields even up to a hundredfold, as Jesus tells us. Good seed planted in good soil bears good fruit. Our task is to make sure that we are doing what we can to be that good soil. Opening our hearts, minds, and souls to God’s word. When we do, we will naturally bear good fruit.

Closing

And so, today, let us all pray that we would truly receive God’s word with an open heart. So that it can grow in our lives and yield new seeds, that we can then broadcast to the world. We are called to be the sower, who broadcasts the gospel through our words, our deeds, and our love, eagerly and generously, without any concern for where it lands. But to do that, we must first be the good soil, open to receiving the seed of God’s word.

May our hearts be open, our soil good, and our harvest plentiful. To the glory of God. Amen. (

Based on ‘Pastoral Ponderings’ by Rev. James Laurence, First Lutheran Church, Albemarle, NC)

Song: This is my Father’s world (328)

We respond to serve God

Our time of giving

God of growing seeds and souls, we offer our gifts in thanksgiving for your kindness to us. Bless and multiply them to add to the abundance of your love at work in the world. Make them seeds of new life to inspire faith in souls they touch in Jesus’ name.

Prayer of gratitude, and for others and ourselves
Tender and loving God,
you formed the earth to be a place of joy and abundance for all your creatures.
For food in all its variety and the people who grow it, transport it and prepare it,
we give you thanks.
We pray for those who cannot afford enough food,
and for those whose agricultural supply is at risk
through extreme weather, uncertain prices and social upheaval.
Help us care for the earth and its fruitfulness
and for each other in our common need of its fruits.
God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

God of all the nations,
you gather people together in communities to care for each other
and enjoy each other’s company and creativity.
Thank you for the support we find in our congregation,
and for the difference volunteers make in our community.
Wherever there is division in the world, bring unity and peace with justice;
where people dispute opinions, give wisdom to see what is important;
where people are tired and anxious, bring strength and courage.
God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

God of compassion,
you call us to be communities held together by prayer and love for our neighbours.
Thank you for the ministry that has blessed us
through the concern others have shown us.
Where people mourn loss of any kind, provide comfort;
where there is illness and pain, bring healing;
where there is distress or discouragement, transform fear into hope.
By your Spirit, equip us to serve one another in Christ’s name,
so that your compassion touches lives with love and mercy.
God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We offer you our prayers, spoken and unspoken, in the name of Jesus Christ,
our Lord and Saviour. Amen

Song: All things bright and beautiful (435)

Sending out with God’s blessing
Walk in the light of God’s Word as you leave our worship.
Look around at the seeds bearing fruit around you
and consider how you bear the fruit of God’s Word in your life.
May God the Spirit bring you growth;
May God the Son tend you with wisdom;
And may God the Source of all life bless you with all you need to thrive.

Response: Sing Amen

Music postlude

————————————————————————-

Numbers in brackets after a song/hymn indicate that it is from the 1997 Book of Praise of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Those and other songs are being used in accordance with the specifications of Dayspring’s licensing with One License (3095377) and CLC (A735555).

Lynn Vaughan retains the copyright (© 2026) on all original material in this service. As far as She is is aware, all of the material that has not been attributed to others is her own creation or is in the public domain. Unacknowledged use of copyrighted material is unintentional and will be corrected immediately upon notification being received.

Worship on the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
10:00 am      July 05, 2026
Minister: The Rev. Brad Childs     Worship led by: Lynn Vaughan
Music Director: Binu Kapadia     Vocalists: Cheryl and Peter Sheridan
Elder: Jane de Caen     Reader: Jan Ray Moncada

We gather to worship God

Music prelude

Greeting
L: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you
P: and also with you

Lighting of the Christ candle
Welcome and announcements
Preparation for worship

Call to worship:
L: God is gracious and merciful, abounding in steadfast love.
P: God offers compassion to all creation.
L: With all God’s creation, give thanks to the Lord.
P: With all God’s creatures, great and small, we will bless the Lord.
L: In worship, let us speak of God’s glory and tell of God’s wonder.
P: We come to praise God and seek God’s peace in Jesus’ name.

Opening praise: Lord, I need you

Prayer of adoration and confession

Holy, gracious and merciful God, you are overflowing with love, infinite in kindness, and incomparable in glory.

There is no other like you in all our imagining.

Your presence breaks into our lives, reflected in the beauty of creation, and refreshes and inspires us.

You renew us to imagine new things, you strengthen us to meet life’s changes and challenges.

In response to your goodness and glory, we offer you our thanks in the words of our prayers and the praise from our hearts.

We honour you with our lives, worshipping you as Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer,

this day and every day, now and always.

In confidence of your grace and loving kindness, we confess to you our sins in this moment of silence.

…

Wise and patient God, you offer us peace, yet we confess that life often feels frustrating and unsettled.

You offer us courage, yet we are timid and resentful when life is challenging.

You offer us a mission with meaning and purpose, yet we are preoccupied with our own plans and desires.

Forgive us, O God, and draw our attention back to you. Amen.

Response: Glory, glory hallelujah

Assurance of God’s pardon

Jesus said, “Come to me all you who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest”. Trust that peace and forgiveness are God’s gifts to you this day. Be renewed by the power of the Spirit that moves with you into each new day.

We listen for the voice of God                   

Song: O Lord, thou art my  God and King (1-3: vss 1-3.5)

Scripture: Psalm 145:8-14 (The Living Bible) & Matthew 11:28-30

Response: Behold the lamb of God 

Message: Come, Take, Learn, Rest

In the scripture reading we just heard, Jesus said: “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

“Rest for your soul,” Jesus offers us in this gospel reading. Rest for our weary souls. And don’t we all need that rest?! I’ve found myself very much leaning into this scripture passage recently, as we’ve had some trials and tribulations in our family with health challenges over the last few weeks. It’s comforting to know that we are not alone on this journey, especially when things get rough and unpredictable.

Thirty years ago, Thomas Moore wrote a book called “Care of the Soul.” And in the first sentence of his book, he made the claim that “the greatest malady of our time, implicated in all of our troubles, and affecting us individually and socially, is loss of soul.” “When soul is neglected,” he wrote, “it doesn’t just go away; it appears symptomatically in obsessions, addictions, violence, and loss of meaning.”

The world has changed a lot since he made that observation, but not in this respect. The world still neglects its soul. And smartphones, and social media, and everything else that has come along in the last thirty years in the name of progress, has not helped this at all. It reminds me of a statement made by well-known author and therapist, Carl Jung, where he says: “people will do anything, no matter how absurd, to avoid facing their own souls.”

When we don’t face our soul, and take care of our soul, it affects every other aspect of our life. Our relationships, our health, our sense of well-being and our purpose. When we ignore our souls, no matter how good our life might seem on the outside, it is rotting from the inside. And sooner or later, it will all collapse on itself. The burdens of life become too great to bear when we’re dealing with them on our own. The weariness becomes too overwhelming to ignore. And we begin leading lives of quiet desperation. When we neglect the soul, these negative outcomes become inevitable.

Come to Me

So, what do we do? Simple, really. Jesus says, come to him. Take his yoke. Learn from him. And find rest for our souls. From Jesus. And only from Jesus. We can’t buy it. There is no pill that provides it. Rest for our souls can only be found through our faith, through our relationship with Jesus, because we were created by God to be in a loving relationship with him. As St. Augustine once famously said, God created our souls to be restless until they find their rest in God.

But it is only when we realize that our souls are restless that we finally accept this invitation. So, the first step to find this rest is to realize how weary and burdened we are. Now, if you are not weary and have no burdens, and you are doing just fine without Jesus, this invitation probably won’t have much meaning. But you are a rare individual, indeed, if that’s the case. Count your blessings!

There’s a book by Brennan Manning called “The Ragamuffin Gospel.” He indicates that he wrote this book for a specific audience – basically, the same audience for which Jesus extends this invitation. The Ragamuffin Gospel, Manning says, is for – and I quote:

The bedraggled, beat-up, and burnt-out. It is for the sorely burdened who are still shifting the heavy suitcase from one hand to the other. It is for the wobbly and weak-kneed who know they don’t have it altogether. It is for inconsistent, unsteady disciples whose cheese is falling off their cracker. It is for poor, weak, sinful men and women with hereditary faults and limited talents. It is for earthen vessels who shuffle along on feet of clay. It is for the bent and the bruised who feel that their lives are a grave disappointment to God. It is for smart people who know they are stupid and honest disciples who admit they are scoundrels.

The Ragamuffin Gospel, he concludes, is for anyone who has grown weary and discouraged along the Way.

And that is exactly who this invitation from Jesus is for today. For all of us who have grown weary. For all of us who are carrying heavy burdens. For all of us who long for true rest for our souls. Come to me, Jesus says, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

Take His Yoke

But how does this happen? What happens when we come to Jesus?
Well, he says, we take his yoke upon us. A yoke that is easy. A burden that is light.
We find rest for our souls by taking up his yoke. How is that even possible? First, let’s remember what a yoke is, in this case. And it is not the yellow part of the egg! A yoke, by definition, is: “a wooden cross piece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and attached to the plow or cart that they are to pull.” This wooden cross piece helps the two animals to pull together.

Take my yoke upon you, Jesus says. When we come to Jesus, and learn from him, we become yoked together with him. He pulls with us. Jesus doesn’t take away whatever we are pulling, but we no longer have to pull it alone. Jesus pulls our burden with us. And he goes on to say that his yoke is easy. Which, in this case, really means “well-fitting.” His yoke is well-fitting and will sit gently on our shoulders.

Biblical scholar William Barclay explains what Jesus means by this:

“In Palestine,” he writes, “ox-yokes were made of wood; the ox was brought to the maker, and the measurements were taken. The yoke was then roughed out, and the ox was brought back again to try on the yoke. The yoke was carefully adjusted, so that it would fit well, and not wound the neck of the patient beast. The yoke was tailor-made to fit the ox.”

So, think about that: the yoke that Jesus offers is tailor-made for each one of us. Which means that it is not then a burden for us to live as Christ wants us to live. He doesn’t want it to be a burden. And he wants to be yoked with us. What a gift and a blessing that is!

Barclay goes on to tell of a legend about Jesus that may or may not be true, but it is worth hearing:

“There is a legend,” he writes, “that [when Jesus was a carpenter], he made the best ox-yokes in all of Galilee, and that from all over the country people came to him to buy his yokes. And, as the legend goes, the carpenter Jesus had a sign over his shop that read, “My yoke fits well.”

His yoke fits well. His burden is light. And when we take up this yoke, tailor-made for us, we begin to find rest for our souls.

Learn from Him

But Jesus does not just invite us to take up his yoke. He also invites us to learn from him. If we are going to find rest for our souls, it will be through learning from Jesus. When you think about it, Jesus had as much reason to be restless as anyone. His life was incredibly difficult. And he knew it would end on a cross. But his soul was always at rest. He was at peace in this world. And he wants to teach us how to have that same peace.

He wants us to take his yoke and learn from him. Now, a soul at rest is not the same as a mind at rest. And one of the ways to find rest for our souls is to continue learning from Jesus. Through Worship, through Sunday School, through our daily Bible reading and devotions, we continue to learn from Jesus. And by imitating his example, we can continue to learn from him. Spending quiet time alone with God. Putting away our electronic distractions, going out to the countryside, or up a mountain, or even just into our closet – somewhere quiet enough to listen for God’s still, small voice. That is what Jesus did. And we can learn from him to do this ourselves.

A Daily Invitation

So, my question today is: what if we actually did this? What if we actually came to Jesus every day, and took his yoke upon us, and learned from him? What if we woke up every morning and said to Jesus: I can’t carry the burden of this day without you. I need you to teach me. I need you to lead me and to guide me. I need you to place your yoke upon me.

If you are anything like me, you probably need a daily reminder from Jesus to come to him and take his yoke upon you and learn from him. It’s all too easy to get caught up in life and forget to do this. It’s too easy to neglect our soul. It’s too easy to forget that we don’t have to bear life’s burdens all by ourselves.

Jesus wants us to take his yoke upon us, so that he can help bear our burden. Most of us need a daily reminder to do this. So, that’s my challenge for you today: set yourself a regular reminder to come to Jesus, take his yoke, learn from him, and find rest for your soul.

A Daily Mission

But maybe don’t end there. This daily invitation from Jesus can become something even more than that. It can also become our daily mission. What if we approached every day with this invitation in mind for others? What if we kept this invitation in mind whenever we met someone who was weary and carrying a heavy burden? What if we tried to live our lives in a way that showed others what it means to have rest for our souls?

We can see plenty of evidence all around our world of this weariness, these burdens. We see a world that is tired and heavy laden … and doesn’t know where to turn for rest. We see a world that regularly neglects its soul and desperately tries to distract itself from all of life’s burdens. A world that will do anything, no matter how absurd, to avoid facing its soul. Our world needs this invitation from Jesus. Our world needs to know that there is a place to turn when life becomes overwhelming. That there is someone who wants to help bear the burden, if we will only come to Him.

So many in our world are desperate to hear this invitation, or to be reminded of it. And there might very well be someone in your life who won’t hear this invitation unless they hear it through you. But don’t see this challenge as a burden. See it as your well-fitting yoke. A yoke that is easy. A burden that is light. Because Jesus himself has tailor-made it just for you. And He promises to help you bear it.

So, come to Jesus today and find rest for your soul. And then go in peace to share this invitation with all who long for rest. Amen.

Based on ‘Pastoral Ponderings’ by Rev. James Laurence, First Lutheran Church, Albemarle, NC)

Song: I heard the voice of Jesus say (671)

We respond to serve God

Our time of giving

Gracious God, receive our gifts as tokens of our gratitude for your goodness to us. Bless them so that they become seeds of generosity, bringing needed gifts to others in Jesus’ name.

Prayer of gratitude, and for others and ourselves

God ever-creating,

God ever-loving,

God ever-leading: we turn to you in uncertain times, trusting in your steadfast love. Where people are anxious about the future, where people are overwhelmed by their responsibilities, where people fear the conflict around them or are in danger of violence in daily life, bring peace and hope, we pray.

And let your kingdom come.

God of all compassion: where people are lonely or isolated, longing for love, where people are trapped in unhealthy or violent relationships, where people are grieving the loss of someone beloved, bring courage and hope, we pray.

And let your kingdom come.

God of tender strength: where people feel pain in their bodies, in minds or spirits, where illness has eroded hope, and where desperation for help fills each day: bring healing and hope, we pray.

And let your kingdom come.

God of trustworthy truth: where leaders work to guide communities to renewed life, where individuals strive to care for the earth and its vulnerable inhabitants, and where people stand up against unjust policies or practices, bring wisdom and hope, we pray.

And let your kingdom come.

God in whom we live and move and have our being: by your Spirit, tend your promise of new life amid the current struggles in the world.

We ask all this in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Saviour. Amen

Passing the peace

The Sacrament of Holy Communion

Invitation

Friends, this is the joyful feast of the people of God! They will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit at the table in the kingdom of God. This is the Lord’s table. Our Savior invites all those who trust Him to share the feast which He has prepared.

Song: Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to thee (637)

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human. For our sake, he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day, he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen

The Communion Prayer

Dear Lord, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts of bread and wine, that they may be for us the communion of the body and blood of Christ. Unite us with Christ and with all your people, until we feast at his table in eternal life.

Sharing of the Bread and Wine: Brad via Video

Song:   One bread, one body (540)

Prayer after Communion

Eternal God, we thank you that you have fed us in this sacrament with the spiritual food of the body and blood of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. We thank you for assuring us of your favour and your goodness to us. Send us out into the world in the power of your Spirit, to live lives that honour you and to share your love with all people. Amen.

Song: What a friend we have in Jesus (746)

Sending out with God’s blessing

Go out into the world in the strength of the Lord and let Christ shoulder your burdens. And may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Response: Sing Amen

Music postlude

————————————————————————-

Numbers in brackets after a song/hymn indicate that it is from the 1997 Book of Praise of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Those and other songs are being used in accordance with the specifications of Dayspring’s licensing with One License (3095377) and CLC (A735555).

The Rev. Brad Childs retains the copyright (© 2026) on all original material in this service. As far as Brad Childs is aware, all of the material that has not been attributed to others is his own creation or is in the public domain. Unacknowledged use of copyrighted material is unintentional and will be corrected immediately upon notification being received.