. First United Methodist Church

Welcome! We are a Congregation Caring For and About God’s Community

July 12, 2020 – 10:00am - ONLILNE WORSHIP

6th Sunday After Pentecost

GATHERING AND PRAISE

Organ Prelude: “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise” arr. Michael Burkhardt

Bell Prelude: “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise” arr. Ellen Jane Lorenz

Welcome and Announcements *Opening Hymn: “Hymn of Promise” UMH #707

For those who need to see the full music, it is attached at the end of this document

CCLI License # 1003593

1) In the bulb there is a flower;

In the seed, an apple tree;

In cocoons, a hidden promise:

Butterflies will soon be free!

In the cold and snow of winter

There’s a spring that waits to be,

Unrevealed until its season,

Something God alone can see.

2) There’s a song in every silence,

Seeking word and melody;

There’s a dawn in every darkness

Bringing hope to you and me.

From the past will come the future;

What it holds, a mystery,

Unrevealed until its season,

Something God alone can see.

3) In our end is our beginning;

In our time, infinity;

In our doubt there is believing;

In our life, eternity;

In our death, a resurrection;

At the last, a victory,

Unrevealed until its season,

Something God alone can see.

PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE

The Opening Prayer (in unison): (from Christine Longhurst, https://re-worship.blogspot.com)

O God, we gather in your presence with expectation, hungry for an encounter with

you, eager to hear your word. Open our eyes and ears to the presence of your Holy

Spirit. May the seeds of your word scattered among us this morning fall on fertile

soil. May they take root in our hearts and lives, and produce an abundant harvest

of good words and deeds, through Jesus Christ, our teacher and our Lord. Amen. Prayer Chorus: “Take, O Take Me As I Am” W&S #3119

Take, o take me as I am; summon out what I shall be;

Set your seal upon my heart and live in me.

Time of Silent Meditation

Pastoral Prayer lifting Celebrations and Concerns

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 forever. Amen.

Living Our Gratitude

♫ Please continue to support your church family during this time of

“social distancing”. Enjoy the musical selection as a time to give

thanks to God for all with which you have been blessed.

Use the QR code to the right or give online here:

https://www.firstumcsaginaw.org/give/

Offertory: “The Gift of Love” arr. Marianne Kim

Children’s Message – A special moment with the Pastor just for kids

Rung Response (Bell Choir): “Jesus Loves Me” arr. Catherine McMichael

Scripture Lesson: Matthew 13:1-9 and 18-23 Pew Bible N.T. pg. 13

1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 Such great crowds

gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on

the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out

to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them

up. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they

sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. 6 But when the sun rose, they were

scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among

thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and

brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 Let anyone with ears

listen…” 18 “Hear then the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears the word of the

kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown

in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground,

this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet such a

person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises

on account of the word, that person immediately falls away.[c] 22 As for what was sown

among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure

of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. 23 But as for what was sown on good soil,

this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields,

in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

Response to the Word

L: This is the Word of God for the people of God

P: Thanks be to God!

Connecting Through Music: “I Ring My Praise to God” by Howard F. Starks

Saginaw First UMC Bell Choir – Catherine McMichael, Director

Sermon “ON BEING SOILED” Pastor Amy Terhune

WE GO AS WITNESSES FOR CHRIST IN THE WORLD

*Closing Hymn: “You Are the Seed” UMH #583

1) You are the seed

that will grow a new sprout;

You’re a star

that will shine in the night;

You are the yeast

and a small grain of salt,

a beacon to glow in the dark.

You are the dawn

that will bring a new day;

You’re the wheat

that will bear golden grain;

You are a sting

and a soft, gentle touch,

My witnesses wherever you go.

Chorus: Go, my friends, go to the world,

Proclaiming love to all,

Messengers of my

forgiving peace, eternal love.

Be, my friends, a loyal witness,

From the dead I arose;

“Lo, I’ll be with you forever,

Till the end of the world.”

2) You are the flame

that will lighten the dark,

Sending sparkles of hope, faith, & love;

You are the shepherds

to lead the whole world through

valleys and pastures of peace.

You are the friends

that I chose for myself,

the word that I want to proclaim.

You are the new kingdom

built on a rock, where

justice and truth always reign.

Chorus

3) You are the life

that will nurture the plant;

You’re the waves in a turbulent sea;

Yesterday’s yeast is beginning to rise,

a new loaf of bread it will yield.

There is no place for a city to hide,

nor a mountain can cover it’s might;

May your good deeds

show a world in despair

a path that will lead all to God.

Chorus.

*Benediction

L: Go forth from this time of worship devoted to cultivating good soil within and

committed to spreading the Gospel Seeds of hope, faith, and love in all conditions,

through the power of Christ in you. And the peace of God will be with you.

P: Amen! Thanks be to God!

*Postlude: “Consolation” by Joseph Low (1800s)

* You are invited to stand if you are able

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Follow us on Social Media!

YouTube: Saginaw First UMC Twitter: FirstUMCofSaginaw

Instagram: saginawfumc Facebook: First United Methodist Church of Saginaw

Be sure to check in on Facebook! The more of us that do so, the more people learn about who we are!

HOSPITALIZED THIS WEEK: Connor Ashmall, Jim Cloud

PLEASE HOLD IN YOUR PRAYERS: Ed Babinski, John & Myrna Cammin, Jim & Betty Jo Cloud,

Bill Cowdry, Pat Dole, Chris Everett, Esther Cavendish Fisher, Jim Frost, Leah Graham (now home

recovering from brain surgery), Glenn Hinds, Barb Kropp, Walt & Joyce Maltman, Camille Marek,

David & Cheryl Marks, Merlyn Mondol, Dick & Sharon Mueller, Dave & Jean Nelson, Ron Perry, Al &

Teddy Reichard, Anne Ruffle, Eugenia Shek, and Louise Yeager. Also, please pray for UMCOR and

other organizations who are working to alleviate suffering caused by flooding in our area, healing from

the Covid-19 Virus, and a way to peace and equality for all people in God’s world.

RE-OPENING PLAN: Click Here

SIGN-UP TO ATTEND WORSHIP IN PERSON: Click Here

VIRTUAL VBS is being offered through the Central Bay District. Since we can't do VBS is person, the

district is offering Virtual VBS for all kids in the area. YOU MUST REGISTER HERE BY MONDAY,

JULY 6, 2020. A packet will either be mailed to your home or here to the church for pickup. Exact

times and more information available if you follow the "Register Here" link above. For more

information, contact Tina in the District Office at 793-8838 or at tinamarie48604@gmail.com.

A SUMMER BOOK STUDY on the book "White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk

About Racism" by Robin DiAngelo is underway online on Tuesday evenings and in person on Thursday.

Please contact Pastor Amy at pastoralbt@outlook.com or (989)274-6363 if interested in joining.

ATERNATIVE BACK TO SCHOOL BASH IS A GO!!! This year, we will not be providing meals,

games, or crafts - ONLY School Supplies and cloth masks at a drive-thru event on Tuesday, August 18,

2020 from 6:30-8:00pm. In order to pull this off, we will need to purchase school supplies in bulk,

which will be purchased through your gifts to mission this summer. Please give generously. We need to

raise about $2,500. Give online here. We will allow folks to help pack bags on Tuesday 8/11 or

Wednesday 8/12. You will be able to sign up as individuals or a family to come in for a 30-minute time

slot to pack about 25-30 bags. This will allow for social distancing and safe practices. Sign up here to

pack bags. On the day of the event, we'll need twenty-two volunteers - 10 to help direct traffic and 12

to hand out bags in four different lines out in the back parking lot. Sign up to help here to

volunteer. We'll also need 500 children's washable masks so that we are able to put one in each bag,

as they will be required to return to school. Pastor Amy can get you a template and elastic if you're able

to sew this summer. Masks must be delivered to the church by 3:00pm on Monday, August 10. Sign up

here to sew masks.

First United Methodist Church

4790 Gratiot Road, Saginaw, MI 48638-6242; (989) 799-0131; Fax (989) 799-4240 e-mail: firstumsag@aol.com website: http://firstumcsaginaw.org

Senior Pastor ...................................................................................................... Rev. Amy Lee Brun Terhune

............................................................. pastoralbt@outlook.com / (989) 274-6363 (cell phone)

Office Administrator/Treasurer ..................................................................................................... Dina Draper

Office Assistant/Custodian ......................................................................................................... Sarah Graham

Director of Music & Chancel Choir ................................................................................................ Rod Bieber

Organist ...................................................................................................................................... Bryan Latimer

Bell Choir Director ......................................................................................................... Catherine McMichael

Praise Band Director ..................................................................................................................... Lance Coyle

Nursery Supervisors .......................................................... Diane Maturen, Aimee Priem, & Carolyn Rottiers

Audio Visual Technicians ........................................ Nic Courier, Brian Hatch, Andy Sharrow, Izzy Terhune