FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
ORDER OF WORSHIP
8th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
JULY 19, 2026
PRELUDE
WELCOME
ANNOUNCEMENTS
-NOISY COLLECTION will be taken today during Children’s Time. We are collecting monetary donations for Family Back2School Project
--TUESDAY MORNING COFFEE GROUP at 9:30ish AM, Mission Coffee House
-THURSDAY BIBLE STUDY meets at 9:30 AM, Center Meeting Room
CALL TO WORSHIP
Come, O Lord, and be present among us.
Fill this place with your Spirit and our hearts with your peace.
We come to worship the One who knows us completely and loves us unconditionally.
Your mercy is new every morning. Your faithfulness never fails.
Your love endures forever.
With joy and thanksgiving, let us worship the living God.
*OPENING HYMN #482 (blue) “Praise Ye the Lord, the Almighty”
Praise ye the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear; now to His temple draw near;
Join me in glad adoration!
Praise ye the Lord, who o’er all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires e’er have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?
Praise ye the Lord! O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him!
Let the amen sound from His people again;
Gladly for aye we adore Him.
*CALL TO CONFESSION and *PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Gracious God, we come before you confessing our weakness and trusting in your mercy. You call us to patience, yet we rush to judge. You call us to love our neighbors and even our enemies, yet we are quick to divide the world into "us" and "them." Forgive us when we seek revenge instead of reconciliation, certainty instead of humility, and control instead of faith. Renew our minds by your Holy Spirit. Teach us to overcome evil with good, to bear the fruit of your kingdom, and to trust your wisdom and timing. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
*ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Response: Thanks be to God, Amen.
*GLORIA PATRI
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
And to the Holy Ghost.
And ever shall be,
World without end. Amen, Amen.
CHILDREN’S TIME
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION and SCRIPTURE READING
Psalm 139:1-12 (Responsive)
1 O LORD, you have searched me and known me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from far away.
3 You search out my path and my lying down,
and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
O LORD, you know it completely.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is so high that I cannot attain it.
7 Where can I go from your spirit?
Or where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there;
if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning
and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light around me become night,”
12 even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is as bright as the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
Romans 12:1-2 and 14-21
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
24 He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27 And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ 28 He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 30 Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”
36 Then Jesus left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38 the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, 42 and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, +where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!”
SERMON Voices from the Kingdom: The Parable of the Wheat and Weeds
*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (from the Confession of 1967)
The risen Christ is the Savior for all men. The same Jesus Christ is the judge of all men. His judgment discloses the ultimate seriousness of life and gives promise of God’s final victory over the power of sin and death. To receive life from the risen Lord is to have life eternal; to refuse life from him is to choose the death which is separation from God. All who put their trust in Christ face divine judgment without fear, for the judge is their redeemer.
*HYMN OF RESPONSE #282 (blue) “If Thou but Trust in God to Guide Thee”
If thou but trust in God to guide thee
With hopeful heart through all thy ways,
God will give strength, whate’er betide thee,
To bear thee through the evil days.
Who trusts in God's unchanging love
Builds on the rock that nought can move.
Only be still, and wait God’s leisure
In cheerful hope with heart content
To take whate’er thy Keeper’s pleasure
And all discerning love hath sent.
No doubt our inmost wants are clear
To One who holds us always dear.
Sing, pray, and swerve not from God’s ways,
But do thine own part faithfully;
Trust the rich promises of grace,
So shall they be fulfilled in thee.
God never yet forsook at need
The soul secured by trust indeed.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Concerns: Don B, Jan J, Kris M, Bob O, Dave C (Dolores & Richard’s son), JoAnn G
Our homebound or in care members: JoAnn G, Jan J, Darwin L (Jeanne caregiver), Martin M, Bob O (Nancy caregiver), Rose P, Steve VB, Dee W (Please reach out)
This Week’s Prayer Families: Ella L, Pam L, Jeanne & Darwin L
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
OFFERING OF OURSELVES AND OUR RESOURCES
*DOXOLOGY (on screen)
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen
*CLOSING HYMN #379 (blue) “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less”
My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand: all other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness veils His lovely face, I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand: all other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
His oath, His covenant, His blood, support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand: all other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
When He shall come with trumpet sound, O may I then in Him be found:
Dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand: all other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE
ORDER OF WORSHIP
8th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
JULY 19, 2026
PRELUDE
WELCOME
ANNOUNCEMENTS
-NOISY COLLECTION will be taken today during Children’s Time. We are collecting monetary donations for Family Back2School Project
--TUESDAY MORNING COFFEE GROUP at 9:30ish AM, Mission Coffee House
-THURSDAY BIBLE STUDY meets at 9:30 AM, Center Meeting Room
CALL TO WORSHIP
Come, O Lord, and be present among us.
Fill this place with your Spirit and our hearts with your peace.
We come to worship the One who knows us completely and loves us unconditionally.
Your mercy is new every morning. Your faithfulness never fails.
Your love endures forever.
With joy and thanksgiving, let us worship the living God.
*OPENING HYMN #482 (blue) “Praise Ye the Lord, the Almighty”
Praise ye the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear; now to His temple draw near;
Join me in glad adoration!
Praise ye the Lord, who o’er all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires e’er have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?
Praise ye the Lord! O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him!
Let the amen sound from His people again;
Gladly for aye we adore Him.
*CALL TO CONFESSION and *PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Gracious God, we come before you confessing our weakness and trusting in your mercy. You call us to patience, yet we rush to judge. You call us to love our neighbors and even our enemies, yet we are quick to divide the world into "us" and "them." Forgive us when we seek revenge instead of reconciliation, certainty instead of humility, and control instead of faith. Renew our minds by your Holy Spirit. Teach us to overcome evil with good, to bear the fruit of your kingdom, and to trust your wisdom and timing. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
*ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Response: Thanks be to God, Amen.
*GLORIA PATRI
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
And to the Holy Ghost.
And ever shall be,
World without end. Amen, Amen.
CHILDREN’S TIME
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION and SCRIPTURE READING
Psalm 139:1-12 (Responsive)
1 O LORD, you have searched me and known me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from far away.
3 You search out my path and my lying down,
and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
O LORD, you know it completely.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is so high that I cannot attain it.
7 Where can I go from your spirit?
Or where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there;
if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning
and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light around me become night,”
12 even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is as bright as the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
Romans 12:1-2 and 14-21
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
24 He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27 And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ 28 He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 30 Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”
36 Then Jesus left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38 the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, 42 and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, +where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!”
SERMON Voices from the Kingdom: The Parable of the Wheat and Weeds
*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (from the Confession of 1967)
The risen Christ is the Savior for all men. The same Jesus Christ is the judge of all men. His judgment discloses the ultimate seriousness of life and gives promise of God’s final victory over the power of sin and death. To receive life from the risen Lord is to have life eternal; to refuse life from him is to choose the death which is separation from God. All who put their trust in Christ face divine judgment without fear, for the judge is their redeemer.
*HYMN OF RESPONSE #282 (blue) “If Thou but Trust in God to Guide Thee”
If thou but trust in God to guide thee
With hopeful heart through all thy ways,
God will give strength, whate’er betide thee,
To bear thee through the evil days.
Who trusts in God's unchanging love
Builds on the rock that nought can move.
Only be still, and wait God’s leisure
In cheerful hope with heart content
To take whate’er thy Keeper’s pleasure
And all discerning love hath sent.
No doubt our inmost wants are clear
To One who holds us always dear.
Sing, pray, and swerve not from God’s ways,
But do thine own part faithfully;
Trust the rich promises of grace,
So shall they be fulfilled in thee.
God never yet forsook at need
The soul secured by trust indeed.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Concerns: Don B, Jan J, Kris M, Bob O, Dave C (Dolores & Richard’s son), JoAnn G
Our homebound or in care members: JoAnn G, Jan J, Darwin L (Jeanne caregiver), Martin M, Bob O (Nancy caregiver), Rose P, Steve VB, Dee W (Please reach out)
This Week’s Prayer Families: Ella L, Pam L, Jeanne & Darwin L
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
OFFERING OF OURSELVES AND OUR RESOURCES
*DOXOLOGY (on screen)
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen
*CLOSING HYMN #379 (blue) “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less”
My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand: all other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness veils His lovely face, I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand: all other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
His oath, His covenant, His blood, support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand: all other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
When He shall come with trumpet sound, O may I then in Him be found:
Dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand: all other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE
