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August 15

CCLI license #1913561

Lakeview Presbyterian Church
Service of the Word for August 15, 2021
Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

Welcome: Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Prelude:                   “As the Deer”                            Nystrom

As the deer pants for the water So my soul longs after you.
You alone are my heart's desire And I long to worship you.

(refrain)
You alone are my strength, my shield, To You alone may my spirit yield.
You alone are my heart's desire And I long to worship Thee

Call to Worship   

By the power of the Holy Spirit, in steadfast love, God reaches out to redeem us.
Eye has not seen; ear has not heard, yet God’s loving presence is known to us.
Thanks be to God!

Opening Prayer

Eternal God, draw us to Chris.t that we may know your loving presence and receive nourishing grace for our journey in this world, and know the joy of life with Christ, who dwells with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Hymn  “God, You Spin the Whirling Planets”              TPH #285

Call to Confession:
Putting away all pretense, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, confessing our sins before God and one another.

Prayer of Confession

Merciful God, we confess that we have not lived as your faithful children.
We have been angry with the world. 
We have hoarded the fruits of our labors.
We have not built up our neighbors.
We have not forgiven the wrongs others have done, even though we desire your forgiveness toward us in Jesus Christ.Heal us, O God, and give us the grace to love as Christ loved . Amen.

Assurance of Pardon
People of God, hope in the Lord!
God in Christ has forgiven you!
God has redeemed us from all our iniquities through Christ, who loved us and gave himself for the life of the world.

Prayer for Illumination
God of daybreak, our souls wait for your light more than those who watch for the morning.  Let your Holy Spirit illumine our hearts with the light of your redemption, a new day, a new life in Christ. Amen.

Reading from the First Epistle to the Corinthians 12: 20—13: 1
As it is, there are many members, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you," nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."  On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another.  If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues.  Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?  Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?  But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

Hymn           “This Little Light of Mine”                Jim Currows

This little light of mine
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

Let it shine for you and me…

Everywhere I go…

Since I let my burdens down…

This little light of mine…

Reading from the Gospel of Matthew 25: 14—29

"For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents,to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.  The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them and made five more talents.  In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents.  But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.  After a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them.  Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, 'Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.'  His master said to him, 'Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'  And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, 'Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.'  His master said to him, 'Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'  Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.'  But his master replied, 'You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter?  Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest.  So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents.  For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.

Sermon:             “Do We Have Free Will?”          The Rev. Russell Lehman

Sermon by The Rev. Russell Lehman

Statement of Faith from The Book of Order of the PCUSA, “Foundations…”

The Church is the body of Christ.
Christ gives to the Church all the gifts necessary to be his body. The Church strives to demonstrate these gifts in its life as a community in the world:
The Church is to be a community of faith, entrusting itself to God alone, even at the risk of losing its life.
The Church is to be a community of hope, rejoicing in the sure and certain knowledge that, in Christ, God is making a new creation. This new creation is a new beginning for human life and for all things. The Church lives in the present on the strength of that promised new creation.

Sharing of Joys and Concerns

Pastoral Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer The following is a modern, ecumenical, version of the Lord’s Prayer, but feel free to use whichever version of the Lord’s Prayer is most meaningful to you.

  Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.  For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever.  Amen.

Statement about Offering our Gifts 
Each of us has been given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Let us give a measure of what has already been given to us.

      Donations can be mailed to Lakeview Presbyterian Church at 1310 22 nd Av S,  St Petersburg, FL, 33705 or given online through our website  lakeviewpresbyterianchurch.org

Special Music      

Prayer of Dedication
God of green pastures and still waters, bless these gifts that we have been given that they may become part of your banquet for the world. Amen.

Hymn       “Called as Partners in Christ’s Service”          TPH # 343

Announcements

CHARGE/ BENEDICTION

Equipped with every gift for the work of ministry, go in peace to serve the world.
May God, Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit, continue to provide every good gift and fill you with all good things, for today and forever.

Postlude                “Days of Elijah”                         Mark


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