The readings for June 18 were:
Psalm 20
1 Samuel 15:34-16:13
2 Corinthians 5:6-10, (11-13), 14-17
Mark 4:26-34
The service wasn’t well attended today. I think the summer vacations have begun. We had a lay leader give the sermon today. He preached from Psalm 20, connecting it to Father’s Day. He was pretty good for a layman. We had a guest organist also today.
Our first hymn was Love Divine, All Loves Excelling by Charles Wesley, set to the hymn tune Beecher by John Zundel.
1. Love divine, all loves excelling,
joy of heaven, to earth come down;
fix in us thy humble dwelling;
all thy faithful mercies crown!
Jesus thou art all compassion,
pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation;
enter every trembling heart.
2. Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit
into every troubled breast!
Let us all in thee inherit;
let us find that second rest.
Take away our bent to sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
end of faith, as its beginning,
set our hearts at liberty.
3. Come, Almighty to deliver,
let us all thy life receive;
suddenly return and never,
nevermore thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray and praise thee without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.
4. Finish, then, thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be.
Let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee;
changed from glory into glory,
till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.
The second hymn was More Love to Thee, O Christ by Elizabeth P. Prentiss. The hymn tune is More Love to Thee by William H. Doane.
1. More love to thee, O Christ, more love to thee!
Hear thou the prayer I make on bended knee.
This is my earnest plea: More love, O Christ, to thee;
more love to thee, more love to thee!
2. Once earthly joy I craved, sought peace and rest;
now thee alone I seek, give what is best.
This all my prayer shall be: More love, O Christ, to thee;
more love to thee, more love to thee!
3. Let sorrow do its work, come grief and pain;
sweet are thy messengers, sweet their refrain,
when they can sing with me: More love, O Christ, to thee;
more love to thee, more love to thee!
4. Then shall my latest breath whisper thy praise;
this be the parting cry my heart shall raise;
this still its prayer shall be: More love, O Christ, to thee;
more love to thee, more love to thee!
Our anthem was Song of the Mustard Seed by Hal Hopson. It was very easy, which is important because we’ve stopped having choir practice until September. We’ll practice a few easy anthems every Sunday before the service.
The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed;
For when it is sown in the earth in the spring,
It is the least of all seeds in the earth.
But when it is watered it grows, it grows
And is the greatest of all herbs.
Wherever you go sow a seed along the way.
A seed of joy however small it be
May some day grow into a tree.
(Refrain)
Wherever you go sow a seed along the way.
A seed of faith however small it be
May some day grow into a tree.
(Refrain)
The final hymn was The Church's One Foundation by Samuel J. Stone. The hymn tune is Aurelia by Samuel Sebastian Wesley, the grandson of Charles Wesley.
1. The church's one foundation
is Jesus Christ her Lord;
she is his new creation
by water and the Word.
From heaven he came and sought her
to be his holy bride;
with his own blood he bought her,
and for her life he died.
2. Elect from every nation,
yet one o'er all the earth;
her charter of salvation,
one Lord, one faith, one birth;
one holy name she blesses,
partakes one holy food,
and to one hope she presses,
with every grace endued.
3. Though with a scornful wonder
we see her sore oppressed,
by schisms rent asunder,
by heresies distressed,
yet saints their watch are keeping;
their cry goes up, "How long?"
And soon the night of weeping
shall be the morn of song.
4. Mid toil and tribulation,
and tumult of her war,
she waits the consummation
of peace forevermore;
till, with the vision glorious,
her longing eyes are blest,
and the great church victorious
shall be the church at rest.
5. Yet she on earth hath union
with God the Three in One,
and mystic sweet communion
with those whose rest is won.
O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we
like them, the meek and lowly,
on high may dwell with thee.
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