jULY 26, 2026
NINTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
wORSHIP ON THE LAWN
A Service of Prayer, of Song, of Celebration,
and, of Worshiping Out in Nature.
Lead Minister: The Rev. Jope Langejans
Music Director: Cody Obst
Minister Emeritus: Rev. Gerry Scharff
Honorary Associate Ministers: Rev. Clint Mooney & Rev. Kelley Warner
Licensed Lay Worship Leaders: Fiona Hayes
Chair of Council: Vacant
Reader: Elizabeth Wegg
Special Musical Guests: Jenny Allen
Two quotes which may make sense to all of you:
” Peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of God.”
…and this one, “How monotonous the sounds of the forest would be if the music came only from the top ten birds.”
Gathering
(*Indicates that you may stand if you are able…)
PRELUDE
WELCOMING / ANNOUNCEMENTS / INTRODUCTIONS
*INTROIT MV # 156 “Dance with the Spirit”
ACKNOWLEDGING THE TERRITORY (Unison)
“May we all be mindful today that we are worshiping and coming together on Treaty 7 land. We acknowledge with respect the history, the spirituality, and the culture of the peoples with whom Treaty 7 was signed and the territory wherein Lakeview United Church resides, and our responsibility as treaty members to the Blackfoot Nations, the Blood, the Stoney, Siksika and our neighbouring TsuuT’Ina Nation…
Hey, Hey!”
A SPECIAL GIFT OF MUSIC ----- JENNY ALLEN
CALL TO WORSHIP (responsive)
Rev. Jope: In the busyness of our lives, in the midst of our sometimes-chaotic world, in the quietness of ‘church on the lawn’, we come here, all of us, to sense the Spirit which touches our hearts. Coming together is the bridge over troubled waters.
ALL: In the knowing that each of us seeks a place of solitude, may this morning’s worship bring us closer to the quietness of God.
Rev. Jope: We sit together, yet some of us parted by a distance, but sit together in the knowing that our friendships are stronger when we know that we are all worshiping together outside in God’s world.
ALL: So, this morning may our eyes be opened to the Spirit which moves through us and through all which we do – together.
Rev. Jope: In this time of summer, in this time of slowing ourselves down, may the Spirit of the Living God be with us.
ALL: As the words of our Gospel passage this morning, Matthew 13:33, it teaches us that Jesus Christ is yeast for the rising of the world,
Rev. Jope: and the Holy Spirit surrounds us in hope and grace and may God’s yeast ferment and rise among us as we worship.
ALL: Come, and let us be in the presence of God…Come, and let us be touched with the Spirit…we now raise our voices to you in communal prayer:
OPENING PRAYER: (Unison)
O Living Spirit, here we are before you…we are always before you. You hold in mind each one of us as if there were no one else in the world. But we are often unaware of your presence. Here, together, coming to meet with you, we become conscious of you as the reality – the true basis of life. You bring us into this day. Oh, the light does it coming through the curtains, footsteps in the hallway, maybe the alarm clock but they are all servants to awaken us to the gift of the day – your gift to us. We brought ourselves into the day. Life is your gift – air to fill our lungs, bodies which can transform it into energy: but the gift was made ours. We have chosen life. Not just eternal life. Red-blooded, food-loving, friendship-seeking life, such as Jesus enjoyed at the feasts of republicans and sinners. We affirm life, we choose life, we are here for one more day of life and we say ‘Yes’ to it. It’s my new day, it’s your new day, together, it’s our new day and we say ‘thanks’…Amen.
AN AFFIRMATION of OUR FAITH: (Unison)
We believe in the love of God that forms the basis for all human love: the love parents have for their children,
the love children have for their parents,
the love of friends who really care,
and every little act of kindness bestowed as a gift in the
human community.
We believe that God loved the world through Christ, who
showed what it means to love another by laying down his
life for all those who would come after him, even in our
own time.
We believe that love will eventually triumph in the world,
despite all envy, hate, and greed, despite wars and
rumours of war, and despite the fact that it seems so rare.
For love is of God and God is love, and God will not rest until all
are reconciled in love.
*HYMN MV # 51 “Yahweh Be Praised”
Engaging
(Reader: Elizabeth Wegg)
OLD TESTAMENT PASSAGE
GENESIS 29: 15-28 Jacob marries Leah and Rachel…
PSALM 128 (from ‘The Message’) It shall be well with you….
ANOTHER GIFT OF MUSIC - Jenny Allen
GOSPEL PASSAGE
MATTHEW 13:31-33, 44-52 Five parables: mustard seed, yeast, treasure, pearls, net…
MESSAGE “What Difference Does Prayer Make?”
Responding
OFFERING BLESSINGS FOR GIFTS GIVEN (Rev. Jope)
So, in this moment, we offer blessings upon the gifts which we’ve given to the work of this community of faith…for the encouragement of your people…and with the love of Christ in our hearts…may the offerings which we give in so many different ways be a blessing in their giving and in their utilization of sharing in the Message of peace and of hope.
PRAYER of BLESSING (Rev. Jope)
*HYMN MV # 209 “Go, Make a Diff’rence”
Blessing
SUNDAY’S CLOSING PRAYER (Rev. Jope)
THE LORD’S PRAYER (Unison)
*COMMISSIONING (unison)
Go from this place with your hearts lifted up! Go from this place with your spirits rejoicing! Go with music in the air all around you and a story always within you to share with others! Make peace with the world and may the world make peace with you. Touch each other with grace and allow the grace of God to direct you in all in which you do and in all in which you hope and dream. May your service for others now begin as you leave the confines of this sanctuary and may God always live within you…Amen.
JENNY ALLEN’S CLOSING GIFT OF MUSIC
BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE
SCRIPTURE PASSAGES for SUNDAY, AUGUST 2 2026
PSALM 145:8-9, 14-20
MATTHEW 14:13-21 (Gospel passage)