(Image: “Angel of the Plains” Péterfy, László, ca. 21st Cent., Sculpture
Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Paks, Hungry)
©Order of Worship for Sunday July 19, 2026
Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
For the Avent Ferry UMC Worship Video Click Here Link (Link opens in a new window)
Prelude: ……“All the Way My Savior Leads Me”……..Greg D.
Words: Fanny J. Crosby, Music: Heather Sorenson © 2020 Hal Leonard LLC
Coming of the Light:………………………………………….
Greetings:…………………………………..…Pastor Liz
Announcements:……………………………………..Lorri B.
Call to Worship:……………………………………..Diane C.
This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
The hour is coming, and now is,
when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth,
for such the Father seeks to worship him.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him, bless his name!
Opening Prayer: ………………………………Elizabeth B.
Steadfast God,
teach us your way and your truth.
Root us in you alone,
help us to grow in grace and love,
that we may fulfill our role and our work
in the reign of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Opening Hymns:“Come, Ye Thankful People, Come” #694 UMH
Words: Henry Alford, 1844 Music: George J. Elvey, 1858
1. Come, ye thankful people, come, raise the song of
harvest home; all is safely gathered in, ere the
winter storms begin. God our Maker doth provide
for our wants to be supplied; come to God’s own
temple, come, raise the song of harvest home.
2. All the world is God’s own field, fruit as praise to
God we yield; wheat and tares together sown are to
joy or sorrow grown; first the blade and then the ear,
then the full corn shall appear; Lord of harvest,
grant that we wholesome grain and pure may be.
3. For the Lord our God shall come, and shall take the
harvest home; from the field shall in that day all
offenses purge away, giving angels charge at last
in the fire the tares to cast; but the fruitful
ears to store in the garner evermore.
4. Even so, Lord, quickly come, bring thy final
harvest home; gather thou thy people in, free from
sorrow, free from sin, there, forever purified,
in thy presence to abide; come, with all thine
angels, come, raise the glorious harvest home.
“Bring Forth the Kingdom” #2190 TFWS
Words and Music: Marty Haugen © 1986 GIA Publications, Inc.
1. You are salt for the earth, O people:
Salt for the Kingdom of God! Share the flavor of
life, O people: Life in the Kingdom of God!
Refrain
Bring forth the Kingdom of mercy, bring forth the
Kingdom of peace; bring forth the Kingdom of justice,
bring forth the City of God!
2. You are a light on the hill, O people:
Light for the City of God! Shine so holy and
bright, O people: Shine for the Kingdom of God!
Refrain
Bring forth the Kingdom of mercy, bring forth the
Kingdom of peace; bring forth the Kingdom of justice,
bring forth the City of God!
3. You are a seed of the Word, O people:
Bring forth the Kingdom of God! Seeds of mercy and
seeds of justice, grow in the Kingdom of God!
Refrain
Bring forth the Kingdom of mercy, bring forth the
Kingdom of peace; bring forth the Kingdom of justice,
bring forth the City of God!
4. We are a blest and a pilgrim people:
Bound for the Kingdom of God! Love our journey and
love our homeland: Love is the Kingdom of God!
Refrain
Bring forth the Kingdom of mercy, bring forth the
Kingdom of peace; bring forth the Kingdom of justice,
bring forth the City of God!
Passing of the Peace:…………………………………Pastor Liz
Let us offer signs of reconciliation and peace to one another.
Giving of our tithes and offerings ………Pastor Liz
You can do this with no fee through your bank’s online bill pay option. It is easy to set up for automatic monthly giving. Or, you can use this link: Online Giving
Offertory: “Concertino for Trombone”
By Leopold Mozart © 1990 by Editions Marc Reift.
Chris Jalilevand, Trombone
Greg Dixon, Piano
Offertory Response:
“Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow” #95
The United Methodist Hymnal
Words by Thomas Ken, 1674
Music attributed to Louis Bourgeois, 1551
“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.”
Prayer After Receiving:………………………………Pastor Liz
Prayers of the People:………………………………..Pastor Liz
The Lord’s Prayer
Anthem: “Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major”
By Johan Sebastian Bach Chris Jalilevand, Trombone
Gospel Lesson: Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43…………Diane C.
The parable of the weeds
He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field, but while everybody was asleep an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 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?’ He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he replied, ‘No, for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 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.'”
Then he 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.” He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!
Hymn of Preparation: Hymn of Promise, #707 UM Hymnal
Words and Music: Natalie Sleeth, 1986
© 1996 Hope Publishing Co.
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.
Sermon:………………………………………………….Pastor Liz
Response to the Word:
Closing Hymn: “The Spirit Sends Us Forth to Serve” #2241 TFWS
Words: Delores Dufnes, OSB Music: USA folk melody
Words © 1993 Delores Durner, admin by OCP Publications
1. The Spirit sends us forth to serve; we
go in Jesus’ name to bring glad tidings to the
poor, God’s favor to proclaim.
2. We go to comfort those who mourn and
set the burdened free; where hope is dim, to
share a dream and help the blind to see.
3. We go to be the hands of Christ, to
scatter joy like seed and, all our days, to
cherish life, to do the loving deed.
4. Then let us go to serve in peace, the
gospel to proclaim. God’s Spirit has empowered
us; we go in Jesus’ name
Dismissal with Blessing:……………………………Pastor Liz
Postlude:……………………………………………………Greg D.
For Online Giving, follow this link Avent Ferry Give . You can also mail checks to Avent Ferry UMC, 2700 Avent Ferry Road, Raleigh, NC 27606.
For additional AFUMC Announcements: See your AFUMC Announcements E-mail or Click Announcements Here
Follow us on Instagram @aventferryumc and Twitter #aventferryumc
Sunday July 19th Worship Service