MORNINGSIDE-HIGH PARK
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Warmly welcomes everyone to this
pre-recorded worship service!

July 12, 2020

WE GATHER IN GOD’S PRESENCE

Prelude, Welcome & Announcements 

Call to Worship (based on selected verses from Psalm 119)

Hymn of Praise – We praise you, O God
We praise you, O God, our Redeemer, Creator;
in grateful devotion our tribute we bring.
We lay it before you; we kneel and adore you;
We bless Your holy name; glad praises we sing.

We worship you; God ever faithful, we bless You;
Through life’s storm and tempest our guide You have been.
When perils o’er take us, You will not forsake us,
And with Your help, O Lord, life’s battles we win.

With voices united our praises we offer,
And gladly our songs of true worship we raise.
Our sins now confessing, we pray for Your blessing;
To You, our great Redeemer, forever be praise.
     Words by anonymous, translation by Julia Bulkley Cady Cory
     Music by Netherlands folk song, arrangement by Edward Kremser

Prayers of Confession & Lord’s Prayer (contemporary version)
Let us pray…
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as 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.

Words of Assurance & Peace of Christ
Beloved, let us hear and believe the good news...

One: May the peace of the Lord be always with you.
All: And also with you.

Hymn – Morning has broken
Morning has broken like the first morning;
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird;
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning,
Praise for them springing fresh from the Word.

Sweet the rain’s newfall sunlit from heaven,
Like the first dewfall on the first grass;
Praise for the sweetness, praise for the morning,
Sprung in completeness where His feet pass.

Mine is the sunlight; mine is the morning;
Born of the one light Eden saw play;
Praise with elation; praise every morning
God’s recreation of the new day!
     Words by Eleanor Farjeon
     Music by Gaelic Melody; arrangement, John W. WIlson

MHP CONNECT

Children's Message

Hymn – Open the eyes of my heart
Verse (2x): Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see you
I want to see you

Chorus: To see you high and lifted up
Shining in the light of Your glory
Pour out Your power and love
As we sing holy, holy, holy

End (2x): Holy, holy, holy
Holy, holy, holy
Holy, holy, holy
I want to see You
Words and Music by Paul Baloche

WE HEAR GOD'S WORD

Scripture Reading – Matthew 11:25-30 (NLT)

¹⁰ His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?”
¹¹ He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. ¹² To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. ¹³ That is why I use these parables,
For they look, but they don’t really see.
They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.
¹⁴ This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,
‘When you hear what I say,
you will not understand.
When you see what I do,
you will not comprehend.
¹⁵ For the hearts of these people are hardened,
and their ears cannot hear,
and they have closed their eyes—
so their eyes cannot see,
and their ears cannot hear,
and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
and let me heal them.’
¹⁶ “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. ¹⁷ I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.
¹⁸ “Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: ¹⁹ The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. ²⁰ The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. ²¹ But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. ²² The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. ²³ The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

The Invitation to Offering

Offertory – Speak to Me

Message
I invite parents to ask their children to consider how they listen. The obvious answer is that we use our ears. We do, however, also use our eyes and even our hearts when we listen Ask your children to think of a time when they didn't want to do something — maybe it was brushing their teeth when they were too tired or maybe it was eating something they do not like. Have them think about what they were feeling and as a family, think about what it means to listen with the heart.

After the message, perhaps your family can talk about how you can listen to God's word and keep your hearts open, especially when you hear stories and verses that you do not like.

WE RESPOND TO GOD'S WORD &
GO OUT INTO THE WORLD TO SERVE

Prayers of the People

Hymn – Lord, dismiss us with your blessing
Lord, dismiss us with Your blessing; fill our hearts with joy and
peace;
Let us each, Your love possessing, triumph in redeeming grace.
Oh refresh us, oh refresh, traveling through life’s wilderness.

We give thanks and adoration for Your gospel’s joyful sound;
May the fruits of Your salvation in our hearts and lives abound.
May Your presence, may Your presence with us evermore be
found,

So that when Your love shall call us, Saviour, from the world away,
Fear of death shall not appall us, glad Your summons to obey.
May we ever, may we ever live in You in endless day.
Words by John Fawcett
Music by melody from Samuel Webbe

Benediction   

Choral Amen                       
Sing amen. Amen, we praise your name, O God.
Sing amen. Amen, we praise your name, O God.
Sing amen. Amen, amen, amen, amen,
amen, we praise your name, O God.

Postlude