This Sunday we welcome into our pulpit Elisa Lucozzi. Her focal point for her sermon, “The Seed Cracked Open,” is the string of similes from Matthew 13: 31-46. She reminds us:
- “The kingdom of heaven is like 80 strangers holding hands to form a human chain and rescue a family from a dangerous riptide.
- The kingdom of heaven is like the Habitat for Humanity team who shows up to construct a handicap ramp for the neighbor who now finds themselves wheelchair bond.
- The kingdom of heaven is like the firefighter who rushes back into a burning building to rescue a beloved animal companion.
- The kingdom of heaven is like the six-year-old who donates their birthday money to support the local food bank.
As we gather on July 30th, I invite you to bring your gardening tools as we seek to unearth the meaning of one of Jesus’ tiniest and most well known parables – the parable of the mustard seed.”
The children, both with Elisai and later in Sunday School, will also be learning about the Mustard Seed description of faith. Tools and seeds and soil will be involved!
The Special Music will be the shape note “Saints Delight” by F. Price, lyrics from the poetry of Isaac Watts, sung by Bridget Peters, Betsy Alexander and Marcia Tomlinson.
One of our congregation’s favorites, Natalie Sleeth’s “Hymn of Promise” will be a part of the service. Listen here to a delightful rendition.
Ms. Lucozzi will also be teaching us a new hymn whose lyrics are:
“Faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains, can move mountains. Faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains by the pow’r of God. Believe what Jesus said was true. Believe He meant it just for you. Wait and see what God will do as you pray, as you pray.”
*Important note: on the 30th we are providing a “neutral pulpit” for a fellow Vermont Conference church. This is a wonderful opportunity to hear a voice from outside of our immediate community and it is an opportunity for that church’s search committee to experience the candidate leading worship and giving a sermon.
Want to find out how this all fits together?
Come to church on Sunday!
Children are welcomed into our service and will go to Sunday School after leading the congregation in the Lord’s Prayer.
Filling our pulpit in August:
6th – Rev. David Pruitt
13th – Cass Poulos
20th – Rev. Michael Caldwell
27th – TBA
Looking forward … Organist and Choir Director John Atwood reports August will be a musically diverse month with Michael Zsoldas playing his soprano saxophone, some works of Bach jazzed up! It will be exciting to hear his renditions of “Air on a G string”, “Joy of man’s desiring”, and “Air in A minor.” In addition they will play Avant Guard pieces entitled “Two meditations on ‘Wondrous Love'” arranged by Ronald Perera, again, with jazz improvisations by Mr. Zsoldas. Also in August there will be at least one other Sunday with a flute soloist, and one with Trumpet, but neither of these is yet finalized.
We are an Open and Affirming Congregation.
Whoever you are, wherever you are on life’s journey,
you are welcome here.