Worship for June 7, 2026

Thank you for joining us for this live stream (or recording, as the case may be) of Sunday worship. May it bless you! You may need to click “Play” to launch the stream, which will be live around 9:50 AM.

This service includes the celebration of Holy Communion. If you will be worshiping from home, please prepare and have ready some bread or other staple food and grape juice or another beverage for that portion of the service.

Welcome to the live stream of worship from Church of the Holy Cross for Sunday, June 7, 2026. You will find the service outline below, and you may download and print the PDF to follow more easily. 

Service of Worship June 7, 2026
Second Sunday after Pentecost

Rev. Eric S. Anderson, Pastor

WE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD

Lighting of the Candles

Ringing of the Bell

Welcome:                           Rev. Eric S. Anderson

* Call to Worship (based on Psalm 33:1-12)        Gloria Kobayashi

Leader:    Rejoice in the LORD, O people. Praise befits the upright.
People:   The word of God is upright. God works in faithfulness.

Leader:    The LORD loves righteousness and justice,
People:   The earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.

Leader:    The guidance of the LORD stands forever; God’s thoughts to all generations.
People:   Happy are those whose God is the LORD.

All:            Let us worship God!

* Hymn #565: God, Whose Giving Knows No Ending (v. 1 – 4)

* Invocation (based on Psalm 50:7-15)                  Gloria Kobayashi

You have told us and told us, O God, that we do not worship you properly with sacrifice alone. All we have comes from you, so we offer what is yours already. Encourage us to share our substance with our neighbors, so that having fulfilled our vows to you, we may worship you with a sacrifice of thanksgiving. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Please be seated

WE SHARE THE WORD OF GOD

Anthem: Let Us Break Bread Together                   Kayleen Yuda

Time with the Children                      Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Scripture:                           Gloria Kobayashi

Hosea 5:15-6:6

I will return again to my place
    until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face.
    In their distress they will beg my favor:

“Come, let us return to the Lord,
    for it is he who has torn, and he will heal us;
    he has struck down, and he will bind us up.
After two days he will revive us;
    on the third day he will raise us up,
    that we may live before him.
Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord;
    his appearing is as sure as the dawn;
he will come to us like the showers,
    like the spring rains that water the earth.”

What shall I do with you, O Ephraim?
    What shall I do with you, O Judah?
Your love is like a morning cloud,
    like the dew that goes away early.
Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets;
    I have killed them by the words of my mouth,
    and my judgment goes forth as the light.
For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
    the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax-collection station, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.

And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from a flow of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, for she was saying to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that moment. When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. And the report of this spread through all of that district.

Sermon: God Desires Mercy                Rev. Eric S. Anderson

WE RESPOND IN WORD AND DEED

Pastoral Prayer              Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Please join me in the Lord’s Prayer                     
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Call to Offering                Gloria Kobayashi

What does God ask us to give? Love to our neighbors, and love to our God. May this moment be one in which we give both to our God and to those around us. Whether you share your gift here in the church today, through a gift online, or via an envelope in the mail, let the offering now be received.

Offertory: Introit             Kayleen Yuda

* Doxology

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

* Offertory Prayer         Gloria Kobayashi

Merciful One, accept the gifts of your people. We rejoice in your mercy, and we pray that these offerings might spread your grace to people near and far. Amen.

* Hymn #337: Draw Us in the Spirit’s Tether (v. 1-3)

Sacrament of Holy Communion

Invitation

Consecrating the Bread and Cup    

Prayer of Thanksgiving

* Hymn #23: There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy (v. 1 – 2)

Please be seated

Announcements             Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Benediction                      Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Postlude: See How Great a Flame Aspires             Kayleen Yuda

* Please stand if you are able.

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We welcome you to worship this day. Church of the Holy Cross seeks to help its members, friends, and visitors follow the guidance of God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, encouraging all people to love one another according to the teachings of Jesus. We live and teach the faith, speak good news, minister to people near and far, and work with other households of faith and helping agencies to improve our community and our world. To support our ministries, please visit our Donate Page.