Worship for July 12, 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.

Welcome to the live stream of worship from Church of the Holy Cross for Sunday, July 12, 2026. You will find the service outline below, and you may download and print the PDF to follow more easily. 

Rev. Eric S. Anderson, Pastor

WE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD

Prelude: Morning Has Broken           Kayleen Yuda

Lighting of the Candles

Ringing of the Bell

Welcome:                           Rev. Eric S. Anderson

* I’d like to invite those who are able, to please stand and join me in the Call to Worship (based on Psalm 65:1-13) Christian Albano

Leader:   God brings the refreshing rain to the earth, enriching it,
People:  The river of God is full of water, providing the people with nourishment.

Leader:   God softens the ridges with showers, blessing the growth of greenery from rock.
People:  God crowns the year with bounty and with beauty.

Leader:   The pastures of the wilderness overflow; the hills gird themselves with joy,
People:  Meadows and valleys, decked with flocks and flowers, shout and sing together for joy.

All:           Let us worship God!

* Hymn #108: Isaiah the Prophet Has Written of Old (v. 1 – 4)

* Invocation (based on Psalm 119:105-112)                  Christian Albano

Your word is the lamp that guides our feet and lights our path, O God. We have promised to follow you in speech and deed, and we strive to do so. Accept our offerings of praise today, and teach us once again what it means to be your people. Your word is our heritage forever, the joy of our hearts. Amen.

Please be seated

WE SHARE THE WORD OF GOD

Anthem: I Will Sing Of the Mercies                       Kayleen Yuda

Time with the Children                      Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Scripture:                           Christian Albano

Isaiah 55:10-13

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
    and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
    giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
    it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose
    and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

For you shall go out in joy
    and be led back in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
    shall burst into song,
    and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
    instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle,
and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial,
    for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on a path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched, and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. If you have ears, hear!”

“Hear, then, the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart;

this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet such a person has no root but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of this age and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

Sermon: We Are Not Farmers (Mostly)                  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.

* Hymn #318: Almighty God, Your Word Is Cast (v. 1-4)

Call to Offering                Christian Albano

From day to day we set out to make things grow – relationships, communities, and the resources that sustain our lives and those of others. From that abundance we share in turn: love, support, and the gifts that sustain life. 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: Cantilene       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         Christian Albano

Accept these gifts, O God, which have grown from the seeds you planted in us. May they in turn grow to sustain and to encourage many others in their relationship with you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

* Hymn #495: Called as Partners in Christ’s Service (v. 1 – 4)

Please be seated

Announcements             Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Benediction                      Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Postlude: Fanfare           Kayleen Yuda

PERMISSIONS

Isaiah the Prophet Has Written of Old
Text by Joy F. Patterson, 1982
© 1982 The Hymn Society (admin. Hope Publishing Co.)
Tune JUDAS AND MARY by Sydney Carter, 1964
© 1964 Stainer & Bell Ltd. (admin. Hope Publishing Co.)
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890

I Will Sing Of Thy Mercies
James Filmore
Public Domain

Almighty God, Your Word Is Cast
Text by John Cawood, 1815
Public Domain
Tune ST. FLAVIAN first pub. 1562
Public Domain

Cantilene
Contributors: Arthur W. Marchant, Edward Broughton
Tune: © 1981 Lorenz Publishing Company, a division of The Lorenz Corporation
(Admin. by Music Services)
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890

Called as Partners in Christ’s Service
Text by Jane Parker Huber, 1981
© 1981 Jane Parker Huber
(admin. Westminster John Knox Press
Tune BEECHER by John Zundel, 1855
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890

Fanfare
Music by Nicolas J. Lemmens; edited by Diane Bish
© Copyright 1993 Tarzana Music Company
(administered worldwide by the Fred Bock Publishing Group)
All rights reserved. Used by Permission.
Contributors: Diane Bish, Nicolas Jacques Lemmens
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890

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Other Faith Groups that meet at Church of the Holy Cross

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