Worship for July 19, 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 19, 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

Lighting of the Candles

Ringing of the Bell

Welcome:                           Rev. Eric S. Anderson

* Call to Worship (based on Genesis 28:10-19)  Peter Braun

Leader:   What are our dreams when the night is long and the pillow hard?
People:  We may dream of a softer sleeping place, or we might dream of the gates of heaven.

Leader:   From his rocky bed Jacob dreamed of a stairway to God’s realm.
People:  From our rocky times we dream of God’s grace and salvation.

Leader:   Come to worship now and dream the dreams of waking.
People:  We will dream of justice, of grace, and of our voices raised in thanks.

All:           Let us worship God!

* Hymn #418: My Faith, It Is an Oaken Staff (v. 1 – 3)

* Invocation (based on Psalm 139:1-12, 23-34) Peter Braun

You have searched us and known us, O God, from near at hand and from far away. You know us better than we know ourselves, with knowledge too wonderful for any of your children. High in the sky or deep in the sea, you are with us: and so we pray that you might be with us in this time of worship to hear our needs and accept our praise. Amen.

Please be seated

WE SHARE THE WORD OF GOD

Anthem: What Am I Gonna Eat          Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Time with the Children                      Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Scripture:                           Peter Braun

Psalm 86:11-17

Teach me your way, O Lord,
    that I may walk in your truth;
    give me an undivided heart to revere your name.
I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
    and I will glorify your name forever.
For great is your steadfast love toward me;
    you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

O God, the insolent rise up against me;
    a band of ruffians seeks my life,
    and they do not set you before them.
But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
Turn to me and be gracious to me;
    give your strength to your servant;
    save the child of your maidservant.
Show me a sign of your favor,
    so that those who hate me may see it and be put to shame,
    because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

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!

Sermon: Undivided Heart                    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 #398: Shadow and Substance (v. 1-3)

Call to Offering                Peter Braun

We offer our prayers of thanksgiving often in our lives. When small things and great things bless us, we remember to offer thanks. At this moment, let us give thanks in ways that will help others be grateful for small or great blessings in their lives. 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: Menuet in D  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         Peter Braun

We present these gifts in gratitude, O God, for your grace has lifted us in body, mind, and spirit. Bless them as you receive them so that others may, in turn, praise you for your love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

* Hymn #413: By Gracious Powers (v. 1 – 4)

Please be seated

Announcements             Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Benediction                      Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Postlude: A Tune for the Trumpet   Kayleen Yuda

* Please stand if you are able.

PERMISSIONS

The Fathers Love
Contributors: Donald Lee Moore
Tune: © 1985 Lorenz Publishing Company, a division of The Lorenz Corporation
(Admin. by Music Services)
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890

My Faith, It Is an Oaken Staff
Text by Thomas T. Lynch, 1855
Tune THE STAFF OF FAITH, Swiss folk melody, first pub. 1910
Public Domain

What Am I Gonna Eat
©2026 by Eric Anderson
Streamed by permission

Shadow and Substance
Text by Dan Damon, 1989
© 1994 Hope Publishing Company
Tune TWILIGHT by Dan Damon, 1989
© 1994 Hope Publishing Company
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890

Menuet in D
John Stanley
© published by J. Curwen & Sons in 1959
Arranged by Eric H. Thiman
Public Domain

By Gracious Powers
Text by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, 1944
Trans. by Fred Pratt Green, 1972
© 1974 Hope Publishing Co.
Tune BONHOEFFER by Herbert G. Hobbs, 1976
Harm. by Jan Helmut Wubbena, 1976
© 1976 Herbert G. Hobbs
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890

A Tune for the Trumpet
Contributors: David Paxton
Tune: © 1978 Lorenz Publishing Company, a division of The Lorenz Corporation
(Admin. by Music Services)
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890

IMPORTANT DATES

Other Faith Groups that meet at Church of the Holy Cross

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.