Summer Worship July 12, 2020

10:30 a.m. EST

We gather for worship. Liturgical texts are within this order of worship; hymns are included at the bottom and online.

Sit with a Bible, candle, or hymnal, or in a special space, and call to mind all who worship in the church that God continues to plant. We gather before God.

CALL TO WORSHIP: He’s Got the Whole World in His Hand arr. Margaret Bonds HYMN: I Sing the Mighty Power of God Glory to God 32

We confess and hear God’s forgiveness.

Present God, patient Teacher, persuasive Spirit, you are tireless in speaking to us, but we find it easy to close our minds, to refuse to hear what would require painful change, to reject the truth because it is inconvenient. Forgive our deliberate denseness of mind, fearful resistance to change, and stubborn insistence that our way is the best way. You have sown seeds on our paths, and we have trampled them. You have planted seeds in our garden and we have let the thorns choke them until they are without breath. We have neglected and abandoned the seeds that you gave us to nurture. We have heard your Word and yet operated as though it was not meant for us. Continue your speaking until we hear. Try new parables on us until we think and understand. Argue with us until we do your will. Help us to be seeds sown into good soil, hearing Your Word and understanding, and in so doing may we bear fruits of the cross and be agents of your change for the world.

We sing in gratitude.

Glory to God, Whose Goodness Shines on Me Glory to God 782

We welcome the Word read and proclaimed.

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION hymn-prayer text: “A Sower Came from Ancient Hills” Herman Steumpfle, GTG 171 (below) SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 55:10-13; Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

SERMON: “Prepping the Soil” The Reverend Dr. Mindy Douglas

We offer our gifts and ourselves and are welcomed to God’s table.

PRAYERS FOR SUMMER STAFF 2020

HYMN: Feed Us, Lord Glory to God 501

EUCHARIST

INVITATION and GREAT THANKSGIVING The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise.

sung within the prayer: tune: ARGENTINE SANTO Santo, santo, santo. ¡Mi corazón te adora! Mi corazón te sabe decir: ¡Santo eres, Señor! Holy, holy, holy. My heart, my heart adores you! My heart knows how to say to you: you are holy, Lord! LORD’S PRAYER BREAKING AND POURING COMMUNION OF THE PEOPLE HYMN: Seed, Scattered and Sown Glory to God 531 all singing refrain: Seed, scattered and sown; wheat, gathered and grown; bread, broken and shared as one, the living bread of God. Vine, fruit of the land; wine, work of our hands; one cup that is shared by all, the living cup, the living bread of God.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION We leave with God’s blessing.

HYMN: You Shall Go Out with Joy Glory to God 80

BENEDICTION and CHARGE

VOLUNTARY: The Rejoicing composed by G. F. Handel

Portions of this morning’s liturgy adapted from the Book of Common Worship, 2018. Our preacher today is The Reverend Dr. Mindy Douglas, Mindy grew up in South Carolina in a Presbyterian family of faith. Montreat Conference Center has played a significant role in her faith formation over the years and continues to guide and support her as she seeks to faithfully follow Jesus. A graduate of Union Presbyterian Seminary and Duke Divinity School (Ph.D.), she has served churches in Wilson, Chapel Hill, and Chatham County, NC as associate pastor, campus minister, and organizing pastor. In May 2016, she became the pastor/head of staff at First Presbyterian Church in Durham, NC. She is married to Tim O'Brien and her son Tyler is a student at Western Carolina. She loves to read, sing, dance, be with friends and family, and meet new people. Assisting in Worship Richard DuBose, President, Montreat Conference Center John Daniel Debevoise, Ministry Team; Brett Eisenhauer, Ministry Team Johanna Garrity, Liturgical Artist, Montreat Conference Center Rev. Dr. Ann Laird Jones, Director of Art Ministry, Liturgist, Montreat Conference Center Heather Scott, Director of Technology, Montreat Conference Center Rev. Carol Steele, vice president for programs, Montreat Conference Center Eric Wall, Conference Center Musician, Montreat Conference Center Artist’s Statement “8Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9Let anyone with ears listen!’” (Matthew 13:8, NRSV) The banners, today, pair the image of the sower with the prayer for victims of violence based on gender, color, or creed. Painted with acrylic on paper, the names of each precious human life, wrongly taken feel endless. There are more names to add to the installation. It already encircles the auditorium on a collection of 10 prayerful banners, names and dates. Each name is written in American Typewriter font, connecting it with the written form through which we all learn the stories of each precious child of God lost to us, lost to God. We hold this prayer of the names we say, of the lives that can’t breathe, of the people gone too soon, of humanity in turmoil, of this precipice of peace. We hold this prayer up to God. We contemplate the seeds that thrive. We are called today to create more fertile soil, to reimagine our systems, to build new systemic soil that nurtures, cares, and loves, to remove the stones that oppress, the paths that trample, to deepen the shallow ground. We are here watching God work in real time as Jesus‘ wisdom is passed down, “23But 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.’” (Matthew 13:23, NRSV) As we listen desperately to God’s word, yearning to know our next right step, we know, deeply, that we must meet God in this work, right now. This sense of urgency can no longer be mistaken. What is my next right step? What is yours? How can we provide systemic fertile ground for God’s work? Hymns and Songs for Worship Hymns come from Glory to God: the Presbyterian Hymnal. Hymns 80, 171, 501, and 531 are reproduced for one-time singing/speaking on July 5, 2020, by permission of OneLicense #716865. Composers, authors, and publishers are at the bottom of each hymn.

Active Summer Staff 2020 Ella Adams, Wilderness Ranger Hadyn Autry, Lifeguard Scott Burns, Lifeguard Hallie Conrad, Lifeguard Eliza Elliott, Lifeguard Miller Elliott, Lifeguard Mary Frances Garner, Wilderness Ranger Hannah Garrity, Liturgical Artist Lane Green, Wilderness Ranger Nancy Hyde, Arts Administrator Zachary Payne, Housekeeping Will Shuford, Lifeguard Alison Sink, Housekeeping Skylar Sinnott, Waterfront Coordinator Siler Sloan, Wilderness Ranger Charlie Smith, Housekeeping Laurel Vincent, Wilderness Ranger Tim Wayman, Housekeeping Mattie Wheeler, Resident Advisor Sally Jones Pottery volunteers Rachel Skidmore, Anne Stone, Cooper Harrison, Mary Hunnicutt, Sarah Peters, Jennings White, Christina Carlisle, Chloe Hamilton McIsaac, Cathie Dodson, Lucy Hazlehurst Currie Craft Center volunteers Clee Lee, Kay Clegg, Carol Wilhelmi, Lisa Galloway Hymn Sing Committee volunteers Mary Miller Brueggemann Alice Lentz Jim Richardson Hymn Sing Leader volunteers Eric Wall, Jeremy Roberts Second Loaf volunteers Edna Banes, Amy and Mason Blake, Connie Button, Anne and Jamie Dale,

Beth Fountain, Jean Gettys, Meredith Greene, Judy and Scott Gregory John Hinkle, Linda Hobson, Susan and David Holcomb, Jackie Kerr, Jim and Kay Layman, Alice Lentz, Elizabeth and Bob Shaw, Margo Smith, Chuck Williams, Sally Woodward,

Grounds Committee volunteers Ellen Dean, Cathie Dodson, Beth Fountain, Clare Frist, AnnKelso Hewitt, Linda Hobson, Sam Hobson, Susan Holcomb, David Hope, Jim Layman, Judy Shillinglaw, Brett VanDorsten, Katie Widmer, Perrin Wright Members of the President's Council Margaret and Bill Bauer; chairs Lee Ann Bannermann and Jasper Gilbert Amy and Mason Blake Lisa and Jim Brueggemann Jennifer and Eric Carr Trish and Eddie Edwards Beth Fountain Lisa and Ben Galloway Clare George-Drumheller and Matt Drumheller Taylor Guthrie-Hartman and Blair Hartman Ellen and Gary Henschen Lolly and Alan Hightower Mary Hill Davidson and Caroline Hobson Susan and David Holcomb Katherine and A.J. Mealor Ginny Newell and Bob Wilkins Nickie and Kent Otto Sarah and Alec Peters English and David Rand Alice and Al Sudduth Jane and Faison Winborne Memorial Garden Committee volunteers Clare Frist Lynn Gilliland John Hinkle Kay Layman

2020 Summer Staff and Volunteers – thank you, one and all!

Hired 2020 Summer Staff Amy Alexander Sandra Arrowood Andrew (Drew) Banzhoff Emily Berry Logan Britt Allison Brooks Leah Brooks Kate Byars Christina Carlisle Lillian (Lily) Chilton Elizabeth (Rosie) Coffie Katherine (Kay) Cooper Mary Alice Crocker John Currie Grace Daniels Isaac Dannenberg John Daniel DeBevoise Emma Diduch Cathie Dodson Elizabeth Dohy William (Will) DuBose Cory Earp Brett Eisenhauer Dylan Fike Caleb Ford Reed Frellick Carolyn Gahan Abby Glass Corey Glenn Andrew Glontz Chloe Hamilton Allison Handorf Katie Hanners Cooper Harrison Anna Hattaway Lucy Hazlehurst Courtney Anne Henry Emma Hodges Louis Holbrook Philip Hubbard Grace Huff Skylar Hull Mary Hunnicutt Eleanor Ikard

Emma Jones Olivia Kaufmann Betsy Kelly Hannah Kershner Parker Klinck Eliza Lieberman Coty Lodge Austin Maryanski Freddy Matney Caroline McArthur Abigail Merrifield Carlisle Mills Isaac Moshay Andrew Mote Anna Scott Myers Sarah Myers Kristina Parrish Lila Peters Rachel Peters Sarah Peters Gabe Poulos Lizzie Powell Madelyn (Maddie) Prevatte Catherine Rand Tolar Ray Alexis Robertson Elizabeth Sills Rachel Skidmore Grayson Sloop Taylor Sloop Ellinor Smith Emma Smith Phaedra Smith Callie Spencer Chloe Stiles Anne Stone Jenna Strahan Will Sykes Olivia Wagner Stephens Watson