July 5, 2026 – 250th Anniversary of USA
WELCOME
The Fourth of July serves as an annual reminder of a time when standing together provided hope in challenging times. Our nation’s road to independence was long and not without significant cost. There were times when many wondered if the winds of victory were on the horizon as the war raged throughout the colonies. But by standing together, the tide turned and the winds that initially pushed against us propelled the nation to its independence, and our country took its place in the world.
On July 4, take time to give thanks to those who have walked with others when life’s winds pushed and pulled and for the support they offered along the way. Celebrate our nation’s independence and freedom with a prayerful spirit of thankfulness for those whose vision helped others see and gain a better future.
OPENING SENTENCES based on Psalm 145
O Lord, you are gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
You are good to all people,
with compassion for all of your creation.
All your works give thanks to you, O Lord,
and all your faithful people bless you.
They speak of the glory of your realm
and tell of your wondrous deeds.
You are faithful in your words, O Lord,
and gracious in all your deeds.
You uphold all who are falling
and raise up those who are bowed down.
Let us worship God.
HYMN No. 10 “Sing Glory to the Name of God”
1 Sing glory to the name of God,
whose holy splendor shines abroad.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Enthroned above the crashing waves,
the God of grace and glory saves.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
2 The name of God is full of might:
resounding thunder, flashing light.
Alleluia, alleluia!
The wilderness cannot contain
the echoes of the great refrain:
Alleluia, alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
3 The name of God is wild and free,
awhirl in holy mystery.
Alleluia, alleluia!
A secret wrapped in smoke and fire,
still chanted by the temple choir:
Alleluia, alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
INVOCATION
ALMIGHTY God, who hast given us this good land our heritage; We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of thy favour and glad to do thy will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violent discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogancy, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that through obedience to thy law, we may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble suffer not our trust in thee to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
INVITATION TO CONFESSION
Let us open our lives to God’s healing presence, seeking peace with God and reconciliation with our neighbors. Let us be mindful not only of personal evil but also of our communal sins
of family, class, race, and nation. Let us confess to God whatever has wounded us
or brought injury to others, that we may receive mercy and become for each other ministers of God’s grace.
CONFESSION OF SIN
Merciful God, in your gracious presence we confess our sin and the sin of this world.
Although Christ is among us as our peace, we are a people divided against ourselves
as we cling to the values of a broken world. The profit and pleasures we pursue
lay waste the land and pollute the seas. The fears and jealousies that we harbor
set neighbor against neighbor and nation against nation.
We abuse your good gifts of imagination and freedom, of intellect and reason,
and have turned them into bonds of oppression. Lord, have mercy upon us;
heal and forgive us. Set us free to serve you in the world as agents of your reconciling love in Jesus Christ.
SILENCE
HYMN No. 10, v.4 “Sing Glory to the Name of God”
4 May God forever be our peace;
may hymns of glory never cease:
Alleluia, alleluia!
Let all the faithful people come;
sing praise to God, the Three-in-One:
Alleluia, alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
ABSOLUTION
Brothers and sisters, you know that God, being full of goodness and mercy, loved the world so greatly that he gave his only Son, who said plainly that he had come to save that which had been lost. That good Savior has promised us
that everything we ask in his name will be given us, and that if we forgive others their sins his Father will forgive our own. Believe, therefore, that when we ask God‘s mercy in the name of our Lord Jesus,
and when we forgive our neighbor, our Lord forgives us, and, through the faith we have in Jesus Christ, our hearts are cleansed.
May Jesus, the true Savior of the world, who died for us and is seated in glory at the right hand of the Father, dwell in your hearts through his Holy Spirit,
that you be wholly alive in him, through living faith and perfect love. Amen.
DECALOGUE
The congregation may sing the Decalogue here.
Versified by Dewey Westra 1899-1979
Alt. in Psalter Hymnal 1987
My soul, recall with reverent wonder
How God amid the fire and smoke
Proclaimed His holy law with thunder
From Sinai’s mountain when He spoke:
“I am the Lord, your God and Sovereign,
Who out of bondage set you free,
Who saved you from the land of Egypt.
Then serve no other gods but Me.
“You shall not bow to graven idols,
For I, a jealous God, your Lord,
Shall punish sin in those who hate me,
But love all those who keep my Word.
“The Lord is God; His name is holy.
Do not His holiness profane.
God surely will not hold them guiltless
Who take His holy name in vain.
“Remember, keep the Sabbath holy,
The day God sanctified and blessed.
Six days you shall do all your labor,
But on the seventh you shall rest.
“Honor your father and mother;
Obey the Lord your God’s command,
That you may dwell secure and prosper
With length of days upon the land.
“You shall not hate or kill your neighbor.
Do not commit adultery.
You shall not steal from one another
Nor testify untruthfully.
“You shall not covet the possessions
Your neighbors value as their own;
Home, wife or husband, all their treasures
You shall respect as theirs alone.”
Teach us, Lord God, to love your precepts,
The good commandments of your law.
Give us the grace to keep your statutes
With thankfulness and proper awe.
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
Almighty and ever gracious God,
since all our salvation depends upon your holy Word:
therefore grant that our hearts may be set free from worldly things,
so that we may with all diligence and faith hear your Word,
rightly understand your gracious will,
and in all sincerity live according to the same,
to your praise and glory;
through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
SCRIPTURE Matthew 11:16-30
16“But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another, 17‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.’ 18For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’;19the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”
20Then he began to reproach the cities in which most of his deeds of power had been done, because they did not repent. 21“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22But I tell you, on the day of judgment it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades. For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24But I tell you that on the day of judgment it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom than for you.”
25At that time Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; 26yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Pause
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks Be To God!
SERMON “Come to Me!”
For the last few years, I’ve been part of a clergy Bible study that meets on Wednesday afternoons. One of the pastors talked about a church leadership retreat she attended many years ago. There was a point in the retreat where each person was invited to share something about their sense of call. People took turns around the circle. One described his passion for working with children. Another mentioned church finances and keeping the books. Several talked about the vocal choir or the bell choir. All of that was in line with what was expected. What made this memorable was the next person who spoke. She said, “Right now, I am being called to deep rest.” It seemed that no one else in the room had considered that that might be a true calling. Then, of course, some wished that they had thought of it first.
There is always work to be done and it seems like churches usually need more hands than those that are raised. We can’t really all be called to rest, can we? Or can we?
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” An easy yoke . . . a light burden . . . what Jesus seems to be offering sounds so good. I wish I accepted this more. I’m more familiar with the long list of tasks that churches set out to do. I’m more acquainted with the earnest, faithful followers of Jesus who never feel that they’re doing enough or that they’re getting it right. I am more familiar with the Jesus who says “take up your cross and follow me.” Or the one who talks about the narrow gate and the hard road that lead to life. If we’re following that Jesus, we can’t really all be called to deep rest, can we?
We picked up reading in Matthew just after a preaching mission to major cities in Galilee. And apparently, it had not gone well. Jesus had gone to the cities to recruit learners, to engage people willing to hear how God was working in their midst. But those cities rejected his message. Not necessarily every person in those cities, but the leaders of the cities rejected him. The ones for whom the status quo was working, the insiders, those who were wise in their own eyes and self-sufficient.
Jesus seems a little exasperated. He mentions the children in the marketplace. Flutes and dancing were associated with weddings, while wailing was an essential part of funerals. It is as if John the Baptist came and played funerals. He preached fire and brimstone and warned them about the imminence of death and destruction. Some listened to him, but most thought he was too weird, surviving on locusts and honey, dressing like a wild man, and all that gloom and doom talk. They didn’t want to play funerals.
And then Jesus came along. He turned water into wine to make a wedding party last longer. He told hilarious stories and welcomed children and shared meals with all kinds of people. Some of them followed him, but many of the leaders said that he was too accepting, too joyful and frivolous, not nearly serious enough. They didn’t want to play wedding.
It feels like people are never satisfied. No matter what tack God takes to reach us, we will not enter the game. We will not play. Jesus is speaking to his own people, reflecting on struggles going on within Israel.
This might require some stretching of your imagination, but see if you can envision people who are part of the same faith who cannot agree on what might be described as the basics. People of the same faith who disagree about heaven and hell, who get into fights about how and when to do the important rituals, like, say, baptism and communion. Within the same faith, there are those who hold up salvation of souls as the key command of God, while others vigorously defend seeking justice and loving mercy as God’s primary requirement.
I know it’s a stretch, but imagine if you can, people who are citizens of the same country who are at odds about which practices are best for the country’s well-being. They argue about if and when and how to wash hands, about if and when and how to cover their faces. Some are doing all they can to restore the nation’s former glory and others are plotting its downfall.
If you can imagine a society like that, then you have a sense of first century Palestine under Roman occupation. There were a lot of movements or groups, some large and powerful, some on the fringes. Some seeking reform; some enacting resistance, some in violent rebellion.
In the midst of all that, I expect that people were weary. They were tired and anxious and afraid, just waiting to see what tomorrow’s news would bring and how bad the next crisis would be. To these people, Jesus says, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
What a profound relief to receive that invitation. Jesus thanks God for the weak and the poor and the spiritual babies who recognize this as good news, those who accept this call to join Jesus’ small group. In a landscape of varied political and religious and economic movements, they recognize the Wisdom of God found in Jesus.
In Jesus’ call to rest, they hear echoes of long-ago. They remember the Exodus, when Moses led their ancestors out from domination under Pharaoh.
The next part of the invitation says, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.” In Jesus’ day, the yoke was a common farm implement. Yokes are not something most of us use on a regular basis.
Preacher Barbara Brown Taylor is helpful to me here. She describes the difference between single yokes and shared yokes. A single yoke fits across a person’s shoulders with buckets hung from poles on each side. Taylor says, that with a single yoke, “. . .human beings can carry almost as much as donkeys. They will tire easily and have to sit down to rest, and their shoulders will ache all the time . . . but still it is possible to move great loads from one place to another using a single creature under a single yoke.”
She says that a shared yoke works very differently. A well-matched pair of creatures can all work all day because one can rest a little while the other pulls. “They can take turns bearing the brunt of the load; they can cover for each other without every laying down their burden because their yoke is a shared one.” At the end of the day, they are tired, but not exhausted.
Taylor suggests that some of us are weary because we are trying to wear single yokes, trying to do all the things and carry all the weight alone, while Jesus is calling us to a shared yoke.
To accept Jesus’ yoke is to join his movement for life and liberation. To accept Jesus’ yoke is to resist the cruel and exploitative yoke of empire and to work alongside Jesus as God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven.
The tie that binds us is the yoked life with God, the call to a way of life intent on Shalom, the restful well-being and peace which God desires for all creation. It is work, but work shared with Jesus and with each other. We may get tired, but not exhausted, because we move with Jesus in Sabbath rhythm.
“Come to me,” Jesus says.
“All you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, come to me.
All you who are tired of trying to figure it out all by yourself, come to me.
All you who are worn out from trying to keep life under your control.
All you who think the world is growing scarier day by day. All you who are confused and scared, grieving and exhausted, lost and lonely, come to me.”
Come to me, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light, and you will be find rest. Amen.
*APOSTLES’ CREED HYMN No. 481
1 I believe in God the Father, merciful and mighty Lord,
maker of the earth and heavens, whom we worship and adore;
and in Jesus Christ the Son, only Savior, sovereign one,
by the Holy Spirit given, born of Mary, blessed virgin.
2 Under Pilate, Jesus suffered, faithful to his final breath.
He was crucified and buried, and descended into death.
From the grave he did arise; and ascended through the skies;
now enthroned with God in heaven, he will judge the dead and living.
3 I believe in God the Spirit, and the church in every place;
saints in glorious communion, all forgiven, full of grace;
flesh and blood will live again; life in Christ will never end.
Holy Spirit, Son and Father: I will praise your name forever.
LITURGY OF THE TABLE
SCRITURE & EXPOSITION
1 Corinthians 11:23-29
Having made our confession of faith to testify that we are children of God, and hoping therefore that God our faithful Father will be gracious to us, let us hear how Jesus Christ instituted his holy supper for us, as St. Paul relates it in 1 Corinthians 11:
“I have received from the Lord,‖ he says, ―that which I have delivered to you, how the Lord Jesus, on the night when he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying ̳Take, eat; this is my body which is broken for you; do this remembering me.‘ And after the supper he took the cup, saying, ̳This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, remembering me.‘ For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord‘s death until he comes.”
We have heard how our Lord observed his supper with his disciples. Therefore, let each of us examine our conscience to see whether we truly repent of our sins, desire henceforth to live a live consistent with God‘s will, and above all to trust in God‘s mercy—seeking salvation wholly in Jesus Christ and, renouncing all hatred and dissention, determine to live in peace and love with our neighbors and to discern the unity of Christ‘s body which is the church.
If we have this witness in our hearts before God, never doubt that he claims us as his children, and that the Lord Jesus addresses his Word to us, inviting us to his Table and giving us this holy sacrament offered to all his disciples. Above all, believe the promises of his unfailing truth, that Christ is truly willing to make us partakers of his body and blood, in order that we may possess him wholly and so that he may live in us as we in him. Though we see only bread and wine, we affirm that he fulfills in us everything he shows us in these visible things: that he is the true bread of heaven and food for eternal life. In giving himself to us, he claims us as his own.
Therefore, come and let us receive this sacrament as a pledge of the goodness which his life and death has gained for us. May we never pull ourselves away from the one who invites us by his Word, but present ourselves to him with believing hearts, that he may give himself to us. Come, then, and receive what Christ offers.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us lift our spirits and hearts on high.
We lift them to the Lord.
Almighty God, we offer thanks and praise to you without ceasing and magnify your name in word and deed. As on the cross our Lord Jesus offered his body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins, still he seeks to offer them to us as nourishment for eternal life.
By the power of your Holy Spirit, grant us the grace of such a beneficial gift
that we may sincerely receive his body and blood – indeed, Christ himself – who, being true God and truly human, is the holy bread of heaven which gives us life.
No longer living for ourselves but Christ in us and we in Christ, lead us to the life that is holy, blessed, and everlasting. As partakers in your eternal covenant of grace, by which we are made children and heirs, and through which our needs are provided, may we never cease to magnify your name in word and deed.
This we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
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. Forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
DISTRIBUTION
COMMUNION READING BY A LECTOR-John 13:
13 Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.2 The devil had already decided[a] that Judas son of Simon Iscariot would betray Jesus. And during supper 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he had come from God and was going to God, 4 got up from supper, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet,[b]but is entirely clean. And you[c] are clean, though not all of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12 After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had reclined again, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for that is what I am. 14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.15 For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. 16 Very truly, I tell you, slaves are not greater than their master, nor are messengers[d] greater than the one who sent them.17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But it is to fulfill the scripture, ‘The one who ate my bread[e] has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I tell you this now, before it occurs, so that when it does occur you may believe that I am he.[f] 20 Very truly, I tell you, whoever receives one whom I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.”
21 After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit and declared, “Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. 23 One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining close to his heart;[g] 24 Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25 So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.”[h] So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot.[i] 27 After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “Do quickly what you are going to do.” 28 Now no one knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.
31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32 If God has been glorified in him,[j]God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 33 Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ 34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.”37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Very truly, I tell you, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times.
Take, eat, the body of Jesus which has been delivered unto death for you.
This is the cup of the new covenant in the blood of Jesus which has been shed for you.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Eternal God, we give you eternal praise and thanks that you have drawn us into the communion of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, the true bread of heaven and drink for eternal life.
Grant us now this further benefit: that we may never forget these things, but hold them always in our hearts, so that we may grow in grace, increase in faith, and serve you in all we do.
So may we live to the praise of your glory, and serve others even as in Christ you have served us; through Jesus Christ your Son, who in the unity of the Holy Spirit lives and reigns with you, O God, forever and ever. Amen.
*HYMN No. 545 “Lord, Bid Your Servant Go in Peace”
1 Lord, bid your servant go in peace;
your word is now fulfilled.
These eyes have seen salvation’s dawn,
this child so long foretold.
2 This is the Savior of the world,
the Gentiles’ promised light,
God’s glory dwelling in our midst,
the joy of Israel.
OFFERING FOR THE POOR
John Calvin stated, “Therefore, whatever man you meet who needs your aid, you have no reason to refuse to help him. Say, “He is a stranger”; but the Lord has given him a mark that ought to be familiar to you, by virtue of the fact that he forbids you to despise your own flesh. Say, “He is contemptible and worthless”; but the Lord shows him to be one whom he has stooped to give the beauty of His image. Say that you owe nothing for any service of his; but God, as it were, has put him in his own place in order that you may recognize toward him the many and great benefits with which God has bound you to Himself. Say that he does not deserve even your least effort for his sake; but the image of God, which recommends him to you, is worthy of your giving yourself and all your possessions.” Therefore, let us make our offerings to help the stranger, and to provide for the ones made in the image of God that need help.
OFFERTORY
*DOXOLOGY No. 606
“Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow”
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.
*PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Father in heaven, help us extend the same kindness to others that you extended to us, even the most undeserving. By your Holy Spirit, help us value humans over possessions, so we look like Jesus to the world. Amen.
*HYMN No. 87 “Comfort, Comfort Now My People”
1 “Comfort, comfort now my people;
tell of peace!” So says our God.
“Comfort those who sit in darkness
mourning under sorrow’s load.
To my people now proclaim
that my pardon waits for them!
Tell them that their sins I cover,
and their warfare now is over.”
2 For the herald’s voice is crying
in the desert far and near,
calling us to true repentance,
since the reign of God is here.
O, that warning cry obey!
Now prepare for God a way.
Let the valleys rise in meeting
and the hills bow down in greeting.
3 Straight shall be what long was crooked,
and the rougher places plain.
Let your hearts be true and humble,
as befits God’s holy reign.
For the glory of the Lord
now on earth is shed abroad,
and all flesh shall see the token
that God’s word is never broken.
*BENEDICTION Numbers 6:24-26
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be merciful to you.
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and keep you in virtuous prosperity. Amen.
*POSTLUDE