Today’s Meditation;

Saints are those who managed to love more than we did.

Welcoming Guests and Announcements – Pastor Ross

Hymn Sing – Congregational Hymn Pick

Prayer Concerns – Pastor Linda

Pastoral Prayer – Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer, Lord’s Prayer

Foundation Moment – Marion Kolb

Scripture Reading – Matthew 13:1‐9, 18‐23 – Pastor Ross

Message – God is Growing Faith Right Here

Communion – Pastors Linda, Ross & Dave

Benediction

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

The Parable of the Sower

1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.

2 Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach.

3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow.

4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell on a path, and the birds came and ate them up.

5 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.

6 But when the sun rose, they were scorched, and since they had no root, they withered away.

7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.

8 Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

9 If you have ears, hear!”

The Parable of the Sower Explained

18 “Hear, then, the parable of the sower.

19 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.

20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy,

21 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.

22 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.

23 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.”

Parable of sower & soils. Seeds of love & seeds of faith God puts in us & our church. What God is doing in our midst here at Lakeview right now to help our faith to grow and our church to grow. How we can be the good soil where God is planting seeds that will bear fruit in a plentiful harvest of love.

God’s faithfulness has given us our church. We want to be a place of good soil, where the seed of God’s word can be planted, grow, multiply in faithful ways. We’re always planting & nurturing seeds of faith. Some seeds take a long time to germinate & grow. God doesn’t give up on people.

The excitement and gratitude for how God is working here, right now at Lakeview, changing our lives, helping us to be Christ’s community in action with love for all.

Think of how their giving makes important ministries happen in the church.  God’s love is living here as we prepare spiritual soil, dig, sow/plant. God can bring amazing harvest because you share time/talent/treasure/prayers, love. Every 1 of us can help to plant seeds of faith so that God’s love can live here.