Today’s service will be held indoors in the sanctuary as an in-person service and also live streamed at this link. Click on “live” for live stream. Join us!
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Gathering Music Cole Miller
Welcome and Announcements Ray Hudgins
Call to Worship
Leader: As followers of Christ, whom are we called to love?
People: We are called to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Leader: And whom else are we called to love?
People: We are called to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Leader: Who is our neighbor?
People: The stranger, the friend, the poor, the rich, the joyful, the grieving, and even those who challenge us.
Leader: Why do we love?
People: Because God first loved us.
Leader: Come, let us worship the God whose love knows no bounds.
All: Amen.
Opening Hymn “Love the Lord Your God” Hymnal #62
Words and Music by Jim and Jean Strathdee
Love the Lord your God with all your heart.
Love the Lord your God with all your soul.
Love the Lord your God with all your mind.
Love the Lord your God with all that you are.
Scripture Reading Matthew 13: 24-30; 36-43
Sermon “Weeding” Rev. Deb Richardson-Moore
Thoughts to Ponder: It is tempting to want to weed out our friend circles, our churches, our communities -- to associate with like-minded people.
But a kingdom of heaven parable challenges that want.
Prayerful Circle of Care
Closing Hymn and Offertory “Walls Mark Our Bound’ries” Handout Words by Ruth Duck; Music by Jim Strathdee
Words - 1996. The Pilgrim Press. Music - 1997. The Pilgrim Press. All rights reserved.
1) Walls mark our bound’ries and keep us apart;
walls keep the world from our eyes and our heart.
Tables are round making room for one more,
welcoming friends we had not known before.
So build us a table and tear down the wall!
Christ is our host. There is room for us all!
2) Walls make us sure who is in and who’s out;
walls keep us safe from all question and doubt,
but at a table in open exchange
new ties are formed as our lives rearrange.
So build us a table and tear down the wall!
Christ is our host. There is room for us all!
3) Once we were strangers, divided, alone.
Hate and distrust built a wall stone by stone.
Now at a table the bread that we share
joins us to Christ in a circle of care.
So build us a table and tear down the wall!
Christ is our host. There is room for us all!
Benediction
Discussion
Shalom (“May you be well and whole and in communion with all creation.”)
Shalom, my friends, Shalom, my friends, Shalom, Shalom.
Till we meet again, Till we meet again, Shalom, Shalom. ******************************
Reprinted with permission under One License #A-625711. All rights reserved.
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Calendar of Service -
July 26 - Rev. Tricia Lytle
August 2 - Rev. Laura Beth Buchleiter
August 9 - Rev. Laura Beth Buchleiter
August 16 - Dave Johnson
August 23 - Rev. Laura Beth Buchleiter
August 30 - Rev. Laura Beth Buchleiter
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Welcome to our new minister, Rev. Laura Beth Buchleiter! She will begin leading worship services on August 2, 2026. Since this is our usual Sunday potluck meal, we will have an extra celebration during our meal. Folks are asked to bring in any beautiful flowers you have in your yards and decorate the sanctuary. Many thanks to the Search Committee: Joanne Batten, Sarah Shumpert, Karen Manley, David Sanders and Ed Yokley.
Rev. Laura Bethany Buchleiter (LB) is a pastor, speaker, writer, and musician with over 35 years of experience in various Christian ministry settings - from music to missions!
When traveling, she speaks on topics ranging from gender and sexuality to spiritual/religious trauma and faith formation. After years of serving in churches, she finally started seminary in Indianapolis, IN, in 2017, graduating in 2021. During that time she has been an active advocate and speaker, launched a non-profit focused on healing spiritual wounds through creative expression, and been active with the 1001 New Worshipping Communities of the PC(USA).
For a while now, it's been a goal in life to “settle down without holding still.” While not “home” - LB has lived in 11 states and 1 territory - Indianapolis has been “home-base” for nearly a decade. She is looking forward to shifting that base to Anderson, adding state #12, and settling in, so long as the Lord wills it!
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There was an interesting new arrival of a hay bale in our circle driveway! It inspires the grounds workers and Cynthia to “work in the woods” at NACCP next Saturday 18 July. Although it will be hot, Cynthia will “open” the bale and begin spreading it as mulch. The straw it contains will make a great cover for many of our Branch Beds. "Gardening words" on line remind Cynthia that such bales contain lots of seeds and thus in places where they are used as mulch, gardeners can expect lots of sprouting. That’s not a worry! The bale is “free” and in a convenient location!
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Three Nights of Nature speakers:
July 21 - Jessica Bell - 7:00 pm. Split Creek Goat Farm - program title:
“Golden Guernsey in the U.S. - saving an endangered breed”
July 22 - Jay Keck - 7:00 pm. SC Wildlife Federation’s Industry Habitat Education
Manager, a passionate nature and bird lover since his early teens - program
title: “Become a Better Birder; See & Hear; Create habitat for more birds!”
July 23 - Robby Morrow - 7:00 pm. Geologist with SC Department of Natural Resources - Geological Survey. Co-authored a book, Geology of the Foothills Trail. Program title: “Piedmont Geology in South Carolina: Earth History, Resources, & Hazards”
Please bring some light snacks to share with all those attending.
Meet and Eat group will gather next time on Wednesday, August 5, at Fruit Punch Sandwich Shop on Hwy 24. Everyone is welcome!
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Anderson Forum on Progressive Theology (AFPT) will present Kieran Fox, MD PhD on August 9, 2026, at 3 pm at North Anderson Community Church Presbyterian. Dr. Fox will speak about his book, I Am a Part of Infinity: The Spiritual Journey of Albert Einstein. His talk will be both live and available via Zoom.
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Shower Update: The shower is now under construction. Please excuse the happy mess!
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Keep up with the latest news from Foothills Presbytery here.
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Bible Study meets on Mondays at 6:30 pm through Zoom. The topic is Apocalyptic Eschatology along with the Book of Revelation. Dave says he will try to make sense of it! If you’d like to be added to the Zoom invite list, contact Cynthia at cynthiakwarner@mac.com.
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Please remember to donate non-perishable food items to AIM (Anderson Interfaith Ministries). An extra item when you shop is a great help to others in our community.
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Remember in prayer: Ann Blackwood; Matt Wolf (hip replacement surgery); Steve and Brenda Swearingen; Jay Lyn Martin and Jerry Meehan; Mary Alice Mundy; Latha Semones; Immigrant families; Victims of all violence, oppression, and injustice; People of the World in ALL walks of life and strife.