https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGxKzl81bHY&t=4s

Imre Szilas is on vacation so, our Prelude, Postlude and anthem are encore performances.  Imre Szilas opens the service with “Where Shall I Flee from the Presence of God” by J.S. Bach.  The Anthem is “Psalm 150” composed by Imre with Norm Haynes singing and played by the Westminster Trio (Imre Szilas – piano, Bowie Bossendorfer – drums, Twining Campbell – bass guitar).  The service closes with “Prelude and Fugue in D” by George Frederic Handel.

Following the welcome and prayer by Martha Campbell, we begin with “Morning Has Broken.”  When this hymn was sung by Cat Stevens in 1971 a lot of people were surprised to find it in their hymnals.

At the time of our filming Ginger Loesch shares the announcements and prayer concerns for:
Healthcare workers and Frontline workers;
Schools restarting – in a variety of ways, teachers and students, and
The people of Beirut recovering from a horrific explosion.

Since filming please add to your prayers:
Bill Loesch and his family at the hospitalization of his father with a high fever, failing kidneys, and infections – still waiting for Covid-19 testing to come back.
Our city of Pasadena as we struggle with the death of Anthony McClain on August 15th.
Firefighters dealing with fires in California and families effected by them.

Ginger then leads us in a responsive reading of 1 Corinthians 13 with Robert Smith representing the congregation.

This morning, Bill Loesch leads us in the prayer of Illumination and reads the scripture lesson 1 Peter 2:21-25.

Helen Darsie preaches the sermon and uses a sermon that was written and preached by her Great-great grandfather, James Braddock, on July 14, 1873, titled: Means of Spiritual Growth.  Helen strives to connect her great-great-grandfathers time with our time and demonstrates that spiritual growth is ongoing and, in many ways the same through the centuries.

Robert Smith continues to direct and film our services.  We are very grateful for the great video of our worship service today.