Sunday Worship Bulletin, Feb 16 2025

Veradale United Church of Christ

An Open & Affirming Congregation

Worshiping God in Christ – Welcoming All – Working for Justice & Peace

“No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, 

you are welcome here!”

February 16, 2025 • 10:30 a.m. 

------------------------Please, silence cellphones-----------------------

10:20am Gathering and Prelude

Wayne Shull, Music Director

Charlie Salt, AV 

Joe McSwain, AV and Usher

Jerry Brines, Usher

Tom Cuilla, Usher Coordinator

Heidi Fowler, Scripture reader

Regie Cotton, Candle lighter

Scotty Patton, Zoom Monitor

Gregg Glisson, Fellowship Set-Up

________, Fellowship Server

Naomi Hanvey, Fellowship Clean-up

Rev. Genavieve Heywood, Pastor 

10:30am Entrance of the Light of Christ

Land Acknowledgement

We worship on the unceded traditional territory of the Spokane, Cayuse, Umatilla, Walla Walla, Coeur d’Alene, and other tribes. We acknowledge the history of indigenous genocide, removal, and erasure that continues to this day.  We recognize the role that Christian communities played in these injustices, and we recommit ourselves to seeking more peaceful, just, and neighborly ways of sharing this land with all who call it home.

Community Affirmation

   God sighs for us . . . all the time! 

All the time . . . God sighs for us!

Service and Fellowship Opportunities 

Next Sunday: Love Enemies

No Bible Study this Monday 

Silent Prayer, Tuesday 9:00 to 9:30am

String-A-Lings, Wednesday, 5:30pm; 

Sing-A-Lings Wednesday, 6:30pm

 Community giving this month: MLK Community Center

Opening Hymn

Over My Head 514 (NCH)

Over my head I hear music in the air,  (2x more)

There must be a God somewhere.

Over my head I hear singing in the air,  (2x more)

There must be a God somewhere.

Over my head I see trouble in the air,  (2x more)

There must be a God somewhere.

Over my head I see Jesus in the air,  (2x more)

There must be a God somewhere.

Community Prayer

Holy Ground (Red Book 148)

We are standing on holy ground, and I know that there are angels all around. Let us praise Jesus now. We are standing in his presence on holy ground.

Prayers of Gratitude 

Let us praise Jesus now. We are standing in his presence on holy ground.

Prayers of Concern

Let us praise Jesus now. We are standing in his presence on holy ground.

Prayers in Silence

Let us praise Jesus now. We are standing in his presence on holy ground.

 The Lord’s Prayer use the translation which is meaningful to you or

 Our Father (Creator) 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, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.  Amen.

Response: 769 (NCH)

Hear our prayer, O God, hear our prayer, O God: incline your ear to us, and grant us your peace.

A Time of Offering

An Invitation to Share

A Fowler Duet Heidi and her daughter

A Moment from American History Howard Thurman presented by Jan Young and Ida B Wells presented by Don Young

Dedication “Lord, Be Glorified” Red Book 176

In my life Lord, be glorified, be glorified. In my life Lord, be glorified today.

In your church Lord, be glorified, be glorified. In your church, be glorified today.

Dedication Prayer:  Generous God, bless and multiply our time, talent, and treasure. Help us to live sharing kindness and creativity in a world that has become hostile and demands uniformity. We ask as we follow Jesus. Amen

Listening for God

Luke 6:17-26  He came down with them and stood on a level place with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases, and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured.  And everyone in the crowd was trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them.

 Then he looked up at his disciples and said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,    for yours is the kingdom of God. 

“Blessed are you who are hungry now,    for you will be filled.“Blessed are you who weep now,    for you will laugh.

“Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven, for that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.

“But woe to you who are rich,    for you have received your consolation.

 “Woe to you who are full now,    for you will be hungry.“Woe to you who are laughing now,    for you will mourn and weep.

 “Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.

Message: Joys and Sighs

Meditation in Music

Our Light moves into the World God Loves  

Hymn: Lord, Make Me More Holy 75(NCH)

Lord, make me more holy. Lord, make me more holy.

Lord, make me more holy, until we meet again.

Holy, holy, holy until we meet again.

Lord, make me more faithful…Faithful… until we meet again.

Lord, make me more humble…Humble… until we meet again.

Lord, make me more prayerful…Prayerful… until we meet again.

Benediction and Community Blessing

Be Yourself.

Grow in Christ.

Live with Compassion.

Sunday Worship Bulletin, Feb 9 2025

Veradale United Church of Christ

An Open & Affirming Congregation

Worshiping God in Christ – Welcoming All – Working for Justice & Peace

“No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, 

you are welcome here!”

February 9, 2025 • 10:30 a.m. 

------------------------Please, silence cellphones-----------------------

10:20am Gathering and Prelude

Wayne Shull, Music Director

Charlie Salt, AV 

Joe McSwain, AV and Usher

Jerry Brines, Usher

Louise Tajuddin, Usher 

Diane Smith, Scripture reader

Heidi Fowler, Candle lighter

Scotty Patton, Zoom Monitor

________, Fellowship Set-Up

________, Fellowship Server

Naomi Hanvey, Fellowship Clean-up

Rev. Genavieve Heywood, Pastor 

10:30am Entrance of the Light of Christ

Land Acknowledgement

We worship on the unceded traditional territory of the Spokane, Cayuse, Umatilla, Walla Walla, Coeur d’Alene, and other tribes. We acknowledge the history of indigenous genocide, removal, and erasure that continues to this day.  We recognize the role that Christian communities played in these injustices, and we recommit ourselves to seeking more peaceful, just, and neighborly ways of sharing this land with all who call it home.

Community Affirmation

   God loves everyone . . . all the time! 

All the time . . . God loves everyone !

Service and Fellowship Opportunities 

Next Sunday: Luke’s Sermon on the Plain

Bible Study, Monday at 7pm

Silent Prayer, Tuesday 9:00 to 9:30am

String-A-Lings, Wednesday, 5:30pm; 

Sing-A-Lings Wednesday, 6:30pm

 Community giving this month: MLK Community Center

Opening Hymn

You who have Come to the Lakeshore 173 (NCH)

You have come down to the lakeshore seeking neither the wise nor the wealthy but only asking for me to follow.

Refrain: Jesus, you have looked into my eyes, kindly smiling, you’ve called out my name. On the sand I’ve abandoned my small boat; Now with you, I will seek other seas.

You know full well my possessions, neither treasure nor weapons for conquest, just these fishnets and a will for working. Refrain

You need my hands, my exhaustion, working love for the rest of the weary – a love that’s willing to go on loving. Refrain

You who have fished other waters; you, the longing of souls that are yearning; As loving Friend, you have come to call me. Refrain

Community Prayer

Holy Ground (Red Book 148)

We are standing on holy ground, and I know that there are angels all around. Let us praise Jesus now. We are standing in his presence on holy ground.

Prayers of Gratitude 

Let us praise Jesus now. We are standing in his presence on holy ground.

Prayers of Concern

Let us praise Jesus now. We are standing in his presence on holy ground.

Prayers in Silence

Let us praise Jesus now. We are standing in his presence on holy ground.

 The Lord’s Prayer use the translation which is meaningful to you or

 Our Father (Creator) 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, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.  Amen.

Response: 769 (NCH)

Hear our prayer, O God, hear our prayer, O God: incline your ear to us, and grant us your peace.

A Time of Offering

An Invitation to Share

A Moment from American History

Belle Da Costa Greene

Presented by Cherall-Anne St. James

Dedication “Lord, Be Glorified” Red Book 176

In my life Lord, be glorified, be glorified. In my life Lord, be glorified today.

In your church Lord, be glorified, be glorified. In your church, be glorified today.

Dedication Prayer: 

Compassionate God, you know us as we are and love us with a power great enough to set us free. We thank you with humble hearts. Bless these offerings of our time, talent and treasure. May these small tokens of our gratitude be a light of your presence in our world.  Amen

Listening for God

Paul has been calling the Corinthians to a way greater than all their petty hierarchy of gifts. He has told them that way that is greatest is Agape love, to love others as God has loved us, to have compassion. He further calls them to live the way of Jesus. They have received this good news — no doubt. But receiving is not the end. It is the beginning of doing.

1 Corinthians 15:1-11 Now I want you to understand, brothers and sisters, the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, 2 through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain.

3 For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures 4 and that he was buried and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you believed.

The writer of Luke has taken us to the edge of a cliff last Sunday and this Sunday we meet Jesus by the Lake of Gennesaret/ Sea of Galilee. Notice, he will call his disciples from their everyday work.

Luke 5:1-1 Once while Jesus was standing beside the Lake of Gennesaret and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, 2 he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”5 Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to burst. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’s knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all who were with him were astounded at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” 11 When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

Message: Gathering All People, No Exceptions

Meditation in Music

Our Light moves into the World God Loves  

Hymn: Precious Lord, Take My Hand 472 (NCH)

Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on, let me stand, I am tired, I am weak, I am worn; Through the storm, through the night, lead me on to the light.  Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.

When my way grows drear, Precious Lord, linger near. When my life is almost gone. Hear my cry, hear my call. Hold my hand lest I fall:

Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.

When the shadows appear and the night draws near, and the day is past and gone, at the river I stand, guide my feet, hold my hand:

Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.

Benediction and Community Blessing

Be Yourself.

Grow in Christ.

Live with Compassion.

Sunday Worship Bulletin, Feb 2 2025

Veradale United Church of Christ

An Open & Affirming Congregation

Worshiping God in Christ – Welcoming All – Working for Justice & Peace

“No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, 

you are welcome here!”

February 2, 2025 • 10:30 a.m. 

------------------------Please, silence cellphones-----------------------

10:20am Gathering and Prelude

Wayne Shull, Music Director

Charlie Salt, AV 

Joe McSwain, AV and Usher

Jerry Brines, Usher

Tom Cuilla, Usher Coordinator

Naomi Hanvey, Scripture reader

Charlie Salt, Candle lighter

Scotty Patton, Zoom Monitor

Sue Ferrozzo, Fellowship Set-Up

________, Fellowship Server

Naomi Hanvey, Fellowship Clean-up

Rev. Genavieve Heywood, Pastor 

10:30am Entrance of the Light of Christ

Land Acknowledgement

We worship on the unceded traditional territory of the Spokane, Cayuse, Umatilla, Walla Walla, Coeur d’Alene, and other tribes. We acknowledge the history of indigenous genocide, removal, and erasure that continues to this day.  We recognize the role that Christian communities played in these injustices, and we recommit ourselves to seeking more peaceful, just, and neighborly ways of sharing this land with all who call it home.

Community Affirmation

   God is with us . . . all the time! 

All the time . . . God is with us !

Service and Fellowship Opportunities 

Next 3 Sunday: Black History Speakers

Bible Study, Monday at 7pm

Silent Prayer, Tuesday 9:00 to 9:30am

String-A-Lings, Wednesday, 5:30pm; 

Sing-A-Lings Wednesday, 6:30pm

 Community giving this month: MLK Community Center

Today Rosa Parks Birthday Party, 1:00 – 2:00pm

Opening Hymn

Forward Through The Ages 377 (NCH)

Forward through the ages, in unbroken line, move the faithful spirits, at the call divine; Gifts in different measure, hearts of one accord, manifold the service, one the sure reward.

Refrain: Forward through the ages, in unbroken line move the faithful spirits at the call divine.Wider grows God’s dominion, reign of love and light; For it we must labor, till all strivings cease. Prophets have proclaimed it, teachers testified, poets sung its glory, heroes for it died. RefrainNot alone we conquer, not alone we fall; in each loss or triumph lose or triumph all.Bound by God’s far purpose in one living whole, move we on together to the shining goal. Refrain

Community Prayer

Holy Ground (Red Book 148)

We are standing on holy ground, and I know that there are angels all around. Let us praise Jesus now. We are standing in his presence on holy ground.

Prayers of Gratitude 

Let us praise Jesus now. We are standing in his presence on holy ground.

Prayers of Concern

Let us praise Jesus now. We are standing in his presence on holy ground.

Prayers in Silence

Let us praise Jesus now. We are standing in his presence on holy ground.

 The Lord’s Prayer use the translation which is meaningful to you or

 Our Father (Creator) 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, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.  Amen.

Response: 769 (NCH)

Hear our prayer, O God, hear our prayer, O God: incline your ear to us, and grant us your peace.

A Time of Offering

An Invitation to Share

A Moment from American History

Rosa Parks

Dedication “Lord, Be Glorified” Red Book 176

In my life Lord, be glorified, be glorified. In my life Lord, be glorified today.

In your church Lord, be glorified, be glorified. In your church, be glorified today.

Dedication Prayer: Holy One, bless the gifts of our time, talent, and treasure. May we be a witness to your presence in all the places we live. Bless our little congregation. May our gathering on Zoom and in-person grow in fellowship and compassion. Amen

Listening for God

Paul is actually taking a dig at the Corinthians. He would be surprised to hear this passage at weddings — they weren’t his thing. Every time he says love is — he is saying what the Corinthians are not…

1 Corinthians 13:1-13  If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

 Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end.  When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways.  For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

We pick up the reading where we left off last Sunday. You’ll remember, Jesus has just read from Isaiah: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me to bring good news to the poor, release to the captives, sight to the blind, and let the oppressed go free

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. Then he sits to speak to them…

Luke 4:21-30

Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”  All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?”  He said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.’”  And he said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown.  But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; 26 yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. 27 There were also many lepers[ in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. 30 But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.

Message: Love Walked Through Them

Meditation in Music

Sharing Holy Communion

Hand sanitizer passed around.

Pastor: Friends in Christ, we gather at our many tables mindful of the presence of God’s Spirit that is here with us.  We seek to honor the request of Jesus given in the scripture.  Of all the teachings Jesus gave to our ancestors, this he asked them and us to do for him to remember him. 

When Jesus and his friends sat together at a Passover meal, Jesus took bread; giving God thanks and praise, he broke the bread.  He gave it to his friends saying, “Take this all of you and eat of it.  This is my body that is broken for you.  Do this in remembrance of me.”

After the meal had ended, Jesus poured out the cup and again he gave God thanks and praise.  He gave the cup to his friends and said, “Take this all of you and drink from it.  This is the cup of the new covenant.  Do this as often as you drink of it in remembrance of me.”

Let us pray.

All: Loving God, you are with us – all of us. You join us in the struggles and joys of this life. We thank you with humble hearts. Let your presence be felt among us.  Come, Holy Spirit come.  Bless this bread and this cup and all who have gathered in your Spirit.  Refresh us and renew us as Christ’s body in the world today.  In the name of Jesus, we pray.  Amen.

Silence as all who want to receive come forward. We will break bread and share a common cup or you can receive the packaged bread and drink,

Prayer of Thanksgiving

All: We thank you, God, for your presence at all our tables where we remember and experience the presence of Christ.  Help us to live more fully the way of Christ. Strengthen our faith, increase our love for one another, and let us show forth your praise in our lives, through Jesus Christ our Savior.  Amen.

Our Light moves into the World God Loves  

Hymn: Go My Children With My Blessing 82 (NCH)

Go, my children, with my blessing, never alone. Waking, sleeping, I am with you; you are my own. In my love's baptismal river, I have made you mine forever. Go, my children, with my blessing - You are my own.Go, my children, fed and nourished, closer to me; grow in love and love by serving, joyful and free. Here my Spirit's power filled you; Here the tender comfort stilled you. Go, my children, fed and nourished, joyful and free.

Benediction and Community Blessing

Be Yourself.

Grow in Christ.

Live with Compassion.