Sunday Worship Bulletin, Dec 8 2024

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!”

First Sunday of Advent December 8, 2024 • 10:30 a.m.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

10:20 Gathering and Prelude

Wayne Shull, Music Director

Charlie Salt, AV

Joe McSwain, Usher

Jerry Brines, Usher

Gregg Glisson, Usher

Tom Cuilla, Usher Coordinator

Diane Smith, Scripture reader

Cherall-Anne St. James, Candle lighter

_____, Fellowship Set-Up

Naomi Hanvey, Fellowship Clean-up

Scotty Patton, Zoom Monitor

Rev. Genavieve Heywood, Pastor 

Naomi Hanvey, Message

10:30am Worship begins

Entrance of Light 

Cherall-Anne re-lights the candle of Hope.

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’s justice brings peace. . . all the time!  

All the time . . . God’s justice brings peace!

Service and Fellowship Opportunities 

Next Sunday: Advent 3 Joy! Poetry Sunday

No Bible Study tomorrow

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

String-A-Lings, Wednesday, 5:30pm

Sing-A-Lings Wednesday, 6:30pm

Bling-A-Lings, and Ding-A-Lings

 Community giving this month: Birthday Kits

Opening Hymn

*Hymn: “Come O Long-Expected Jesus” 122 (NCH)

1. Come, O long-expected Jesus, born to set all people free; From our fears and sins release us; grant us your true liberty.

2. Israel's strength and consolation, hope to all the earth impart; Dear desire of every nation, enter every longing heart.

3. Born all people to deliver, born a child, you came to reign! Born to rule on earth forever, come, be known to us again.

4. By your own eternal Spirit, come to claim us as your own; By your all-sufficient merit, let us share your cross and crown.

Lighting of the Candle of Peace

Sue: “They shall not hurt or destroy on all God’s holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” Isaiah 11:1

Message from Sue

Prayer at the lighting of the candle of Peace:

All: Holy one, we light this candle asking that all may be filled with the knowledge of you. May all seek the to live justly with one another that peace may prevail.  Amen

Hymn after the lighting of the Advent candle: “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” 116 (NCH) verses 1, 2, 4, and 7

1. O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel That mourns in lonely exile here, until the Child of God appear.

Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel!

2. O come, O Wisdom from on high, and order all things far and nigh; To us the path of knowledge show, and help us in that way to go.  Refrain

4. O come, O shoot of Jesse, free your own from Satan's tyranny, From depths of hell your people save, and give them victory o'er the grave. Refrain

7. O come, Desire of Nations, bind all peoples in one heart and mind; Make envy, strife, and quarrels cease; fill the whole world with heaven's peace. Refrain

Community Prayer

“In our Prayers” 125 (Sing) In our prayers, in our hearts, in our prayers, in our hearts, God in your grace, hear our prayers, God in your grace, O God, hear our prayers.

Prayers of Gratitude

“In our Prayers”

Prayers of Concern

“In our Prayers”

Silent Prayer

“In our Prayers”

 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: 161 (NCH) refrain only

A-men. A-men. A-men. A-men.

A Time of Offering

An Invitation to Share

Offering Acclamation Hymn # 132 (NCH)v. 3

Christ rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove the glories of God’s righteousness and wonders of God’s love, and wonders of God’s love, and wonders, wonders of God’s love.

Dedication prayer:  

Holy One, we are thankful that you come to us in the cold nights of this season. As we give these offerings of our time. talent, and treasure, pour out the healing of hope and peace that we may be your light in the world today. Amen.

Listening for God

 Isaiah 6:1-9 NRSVUE

1 A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,    and a branch shall grow out of his roots.2 The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,    the spirit of wisdom and understanding,    the spirit of counsel and might,    the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.3 His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.

He shall not judge by what his eyes see    or decide by what his ears hear,4 but with righteousness he shall judge for the poor    and decide with equity for the oppressed of the earth;he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,    and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.5 Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist    and faithfulness the belt around his loins.

6 The wolf shall live with the lamb;    the leopard shall lie down with the kid;the calf and the lion will feed together,    and a little child shall lead them.7 The cow and the bear shall graze;    their young shall lie down together;    and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,    and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den.9 They will not hurt or destroy    on all my holy mountain,for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord    as the waters cover the sea.

Luke 1:67-79 NRSVUE

67 Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,    for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.69 He has raised up a mighty savior for us    in the house of his child David,70 as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,71     that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.72 Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors    and has remembered his holy covenant,73 the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham,to grant us 74     that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,might serve him without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness    in his presence all our days.76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High,    for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,77 to give his people knowledge of salvation    by the forgiveness of their sins.78 Because of the tender mercy of our God,    the dawn from on high will break upon us,79 to shine upon those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,    to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Message: Peace on Earth

  Naomi Hanvey

Meditation in Music

Bell Choir

Reminder about Announcements

Our Light moves into the World God Loves

Closing Hymn: “Isaiah the Prophet Has Written of Old” 108 (NCH) 

1. Isaiah the prophet has written of old how God's new creation shall come. Instead of the thorn tree, the fir tree shall grow; the wolf shall lie down with the lamb, the lamb, the wolf shall lie down with the lamb.

2. The mountains and hills shall break forth into song, the peoples be led forth in peace; The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of God as the waters cover the sea, the sea, as the waters cover the sea.

3. Yet nations still prey on the meek of the world, and conflict turns parent from child. Your people despoil all the sweetness of earth; the brier and the thorn tree grow wild, grow wild, the brier and the thorn tree grow wild.

4. God, bring to fruition your will for the earth, that no one shall hurt or destroy, That wisdom and justice shall reign in the land and your people shall go forth in joy, in joy, your people shall go forth in joy.

Benediction 

Be Yourself.

Grow in Christ.

Live with Compassion.

Sunday Worship Bulletin, Dec 1 2024

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!”

First Sunday of Advent December 1, 2024 • 10:30 a.m.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

10:20 Gathering and Prelude

Wayne Shull, Music Director

Charlie Salt, AV

Joe McSwain, Usher

Jerry Brines, Usher

Gregg Glisson, Usher

Tom Cuilla, Usher Coordinator

Naomi Hanvey, Scripture reader

Marvin Wilson, Candle lighter

_____, Fellowship Set-Up

Naomi Hanvey, Fellowship Clean-up

Scotty Patton, Zoom Monitor

Rev. Genavieve Heywood, Pastor 

10:30am Worship begins

Entrance of Light 

We welcome the light of God’s Spirit in a moment of silence. We do not light the candle until the candle of Hope is lit.

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 here . . . all the time!  All the time . . . God is here!

Service and Fellowship Opportunities 

Next Sunday: Advent 2 Peace, Naomi brings a message

Also, next Sunday: Pat Jameson will be in worship 

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

Bling-A-Lings, and Ding-A-Lings

 Community giving this month: Birthday Kits

Opening Hymn

*Hymn “Life Every Voice and Sing” 593 (NCH)

Lift ev’ry voice and sing, ‘til earth and heaven ring, ring with the harmonies of Liberty; Let our rejoicing rise high as the list’ning skies, let it resound loud as the rolling sea. Sing a song full of the faith that the harsh past has taught us. Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us; Facing the rising sun of our new day begun, let us march on ’til victory is won.

Stony the road we trod, bitter the chastening rod, felt in the days when hope unborn had died; Yet with a steady beat, have not our weary feet come to the place for which our people sighed? We have come over a way that with tears has been watered. We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered. Out from the gloomy past, ‘til now we stand at last where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.

God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, God who has brought us thus far on the way; God who has by your might led us into the light, keep us forever in the path, we pray. Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met you. Lest, our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget you; Shadowed beneath your hand, May we forever stand, True to our God, true to our native land.

Lighting of the Candle of Hope

Marvin Wilson: "Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."  Hebrews 11:1

Message from Marvin

Prayer at the lighting of the candle of Hope:

All: Hope of our lives, we light this candle to declare your hope for all creation.  Bless this light to shine out into the darkness with the promise you are with us. Amen.

Community Prayer

“In our Prayers” 125 (Sing) In our prayers, in our hearts, in our prayers, in our hearts, God in your grace, hear our prayers, God in your grace, O God, hear our prayers.

Prayers of Gratitude

“In our Prayers”

Prayers of Concern

“In our Prayers”

Silent Prayer

“In our Prayers”

 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: 161 (NCH) refrain only

A-men. A-men. A-men. A-men.

A Time of Offering

An Invitation to Share

Offering Acclamation Hymn # 132 (NCH)v. 3

Christ rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove the glories of God’s righteousness and wonders of God’s love, and wonders of God’s love, and wonders, wonders of God’s love.

Dedication prayer:  

God, our Hope, bless us and all that we offer to the work of this church and the care of our neighbors. May our offerings bring the light of your hope into this world you so love. Amen.

Listening for God

 Psalm 25:1-10, 

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

O my God, in you I trust;    do not let me be put to shame;    do not let my enemies exult over me.Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame;    let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

Make me to know your ways, O Lord;    teach me your paths.Lead me in your truth and teach me,    for you are the God of my salvation;    for you I wait all day long.

Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love,    for they have been from of old.Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;    according to your steadfast love remember me,    for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!

Good and upright is the Lord;    therefore he instructs sinners in the way.He leads the humble in what is right    and teaches the humble his way.All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,    for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.

Luke 21:25-36

“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

Then he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees;  as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

 “Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Message “Coming in a Cloud”

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 in the easy times and through the difficult experiences.  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.

Silence

Reminder about Announcements

Our Light moves into the World God Loves

* Hymn: “My Heart Sings Out” 106 (NCH) 

My heart sings out with joyful praise to God who raises me, who came to me when I was low and changed by destiny. The Holy One, the Living God, is always full of grace to those who seek their Maker’s will in every time and place.

The arm of God is strong and just to scatter all the proud. The tyrants tumble from their thrones and vanish in a cloud. The hungry all are satisfied; the rich are sent away. The poor of Earth who suffer long will welcome God’s new day.

The promise made in ages past at last has come to be, for God has come in power to save, to set all people free. Remembering those who wait to see salvation’s dawning day, our Savior comes to all who weep to wipe their tears away.

Benediction and Silent Meditation with Postlude

Be Yourself.

Grow in Christ.

Live with Compassion.

Sunday Worship Bulletin, Nov 24 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!”

November 24, 2024

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

10:20 Gathering and Prelude

Wayne Shull, Music Director 

Joe McSwain, Usher

Jerry Brines, Usher

Tom Cuilla, Usher Coordinator and  Scripture reader

Diane Smith, Candle lighter

______, Fellowship Set-up

Naomi Hanvey, Fellowship Clean-up

Scotty Patton, Zoom Monitor

Rev. Gen Heywood, Pastor

10:30am  Entrance of Light as Worship Begins

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’s blessings flow...all the time!  All the time...God blessings flow!

Service and Fellowship Opportunities 

Next Sunday: Advent 1 Hope, Psalm 25:1-10, Luke 21:25-36 

Today! Thanksgiving potluck

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

Bling-A-Lings, and Ding-A-Lings

 Community giving this month: Salish School Fund Raiser

Welcoming the Light of Christ

*Hymn: “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You” 4 (NCH)

Joyful, joyful, we adore you, God of glory, God of love. Hearts unfold like flowers before you, opening to the sun above. Melt the clouds of sin and sadness. Drive the storms of doubt away. Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!

All your works with joy surround you, Earth and Heaven reflect your rays. Stars and angels sing around you, center of unbroken praise. Field and forest, vale and mountain, flowery meadow, flashing sea, chanting bird and flowing fountain teach us what our praise should be.

You are giving and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blest. Wellspring of the joy of living, ocean depth of happy rest! Loving Spirit, Father, Mother, all who love belong to you. Teach us how to love each other. By that love our joy renew.

Mortals, join the happy chorus, which the morning stars began. Boundless love is reigning o’er us, reconciling race and clan. Ever singing, move we forward, faithful in the midst of strife. Joyful music leads us onward, in the triumph song of life.

Community Prayer

Love, love, love , love, Christians this is your call. Love your neighbor as yourself for God loves us all. (one time)

Prayers of Gratitude: Refrain

Prayers of Concern: Refrain

Silent Prayer: Refrain

 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: 759 (NCH)Glory to the Creator, the Christ, the Holy Spirit, three in One. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen.

A Time of Offering 

Dedication Hymn : Give thanks with a grateful heart. Give thanks to the Holy One. Give thanks because God’s given Jesus Christ, the Son. (repeat)

And now let the weak say, “I am strong!” Let the poor say, “I am rich because of what the Lord has done for us!” (repeat)

Give thanks. Give thanks.

Dedication Prayer: 

Beloved God, we thank you for the gift of your presence in our lives. We are grateful that we can give of our time, talent, and treasure. May they be blessed and multiplied to hasten the day when all creation lives in peace. Amen.

Listening for God

Revelation 1:4-8

John to the seven churches that are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

 Look! He is coming with the clouds;    every eye will see him,even those who pierced him,    and all the tribes of the earth will wail on account of him.

So it is to be. Amen. 

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

Matthew 6:25-33

“Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? Therefore, do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For it is the gentiles who seek all these things, and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Message: I am

Meditation in Music

Announcement Reminder

Our Light moves into the World God Loves

*Closing Hymn “Let All Things Now Living” 389 Family of God

Let all things now living a song of thanksgiving to God the Creator triumphantly raise, who fashioned and made us, protected and stayed us, who guideth us on to the end of our days. God’s banners are o’er us, God’s light goes before us, a pillar of fire shining forth in the night,‘til shadows have vanished and darkness is banished, as forward we travel from light into light.

God’s law God enforces: the stars in their courses, the sun in God’s orbit, obediently shine; the hills and the mountains, the rivers and fountains, the deeps of the ocean proclaim God divine, we too should be voicing our love and rejoicing, with glad adoration a song let us raise,‘til all things now living unite in thanksgiving to God in the highest, hosanna and praise.

Benediction 

Communal Blessing

Be Yourself.

Grow in Christ.

Live with Compassion