Sunday Worship Bulletin, May 14 2023

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!”

May 14, 2023 • 10:30 a.m.

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

10:20 Gathering and Prelude

Wayne Shull, Music Director

Charlie Salt, AV

Joe McSwain, AV, Usher

Jerry Brines, Usher

Marvin Wilson, Scripture Reader

Scotty Patton, Zoom Monitor

Rev. Gen Heywood, Pastor

10:30am Worship begins

God loves us. . . all the time!

All the time . . . God loves us!

*Welcoming the Light of Christ

*Hymn “I Love to Tell the Story” 522 (NCH)

I love to tell the story of unseen things above, of Jesus’ radiant glory, of Jesus’ endless love. I love to tell the story because I know it’s true. It satisfies my longing as nothing else can do.

Refrain: I love to tell the story, and when I am in glory, I’ll tell the old, old story of Jesus’ endless love.

I love to tell the story; more wonderful it seems than all the golden visions of all the golden dreams. I love to tell the story. I tell it now to you because I want to share it. Because I know it’s true. (Refrain)

I love to tell the story. It’s pleasant to repeat what seems each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet. I love to tell the story; for some have never heard the message of salvation from God’s own holy Word. (Refrain)

I love to tell the story. For those who know it best, seems hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest. And when I sing in glory, I know the new, new song, will be the old, old story, that I have loved so long (refrain)

Community Prayer

105 (Sing)

Ferry our prayers across the water, kindle our hopes a lighthouse flame. Amazing grace is most amazing, praying for those we cannot name.

Prayers of Gratitude

Ferry our prayers across the water, kindle our hopes a lighthouse flame. Amazing grace is most amazing, praying for those we cannot name.

Prayers of Concern

Ferry our prayers across the water, kindle our hopes a lighthouse flame. Amazing grace is most amazing, praying for those we cannot name.

Prayers without Words

Ferry our prayers across the water, kindle our hopes a lighthouse flame. Amazing grace is most amazing, praying for those we cannot name.

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 812 (NCH)

Amen, amen, amen.

A Time of Offering

An Invitation to Share

Dedication Hymn: What Does the Lord Require

CCLI license #11038266

1. What does the Lord require of you? What does the Lord require of you?2. Justice, kindness, walk humbly with your God.

3. To seek justice, and love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.

Dedication prayer:

Holy One, bless these offerings and make them holy. Pour out your Spirit and help us to follow you toward the vision where it is on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.

Listening for God

Message with Young Hearts

Think of someone you love. What are things that person loves?

1Peter 3:13-22,

13 Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? 14 But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, 15 but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you, 16 yet do it with gentleness and respect. Maintain a good conscience so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, 20 who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight lives, were saved through water. 21 And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you—not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.

John 14: 15-21

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. 17 This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him because he abides with you, and he will be in you.

18 “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. 19 In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me, and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.”

Message: If You Love Me

Announcements

Our Light moves into the World God Loves

*Hymn “I Sing the Mighty Power of God” 12 (NCH)

I sing the mighty power of God, that made the mountains rise, that spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies. I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day; The moon shines full at God’s command, and all the stars obey.

I sing the goodness of our God, that filled the earth with food, God formed the creatures with a word, and then pronounced them good. Oh, how your wonders are displayed, where’er I turn my eye, if I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky!

On Earth there’s not a plant or flower but makes your glory known. The clouds arise and spread their showers by order from your thrown. All life is but a gift from you and ever in your care; wherever people gather, you, O God, are present there.

Benediction and Silent Reflection with Postlude

Be yourself.

Grow in Christ.

Live with Compassion.

Sunday Worship Bulletin, May 7 2023

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!”

May 7, 2023 • 10:30 a.m.

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

10:20 Gathering and Prelude

Wayne Shull, Music Director

Charlie Salt, AV

Joe McSwain, AV, Usher, Candle Lighter

Jerry Brines, Usher

Naomi Hanvey, Scripture Reader

Scotty Patton, Zoom Monitor

Rev. Gen Heywood, Pastor

10:30am Worship begins

God makes room for us. . . all the time!

All the time . . . God makes room for us!

*Welcoming the Light of Christ

Hymn “Lord Prepare Me to be a Sanctuary “ (Words on Screen)

Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary, pure and holy, tried and true; with thanksgiving, I’ll be a living sanctuary for you. (Sung 3 times)

Community Prayer

105 (Sing)

Ferry our prayers across the water, kindle our hopes a lighthouse flame. Amazing grace is most amazing, praying for those we cannot name.

Pause for our gratitudes

Ferry our prayers across the water, kindle our hopes a lighthouse flame. Amazing grace is most amazing, praying for those we cannot name.

Pause for concerns

Ferry our prayers across the water, kindle our hopes a lighthouse flame. Amazing grace is most amazing, praying for those we cannot name.

Pause for that which no words can express

Ferry our prayers across the water, kindle our hopes a lighthouse flame. Amazing grace is most amazing, praying for those we cannot name.

The Lord’s Prayer use the translation which is meaningful to you or the one on the screen.

Response 812 (NCH)

Amen, amen, amen.

A Time of Offering

An Invitation to Share

Spokane Valley Partner offering and Church offering

Dedication Hymn: What Does the Lord Require

CCLI license #11038266

1. What does the Lord require of you? What does the Lord require of you? 2. Justice, kindness, walk humbly with your God.

3. To seek justice, and love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.

Dedication prayer:

Holy One, bless these offerings and make them holy. Pour out your Spirit and help us to follow you toward the vision where it is on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.

Listening for God

Message to Young Hearts

Tell us about a pet you adopted or want to adopt some day.

1 Peter 2:2-10

2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

4 Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and 5 like living stones let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in scripture:

“See, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

This honor, then, is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the very head of the corner,” and “A stone that makes them stumble and a rock that makes them fall.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

John 14: 1- 14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, but if you do not, then believe because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.

Message: My Name

Sharing Holy Communion

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 everywhere. We seek your presence and celebrate your love. 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

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.

Announcements

Our Light moves into the World God Loves

*Hymn “How Firm a Foundation” Older words (Melody 407 NCH)

1 How firm a foundation, you saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in his excellent Word! What more can he say than to you he has said, to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

2 "Fear not, I am with you, O be not dismayed; for I am your God, and will still give you aid; I'll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand, upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

3 "When through the deep waters I call you to go, the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow; for I will be with you, your troubles to bless, and sanctify to you your deepest distress.

4 "When through fiery trials your pathway shall lie, my grace, all-sufficient, shall be your supply; the flame shall not hurt you; I only design your dross to consume and your gold to refine.

5 "The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose, I will not, I will not desert to his foes; that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I'll never, no never, no never forsake."

Benediction and Silent Reflection with Postlude

Sunday Worship Bulletin, April 30, 2023

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!”

April 30, 2023

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

10:20 Gathering and Prelude

Wayne Shull, Music Director

Charlie Salt, AV

Joe McSwain, AV and Usher

Jerry Brines, Usher

Maureen Carroll, Scripture Reader

Sue Ferrozzo, Candle Lighter

Scotty Patton, Zoom Monitor

Rev. Gen Heywood, Pastor

10:30am Worship begins:

God shepherds us ...all the time! All the time...God shepherds us!

Welcoming the Light of Christ

*Hymn: “I Sing a Song of the Saints of God” 295 (NCH)

1. I sing a song of the saints of God, faithful their whole lives through, who bravely labored, lived, and died for the God they loved and knew. And one was a doctor, and one was a queen, and one was a shepherdess on the green: they were saints of God if you know what I mean. God help me to be one, too.

2. They loved their God and they lived that love. It was loving that made them strong; They did what was right, for Jesus’ sake, lived justly their whole lives long. And one was a prophet, and one was a priest, and one was slain by a fierce wild beast; there is no earthly reason, none in the least, why I shouldn't be one, too.

3. They lived not only in ages past; there are hundreds of thousands still. The world is filled with living saints who choose to do God’s will. You can meet them in school, on the road or at sea, in church, in a train, in a shop, or at tea; for the saints are folk like you and like me, and I mean to be one, too.

Community Prayer

105 (Sing)

Ferry our prayers across the water, kindle our hopes a lighthouse flame. Amazing grace is most amazing, praying for those we cannot name.

Pause for our gratitudes

Ferry our prayers across the water, kindle our hopes a lighthouse flame. Amazing grace is most amazing, praying for those we cannot name.

Pause for concerns

Ferry our prayers across the water, kindle our hopes a lighthouse flame. Amazing grace is most amazing, praying for those we cannot name.

Pause for that which no words can express

Ferry our prayers across the water, kindle our hopes a lighthouse flame. Amazing grace is most amazing, praying for those we cannot name.

The Lord’s Prayer use the translation which is meaningful to you. There are three choices of translations on page 9 of the New Century Hymnal.

Response 812 (NCH)

Amen, amen, amen.

A Time of Offering

An Invitation to Share

Dedication Hymn: What Does the Lord Require

CCLI license #11038266

1. What does the Lord require of you? What does the Lord require of you?2. Justice, kindness, walk humbly with your God.

3. To seek justice, and love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.

Dedication Prayer

Good Shepherd, you lead us on the path of justice that brings lasting peace. We thank you with humble hearts. Bless these offerings for our church and for Hope House. May they bring the fulfillment of your vision of a just peace within our lives and our communities. Amen

Message With Young Hearts

Message with Young Hearts

If you were the King/Queen/ Ruler of the World, what would be different?

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; 3 he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.

John 10:1-10

“Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

7 So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and bandits, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Message: When Questions Trouble the Soul

Silence

Announcements

*Hymn Ask, Seek, Knock

1.Sometimes it’s hard to believe in someone my eyes can’t see. Sometimes I question and doubt the way Thomas did. But God’s not the kind who says don’t use your mind, so when questions trouble my soul, I trust in the promise that Jesus made to us all…

Chorus: When we ask, seek knock we will receive from God! When we ask, seek knock, surely we’ll find! When we ask, seek knock, doors will swing open wide! So let us, ask, seek knock, all of our lives!

2. Sometimes when I’m feeling strong I promise things I can’t keep. Sometimes I let Jesus down the way Peter did. But God gives me grace to learn from my mistakes, and pick up the pieces again, and trust that the Savior is working good through it all! Chorus:

Benediction and Silent Meditation with Postlude