- Jan 24, 2023
- 6 min read
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!” January 29, 2023 • 10:30 a.m. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 10:20am Gathering and Prelude Wayne Shull, Music Director Charlie Salt, AV Joe McSwain, AV and Candlelighter Naomi Hanvey, Zoom App Assistance Scotty Patton, Zoom Monitor John Carroll, Scripture Reader Rev. Genavieve Heywood, Pastor 10:30am Worship begins God is with us... all the time! All the time . . . God is with us! *Welcoming the Light of Christ *Hymn: “I Want Jesus to Go with Me” 490 (NCH) I want Jesus to go with me; I want Jesus to go with me; All along my pilgrim journey, O, I want Jesus to go with me. In my trials, O comfort me; In my trials, O comfort me; When my heart is almost breaking, O, I want Jesus to comfort me. When I’m in trouble, O stay with me; When I’m in trouble, O stay with me; When my head is bowed in sorrow, O I want Jesus to stay with me. Community Prayer Spoken Prayer Silent Prayer Lord’s Prayer Response: “Awake! Awake and Greet the New Morn” 107(NCH) v.4 Rejoice, rejoice, take heart in the night, though cold the winter and cheerless, the rising sun shall crown you with light, be strong and loving and fearless. Love be our song and love our prayer, and love, our endless story, may God fill every day we share, and bring us at last into glory. A Time of Offering An Invitation to Share How Do they Do that? Wayne Shull tells us about the Office of Moderator *Offering Acclamation: Response: “Awake, Awake to Love and Work” 89 (NCH) v.2 Come, let your voice be one with theirs, shout with their shout of praise. See how the giant sun soars up, God’s gift for all your days! So, let the love of Jesus come and set your soul ablaze. *Dedication Prayer Holy One, bless our offerings for Hope House and for our church. Multiply our time, talent, and treasure that we may do justice and love kindness, and walk humbly with you, our God. Amen Listening for God Message with Young Hearts: What is Pouting? Micah 6:1-8 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition 6 Hear what the Lord says: Rise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice. 2 Hear, you mountains, the case of the Lord, and you enduring foundations of the earth, for the Lord has a case against his people, and he will contend with Israel. 3 “O my people, what have I done to you? In what have I wearied you? Answer me! 4 For I brought you up from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. 5 O my people, remember now what King Balak of Moab devised, what Balaam son of Beor answered him, and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the saving acts of the Lord.” 6 “With what shall I come before the Lord and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” 8 He has told you, O mortal, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God? Matthew 5:1-12 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition 5 When Jesussaw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 And he began to speak and taught them, saying: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Message: Do, Love, Walk Rite of Membership About Veradale UCC *You don’t have to be a member to participate in the life of the church *Membership - belonging. It is a covenantal relationship where we stand with the community gathered in this time and place. *Our members determine the direction of our church, care for the ministries we do together, the rules we live by are ones we choose through the determination of our congregation. *As an autonomous church, we are free to determine what God calls us to be in this time and place. Our covenantal relationships with the Conference and National Church gives us guidance and offers us possibilities. Invitation (The names of those wanting to become members are spoken and they are invited to affirm their baptism and unite with us in this household of faith.) Sentences: Friends in Christ, we were all received into the global church through the sacrament of baptism. Today, the journey of these, our siblings in Christ, has brought to claim us as their community where they will grow in their relationship with God and all God’s creation. Also, we claim them as our companions in this practice of the way of Jesus. Having prayerfully considered the commitment they are about to make, they will affirm again their baptismal pledges. May we listen with love and support and may we be reminded of our promises made in baptism and membership. (to the Candidate/s): You are no longer strangers or sojourners. You are equal citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus being the cornerstone. You are part of that holy temple, the body of Christ. You are built as a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. Questions of the Candidate: Pastor: Do you desire to affirm your baptized into the faith and family of Jesus Christ? Response: I do. Pastor: Do you profess Jesus Christ as the one who governs your life, and the one who sets you free? Response: I do. Pastor: Do you promise, by the grace of God, to be Christ’s disciple, to follow in the way of Jesus, to resist oppression and evil, to show love and justice, and to witness to the work and word of Jesus Christ as best you are able? Response: I promise, with the help of God. Pastor: Do you promise, according to the grace given you, to grow in the Christian faith and to be a faithful participant in the community of Jesus Christ, celebrating Christ’s presence and furthering Christ’s vision of compassion and justice in all the world? Response: I promise, with the help of God. Address: Pastor: By your baptism, you were made one with us in the body of Christ, the church. Today, we rejoice that your journey of faith has brought you to be with us in this time and place. We give thanks for every community of faith that has been your spiritual home and we celebrate your presence in this household of faith. Question about Participation: Pastor: Do you promise to participate in the life and mission of this family of God’s people, sharing regularly in the worship of God and enlisting in the work of this local church as it serves this community and the world. Candidate/s: I promise, with the help of God. Welcome and Reception: Moderator: Let us, the members of the Veradale United Church of Christ, express our welcome and affirm our mutual ministry in Christ. All: We welcome you with joy in the common life of this church. We promise you our friendship and prayers as we share the hopes and labors of this church of Jesus Christ. By the power of the Holy Spirit may we continue to grow together in God’s knowledge and love and be witnesses of our risen Savior. Greeting of Christian Love: Moderator: In the name of Jesus Christ, and on behalf of the Veradale United Church of Christ, we extend our hearts in Christian love, welcoming you into the company of this local church. Prayer: All: O God, we praise you for calling us to faith and for gathering us into this church, the body of Christ. We thank you for your people gathered in this Veradale United Church of Christ and rejoice that you have increased our community of faith. Together may we live in the Spirit, building one another up in love, sharing in the life and worship of the church, and serving the world for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen. Announcements Annual Budget Meeting today Rosa Parks Birthday Party, Next Saturday Feb 4 Birthday Cake Kits Next Sunday, Feb 5 Sacred Conversations about Racism begin Feb 5 Our Light moves into the World God Loves * Hymn:
*Benediction Silent Meditation and Postlude
