Sunday Worship Bulletin, April 6 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!”

April 6, 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

Scotty Patton, Scripture reader and Zoom Monitor

Diane Smith, Candle lighter

Sue Ferrozzo, Fellowship Set-Up

__________, 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 dwells with us …all the time!

All the time...God dwells with us!

Service and Fellowship Opportunities 

Next Sunday, Palm/Passion Sunday

Lenten Book Study: Speaking Christian Monday at 7pm

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

Wednesday: String-A-Lings 5:30 and Sing-A-Lings 6:30

Ding-A-Lings after Worship

 Community giving: Coats for Kids

Call to Confession 

One: Seek God; call upon God; God is here. Trusting in the compassion and mercy of God, we pray:

Prayer of Confession

From the Presbyterian Church USA

Forgive us, God, for the many ways that we fail to trust your promise.

Too often we count the trespasses of others, as though we were the ones to judge. Too often we fail to believe that your gifts are freely given. Too often we spend our money for that which is not bread, and our labor for that which does not satisfy. Help us, loving God. Forgive us when we operate out of scarcity and fear rather than out of your abundant, good gifts. Help us to live as your trusting, sharing, reconciling people.

Silent Confessions with God

Assurance of Pardon

(from 2 Corinthians 5)

One: Beloved in Christ: God was in Christ reconciling the world, not counting our wrongs against us, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, anyone in Christ is a new creation! The past is gone; everything has become fresh and new. Hear and believe the good news of the Gospel: God forgives us!

All: Thanks be to God! Amen.

Opening Hymn

We bring forward rocks that symbolize the barriers and burdens that keep us from embracing God’s steadfast love.

Hymn: “As We Gather” RB 16 sung twice

As we gather may your Spirit work within us. As we gather, may we glorify your name. Knowing well that as our hearts begin to worship, We’ll be glad because we came. We’ll be glad because we came. Repeat.

Community Prayer

Hymn: “Change My Heart” RB 50

Change my heart, O God. Make it ever true. Change my heart, O God. May I be like you. You are the potter; I am the clay. Mold me and make me; This is what I pray. Change my heart, O God. Make it ever true. Change my heart, O God. May I be like you.

Prayers of Gratitude 

Refrain: Change my heart, O God. Make it ever true.Change my heart, O God. May I be like you.

Prayers of Concern 

Refrain

Prayers in Silence 

Refrain

 The Lord’s Prayer (from Louise)

A version of The Lord’s Prayer from The New Zealand Prayer Book

Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver, Source of all that is and that shall be, Father and Mother of us all, Loving God, in whom is heaven: The hallowing of your name echo through the universe! The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world! Your heavenly will be done by all created beings! Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth. With the bread we need for today, feed us. In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us. In times of temptation and testing, strengthen us. From trials too great to endure, spare us. From the grip of all that is evil, free us. For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and forever. Amen.

Response: Holy, Holy, Holy  (NCH)

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty! All your works shall praise Thy name, in earth and sky and sea. Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty. God in three persons, blessed Trinity!

A Time of Offering

An Invitation to Share

Offering Hymn: “Give Thanks” RB 7

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: Giver of light and love, pour out your Spirit on these offerings of our time, talent, and treasure. Multiply our giving that this little church may be an embassy of your realm of compassion and justice. We ask as we serve the way of Jesus. Amen

Listening for God

Readings from the Advent Crist Candle time capsule (read by Naomi )

Isaiah 43:16-21 Thus says the Lord,

    who makes a way in the sea,

    a path in the mighty waters,

17 who brings out chariot and horse,

    army and warrior;

they lie down; they cannot rise;

    they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:

18 Do not remember the former things

    or consider the things of old.

19 I am about to do a new thing;

    now it springs forth; do you not perceive it?

I will make a way in the wilderness

    and rivers in the desert.

20 The wild animals will honor me,

    the jackals and the ostriches,

for I give water in the wilderness,

    rivers in the desert,

to give drink to my chosen people,

21     the people whom I formed for myself

so that they might declare my praise.

 John 12:1-8

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 2 There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him. 3 Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’s feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” 6 (He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. 8 You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

Message: Do You Not Perceive It?

Sharing of Holy Communion

Pastor: Friends in Christ, we gather at our many tables mindful of those who gathered in remembrance of Jesus before us and those yet to come. We are grateful that we have this day together. We remember that Jesus walked among our ancestors and the Holy Spirit dwells within us today. We remember that Jesus asked for us to remember him when we eat bread and drink of a cup.

 When Jesus and his friends sat together at a Passover meal, Jesus took bread; ...   Do this as often as you drink of it in remembrance of me."  Let us pray.

All: Come, Holy Spirit come. Bless this bread and this cup and all who have gathered in your Spirit. Help us to remember that you have dwelt among us. Help us to dwell in the world today as living temples of your presence. Bless us to remember your teachings, commandments, and example. May we be renewed in this sharing.  Amen. 

Silence

Prayer of Thanksgiving

ALL: We thank you, God, for your presence as we remember the Living Jesus. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, you are among us still, in each of us, and in all of your creation. Bless us to more fully live as your people. Amen.

Meditation in Music

Announcement Reminders

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 with tender comfort stilled you.Go, my children, fed and nourished, Joyful and free.

Benediction 

Go forth into the world in peace. Be of good courage. Hold fast to that

which is good. Render to no one evil for evil. Strengthen the

fainthearted. Support the weak. Help the afflicted. Honor all people.

Love and serve God, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. The

Grace of Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the

Holy Spirit, be with us all. Amen.

Community Blessing

Be Yourself.

Grow in Christ.

Live with Compassion.