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 7, 2024
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10:20 Gathering and Prelude
Wayne Shull, Music Director
Charlie Salt, AV
Tom Cuilla, AV and Usher
Jerry Brines, Usher
Tom Cuilla, Scripture reader
_________, Candle lighter
Scotty Patton, Zoom Monitor
Sue Ferrozzo, Fellowship Set-Up
Naomi Hanvey Fellowship Clean-up
Rev. Genavieve Heywood, Pastor
10:30am 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.
10:30am Worship begins:
God answers ...all the time! All the time...God answers!
Service and Fellowship Opportunities
String-A-Lings practice Monday 6pm
Bible Study Monday at 7pm
Silent Prayer, Tuesday 9:00 to 9:30am
Sing-A-Lings (a.k.a.Choir) practice Wednesday 6:30pm
Community giving this month: Coats for Kids
Welcoming the Light of Christ
*Hymn: Seek Ye First
Seek ye first the kingdom of God And His righteousness; And all these things shall be added unto you. Hallelu, Hallelujah!
Ask, and it shall be given unto you; Seek, and you shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Hallelu, Hallelujah!
We shall not live by bread alone, But by every word That proceeds out from the mouth of God. Hallelu, Hallelujah!
Community Prayer
105 (Sing Book)
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 in Silence
Ferry our prayers across the water, kindle our hopes a lighthouse flame. Amazing grace is most amazing, praying for those we cannot name.
Lord’s Prayer
Response: Sing Amen
(Sing Amen) Amen, we praise your name, O, God
(Sing Amen) Amen, we praise your name, O, God
(Sing Amen) Amen, amen, amen, amen, amen,
we praise your name, O, God
A Time of Offering
An Invitation to Share
Dedication Hymn: What Does the Lord Require
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
Loving God, receive this offering of time, talent, and treasure. May these help our witness in this time and place to thrive. May you be known in our actions and our words. Amen
Listening for God
Acts 4:32-35
Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
John 20:19-31 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”
A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
Message: Welcoming the Honest Thomas
Silence
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 questioning and learning. 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.
Meditation in Music
Hymn: “Bless Be the Tie that Binds” 393 (NCH)
Bless be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love. The sharing of a common life is like to that above.
Before our God we come and pour our ardent prayers. Our Fears our hopes, our aims are one, our comforts and our cares.
We share each other’s woes, each other’s burdens bear, and often for each other flows a sympathizing tear.
When we are called to part it gives us inward pain, but we shall still be joined in heart, and hope to meet again.
Benediction
Communal Blessing
Be Yourself.
Grow in Christ.
Live with Compassion