Sunday Worship Bulletin, Aug 3 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!”

August 3, 2025

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

10:20 Gathering and Prelude

Wayne Shull, Music Director

Charlie Salt, AV

Tom Cuilla, Usher Coordinator

Joe McSwain, Usher

Jerry Brines, Usher

Stephanie Wallis, Scripture Reader

Sue Ferrozzo, Candle lighter

_________, Fellowship Set-up

_________, Fellowship Clean-up

Scotty Patton, Zoom Monitor

Rev. Gen Heywood, Pastor

10:30am Welcoming 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 loves us ...all the time!  All the time...God loves us!

Service and Fellowship Opportunities 

Next Sunday “Isaiah the Critic”

Bible Study starts September 8

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

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

Sing-A-Lings practice starts Wednesday, September 10

 Community giving this month: Kid’s Coats and School Supplies

Opening Hymn

Community Prayer

Hymn: “Lord be Glorified” RB 176

In my life, Lord, be glorified, be glorified.

In my life, Lord, be glorified today.

Prayers of Gratitude

In my life, Lord, be glorified, be glorified.

In my life, Lord, be glorified today.

Prayers of Concern 

In my life, Lord, be glorified, be glorified.

In my life, Lord, be glorified today.

Prayers in Silence 

In my life, Lord, be glorified, be glorified.

In my life, Lord, be glorified today.

 Lord’s Prayer

Response: “Holy, Holy, Holy” 793 (NCH)

A Time of Offering

 An Invitation to Share 

Dedication 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

  Holy One, your love for us never wavers. Fill our offerings of time, talent, and treasure with your blessing so that this little church may shine the light of compassion and healing. Amen

Listening for God

Hosea 11:1-12 The Message

^1-9 “When Israel was only a child, I loved him.    I called out, ‘My son!’—called him out of Egypt.But when others called him,    he ran off and left me.He worshiped the popular sex gods,    he played at religion with toy gods.Still, I stuck with him. I led Ephraim.    I rescued him from human bondage,But he never acknowledged my help,    never admitted that I was the one pulling his wagon,That I lifted him, like a baby, to my cheek,    that I bent down to feed him.Now he wants to go back to Egypt or go over to Assyria—    anything but return to me!That’s why his cities are unsafe—the murder rate skyrockets    and every plan to improve things falls to pieces.My people are hell-bent on leaving me.    They pray to god Baal for help.    He doesn’t lift a finger to help them.But how can I give up on you, Ephraim?    How can I turn you loose, Israel?How can I leave you to be ruined like Admah,    devastated like luckless Zeboim?I can’t bear to even think such thoughts.    My insides churn in protest.And so I’m not going to act on my anger.    I’m not going to destroy Ephraim.And why? Because I am God and not a human.    I’m The Holy One and I’m here—in your very midst.

^10-12 “The people will end up following God.    I will roar like a lion—Oh, how I’ll roar!    My frightened children will come running from the west.Like frightened birds they’ll come from Egypt,    from Assyria like scared doves.I’ll move them back into their homes.”    God’s Word!

Ephraim tells lies right and left.    Not a word of Israel can be trusted.Judah, meanwhile, is no better,    addicted to cheap gods.

Message: God, a Hurting Mother

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

Announcement Reminder

Our Light moves into the World God Loves

*Closing Hymn: “There’s Something About that Name” RB 233 

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. There’s just something about that name! Master, Savior, Jesus, like the fragrance after the rain. Jesus. Jesus, Jesus, let all Heaven and Earth proclaim. Kings and kingdoms will pass away, but there’s something about that name.

Benediction 

Communal Blessing

Be Yourself.

Grow in Christ.

Live with Compassion