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!”
February 4, 2024 • 10:30 a.m.
___________________________
10:20 Gathering and Prelude
Wayne Shull, Music Director
Charlie Salt, AV
Joe McSwain, AV and Usher
Jerry Brines, Usher
Naomi Hanvey.Scripture reader
Sue Ferrozzo, Candle lighter
Scotty Patton, Zoom Monitor
________, Fellowship Set-Up
__________, 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.
Worship begins
God is our strength. . . all the time!
All the time . . . God is our strength!
Service and Fellowship Opportunities
*Welcoming the Light of Christ
*Hymn: Hymn: “Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning” 369 (NCH)
Keep your lamps trimmed and burning (repeat 2x more) for this work is almost done. Sisters, don’t grow weary. Brothers, don’t grow weary. Children, don’t grow weary, for this work is almost done.
It’s our faith makes us happy (repeat 2x more) for this work’s almost done.
Sisters, don’t grow weary. Brothers, don’t grow weary. Children, don’t grow weary, for this work is almost done.
We are Climbing Jacob’s ladder (repeat 2x more) for this work is almost done. Sisters, don’t grow weary. Brothers, don’t grow weary. Children, don’t grow weary, for this work is almost done.
Every round goes higher, higher (repeat 2x more) for this work’s almost done. Sisters, don’t grow weary. Brothers, don’t grow weary. Children, don’t grow weary, for this work is almost done.
Community Prayer
Response 769 (NCH) Hear our prayer, O God! Hear our prayer O God! Incline your ear to us and grant us your peace.
Prayers of Gratitude
Response 769
Prayers of Concern
Response 769
Silent Prayer
Response 769
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
*Offering Acclamation: Hymn: 108 (NCH) God bring to fruition your will for the earth, that no one shall hurt or destroy, that wisdom and justice shall reign in the land and your people shall go forth in joy, in joy, your people shall go forth in joy!
Dedication prayer: Holy One, we make these offerings with grateful hearts. Bless all we are, all we have, and all we do. Bless these gifts for Rosa Parks. Let her know that her memory is alive with us and helping the MLK Center in our region. May your realm will be made real in our lives. Amen.
Listening for God
Message to Young Hearts
When do you feel like doing a Happy Dance?
Isaiah 40:21-31
Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?22 It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,who stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them like a tent to live in,23 who brings princes to naught and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing.
24 Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth,when he blows upon them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble.
25 To whom, then, will you compare me, or who is my equal? says the Holy One.26 Lift up your eyes on high and see: Who created these?He who brings out their host and numbers them, calling them all by name;because he is great in strength, mighty in power, not one is missing.
27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel,“My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God”?28 Have you not known? Have you not heard?The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.29 He gives power to the faint and strengthens the powerless.30 Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted,31 but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles;they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Mark 1:29-39
29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. 31 He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
32 That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed by demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered around the door. 34 And he cured many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons, and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
35 In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and his companions hunted for him. 37 When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” 38 He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also, for that is what I came out to do.” 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.
Message: Renew our Strength
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 the easy times and the difficult experiences. 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
Our Light moves into the World God Loves
Closing Hymn: “You Are Salt for the Earth, O People” 181 (NCH)
You are salt for the earth, O people: salt for the reign of God; Share the flavor of life, O people: life in the City of God!
Refrain: Bring forth the reign of mercy, bring forth the reign of peace. Bring forth the reign of justice, bring forth the City of God.
You are light on the hill, O people: light for the City of God! Shine so holy and bright. O People: shine for the City of God! (Refrain)
You are a seed of the Word, O people: bring forth the reign of God! Seeds of mercy and seeds of justice, grow in the City of God! (Refrain)
We are a blessed and a pilgrim people: bound for the City of God! Love our journey and love our homeland: love is the City of God. (Refrain)
Benediction and Community Blessing
Be Yourself.
Grow in Christ.
Live with Compassion.