Sunday Worship Bulletin, Jan 18 2026

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 18, 2026 • 10:30 a.m. 

_________________________

Please, silence cell phones

We gather in silent meditation

10:20am Gathering and Prelude

Wayne Shull, Music Director 

Charlie Salt, AV 

Tom Cuilla: Usher Coordinator

Jerry Brines, Usher

Stephanie Wallis, Usher 

Maureen Carroll, Scripture reader

Diane Smith, Candle lighter

Sue Ferrozzo, Fellowship Set-Up

_______, Fellowship Clean-up

Scotty Patton, Zoom Monitor

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 requires justice . . . all the time! 

All the time . . . God requires justice!

Service and Fellowship Opportunities 

Next Sunday: “Light in Times of Trouble” Isaiah 9:1-4, Matthew 4:12-23

No Bible Study, Monday 

Join us for the MLK Rally and March10am at Spokane Convention center

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

String-A-Lings, Wednesday, 5:30pm; 

Sing-A-Lings Wednesday, 6:30pm

 Community giving this month: Venessa Behan Crisis Nursery

Rosa Parks Birthday Party, Sunday, Feb 8, 1:30pm

 Opening Hymn

“Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” 593 (NCH)

Lift ev’ry voice and sing, ‘til earth and heaven ring, ring with the harmonies of liberty; Let our rejoicing rise high as the list’ning skies, let it resound loud as the rolling sea. Sing a song full of the faith that the harsh past has taught us. Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us; Facing the rising sun of our new day begun, let us march on ’til victory is won.

Stony the road we trod, bitter the chastening rod, felt in the days when hope unborn had died; Yet with a steady beat, have not our weary feet come to the place for which our fathers sighed? We have come over a way that with tears has been watered. We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered. Out from the gloomy past, ‘til now we stand at last where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.

God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, God who has  brought us thus far on the way; God who by your might led us into the light, keep us forever in the path, we pray. Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met you. Lest, our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget you; Shadowed beneath your hand, may we forever stand, true to our God, true to our native land.

Community Prayer

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 

Amazing grace is most amazing, praying for those we cannot name.

Prayers of Concern

Amazing grace is most amazing, praying for those we cannot name.

Prayers in Silence

Amazing grace is most amazing, praying for those we cannot name.

 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 161 Amen (NCH)

A—      men, a—men, a-men, a-men, a-men.

A Time of Offering

An Invitation to Share

Hymn of Dedication “Come into His Presence”

Come into his presence with thanksgiving in your heart and give him praise, and give him praise. 

Come into his presence with thanksgiving in your heart, your voices raise, your voices raise. 

Give glory and honor and power unto him, Jesus, the name above all names!

Prayer of Dedication (unison)

Holy One, pour out your Spirit upon our offerings of time, talent, and treasure.  With your blessing, we will fulfill your vision of justice and peace for our lives, our neighbors, our world, and this your church. We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen

Listening for God

Amos was written around 760-753 BCE from Tekoa (about 6 miles south of Bethlehem, Kingdom of Judah) It’s a time of great prosperity for Judah and Israel – with some people have plenty while denying the needs of others which Amos sees as moral decay.

Amos 5:6-24

6 Seek the Lord and live,    or he will break out against the house of Joseph like fire,    and it will devour Bethel, with no one to quench it.7 Ah, you who turn justice to wormwood    and bring righteousness to the ground!

8 The one who made the Pleiades and Orion    and turns deep darkness into the morning    and darkens the day into night,who calls for the water of the sea    and pours it out on the surface of the earth,the Lord is his name,9 who makes destruction flash out against the strong,    so that destruction comes upon the fortress.

10 They hate the one who reproves in the gate,    and they abhor the one who speaks the truth.11 Therefore because you trample on the poor    and take from them levies of grain,you have built houses of hewn stone,    but you shall not live in them;you have planted pleasant vineyards,    but you shall not drink their wine.12 For I know how many are your transgressions    and how great are your sins—you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe    and push aside the needy in the gate.13 Therefore the prudent will keep silent in such a time,    for it is an evil time.

14 Seek good and not evil,    that you may live,and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you,    just as you have said.15 Hate evil and love good,    and establish justice in the gate;it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts,    will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

16 Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord:In all the squares there shall be wailing,    and in all the streets they shall say, “Alas! Alas!”They shall call the farmers to mourning    and those skilled in lamentation to wailing;17 in all the vineyards there shall be wailing,    for I will pass through the midst of you,            says the Lord.

18 Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord!    Why do you want the day of the Lord?It is darkness, not light,19     as if someone fled from a lion    and was met by a bearor went into the house and rested a hand against the wall    and was bitten by a snake.20 Is not the day of the Lord darkness, not light,    and gloom with no brightness in it?

21 I hate, I despise your festivals,    and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,    I will not accept them,and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals    I will not look upon.23 Take away from me the noise of your songs;    I will not listen to the melody of your harps.24 But let justice roll down like water    and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

Message: Let Justice Roll Down

Meditation in Music

Our Light moves into the World God Loves  

Closing Hymn “We Shall Overcome” 570 (NCH)

We shall overcome. We shall overcome. We shall overcome some day.

Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe, we shall overcome someday.

We’ll go hand in hand. We’ll go hand in hand. We’ll go hand in hand someday. Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe, we’ll go hand in hand someday.

We are not afraid. We are not afraid. We are not afraid today. Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe, we are not afraid today.

Our God will see us through. Our God will see us through. Our God will see us through someday. Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe, our God will see us through someday.

Benediction

Community Blessing

Be Yourself.

Grow in Christ.

Live with Compassion.