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!”
July 14, 2024
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10:20 Gathering and Prelude
String-A-Lings, Musicians
Joe McSwain, Usher
Jerry Brines, Usher
Tom Cuilla, Scripture Reader
Diane Smith, Candle lighter
Sue Ferrozzo, Fellowship Set-up
Naomi Hanvey, Fellowship Clean-up
Scotty Patton, Zoom Monitor
Rev. Gen Heywood, Pastor
10:30am Worship begins
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 reveals more ...all the time! All the time...God reveals more!
Service and Fellowship Opportunities
Next Sunday “As with a Woman”
Bible Study off for the Summer
Silent Prayer, Tuesday 9:00 to 9:30am
String-A-Lings practice Wednesday, 5:30pm
Sing-A-Lings (a.k.a.Choir) practice Wednesday 6:30pm
Community giving this month: School Supplies
Welcoming the Light of Christ
Hymn: Gather Us In
Here in this place new light is streaming. Shadows of doubt are vanished away. See in this space our fears and our dreamings, brought here to you in the light of this day.Gather us in, the lost and forsaken. Gather us in, our spirits inflame. Call to us now and we shall awaken. We shall arise at the sound of our name.
We are the young, our lives are a mystery. We are the old who yearn for your face. We have been sung throughout all of history called to be light to the whole human race.Gather us in, the rich and the haughty. Gather us in, the proud and the strong. Give us a heart so meek and so lowly. Give us the courage to enter the song.
Here we receive new life in the waters. Here we receive the bread of new birth. Here you shall call your sons and your daughters, call us anew to be salt for the Earth.Give us to drink the wine of compassion. Give us to eat the bread that is you. Nourish us well and teach us to fashion. Lives that are holy and hearts that are true.
Not just in buildings, small and confining. Not in some heaven light years away. Here in this place the new light is shining. Now is God present, now is the day.Gather us in and hold us forever. Gather us in and make us your own. Gather us in, all peoples together, fire of love in our flesh and our bones.
Community Prayer
In moments like these, I sing out a song. I sing out a love song to Jesus. In moments like these, I lift up my hands, I lift up may hands to the Lord. Singing I love you, Lord. Singing I love you, Lord. Singing I love you, Lord. I love you.
Prayers of Gratitude
Refrain
Prayers of Concern
Refrain
Silent Prayer
Refrain
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: (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
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!
Dedication Prayer
Holy One, your hope in us never wavers. Fill our offerings of time, talent, and treasure with your blessing so that this little church may shine the light of hope and healing.Amen
Listening for God
Romans 1:18 – 2:1
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of men who by their wickedness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse; 21 for although they knew God they did not honor God as God or give thanks to God, but they became futile in their thinking and their senseless minds were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man or birds or animals or reptiles.
24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever! Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural, 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error.
28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a base mind and to improper conduct. 29 They were filled with all manner of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity, they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God’s decree that those who do such things deserve to die, they not only do them but approve those who practice them.
2:1 Therefore you are without excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others, for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things.
Message: Natural Relations
Announcement Reminder
Our Light moves into the World God Loves
Closing Hymn: “Some Glad Morning” 595 (NCH)
Some glad morning when this life is o’er, I'll fly away to a home on God's celestial shore. I’ll fly away. I’ll fly away, O Glory, I'll fly away when I die, Hallelujah by and by, I'll fly away.
When the shadows of this life have flown, I’ll fly away Like a bird from prison bars has flown, I’ll fly away. I’ll fly away, O Glory, I'll fly away when I die, Hallelujah by and by, I'll fly away.
Just a few more weary days and then, I’ll fly away to a land where joy shall never end, I’ll fly away. I’ll fly away, O Glory, I'll fly away when I die, Hallelujah by and by, I'll fly away.
Benediction
Communal Blessing
Be Yourself.
Grow in Christ.
Live with Compassion
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