Sunday Worship Bulletin, July 27 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!”

July 27, 2025

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10:20 Gathering and Prelude

Wayne Shull, Music Director (Vacationing)

Charlie Salt, AV (Vacationing)

Tom Cuilla, Usher Coordinator

Joe McSwain, Usher

Jerry Brines, Usher

Diane Smith, Scripture Reader

_________, Candle lighter

_________, Fellowship Set-up

_______, Fellowship Clean-up

Scotty Patton, Zoom Monitor (Vacationing)

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 is curious...all the time!  

All the time...God is curious!

Service and Fellowship Opportunities 

Next Sunday “God’s Motherly Love”

No Bible Study Monday

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

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

 Community giving this month: School Supplies

Opening Hymn

“Part of the Family”

CHORUS: Come in, come in and sit down, you are a part of the family. We are lost and we are found, and we are a part of the family. 

You know the reason why you came, yet no reason can explain; so share in the laughter and cry in the pain, for we are a part of the family. God is with us in this place, like a mother's warm embrace. We're all forgiven by God's grace, for we are a part of the family: CHORUS 

Children and elders, middlers and teens, singles and doubles and in-betweens, strong 85ers and street wise 16s, for we are a part of the family. Greeters and shoppers, longtime and new, nobody here has a claim on a pew, and whether we’re many or whether we’re few, we are a part of the family: CHORUS 

Community Prayer

Hymn: Precious Lord, take my hand. Lead me on. Let me stand. I am tired. I am weak. I am worn. Through the storm, through the night, lead me on to the light. Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.

Prayers of Gratitude

Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.

Prayers of Concern 

Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.

Prayers in Silence 

 Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.

Lord’s Prayer

Response: Amen, amen, amen

A Time of Offering

 An Invitation to Share 

Dedication Hymn Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! All thy 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, pour out your blessing and multiply these gifts of our time, talent, and treasure. May we love you with all that we are and all that we will be.  Amen.

Listening for God

1 Thessalonians 5:13-22 The Message version

^13-15 Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part. Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. And be careful that when you get on each other’s nerves you don’t snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out.

^16-18 Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.

^19-22 Don’t suppress the Spirit, and don’t stifle those who have a word from the Master. On the other hand, don’t be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what’s good. Throw out anything tainted with evil.

Message: Ask the Pastor 

Meditation in Music

Announcement Reminder

Our Light moves into the World God Loves

*Closing Hymn: “Let it be Said of Us”

Let it be said of us that the Lord was our passion, that with gladness we bore every cross we were given. That we fought the good fight; that we finished the course, knowing within us the power of the risen Lord.

Chorus: Let the cross be our glory and the Lord be our song, by mercy made holy, by the Spirit made strong. Let the cross be our glory and the Lord be our song ‘til the likeness of Jesus be through us made known. Let the cross be our glory and the Lord be our song.

Let it be said of us, we were marked by forgiveness, we were known by our love, and delighted in meekness. We were ruled by his peace, heeding unity’s call, joined as one body that Christ would be see by all. (Chorus)

Benediction 

Communal Blessing

Be Yourself.

Grow in Christ.

Live with Compassion