Sunday, July 31
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 31, 2022 • 10:30 a.m.
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10:20am Gathering and Prelude
Wayne Shull, Music Director
Charlie Salt, Acolyte and AV
Naomi Hanvey Facebook Monitor
Scotty Patton, Zoom Monitor
Cherall Ann St. James and Diane Smith, Worship Leaders
10:30am Worship begins
God meets us where we are . . . all the time!
All the time . . . God meets us where we are!
Passing the Peace and Welcoming the Light Christ
Hymn: “Rejoice in the Lord Always”
CCLI license #11038266
Rejoice in the Lord, always, and again I say, rejoice! (Repeat)
Rejoice! Rejoice! And again, I say, Rejoice! (Repeat)
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.
Pause for our gratitudes
Ferry our prayers across the water, kindle our hopes a lighthouse flame. Amazing grace is most amazing, praying for those we cannot name.
Pause for concerns
Ferry our prayers across the water, kindle our hopes a lighthouse flame. Amazing grace is most amazing, praying for those we cannot name.
Pause for that which no words can express
Ferry our prayers across the water, kindle our hopes a lighthouse flame. Amazing grace is most amazing, praying for those we cannot name.
Lord’s Prayer
Response 812 (NCH)
Amen, amen, amen.
A Time of Offering
An Invitation to Share
Dedication Come into His Presence
CCLI license #11038266
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)
Beloved God, bless these gifts of time, talent and treasure and the gifts of our lives and the lives of those who surround us. May all that we have and do be pleasing in your sight. Amen
Listening for God
NRSV
Philippians 4:4-9
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about[d] these things. 9 As for the things that you have learned and received and heard and noticed in me, do them, and the God of peace will be with you.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 NRSV verses 1-8 and The Message 9-13
For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill and a time to heal; a time to break down and a time to build up;
a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance;
a time to throw away stones and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek and a time to lose; a time to keep and a time to throw away;
a time to tear and a time to sew; a time to keep silent and a time to speak;
a time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace.
But in the end, does it really make a difference what anyone does? I’ve had a good look at what God has given us to do—busywork, mostly. True, God made everything beautiful in itself and in its time—but he’s left us in the dark, so we can never know what God is up to, whether he’s coming or going. I’ve decided that there’s nothing better to do than go ahead and have a good time and get the most we can out of life. That’s it—eat, drink, and make the most of your job. It’s God’s gift.
Message: “The Meaning of Life, the Universe, and Everything”
Cherall Anne St. James
Silence
Announcements
Our Light moves into the World God Loves
Hymn: “Abiding in the Vine” (sing twice)
I found a new way of living. I found a new life divine. I found the fruit of the Spirit. Now, I’m abiding, abiding in the vine.
Abiding in the vine, abiding in the vine, Love, joy, health, peace
God has made them mine
I found prosperity, power, and victory, abiding, abiding in the vine,
Benediction and “Leaning on the Ever Lasting Arms ”
Public Domain
What a fellowship, what a joy divine, leaning on the everlasting arms; what a blessedness, what a peace is mine, leaning on the everlasting arms.
Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.
Postlude