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!”
March 10, 2024 • 10:30 a.m.
Worship Leaders
Wayne Shull, Music Director (vacationing)
Tom Cuilla, Usher
Jerry Brines, Usher
Tom Cuilla, Scripture reader
Diane Smith, Candle lighter
Scotty Patton, Zoom Monitor
Sue Ferrozzo, Fellowship Set-Up
Naomi Hanvey, Fellowship Clean-up
Rev. Genavieve Heywood, Pastor
10:20 Gathering and Prelude
Recording of the Canticle of Turning
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 sends messengers. . . all the time!
All the time . . . God sends messengers!
Service and Fellowship Opportunities
Bible Study Monday at 7pm
Silent Prayer, Tuesday 9:00 to 9:30am
Wednesday, Choir 6:30pm
Sunday. WHEN fundraiser at Center Place 5:00pm
*Welcoming the Light of Christ
We bring forward rocks that symbolize the barriers and burdens that keep us from embracing God’s steadfast love.
Hymn: Bless Be the Lord
Refrain: Bless be the Lord, bless be the Lord, the God of mercy, the God who saves, I shall not fear the dark of night, nor the arrow that flies by day.
God will release me from the nets of all my foes. God will protect me from their wicked hands. Beneath the shadow of God’s wings I will rejoice to find a dwelling place secure. Refrain
I need not shrink before the terrors of the night, nor stand alone before the light of day. No harm shall come to me, no arrow strike me down, no evil settle in my soul. Refrain
Although a thousand have fallen at my side, I’ll not ne shaken with the Lord at hand. God’s faithful love is all the armor that I nee to wage my battle with the foe. Refrain
Call to Confession
(from OGHS resource book)
One: Let us confess before God and one another the ways we seek to change.
ALL: God of Love, you created us to love you and one another. We confess that we have sometimes limited that love to words, and failed to make that love real by our actions. We have failed to recognize Christ in the hungry, the thirsty, the homeless, the naked, the incarcerated and the sick. Too often, we have turned away form your presence, failing to share what we have with our brothers and sisters in need. Forgive us. Turn our hearts, and guide us to follow in your ways anew.
Silent Reflection
Assurance
One: Our God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
All: God is good to all, and has compassion for all creation.
One: We are forgiven!
All: Thanks be to God!
Community Prayer
Taize chant: Where love and caring are there is God. (Repeat)
Prayers of Gratitude
Where love and caring are there is God. (Repeat)
Prayers of Concern
Where love and caring are there is God. (Repeat)
Silent Prayer
Where love and caring are there is God. (Repeat)
The Lord’s Prayer
A version of The Lord’s Prayer from The New Zealand Prayer BookEternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver, Source of all that is and that shall be, Father and Mother of us all, Loving God, in whom is heaven: The hallowing of your name echo through the universe! The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world! Your heavenly will be done by all created beings! Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth. With the bread we need for today, feed us. In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us. In times of temptation and testing, strengthen us. From trials too great to endure, spare us. From the grip of all that is evil, free us. For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and forever. Amen.
Response: 812 (NCH) Amen. Amen. Amen.
A Time of Offering
An Invitation to Share
*Offering Acclamation:
Taize Chant: Lord Jesus Christ your light shines within us, let not my doubt nor my darkness speak to me. Lord Jesus Christ your light shines within us. Let my heart always welcome your love.
Dedication prayer: Holy One, bless these offerings of our time, talent, and treasure that we may fulfill your vision for this your church. Bless our lives and our One Great Hour of Sharing. Help us be ambassadors of your Good News to all we meet. We ask with love for Jesus. Amen
Ask the Pastor
Listening for God
Genesis 14:17-24 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
17 After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer (Kee-dor-la-Omar) and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18 And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High. 19 He blessed him and said,
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
maker of heaven and earth;
20 and blessed be God Most High,
who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”
And Abram gave him one-tenth of everything. 21 Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have sworn to the Lord, God Most High, maker of heaven and earth, 23 that I would not take a thread or a sandal-thong or anything that is yours, so that you might not say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ 24 I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me—Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them take their share.”
Psalm 110:1-4
The Lord says to my lord,
“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies your footstool.”
The Lord sends out from Zion
your mighty scepter.
Rule in the midst of your foes.
Your people will offer themselves willingly
on the day you lead your forces
on the holy mountains.
From the womb of the morning,
like dew, your youth will come to you.
The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind,
“You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”
Hebrews 5:5-10 So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming a high priest, but was appointed by the one who said to him,
“You are my Son,
today I have begotten you”;
6 as he says also in another place,
“You are a priest forever,
according to the order of Melchizedek.”
7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; 9 and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, 10 having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 7:1-3 This “Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham as he was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him,” 2 and to him Abraham apportioned “one-tenth of everything.” His name, in the first place, means “king of righteousness”; next, he is also king of Salem, that is, “king of peace.” 3 Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life but resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.
John 12:20-33
20 Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew, then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain, but if it dies it bears much fruit. 25 Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.
27 “Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say: ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour.28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30 Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people[a] to myself.” 33 He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.
Message: A High Priest Forever
Music Meditation
Our Light moves into the World God Loves
Closing Hymn: If God is For Us
Refrain: If God is for us, who can be against if the spirit of God has set us free. (repeat)
I know that nothing in this world can ever take us from God’s love. Refrain
Nothing can take us from God’s love, poured out in Jesus, the Lord. Refrain
And nothing present or to come can ever take us from God’s love. Refrain
I know that neither death nor life can ever take us from God’s love. Refrain
Benediction and Blessing
Be Yourself.
Grow in Christ.
Live with Compassion.
Let It Live by Rob Leveridge copyright 2013, all rights reservedChorusA D AI am starting to see, life is bigger than me,E AA child of the Holy, I’ve got a big family!A D AI want the kingdom to come, there’s a lot to be done,E A DA DATake the help that I give, forge hope and let it live!Verse 1A DHeard what you done when your begotten SonBm7 GGave it all (gave it all!) for us all (for us all!)A DI haven’t got many gifts, so I’d thought,Bm7 GOr much to show (much to show!), but here you go (here you go!)E GI’ve heard about all your promises,E DI want to see what you’ll do with this!ChorusVerse 2Seen how you take folks who can’t get a breakAnd make a way (make a way!), from no way (from no way!)Seen how you call out the comfortable, To share the cost (share the cost!), and bear the cross (bear the cross!)I want to join with the generousAnd go with joy where you’re sending us! Chorus