Sunday Worship Bulletin, May 25 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!”

Memorial Day Weekend

May 25, 2025• 10:30 a.m. 

____________________________________________________________

10:20 Gathering and Prelude

String-A-Lings and Sing-A-Lings: Musicians

Wayne Shull, Music Director (vacationing)

Charlie Salt, AV (vacationing)

Joe McSwain, AV and Usher

Jerry Brines, Usher

Tom Cuilla, Usher Coordinator

Diane Smith, Scripture reader

Cherall-Anne St. James, Candle lighter

Scotty Patton, Zoom Monitor (away this week)

________, Fellowship Set-Up

_________, Fellowship Clean-up

Rev. Genavieve 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 dwells with us… all the time!

All the time…God dwells with us!

Service and Fellowship Opportunities

Next Sunday, One in Christ 

No Bible Study Monday as it’s Memorial Day

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

Wednesday: String-A-Lings 5:30 and Worship Team 6:30pm

 Community giving Next Month: Birthday Cake Kits

Opening 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

105 (Sing Book)

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.

Lord’s Prayer

Response: Amen, amen, amen

Memorial Brick Dedication

Lighting memorial candles

Pastor: The Lord is with you.

All: And also with you.

Pastor: Let us pray. 

Loving God, on this Memorial Weekend, we honor all those who have passed through this life to the next. We are especially mindful of the many who lost their lives while protecting our democracy. We pause in silence and respect. (silence)

Today, we ask for a blessing as we dedicate these bricks which commemorate those connected to this community who have died from this life to be born into the next. We remember Ron Jenson, Al Komarek, Polly Komarek, Walter B Wilson, Leita Hayward, Stephanie Pepper, Kim Pignatiello, Sherrie Weissenfels, Verlene Weissenfels, Jim Weissenfels, Mike Slater, and Scott Dunn.

We thank you, Jesus, for all that these people have meant to those that loved them. May we continue to follow the way of Jesus. On that day we join them in the life beyond this one, may Jesus say to each of us “Well done, good and faithful servant.” 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: Beloved God, may our offerings of time, talent, and treasure be blessed and multiplied. May this little embassy of Jesus’ compassion be found by all those who seek your healing love.

Amen

Listening for God


Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5 And in the spirit, he carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.

I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.  But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month, and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

John 14:23-29 Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words, and the word that you hear is not mine but is from the Father who sent me.

“I have said these things to you while I am still with you.  But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur you may believe.

Message: A River Flowing From God

Silence

Announcement Reminders

Our Light moves into the World God Loves

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, and 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! Till 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 seen by all. (Chorus)

Benediction 

Communal Blessing

Be Yourself.

Grow in Christ.

Live with Compassion