Sunday Worship Bulletin, Nov 30 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!”

First Sunday of Advent,  November 30, 2025• 10:30 a.m.

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10:15am Enter in Silence

10:20 Gathering and Prelude

Wayne Shull, Music Director

Charlie Salt, AV

Joe McSwain, Usher

Jerry Brines, Usher

Tom Cuilla, Usher Coordinator

Naomi Hanvey, Scripture reader

Marvin Wilson, Candle of Hope

_____, Fellowship Set-Up

Naomi Hanvey, Fellowship Clean-up

Scotty Patton, Zoom Monitor

Rev. Genavieve Heywood, Pastor 

10:30am Worship begins

(no entrance of light on this Sunday)

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 comes to us . . . all the time!  All the time . . . God comes to us!

Service and Fellowship Opportunities 

Next Sunday: Advent 2 

Candle of Peace, Kelly Cuilla 

AND

Plum Pudding!

Worship Team meets after worship today.

Bible Study, Monday at 7pm

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

String-A-Lings, Wednesday, 5:30pm; 

Sing-A-Lings Wednesday, 6:30pm

 Community giving next month: Birthday Kits

‘Opening Hymn

*Hymn “Keep Awake, Be Always Ready” 112 (NCH)

1. Keep awake, be always ready, God’s time approaches sure and steady, God’s strength will keep your heart from blame. Clouds, the Spirit’s light concealing, disperse, God’s purest light revealing; creation will it’s Sovereign name. Dry branches burst forth green, God’s advent signs are seen: Hal-le-lu-jah! Christ Judgement won. 

God’s will be done; God’s new dominion thus begun.

2. Rise and shine for One is coming whose love will quench all nature’s thirsting to be made whole forever more. On that day to end all weeping, death’s swords transformed to tools of reaping, the God of might will mercy pour. Incarnate, God appears embracing all our tears: Hal-le-lu-jah! God’s majesty eternally revealed to set the cosmos free.

Lighting of the Candle of Hope

Marvin Wilson: "Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."  Hebrews 11:1

Message from Marvin Wilson

Prayer at the lighting of the candle of Hope:

All: Hope of our lives, we light this candle to declare your hope for all creation.  Bless this light to shine out into the darkness with the promise you are with us. Amen.

Community Prayer

“On Eagle’s Wings” 775 (NCH)

And God will raise you up on eagle’s wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you to shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of God’s hand.

Prayers of Gratitude

song

Prayers of Concern

Song

Silent Prayer

Song

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: “Lord, You're Worthy” 305 RB

Lord, you're worthy to be praised and I worship you. Lord, you're worthy to bow down to and I bow down to you. Lord, you're worthy to be worshipped and I worship you. I praise you, I bow down to you, I worship you.

A Time of Offering

An Invitation to Share

Dedication Hymn: “This Is My Commandment” 241 RB

This is my commandment that you love one another that your joy may be full. This is my commandment that you love one another that your joy may be full. That your joy may be full. That your joy may be full. This is my commandment that you love one another that your joy may be full.

Dedication prayer:  

Holy One, your kin-dom is near, blessing us and this community. We thank you with humble hearts. Bless our offerings of time, talent, and treasure that we may follow the kin-dom’s ways of compassion, justice, and peace.  Amen

Listening for God

 Isaiah 2:1-5

 The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

2 In days to come    the mountain of the Lord’s houseshall be established as the highest of the mountains    and shall be raised above the hills;all the nations shall stream to it.3     Many peoples shall come and say,“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,    to the house of the God of Jacob,that he may teach us his ways    and that we may walk in his paths.”For out of Zion shall go forth instruction    and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.4 He shall judge between the nations    and shall arbitrate for many peoples;they shall beat their swords into plowshares    and their spears into pruning hooks;nation shall not lift up sword against nation;    neither shall they learn war any more.5 O house of Jacob,    come, let us walkin the light of the Lord!

Matthew 24:36-44

 “But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.38 For as in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, 39 and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so, too, will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two will be in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. 41 Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken, and one will be left. 42 Keep awake, therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

Message Awaken Hope and Ask the Pastor

Meditation in Music

Announcements Reminders

Our Light moves into the World God Loves

* Hymn: “Awake, Awake, and Greet the New Morn" 107 NCH 

verses 2, 3, & 4

2. To us, to all in sorrow and fear, Emmanuel comes a-singing, whose humble song is quiet and near, yet fills the Earth with its ringing. Music to heal the broken soul and hymns of loving kindness, the thunder of the anthems roll to shatter all hate and injustice.

3. In deepest night Christ’s coming shall be, when all the world is despairing, as morning light so quiet and free, so warm and gentle and caring. One without voice breaks forth in song, a lame one leaps in wonder, the weak are raised above the strong and weapons are broken asunder.

4. Rejoice, rejoice, take heart in the night, though cold the winter and cheerless, the rising sun shall crown you with light, be strong and loving and fearless. Love be our song and love our prayer, and love, our endless story, may God fill every day we share, and bring us at last into glory.

Benediction

Communal Blessing

Be Yourself.

Grow in Christ.

Live with Compassion