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!”
All Saints Sunday, November 5, 2023 • 10:30 a.m.
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10:20 Gathering and Prelude
Wayne Shull, Music Director
Charlie Salt, AV
Joe McSwain, AV and Usher
Jerry Brines, Usher
Kelly Cuilla, Scripture reader
Joe McSwain, Candle lighter
Scotty Patton, Zoom Monitor
Sue Ferrozzo, Fellowship Set-Up
Naomi Hanvey, Fellowship Clean-up
Rev. Genavieve Heywood, Pastor
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 is with us . . . all the time! All the time . . . God is with us!
Passing the Peace of Christ and Welcoming the Light of Christ
*Hymn: “I Sing a Song of the Saints of God” 295 (NCH)
We light candles for the saints in our lives as we sing.
1. I sing a song of the saints of God, faithful their whole lives through, who bravely labored, lived, and died for the God they loved and knew. And one was a doctor, and one was a queen, and one was a shepherdess on the green: they were saints of God if you know what I mean. God help me to be one, too.
2. They loved their God and they lived that love. It was loving that made them strong; They did what was right, for Jesus’ sake, lived justly their whole lives long. And one was a prophet, and one was a priest, and one was slain by a fierce wild beast; there is no earthly reason, none in the least, why I shouldn't be one, too.
3. They lived not only in ages past; there are hundreds of thousands still. The world is filled with living saints who choose to do God’s will. You can meet them in school, on the road or at sea, in church, in a train, in a shop, or at tea; for the saints are folk like you and like me, and I mean to be one, too.
Community Prayer
Refrain: Love, love, love, love Christians this is our call. Love your neighbor as yourself for God loves us all.
Prayers of Gratitude
Refrain
Prayers of Concern
Refrain
Silent Prayer
Refrain
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: 812 (NCH)
Amen. Amen. Amen.
A Time of Offering
Dedication 780 (NCH)
Praise God from whom all blessing flow. Praise God all creatures here below. Praise God for all that love has done; Creator, Christ, and Spirit, One. Amen
Dedication Prayer
Giver of all Life, we give thanks for all the saints in our lives who have made this day possible. Bless this offering of our time, talent, and treasure to strengthen our witness in this community now and for generations yet to come. Amen.
Listening for God
Message with Young Hearts
Painting with Colorful Angles
Revelation 7:9-17
After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying,
“Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne and to the Lamb!”
And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, singing,
“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “Sir, you are the one who knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
For this reason they are before the throne of God and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.
They will hunger no more and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat,
for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
Matthew 5:1-12
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Message: For All the Saints
Silence
Announcements
Sharing Holy Communion
Hand sanitizer passed around.
Pastor: Friends in Christ, we gather at our many tables mindful of the presence of God’s Spirit that is here with us. We seek to honor the request of Jesus given in the scripture. Of all the teachings Jesus gave to our ancestors, this he asked them and us to do for him to remember him.
When Jesus and his friends sat together at a Passover meal, Jesus took bread; giving God thanks and praise, he broke the bread. He gave it to his friends saying, “Take this all of you and eat of it. This is my body that is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
After the meal had ended, Jesus poured out the cup and again he gave God thanks and praise. He gave the cup to his friends and said, “Take this all of you and drink from it. This is the cup of the new covenant. Do this as often as you drink of it in remembrance of me.”
Let us pray.
All: Loving God, you are with us in the easy times and the difficult experiences. We thank you with humble hearts. Let your presence be felt among us. Come, Holy Spirit come. Bless this bread and this cup and all who have gathered in your Spirit. Refresh us and renew us as Christ’s body in the world today. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Silence as all who want to receive come forward. We will break bread and share a common cup or you can receive the packaged bread and drink,
Prayer of Thanksgiving
All: We thank you, God, for your presence at all our tables where we remember and experience the presence of Christ. Help us to live more fully the way of Christ. Strengthen our faith, increase our love for one another, and let us show forth your praise in our lives, through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
Our Light moves into the World God Loves
Closing Hymn: “For all the Saints” 299 (NCH)
For all the saints who from their labors rest, who to the world their steadfast faith confessed, your name, O Jesus, be forever blest. Alleluia, alleluia!
You were their rock, their refuge, and their might: you, Christ, the hope that put their fears to flight; ’mid gloom and doubt, you were their one true light. Alleluia, alleluia!
Still may your people, faithful, true, and bold, live as the saints who nobly fought of old, and share with them a glorious crown of gold. Alleluia, alleluia!
Ringed by this cloud of witnesses divine, we feebly struggle, they in glory shine; yet in your love our faithful lives entwine. Alleluia, alleluia!
And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long, steals on the ear the distant triumph song; then hearts are brave again and faith grows strong. Alleluia, alleluia!
Benediction and Silent Meditation with Postlude
Be Yourself.
Grow in Christ.
Live with Compassion.