- Mar 2, 2024
- 7 min read
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 3, 2024 • 10:30 a.m.
___________________________
10:20 Gathering and Prelude
Wayne Shull, Music Director
Tom Cuilla,Usher
Jerry Brines, Usher
Diane Smith, Scripture reader
Sue Ferrozzo, 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 just. . . all the time!
All the time . . . God is just!
Service and Fellowship Opportunities
*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: When We Ask Seek Knock
1. Sometimes it’s hard to believe in someone my eyes can’t see. Sometimes I question and doubt the way Thomas did. But God’s not the kind who says don’t use your mind, so when questions trouble my soul, I trust in the promise that Jesus made to us all…
Chorus: When we ask, seek knock we will receive from God! When we ask, seek knock, surely we’ll find! When we ask, seek knock, doors will swing open wide! So let us, ask, seek knock, all of our lives!
2. Sometimes when I’m feeling strong I promise things I can’t keep. Sometimes I let Jesus down the way Peter did. But God gives me grace to learn from my mistakes, and pick up the pieces again, and trust that the Savior is working good through it all! Chorus:
Used with permission from Bryan Sirchio
Call to Confession
One: Seek God; call upon God; God is here. Trusting in the compassion and mercy of God, we pray:
Prayer of Confession
From the Presbyterian Church USA
Forgive us, God, for the many ways that we fail to trust your promise.
Too often we count the trespasses of others, as though we were the ones to judge. Too often we fail to believe that your gifts are freely given. Too often we spend our money for that which is not bread, and our labor for that which does not satisfy. Help us, loving God. Forgive us when we operate out of scarcity and fear rather than out of your abundant, good gifts. Help us to live as your trusting, sharing, reconciling people.
Silent Confessions with God
Assurance of Pardon
(from 2 Corinthians 5)
One: Beloved in Christ: God was in Christ reconciling the world, not counting our wrongs against us, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, anyone in Christ is a new creation! The past is gone; everything has become fresh and new. Hear and believe the
good news of the Gospel:
All: In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven! Thanks be to God! Amen.
Community Prayer
Taize chant: Where love and caring are there is God. Where love and caring are there is God.
Prayers of Gratitude
Chant
Prayers of Concern
Chant
Silent Prayer
Chant
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 for ever. 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: Beloved Creator, bless these offerings of our time, talent, and treasure. Draw us closer to you and one another through this season of transformation. May we love one another as you continue to love us. Amen
Ask the Pastor
Listening for God
1 Corinthians 1:18-25
For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”
Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scholar? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of the proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews ask for signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.
John 2:13-22
The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves and the money changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, with the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” The Jews then said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
Message: Foolish like Jesus
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: Breathe Deep the Breath of God (see screen)
Benediction and Blessing
Be Yourself.
Grow in Christ.
Live with Compassion.
LOVE AND JUSTICE ©2008 K.Mazzella / Peermusic
The moon is hidden in the cloudsthe fire light is dyingin the dark slum and streetmen women children cryingno work today means no pay and no pay means we're starvingmother I'm with child againI feel like I am dyingA pen, a pen your weapon bemy fine courageous women !let's sign our names a thousand times for freedom that's hard winningno more let fear and anger rule with heavy hand of violencethe moon is shining in the sky as we break the silencechorusLove and Justice be my flagI'll live my truth what e're will beI swear that I cannot rest till there's equalityLove and justice be my flagI 'll live my truth what ever comesso many rivers to cross till our journeys doneAll who toil the weary earthsee beyond your measure!women are real gold for all of us to treasurefor every heroine that's named there are a thousand namelesswho live to make a better day with acts of love and justice!Daughter, sister, mother, wifewhen you rise so shall othershappiness will fall upon son, father, husband, brotherin home and in the market placetown and countrysidelet our laughter spread its wealth, it's surely our birthright!Oh ! I had the strangest dreamit came one starry midnightMen and women all joined hands in peace and loving friendshipall broken hearts were mendedall broken bodies healedRiver, mountain, rocks rejoicedthe bells of freedom peeled!
