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!”
May 15, 2022 • 10:30 a.m.
Assistive listening devices are available. Please contact an usher if you would like to use one.
Thank you for turning cellphones completely OFF prior to worship – they interfere with our sound system.
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10:20 Gathering and Prelude
Wayne Shull, Music Director
Charlie Salt, Acolyte and AV
Naomi Hanvey Facebook Monitor
Scotty Patton, Zoom Monitor
Rev. Gen Heywood, Pastor
10:30am Worship begins
God reigns . . . all the time! All the time . . . God reigns!
Passing of Peace and Welcoming the Light of Christ:
(Why do we have rules? Are there rules that you like?)
Hymn: God Reigns O’er All the Earth
CCLI license #11038266
God reigns o’er all the earth! Green hills and valley’s low, the farms and towns in golds and browns God’s grace and beauty show. God reigns o’er all the earth! Stone banks and spreading plains, in rainbow hues - reds, yellows, blues - of stream and country lanes.
God reigns o’er human life! Through youth and aging years, in death, in birth, in grief in mirth, in all our hopes and fears. God reigns o’er human life! Our inspiration still. Through all our schemes, in all our dreams, we see God’s reigning will.
God reigns o’er time and space! In history’s bygone days, Christ’s faithful folk in reverence spoke to bring God earnest praise. God reigns o’er time and space! O’er galaxy and sun, through timeless years the cosmos hears the heavenly music run.
God reigns! Emmanuel! God with us every day, in all our past and to the last, our comfort and our stay. God reigns! Emmanuel! Let praise to Christ be sung! God’s presence here makes all things dear. Let joyful bells be rung!
Community Prayer
All: More than we can ask. More than we can ask or imagine.
Prayers of gratitude
One: Hear, oh hear our prayer.
All: Hear, oh hear our prayer.
All: More than we can ask. More than we can ask or imagine.
Prayers of concern
One: Hear, oh hear our prayer.
All: Hear, oh hear our prayer.
All: More than we can ask. More than we can ask or imagine.
Prayers in silence
One: A---men.
All: A---men.
The Lord’s Prayer
Response 812 (NCH)
Amen, amen, amen.
A Time of Offering
An Invitation to Share
Dedication Hymn: What Does the Lord Require
CCLI license #11038266
1. What does the Lord require of you? What does the Lord require of you?2. Justice, kindness, walk humbly with your God.3. To seek justice, and love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.
Dedication Prayer
Holy One, You alone reign over all the earth. We thank you will humble hearts. Bless these offerings of time, talent, and treasure that it may be on earth as it is in heaven. Amen
Listening for God
Message with Young Hearts
Why do we have rules? Are there rules that you like?
Rev 21:1-6 (NIV)
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.
John 13:31-35 (NIV)
When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him,[a] God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.
“My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Message: Love Rules
Silence
Our Light moves into the World God Loves
Hymn: “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You” 4 (NCH)
Public Domain
1.Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love; Hearts unfold like flow’rs before Thee, Op’ning to the sun above. Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; Drive the dark of doubt away; Giver of immortal gladness,Fill us with the light of day!
2.All you works with joy surround you, Earth and heav’n reflect your rays, Stars and angels sing around you, Center of unbroken praise. Field and forest, vale and mountain, Flow’ry meadow, flashing sea, Singing bird and flowing fountain.Tell us what our praise should be.
3.You are giving and forgiving, Ever blessing, ever blest, Wellspring of the joy of living, Ocean depth of happy rest! Loving Spirit, Father, Mother, All who love belong to you; Teach us how to love each other, By that love our joy renew.
4.Mortals, join the happy chorus, Which the morning stars began; Boundless love is reigning o’er us, reconciling race and clan. Ever singing, move we forward, faithful in the midst of strife, Joyful music leads us onward, In the triumph song of life.
Benediction and Hallelujah 236 (NCH)
Postlude
