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!”
June 2, 2024
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10:20 Gathering and Prelude
Wayne Shull, Music Director
Charlie Salt, AV
_______, Usher
Jerry Brines, Usher
Naomi Hanvey, Scripture Reader
Diane Smith, Candle lighter
Sue Ferrozzo, Fellowship Set-up
_____________, Fellowship Clean-up
Scotty Patton, Zoom Monitor
Rev. Gen Heywood, Pastor
10:30am Worship begins
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 is good ...all the time! All the time...God is good!
Service and Fellowship Opportunities
Bible Study off for the Summer
Silent Prayer, Tuesday 9:00 to 9:30am
String-A-Lings practice Wednesday, 5:30pm
Sing-A-Lings (a.k.a.Choir) practice Wednesday 6:30pm
Community giving this month: Birthday Kits
Welcoming the Light of Christ
*Hymn: As the Deer (Three verses)
As the deer panteth for the water, so my soul length after Thee. You alone are my heart’s desire, and I long to worship Thee.
Refrain: You alone are my strength, my shield; to you alone may my spirit yield. You alone are my heart’s desire, and I long to worship Thee.
You're my friend and you are my brother even though you are the One. I love you more than any other, so much more than anything. (Refrain)
I want you more than gold or silver. Only you can satisfy. You alone are the real joy giver and the apple of my eye. (Refrain)
Community Prayer
(p.53, Green Book)
My peace I give unto you. It’s a peace that the world cannot give. It’s a peace that the world cannot understand. Peace to know. Peace to live. My peace I give unto you.
Prayers of Gratitude
My peace I give unto you. It’s a peace that the world cannot give. It’s a peace that the world cannot understand. Peace to know. Peace to live. My peace I give unto you.
Prayers of Concern
My peace I give unto you. It’s a peace that the world cannot give. It’s a peace that the world cannot understand. Peace to know. Peace to live. My peace I give unto you.
Prayers in Silence
My peace I give unto you. It’s a peace that the world cannot give. It’s a peace that the world cannot understand. Peace to know. Peace to live. My peace I give unto you.
Lord’s Prayer
Response: Sing Amen
(Sing Amen) Amen, we praise your name, O, God
(Sing Amen) Amen, we praise your name, O, God
(Sing Amen) Amen, amen, amen, amen, amen,
we praise your name, O, God
A Time of Offering
An Invitation to Share
Dedication Hymn (p.113 Red Book)
In moments like these, I sing out a song. I sing out a love song to Jesus. In moments like these, I lift up my hands, I lift up may hands to the Lord. Singing I love you, Lord. Singing I love you, Lord. Singing I love you, Lord. I love you.
Dedication Prayer
Holy One, your hope in us never wavers. Fill our offerings of time, talent, and treasure with your blessing so that this little church may shine the light of hope and healing.Amen
Listening for God
2 Corinthians 4:5-12 For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’s sake.For it is the God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way but not crushed, perplexed but not driven to despair, persecuted but not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed, always carrying around in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. For we who are living are always being handed over to death for Jesus’s sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us but life in you.
Mark 2:23-3:6 One Sabbath he was going through the grain fields, and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food, how he entered the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions?” Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for humankind and not humankind for the Sabbath, so the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”
Again, he entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand. They were watching him to see whether he would cure him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come forward.” Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. He looked around at them with anger; he was grieved at their hardness of heart and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.
Message: Is it lawful to do good or to do harm?
Silence
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 questioning and learning. 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.
Meditation in Music
Announcement Reminder
Our Light moves into the World God Loves
Closing Hymn: “You are the Seed” 528(NCH)
You are the Seed that will grow a new sprout; you’re a star that will shine through the day; You are the yeast and a small grain of salt, a beacon to glow in the night.
You are the dawn that will bring a new day; you’re the wheat that will bear golden grain. You are a sting and a soft, gentle touch, my witnesses where’er you go.
Refrain: Go, my friends, go to the world proclaiming love to all, messengers of my forgiving peace, eternal love. Be, my friends, a loyal witness, from the dead I arose; “Lo, I’ll be with you forever, ’til the end of the world”
You are the flame that will brighten the way, sending sparkles of hope, faith, and love; You are the shepherds to lead the whole world through valleys and pastures of peace.
You are the friends that I chose for myself, the word that I want to proclaim. You are the city that’s built on a rock where justice and truth always reign. (Refrain)
You are life that will nurture the plant; you’re the waves in a turbulent sea; yesterday’s yeast is beginning to rise, a new loaf of bread it will yield.
There is no place for a city to hide, nor a mountain can cover it’s might; may your good deeds show a world in despair a path that will lead all to God. (Refrain)
Benediction
Communal Blessing
Be Yourself.
Grow in Christ.
Live with Compassion
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