Sunday Worship Bulletin, Nov 19 2023

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!” Thanksgiving Sunday, November 19, 2023 • 10:30 a.m. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 10:20 Gathering and Prelude Wayne Shull, Music Director Charlie Salt, AV Joe McSwain, AV and Usher Jerry Brines, Usher _________, Scripture reader _________ , Candle lighter Scotty Patton, Zoom Monitor Gregg Glisson with help, Fellowship Set-Up Gregg Glisson with help, Fellowship Clean-up Everyone, Thanksgiving Potluck after worship Rev. Genavieve Heywood, Pastor (today marks 34 years of ordination) 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’s blessings flow. . . all the time! All the time . . . God’s blessings flow! Welcoming the Light of Christ Hymn: “Come, O Thankful People, Come” 422 (NCH) Come, O thankful people, come, raise the song of harvest home; all is safely gathered in as the winter storms begin; God our Maker does provide for our wants to be supplied; come to God’s own temple, come, raise the song of harvest home. All the blessings of the field, all the stores the gardens yield, all the fruits in full supply, ripened ‘neth the summer sky, all that spring with bounteous hand scatters o’er the smiling land, all that liberal autumn pours from its rich o’er flowing stores. These to you, our God, we owe source from whom all blessings flow; and for these our songs we raise, grateful vows and solemn praise. Come, then, thankful people, come, raise the song of harvest home; come to God’s own temple, come, raise the song of harvest home. Community Prayer Refrain: “Great is Your Faithfulness” refrain only 423 (NCH) Great is your faithfulness! Great is your faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed your hand has provided. Great is your faithfulness, God, unto me. 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: Creator God, bless these gifts of our time, talent, and treasure. May all that we have and all that we do help bring forth a day when the way of compassion known in Jesus may be known to all. Amen Listening for God
 Message with Young Hearts What does “Don’t show off” mean? 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 NRSVUE Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When they say, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; or you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. So, then, let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober, forthose who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober and put on the breastplate of faith and love and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing. Mathew 25:14-29 NRSVUE “For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. At once the one who had received the five talents went off and traded with them and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things; I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things; I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ But his master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I did not scatter? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance, but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. Message: Risky Business Silence Announcements Our Light moves into the World God Loves Closing Hymn: “ For the Fruit of All Creation” 425 (NCH) For the fruit of all creation, thanks be to God. For God’s gifts to every nation, thanks be to God. For the plowing, sowing, reaping, silent growth while we were sleeping, future needs in Earth’s safe-keeping, thanks be to God. In the just reward of labor, God’s will is done. In the help we give our neighbor, God’s will is done. In the worldwide task of caring for the hungry and despairing, in the harvest we are sharing, God’s will is done. For the harvests of the Spirit, thanks be to God. For the good we all inherit, thanks be to God. For the wonders that astound us, for the truths that still confound us, most of all that love has found us, thanks be to God. Benediction and Silent Meditation with Postlude Be Yourself. Grow in Christ. Live with Compassion.