Christ’s Reformed Church – United Church of Christ

~ growing people of faith who live in Jesus, love one another and bear abundant fruit ~

June 25, 2023

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

PRELUDE

CALL TO WORSHIP (based on The Summons and Matthew 10: 24 – 39)

Christ calls us this day and every day to a journey of discipleship that will radically transform
our lives.
We hear your summons as you call us by name, and our desire is to say “yes.”

Christ calls us to a journey of “follow-ship” that will challenge us as it challenged Jesus to live the truth
of his identity. It is not easy to let Christ’s love be shown in the face of adversity or hostility and yet,
We hear your summons as you call us by name, and our desire is to say “yes.”

Christ calls us to a journey of discipleship that may bring us into direct conflict with those we know and
love, even the members of our own family but still,
We hear your summons as you call us by name, and our desire is to say “yes.”

Christ calls us to a journey of “follow-ship” that offers life without fear, a life that transcends our earthly
existence, eternally bound in the love and shelter of our Creator, and
We hear your summons as you call us by name, and our desire is to say “yes.”

Christ calls us to a journey of discipleship that will call us OUT of the shadows and compel us to share
the message of God’s Kin-dom for all, proclaiming what we have learned at our teacher’s feet and in the
company of like-minded students and,
We hear your summons as you call us by name, and our desire is to say “yes.”

Christ calls us this day and every day to a journey that will radically transform us and the world. Christ
blesses us so that we do not have to travel alone, but with all others who hear their name and say “yes.”
Let us continue the journey as we worship the One who calls us in spirit and in truth!
INVOCATION
Holy and Beloved One, Author of Life, transcendent and yet closer than our breath – we gather first just
to say “thank you.” We thank you for the privilege of being in relationship with you. We thank you that
you know us and call us by name to follow in your way. We thank you for being our Master Teacher,
leading us through the text of your life, death, and resurrection. We thank you for being the one who
cares so much about us that not even a hair can fall from our heads without you taking notice. We
thank you for challenging us to claim our identity as your disciples even when claiming so puts us at risk
of adversity for your name’s sake and for the sake of compassion, justice, and extravagant welcome to
all. We thank you for this community Christ’s Reformed UCC and we ask that you make your presence
felt with and among us. Help us to see you in the faces of all who are gathered in this place, whether
in-person or virtually. And on this Pride Sunday help us to celebrate the beautiful array of all we are as
we worship you in spirit and in truthfulness. These things we pray in the name of the One who calls us
continually to life and that more abundantly. Amen!

*HYMN OF PRAISE The Summons - Verses 1 & 2 (See Attachment)

PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Loving God, in whom we live and move and have our being – you call us to journey with you as you
journeyed on this earth – in love, in power, in healing, in conflict, in boldness, speaking truth to the
powers that be – even the powers that threaten our very lives.

Yet we are often afraid for our lives and reputations. We are often afraid of those who would bully us
spiritually, emotionally, and even physically. We are often afraid to identify with you because your name
has been used to justify harm to those who are the marginalized and oppression of those you refer to
as “the least of these” and we don’t want to be identified with such things. We are often afraid to be
singled out as the different ones – the unusual or queer Christ-followers who have a message to
proclaim that can impact the world to become the loving Kin-dom you desire for all your creation.

We forget that you have promised to watch over and care for us as much as and more than you care for
the sparrows. We forget that you will never deny us and will be with us throughout our earthly lives
into our life eternal. Forgive us our fear – Forgive us our forgetfulness – Forgive us our hiding and
turning from your path. Forgive us our unbelief and heal us by your peace and your presence.

WORDS OF ASSURANCE
In Christ, we are welcomed fully and enabled to exchange our fear with faith, our forgetfulness with the
reassurance grounded in remembrance, our turning away with the possibility of turning toward our call
and life more abundant that we might transform the world and all creation by the power of God’s
unconditional and all-encompassing love. With open hands and hearts, let us receive the peace of
Christ’s grace and peace. Amen

PRAYER RESPONSE Sanctuary (See Below or Attachment)

Lord prepare me to be a sanctuary, Pure and holy tried and true
With thanksgiving, I'll be a living Sanctuary for You

OLD TESTAMENT Genesis 21:8-21

8 The child grew and was weaned, and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was

weaned. 9 But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with
her son Isaac.[a] 10 So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this
slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac.” 11 The matter was very distressing to Abraham
on account of his son. 12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed because of the boy and because
of your slave woman; whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for it is through Isaac that offspring
shall be named for you. 13 As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a nation of him also, because
he is your offspring.” 14 So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and
gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed
and wandered about in the wilderness of Beer-sheba. 15 When the water in the skin was gone, she cast
the child under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about
the distance of a bowshot, for she said, “Do not let me look on the death of the child.” And as she sat
opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. 17 And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of
God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid, for God
has heard the voice of the boy where he is. 18 Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand,
for I will make a great nation of him.” 19 Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She
went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. 20 God was with the boy, and he grew up;
he lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow. 21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran,
and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

GOSPEL LESSON Matthew 10:24-39

24 “A disciple is not above the teacher nor a slave above the master; 25 it is enough for the disciple to be

like the teacher and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul,
how much more will they malign those of his household! 26 “So have no fear of them, for nothing is
covered up that will not be uncovered and nothing secret that will not become known. 27 What I say to
you in the dark, tell in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. 28 Do not
fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, fear the one who can destroy both soul and
body in hell.[a] 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart
from your Father. 30 And even the hairs of your head are all counted. 31 So do not be afraid; you are of
more value than many sparrows. 32 “Everyone, therefore, who acknowledges me before others, I also
will acknowledge before my Father in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny
before my Father in heaven. Not Peace, but a Sword 34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to
the earth; I have not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father,
and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, 36 and one’s foes
will be members of one’s own household. 37 “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not
worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me, 38 and whoever
does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Those who find their life will lose it,
and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.

The word of God for the people of God.

Thanks be to God

TIME ON THE STEPS

SERMON Not a Hallmark Story Rev. Esther Ziegler

*HYMN OF RESPONSE The Summons - Verses 3 & 4 (See Attachment)

PASTORAL PRAYER
 THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven, you are awesome! Show us who you are and how you want us to be. Make
earth more like heaven. Please give us what we need to keep going each day. Help us when we are
wrong and clean us up on the inside. Help us to let other people off and move on. Keep us from bad
stuff. You’re in charge! You’re strong and powerful and always there. Forever! Amen .
Primary School’s version of The Lord’s Prayer

OFFERING

*Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise God all creatures here below
Praise God for all that love has done; Creator, Christ, and Spirit, One. Amen.

*Prayer of Dedication for Offering

All that we have belongs to you
You provide for our every need -
Now we bring back a part of what you’ve given to us,
In love, we gladly say thank you.

Receive our gifts which we return to you full hearted and freely. Take and use them for your glory and
for the blessing of your beloved creation everywhere.

*HYMN OF SENDING The Summons - Verses 5 (See Attachment)

*BENEDICTION

*BENEDICTION SONG Halle, Halle, Halleluja (See Attachment)

Halle, Halle, Halleluja (sung 4x’s)
POSTLUDE

*Please stand if you would like.

 Please lift the people below in your prayers.

Bill & Ella Andrews

Carolyn Barr (Friend of Jackie P. & Becky L.)
Connie Boone (Friend of Gertie Mills)
Nancy Bremmer (Friend of Steve Weis)
Paul & Becky Corderman
Geraldine Cromer
Kathy Fisher
Francis Gross (Jackie Plume’s Father)
Web Harbaugh
Larry Hoeck
Dave Kolenc (Betty Spessard's Cousin)
Kristi Lawson (Daughter of Martin & Kathy Fisher)
Janie Neff (Mother-In-Law of Debbie Eichelberger)
Ginger Nichols
Kimberly Palmer (Sister of Stephanie Seward)
Ed Poling
Georgia Price (Friend of Cheryl Wilson)
Traci L. Ross (Friend of Jackie P. & Becky L.)
Tammy Swope (Friend of Cheryl Wilson)
Linda VanMetre

The altar flowers are placed to the Glory of God and

in loving memory of Howard & Rae Weeks
given by Mike & Ranelle Flurie & their Family
 Welcome to our Guests: We gather to praise “the
Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
(John 1:29). Because of Jesus, you can be at peace in
the assurance of God’s forgiveness and love.
Welcome to worship!! If you have come as a visitor,
we hope that you’ll leave as a friend who’s been
blessed by worshiping in this house of God. We look
forward to seeing you again.
June 26 7 PM ATS Meeting
June 28 11 AM Lectionary
July 1 8:30 AM Women’s Breakfast
July 2 Fifth Sunday after Pentecost w/ Viqui Dill and Jim Dill
July 3 & 4 Office Closed
July 5 11 AM Lectionary
July 9 Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
July 12 11 AM Lectionary
July 12 3:00 PM Cleaning SS Rooms - Pizza will be provided
July 16 Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
July 18 10:30 Game Day w/light lunch
July 19 11 AM Lectionary
July 23 Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
July 26 11 AM Lectionary
July 30 Ninth Sunday after Pentecost at Park w/Brunch Potluck
Liturgist: Judy Miller
Altar Preparation: Cindy Murray
Flower Deliverers Martin Fisher
Ushers: Matthew Hinz, Jackie Plume, Carrie Barkdoll, Tim Foltz, Ben Hinz,
Emily Hinz, Becky Lohr
Financials for May 2023 YTD Jan-May 2023
Offerings $8,870.27 Offering $ 49,246.24
ATS Repayment $0 ATS Repayment $0
Endowment Interest $25,000.00 Endowment Interest $ 55,100.00
Expenses $24,371.24 Expenses $116,926.06
Net Profit/Loss -$ 9,499.03 Net Profit/Loss -$ 12,579.82
Christ's Reformed Church Church Staff
Phone No: 301-733-4144 Margaret Bussard – Custodian
Fax No. 301-733-4145 Thomas Greenawalt - Technology Support
Church General email: Larry Hoeck - Consistory President
crc1854@myactv.net Rev. Mary Jane Norville - Sr. Minister
Website: www.crcucc.org Cheryl Wilson - AA/Organist
Morning Worship 9:30 am Charlotte Trout – ATS Board President
YouTube: CRC Christ’s Reformed Church