Bulletin

Welcome to United Christian Parish! Use the bulletin as guidance as you worship.
(download the bulletin as a PDF)

NOVEMBER 23 ORDER OF WORSHIP

PRELUDE

WELCOME

MINUTE FOR CRISIS FUND

SONG
“I Just Came to Praise the Lord”
by Wayne Romero
I just came to praise the Lord,
I just came to praise the Lord,
I just came to praise His name,
I just came to praise the Lord!

He's held me in his hands, right from the very start,
He's guided all my ways since he came into my heart
He said he would never depart and this is why I sing:
I just came to praise the Lord!
I just came to love the Lord,
I just came to love the Lord,
I just came to love His name,
I just came to love the Lord!

CALL TO WORSHIP *                                                      
One: Come, people of the covenant—gather to remember the promises written not on stone, but on hearts.
All: We come to listen, to learn, to live in the truth of a new way.
One: Though power may tear up pages and silence prophets, the word of God endures and finds its way into the world again and again. Let the Spirit write on our hearts today.
All: Let us worship the One whose reign is love, justice, and mercy.

OPENING SONG (#234) *
“Crown Him with Many Crowns”
Crown him with many crowns,
the Lamb upon his throne.
Hark! how the heavenly anthem
drowns all music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing
of him who died for thee
and hail him as thy matchless King
through all eternity.

Crown him the Lord of life,
who triumphed o'er the grave,
and rose victorious in the strife
for those he came to save;
his glories now we sing
who died and rose on high,
who died eternal life to bring,
and lives that death may die.

Crown him the Lord of peace,
whose power a scepter sways
from pole to pole, that wars may cease,
and all be prayer and praise.
His reign shall no end,
and round his pieced feet
fair flowers of paradise
extend their fragrance ever sweet.

Crown him the Lord of love;
behold his hands and side,
those wounds, yet visible above,
in beauty glorified.
All hail, Redeemer, hail!
for thou hast died for me;
thy praise and glory shall not fail
throughout eternity.

CALL TO CONFESSION *

PRAYER OF CONFESSION *
All: God of grace, we confess that we have ignored your voice and resisted your call to justice and compassion. We tear up what convicts us and hide from the truth when it feels too close. You offer us a new covenant—written on our hearts—but we settle for surface faith and shallow peace. We forget that transformation begins with trust, and that your word is not meant to be controlled, but to set us free. Forgive us. Unfold us. Reform us by your grace.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON *
One: Here is the good news: No fire can burn away God’s promise. No failure can cancel the covenant God makes with us. God remembers our sin no more and writes love deep within us. We are forgiven. We are free.
All: Thanks be to God. Alleluia, Amen. 

GLORIA *
Glory to God, whose goodness shines on me,
and to the Son, whose grace has pardoned me,
and to the Spirit, whose love has set me free.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. Amen.
World without end, without end. Amen.
World without end, without end. Amen.
World without end, without end. Amen.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. Amen.

PASSING THE PEACE

OFFERING

DOXOLOGY
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise Christ, all people here below;
praise Holy Spirit evermore;
praise Triune God, whom we adore.
Amen.

CHILDREN’S TIME

SONG
“How Great is Our God”
by Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, and Ed Cash; arranged by Jennifer Eklund
The splendor of a King,
Clothed in majesty,
Let all the earth rejoice, all the earth rejoice.
He wraps Himself in light
And darkness tries to hide.
It trembles at His voice, trembles at His voice.

Refrain: How great is our God!
Sing with us: How great is our God!
And all will see how great,
How great is our God!

And age to age He stands,
And time is in His hands;
Beginning and the End, beginning and the end.
The Godhead three in one,
Father, Spirit, Son,
The Lion and the Lamb, Lion and the Lamb. [Refrain x5]

SCRIPTURE (Jeremiah 36:1-8, 21-22, 27-28; 31:31-34)

SERMON

RECEIVING NEW MEMBER

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
One: God of every time and place, you speak in words that challenge and comfort, that convict and heal. You see through every layer of resistance we wear—yet you meet us with grace that does not give up.
All: We pray for a world aching for your reign: For leaders who misuse power—reshape them with your justice. For communities that face violence or fear—surround them with your protection.  For those crushed by systems that deny their dignity—lift them up with your fierce love. For the earth, wounded and weary— restore what has been broken.
One: We pray for all who feel forgotten: the sick, the grieving, the lonely, the exiled. May your presence write hope across every despair.
All: And for us, write your ways into our everyday lives—that we might be people of compassion, not just on Sundays, but always.
One: We pray this trusting you are near, always reforming, always renewing, and in the name of Christ Jesus, who taught us to pray, saying…

LORD’S PRAYER
All: Our Father, 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.

CLOSING SONG *
“Jesus Shall Reign Where'er the Sun” (#95)
Jesus shall reign where'er the sun
doth its successive journeys run;
his love shall spread from shore to shore
till moons shall wax and wane no more.

To Christ shall endless prayer be made,
and endless praises crown his head;
his name like sweet perfume shall rise
with every morning sacrifice;

People and realms of every tongue
dwell on his love with sweetest song;
and infant voices shall proclaim
their early blessings on his name.

Blessings abound where'er he reigns;
all prisoners leap to lose their chains,
the weary find eternal rest,
and all who suffer want are blest.

Let every creature rise with song;
honors and praise to Christ our belong;
angels descend with songs again,
and earth repeat the loud amen!

CLOSING MESSAGE *
One: Go now, as people shaped by grace, with hearts that carry the word of life.
All: Even when the world tries to silence truth, let our lives speak love.
One: Even when the path is uncertain, walk with courage, because you do not go alone.
All: May the Spirit write wisdom on our hearts, may the Christ who reigns in love lead us in peace,
One: and may the presence of the Holy hold you—now and always. Amen.

POSTLUDE

*Rise in body or spirit