Thank you for joining us for this live stream (or recording, as the case may be) of Sunday worship. May it bless you! You may need to click “Play” to launch the stream, which will be live around 9:50 AM.
Welcome to the live stream of worship from Church of the Holy Cross for Sunday, February 2, 2025. You will find the service outline below, and you may download and print the PDF to follow more easily.
Service of Worship February 2, 2025
Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany
Rev. Eric S. Anderson, Pastor
Rev. Dr. Diane Weible, Sabbatical Interim Pastor
WE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD
Please note that audio and video of this service are being live streamed on the Internet and will be recorded. The right rear section of the sanctuary will not be captured by any cameras. Please be aware that in other sections you may be visible at times.
Prelude: Let Us Break Bread Together Kayleen Yuda
Lighting of the Candles
Ringing of the Bell
Welcome Rev. Dr. Diane Weible
*Call to Worship: Ming Peng
Leader: The Spirit of God is upon us!
People: The Spirit of hope and joy!
Leader: The Spirit of challenge and truth!
The Spirit of God is upon us, because God has anointed us
People: To bring good tidings to the poor,
Leader: To bind up the brokenhearted.
People: God has anointed us
Leader: To proclaim liberty to captives, to comfort the afflicted
People: And to afflict the comfortable,
Leader: To join our bodies with Christ in service and song.
All: Alleluia! Come, Holy Spirit!
* Hymn #421: We Gather Together (v. 1-3)
*Invocation Ming Peng
O God, you spoke your word and revealed your good news in Jesus, the Christ. Fill all creation with that word again, so that by proclaiming your joyful promises to all nations and singing of your glorious hope to all peoples, we may become one living body, your incarnate presence on the earth. Amen.
WE SHARE THE WORD OF GOD
Anthem IYAA
Time with the Children Rev. Dr. Diane Weible
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.
Luke 4:21-30
Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’ All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, ‘Is not this Joseph’s son?’ He said to them, ‘Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, “Doctor, cure yourself!” And you will say, “Do here also in your home town the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.”’ And he said, ‘Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s home town. But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up for three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.’ When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.
Sermon: Courageous Love Rev. Dr. Diane Weible
WE RESPOND IN WORD AND DEED
Pastoral Prayer Rev. Dr. Diane Weible
The Lord’s Prayer
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 and ever. Amen
Call to Offering Ming Peng
The gifts we have received from God are abundant. With generous hearts and open Spirits to what God is doing in our lives we give that these gifts may also bring light and loves to others. Whether you share your gift here in the church today, through a gift online, or via an envelope in the mail, let the offering now be received.
Offertory: A Song of Peace Kayleen Yuda
* Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above ye heavenly host
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost – Amen
*Offertory Prayer Ming Peng
Holy One, receive these gifts as a symbol of our love and commitment, that it may become a beacon of light to illuminate your love throughout the world. Amen.
* Hymn #23: There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy (v. 1-2)
Sacrament of Holy Communion
Invitation
Consecrating the Bread and Cup
Sharing the Bread and Cup
Prayer of Thanksgiving
* Hymn #451: Be Now My Vision (v.1-4)
Announcements Rev. Dr. Diane Weible
Benediction Rev. Dr. Diane Weible
Postlude: Herald of Peace Kayleen Yuda
* Please stand if you are able.
Permissions
Reprinted from Rochelle A. Stackhouse, Before the Amen, Creative Resources for Worship, Maren C. Tirabassi and Maria I. Tirabassi, editors, 2007, The Pilgrim Press
Let Us Break Bread Together
Contributors: African-American Spiritual
Streamed by permission Pilgrim Press
We Gather Together
Text: Dutch folk hymn, 16th Century
Transl. Theodore, Baker, 1894
Adapt. Lavon Bayler, 1992
Tune: KREMSER
16th Century Dutch Meloday
Arr. Edward Kremser, 1877
Streamed by permission Pilgrim Press
Public Domain
Anthem:
A Song of Peace
Franklin Ritter
Tune: © 1995 Lorenz Publishing Company,
a division of The Lorenz Corporation
(Admin. by Music Services)
Streamed by permission Pilgrim Press
There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy
Frederick William Faber, 1854
Tune: IN BABILONE
Dutch melody
Arr. Julius Rontgen, 1906
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890
Public Domain
Be Now My Vision
Ancient Irish text, c 8th century
Mary E. Byrne, 1905
Tune: SLANE
Traditional Irish melody
Harm. David Evans, 1927
Streamed by permission Pilgrim Press
Public Domain
Herald of Peace
Robert J. Hughes
Tune: © 1980 Lorenz Publishing Company
a division of The Lorenz Corporation
(Admin. by Music Services)
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890
Dates to Remember
February 1 to April 30, 2025 Pastor Eric’s Sabbatical Leave; The Rev. Dr. Diane Weible will be our Interim Pastor
Please Send Pledge Cards
A reminder from the Every Member Canvass Committee, please send in your 2025 pledge cards if you have not done so. This will help us in planning for our year’s program. To date we have received 28 pledges for 68% of our goal. Thank you to all who have already sent in pledges.
Other Faith Groups that meet at Church of the Holy Cross
Other Faith Groups that meet at Church of the Holy Cross
The United Church of Christ, Pohnpei – Sanctuary, 12 noon
Rev. Bensis Henry
Congregational Christian Church of American Samoa – Sanctuary, 2:00 p.m.
Rev. Sitau Ofoia, Jr.
The Bedesta Church – Sanctuary, 4 p.m.
Rev. Edmes Edwin
Pastor Rev. Eric S. Anderson
Sabbatical Interim Pastor Rev. Dr. Diane Weible
Moderator Stefan Tanouye
Lay Reader Ming Peng
Chapel Decorations Ruth Ohata
Organist Kayleen Yuda
Hand Bell Director Anna Kennedy
Projected Imagery Sue Smith
Web Master Ruth Niino-DuPonte
Videographers Eric Tanouye, Eli Yamaki,
Mace Peng, Bob Smith
