Worship for June 22, 2025

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, June 22, 2025. You will find the service outline below, and you may download and print the PDF to follow more easily. 

Service of Worship June 22, 2025
Second Sunday after Pentecost

WE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD

Prelude: Austrian Hymn                                              Kayleen Yuda

Lighting of the Candles

Ringing of the Bell

Welcome                                                                    Lori Yamashiro

* Call to Worship: (based on 1 Kings 19:1-15)           John Narruhn

Leader:         What are you doing here?
People:        We are here because we are tired and fearful in these times.

Leader:         What are you doing here?
People:        We are here because we have tried to do God’s will, and it has been so
                        difficult to do.

Leader:         What are you doing here?
People:        We are here, and we know that we will be sent out again, so we come to
                        be renewed.

All:     Let us worship God!

* Hymn #163: Many Are the Lightbeams (v. 1-5)

* Invocation (based on Psalm 29)                                                                                                        John Narruhn

Do not be far away, O God. Come quickly to our aid! Because you have helped us before, we can praise you to our neighbors. Because you have helped us before, we can praise you in this congregation. May the poor eat and be satisfied; may all the families of the earth rejoice in your grace. Hear us and bless us as we worship you today, O God. Amen.

WE SHARE THE WORD OF GOD

Anthem: This is My Father’s World                         Kayleen Yuda

Time with the Children                                          Gloria Kobayashi

Scripture: 1 King 19:1-15                                        John Narruhn

Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, ‘So may the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.’ Then he was afraid; he got up and fled for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongs to Judah; he left his servant there.

 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: ‘It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.’ Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. The angel of the Lord came a second time, touched him, and said, ‘Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you.’ He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food for forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God. At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there.

Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ He answered, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.’

He said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’ Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ He answered, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.’ Then the Lord said to him, ‘Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram.

Sermon: What Are You Doing Here?                      Lori Yamashiro

WE RESPOND IN WORD AND DEED

Pastoral Prayer                                                       John Narruhn

Please join me in 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

* Hymn #496: Ekolu Mea Nui (Three Greatest Things) (v. 1-2)

Call to Offering                                                       John Narruhn

We have known both the difficulties of life and the relief of healing and joy. Give today because there are people who face challenges and they need your help. Give today because God helped you when you needed support and you give thanks. Give today for healing and for joy. 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: Quebec (Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts)        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                                                  John Narruhn

We offer you these gifts, O God, for the lifting up of those weighed down. We offer you these gifts, O God, because we rejoice in your aid. We offer you these gifts, O God, so that all the world might sing their praises to you. Amen.

* Hymn #395: In Christ There Is No East or West (v. 1-4)

Announcements                                                      Lori Yamashiro

Benediction                                                             Lori Yamashiro

Postlude: National Hymn                                        Kayleen Yuda

* Please stand if you are able.

PERMISSIONS

Austrian Hymn
Franz Joseph Haydn, Mark Shepperd
Tune: © 1989 Lorenz Publishing Company,
a division of The Lorenz Corporation
(Admin. by Music Services)
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890

Many Are the Lightbeams
Text by Cyprian of Carthage, 252
Swedish para. By Anders Frostenson
Trans. by David Lewis, 1983
© 1972 by Anders Frostenson
Tune LIGHTBEAMS by Olle Widestrand
© 1974 by Olle Widestrand
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890

Ekolu Mea Nui (Three Greatest Things)
Text by Robert Nawahine
Tune NAWAHINE by Robert Nawahine
Arr. by Martha Hohu, 1971
Arr. © 1972 the Hawai’i Conference UCC
Streamed by permission

IMPORTANT DATES

Sunday, June 29—Sabbatical presentation with Pastor Eric, after worship, includes potluck. Everyone is invited.

Tuesday, July 1—Classical guitar concert in the sanctuary featuring William Jenks. A free-will offering will be received. Starts at 7 p.m., everyone is welcome to attend.

We welcome you to worship this day. Church of the Holy Cross seeks to help its members, friends, and visitors follow the guidance of God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, encouraging all people to love one another according to the teachings of Jesus. We live and teach the faith, speak good news, minister to people near and far, and work with other households of faith and helping agencies to improve our community and our world. To support our ministries, please visit our Donate Page.