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, September 21, 2025. You will find the service outline below, and you may download and print the PDF to follow more easily.
Service of Worship September 21, 2025
Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Rev. Eric S. Anderson, 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: O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing Kayleen Yuda
Lighting of the Candles
Ringing of the Bell
Welcome Rev. Eric S. Anderson
* Call to Worship: (based on Psalm 113) Peter Braun
Leader: Praise the LORD! Those who serve God, praise the name of the LORD.
People: Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time on and forevermore.
Leader: From the rising of the sun to its setting, praise the name of the LORD.
People: The LORD rises high above the nations; God’s glory is beyond the
heavens.
Leader: God raises the poor from the dust and the needy from the dump.
People: The LORD makes them sit with princes in honor and peace.
All: Let us worship God!
* Hymn #471: What a Covenant (v. 1-3)
* Invocation (based on Psalm 79:1-9) Peter Braun
You have warned us, O God, through Law, prophets, apostles, and history, that forgetting your guidance has consequences. May we never become a people taunted by our neighbors for our misfortunes, mocked and derided by those around us. Instead, may we be the fortunate who have been forgiven of sin and raised in spirit by your abundant grace. Amen.
Please be seated
WE SHARE THE WORD OF GOD
Anthem: Dream of Peace Rev. Eric S. Anderson
Time with the Children Rev. Eric S. Anderson
Scripture: Jeremiah 8:18-9:1 Peter Braun
My joy is gone, grief is upon me,
my heart is sick.
Hark, the cry of my poor people
from far and wide in the land:
‘Is the Lord not in Zion?
Is her King not in her?’
(‘Why have they provoked me to anger with their images,
with their foreign idols?’)
‘The harvest is past, the summer is ended,
and we are not saved.’
For the hurt of my poor people I am hurt,
I mourn, and dismay has taken hold of me.
Is there no balm in Gilead?
Is there no physician there?
Why then has the health of my poor people
not been restored?
O that my head were a spring of water,
and my eyes a fountain of tears,
so that I might weep day and night
for the slain of my poor people!
1 Timothy 1:12-17
I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the foremost. But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience, making me an example to those who would come to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever.Amen.
Sermon: A Quiet and Peaceable Life Rev. Eric S. Anderson
WE RESPOND IN WORD AND DEED
Pastoral Prayer Rev. Eric S. Anderson
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 #438: When Peace, Like a River (v. 1-4)
Call to Offering Peter Braun
It is much to pray for peace, goodwill, and compassion among the peoples of the world. It is much, but it is not all. God summons us to do our work as well, and a part of that is our contributions to the welfare of our neighbors near and far. 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: God’s Love Surrounds Us 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 Peter Braun
O God who is the Prince of Peace, accept these gifts and guide them toward the quiet and peaceful lives of your human family. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
* Hymn #591: This Is My Song (v. 1-2)
Announcements Rev. Eric S. Anderson
Benediction Rev. Eric S. Anderson
Postlude: Great God of Glory Kayleen Yuda
* Please stand if you are able.
PERMISSIONS
O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing
Robert J. Hughes
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890
What a Covenant
Text by Elisha A. Hoffman, c. 1887
Tune LEANING by Anthony J. Showalter, 1887
Public Domain
Dream of Peace
Text and tune by Eric Anderson, 2022
© 2022 by Eric Anderson
Streamed by permission of the author
When Peace, Like a River
Text by Horatio G. Spafford, 1873
Tune VILLE DU HAVRE by Philip P. Bliss, 1876
Public Domain
God’s Love Surrounds Us
Carl Simone
Tune: © Lorenz Publishing Company,
a division of The Lorenz Corporation
(Admin. by Music Services)
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890
This Is My Song
Text by Lloyd Stone, 1934
© 1934 Lorenz Publishing Co.
Tune FINLANDIA by Jean Sibelius, 1899
Arr. for The Hymnal, 1933
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890
Great God of Glory
David Paxton
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890
IMPORTANT DATES
Month of September – Foodland’s Give Aloha — donate to Church of the Holy Cross at any of your local Foodland or Sack N Save
Today, September 21— Board of Deacons meeting after worship in the lounge
Mondays, 11:30 a.m. -Pickleball lessons; contact Connie 808-936-7534 or
Ruth at rnduponte07@gmail.com to sign up.
Wednesdays, 5 PM – Bible Study in Pastor’s Study and via Zoom (The meeting link and Bible references will be in the Weekly Chime). Special Bible Study sessions will be held from Sept 17 – Oct 15 as part of our Open & Affirming (ONA) discussion led by Rev Dr Jonathan Roach.
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
Moderator Stefan Tanouye
Vice Moderator Lorraine Davis
Lay Reader Peter Braun
Chapel Decorations Lillian, Eric, Heather & Alan Tanouye,
Robin & Kyle Nakayama, in memory of Harold Tanouye
Organist / Pianist Kayleen Yuda
Hand Bell Director Anna Kennedy
IYAA Choir Director Stuart Mori
Projected Imagery Sue Smith
Live Stream Director Ruth Niino-DuPonte. Bob Smith
Videographers Eric Tanouye, Bob Smith, Woody Kita,
Mace Peng, Cindy Debus
Sound Engineer Ben Yamaki
Sunday School Teacher Gloria Kobayashi
Sunday School Aide Johanna Narruhn
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.
