Worship for October 19, 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, October 19, 2025. You will find the service outline below, and you may download and print the PDF to follow more easily. 

Rev. Eric S. Anderson, Pastor

WE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD

Prelude: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty  Kayleen Yuda

Lighting of the Candles

Ringing of the Bell

Welcome                            Rev. Eric S. Anderson

* Call to Worship: (based on Psalm 119:97-104)                                                Nina Buchanan

Leader:   Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies.
People:  Your guidance is always in my heart.

Leader:   I know more than my teachers,
People:  Because I reflect on your decrees.

Leader:   I understand more than the kupuna,
People:  For I keep your ways. How sweet are the words of God in my mouth!

All:           Let us worship God!

* Hymn #466: Unto the Hills We Lift Our Longing Eyes (v. 1-4)

* Invocation (based on Psalm 121)  Nina Buchanan

We lift our eyes to the hills, O God, and search for your help. Come to us, for our feet are shaky, and we fear you sleep while we are fearful. Be our shade, keep us safe, protect us even from the hazards of the skies and the evils of the earth. Keep us as we go in and as we come out on this day and in every day to come. Amen.

Please be seated

WE SHARE THE WORD OF GOD

Anthem: You’ve Got to Hold On         Rev. Eric Anderson

Time with the Children           Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Scripture: Genesis 32:22-31
The same night he got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, ‘Let me go, for the day is breaking.’ But Jacob said, ‘I will not let you go, unless you bless me.’ So he said to him, ‘What is your name?’ And he said, ‘Jacob.’ Then the man said, ‘You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel^, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.’ Then Jacob asked him, ‘Please tell me your name.’ But he said, ‘Why is it that you ask my name?’ And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, ‘For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.’ The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.

Luke 18:1-8
Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, ‘In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, “Grant me justice against my opponent.” For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, “Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.”’ And the Lord said, ‘Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?’

Sermon: Out of Joint      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 #5: Praise to God (v. 1-3)

Call to Offering                Nina Buchanan

How do we improve the world around us? Not by demanding things of it or extorting things from our neighbors. We improve the world we give, when we strive, when we encourage, and when we organize. 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: Meditation    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         Nina Buchanan

We thank you, O God, for the ways in which you guide us through life and through the world, even when they cause us consternation, even pain. We thank you, and we offer you these gifts as we continue our journey as your people. Amen.

* Hymn #82: Go, My Children, with My Blessing (v. 1-2)

Please be seated

Announcements             Rev. Eric S. Anderson     

Benediction                      Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Postlude: Lead On, O King Eternal   Kayleen Yuda

* Please stand if you are able.

PERMISSIONS

IMPORTANT DATES

Friday, Oct 24, 6 PM – Community Concert in the sanctuary.

Sunday, Oct 26, 10 AM – All Saints Sunday – please submit names of your loved ones who have passed on from our care to God’s since October 2024. There will be an All Church meeting after worship that Sunday – church members, please attend in person or via Zoom (watch for the link soon.)

Mondays, 11:30 a.m. -Pickleball lessons; contact Connie 808-936-7534 or
Ruth at rnduponte07@gmail.com to sign up.

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.