Worship for November 23, 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, November 23, 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

Lighting of the Candles

Ringing of the Bell

Welcome                            Rev. Eric S. Anderson

* Call to Worship:(based on Luke 1:68-79)          Jennifer Tanouye

Leader:   Blessed be the LORD God, who has looked favorably on us and redeemed us.
People:  God has raised up a mighty savior for us from the descendants of David.

Leader:   God remembered the mercy promised to our ancestors long ago.
People:  May we serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness all our days.

Leader:   Because of the tender mercy of God, the dawn will break upon us from the sky,
People:  To shine upon those who sit in darkness, to raise us up and guide us into           the way of peace.

All:           Let us worship God!

* Hymn #86: When Morning Gilds the Skies (v. 1-4)

* Invocation (based on Psalm 46)    Jennifer Tanouye

God, you are our refuge and our strength; you are our help in trouble. The mountains shake and the seas foam, and though the breath catches in our mouths, we will not fear because we trust in you. Make the wars cease, O God. Break the bow; shatter the spear; burn the shields with fire. In the stillness, tell us again that you are God. Be with us, Holy One. Be our refuge. Amen.

Please be seated

WE SHARE THE WORD OF GOD

Anthem: The King of Glory      Rick Mazurowski

Time with the Children           Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Scripture: Jeremiah 23:1-6     Jennifer Tanouye
Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! Says the Lord. Therefore, thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the Lord. Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord.

 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’

Luke 23:33-43
 When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus^[a] there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!’ The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’ There was also an inscription over him, ‘This is the King of the Jews.’

One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding^[e] him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’

Sermon: Righteous Shepherd 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 #304: All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name (v. 1-4)

Call to Offering                Jennifer Tanouye

Jesus offered us, then gave us, more than we could ever ask or expect. He gave us all of himself; he held nothing back. As we make our gifts today, we will not give everything; we are not the Messiah. But let us give what lifts our hearts, and let us give what will lift others’ souls. 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: The Lord’s My Shepherd Rick Mazurowski

* 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         Jennifer Tanouye

Merciful Jesus, you gave forgiveness to those who crucified you. You gave assurance to one who suffered next to you. Receive our gifts as more than sour wine; accept them as thankful offerings of our hearts. Amen.

* Hymn #301: Crown with Your Riches Crowns (v. 1-5)

Please be seated

Announcements             Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Benediction                      Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Postlude: Movement V “Toccata” from Widor’s “Symphony No. 5 for Organ”
Rick Mazurowski

* Please stand if you are able.

PERMISSIONS

Crown Him
by Gregg Sewell, Matthew Bridges, and Godfrey Thring
Quoting DIADEMATA by George J. Elvey
From “12 Anthems for about 12 Singers” © 2002 Lorenz Publishing Co.
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890

When Morning Gilds the Skies
Text from Katholisches Gesangbuch, 1828
Trans. by Edward Caswall, 1854
Public Domain
Tune LAUDES DOMINI by Joseph Barnby, 1868
Public Domain

The King of Glory
 Gifu Hagalim, Trad Israeli Folk Song
Arr. by William Jabusch and Randall DeBruyn
© 1966 OCP Publishing
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890

All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name
Text by Edward Peronnet, 1779, & John Rippon, 1787
Tune CORONATION by Oliver Holden, 1793
Public Domain

The Lord’s My Shepherd
Arr. by Bob Chilcott, from “The Oxford Book of Flexible Anthems”
© 2007 Oxford University Press
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890

Crown with Your Richest Crowns
Text by Matthew Bridges & Geoffrey Thring, 1874
Tune DIADEMATA by George J. Elvey, 1868
Public Domain

Movement V “Toccata” from “Symphony No.5 for Organ”
by Charles Marie Widor’s
© MCMLIII G. Schirmer Inc. 
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890

IMPORTANT DATES

Mondays, 11:30 AM — 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.