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, May 17, 2026. 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: Allegretto                     Kayleen Yuda

Lighting of the Candles

Ringing of the Bell

Welcome:                Rev. Eric S. Anderson

*Call to Worship (based on Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35)                   Anna Kennedy

Leader:   Let the righteous be joyful, let them be jubilant with joy.
People:   We will sing a song to the One who rides upon the clouds and exult before our Maker.

Leader:   God adopts the orphans and protects the widows.
People:   God gives the desolate a home to live in and leads the prisoners to prosperity.

Leader:   Ascribe power to God, whose majesty climbs from the earth to the skies.
People:   May our wondrous God bring power and strength to all people.

All:           Let us worship God!

Hymn #403: My Hope is Built on Nothing Less (v. 1-4)

Invocation (based on Acts 1:6-14)            Anna Kennedy

We stand with Christ’s disciples centuries ago, who wondered but did not learn when the world would change. May we do as they did, and bear witness to your love and grace in Jesus, and contribute to a new and better world. Bless us as we gather today in prayer, and tomorrow as we devote ourselves to serving your realm. Amen.

Please be seated

WE SHARE THE WORD OF GOD

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory, which is the Spirit of God, is resting on you. 

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. Discipline yourselves; keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.

John 17:1-11

After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.

“I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you,for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.

Sermon: Suffering and Rejoicing                   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. Amen.

Hymn #413: By Gracious Powers (v. 1-4)

Call to Offering    Anna Kennedy

Jesus has claimed us, adopted us, and empowered us with grace and with the Holy Spirit. Let us pass that love to those around us and to those on the far side of the world. 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: Oh had I Jubal’s Lyre                      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

* Please stand if you are able.

PERMISSIONS

IMPORTANT DATES

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             Lorraine Davis
Vice Moderator Elwood Kita
Lay Reader       Anna Kennedy
Chapel Decorations   Ann Kanahele
Organist / Pianist     Kayleen Yuda   
Music Director-Accompanist Bob Grove
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
Office Manager Kahealani Mahone-Brooks

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.