Order of Worship for September 28, 2025
September 28, 2025
Changemakers: Week 4
TRADITIONAL Service
Union—Congregational Church
Gathering Music
Welcome and Announcements
Mission Moment: ARYA (Holly Mulder)
Sharing the Peace of Christ
Introduction to Theme (Pastor)
What if every time you serve someone—the person standing in line waiting for food, or your child, or your parent, your student, your patient, your client, your customer—you remember that the most important use of your power—your influence—is to lift up the full and powerful humanity of the person in front of you? Like Jesus, changemakers use power differently. Jesus was a leader, but he led in a different way—he shared and gave away power rather than amassing it. Changemaking is about a deeper restoring, healing, uplifting, liberating, and unburdening of others.
Call to Worship
One: The world needs to change. And we are the changemakers! This work of changemaking is going to take a while.
All: We are called to be changemakers for our whole lives!
One: And this work is going to take all of us. If we want to keep change going, we need to be inviting others, joining with others, witnessing to others, and empowering others to do this work with us. For many of us, this is the hardest part of making change,
All: but we are ready to be bold.
One: We come to worship this morning, eager to be part of this movement and to bring others along in our work. We come to worship this morning, trusting that God will empower us. We are the changemakers, and we are ready!
All: Thanks be to God!
Opening Prayer (unison)
Holy One, help us to understand what you are doing in the Gospel. Help us to recognize the ways that you are empowering us, and in this story, help us to learn how to empower others. In every way, make us more like Jesus, in whose name we pray. Amen.
Opening Hymn: #467 The Power of Your Love
(Jacob will demonstrate the first verse)
Children’s Time
Reading of Scripture
Mark 10:46-52 (CEB)
46 Jesus and his followers came into Jericho. As Jesus was leaving Jericho, together with his disciples and a sizable crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, Timaeus’ son, was sitting beside the road. 47 When he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was there, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, show me mercy!” 48 Many scolded him, telling him to be quiet, but he shouted even louder, “Son of David, show me mercy!” 49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him forward.” They called the blind man, “Be encouraged! Get up! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing his coat to the side, he jumped up and came to Jesus. 51 Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said, “Teacher, I want to see.” 52 Jesus said, “Go, your faith has healed you.” At once he was able to see, and he began to follow Jesus on the way.
After reading, please say, “Here end the readings for today. May God bless us as we learn from these holy words. Amen.”
Message: Be Encouraged
Hymn: #359 Give Thanks
Prayers of the People
Time for Silent Prayer
Joys and Concerns
After each prayer petition, Jacob will say, “God in your mercy”, and the congregation is invited to respond: “Receive our prayer.”
Pastoral Prayer
The Lord’s Prayer (unison)
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. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
We Offer Our Gifts
Doxology
Prayer of Dedication (unison)
Holy One, we know that extraordinary things come from You. Things we could never understand or imagine. With these gifts, help us be messengers of that life-changing hope for others. Amen.
Closing Hymn: #552 We All Are One In Mission
Benediction
Now go into the world, risking something big for something good. Know that God has empowered YOU to respond to evil with goodness, wherever and whenever you may go in this world. And know that your passion will emerge from the nest when the time is right… and fly!
Sending Music