Southminster Presbyterian Church
Day of Pentecost June 8, 2025
Order of Worship 10:30 am Hybrid/Zoom Worship
Liturgical Color Today is Red
*All who are able, please stand
Procession
Welcome Pulpit Assistant
Sharing the Peace of Christ
Leader: The Peace of Christ be with you.
People: And also with you.
Introit “To Worship You” Fettke & Kingsmore
THE GATHERING OF GOD’S PEOPLE
Call to Worship
Leader: With a rush of wind and kisses of fire, God’s Spirit invites us to dance.
People: As dust is shaken off our souls and our hearts are stirred, we take her hand in joy.
Leader: Our tongues touched with flames, with hope tingling our tongues, we utter words lodged deep in our souls.
People: The Breath of God fills our lungs so we can sing praises.
Leader: Come, Holy Spirit, come, blowing away our weariness and rekindling our faith.
People: Blessed by the Spirit, given new life by the Spirit, we worship our God this day.
Hymn of Praise “Spirit, Spirit of Gentleness!” Page 291
Call to Reconciliation
We lock our doors, shutter the windows, huddle in silence, hoping God will not care about our foolish lives, painful choices, hurtful words. Yet rather than breaking into shame and punishing us, God’s Spirit blows into our lives bringing new hope, new life, new words to offer. Join me as we offer our lives to God, praying the prayer of confession.
Prayer of Confession (Unison)
You send your Spirit to rattle our windows, and we call for repairs. You long to set us free from our hiding places, but we try our best to cling to the familiar. You want to create your Beloved Community with all of us, but we hold tight to old grudges and keep highlighting our differences.
But you do not let a little thing like fear’s bolt get in your way of transforming our lives, Locksmith of Love. There is no door too thick that you cannot open to be with us. There is no window which can keep your Spirit from breathing new life into us. There is no hiding place where Jesus, who promised to be with us, will not find us to place our hands, our hearts, our lives into the Spirit who is our Compassion. Amen.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
Not with judgement, friends. The Spirit comes with forgiveness. Not with angry words, the Spirit comes with grace. Not with a sentence of shame, the Spirit comes with love.
The advocate comes to remind us that we are forgiven, filled with new life, and sent out to share this is the good news today and, indeed, every day. Thanks be to God! Amen.
*Gloria Patri Page 581
Anthem “Alpha and Omega Erasmus Mutanbira
THE WORD FOR GOD’S PEOPLE
A Time for Children Kalu Ndu
Prayer for Illumination
Gracious God, as we turn to your Word for us, may the Spirit of God rest upon us. Help us to be steadfast in our hearing, in our speaking, in our believing, and in our living. Amen.
First Reading Psalm 104:24-35
Second Reading John 14:8-11, 25-27
Third Reading Acts 2:1-21
Hymn of Inspiration “Breath On Me, Breath of God” Page 286
Sermon Rev. Nancy Neal
THE GRATEFUL RESPONSE OF GOD’S PEOPLE
Affirmation of Faith (from “A Brief Statement of Faith,” Presbyterian Church USA)
In life and in death we belong to God. Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel, whom alone we worship and serve. With believers in every time and place, we rejoice that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.
CELEBRATION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER
Invitation to the Table
The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the Breath of God be with you!
May the Spirit fill you with hope.
May the Spirit stir your hearts!
We offer them to God who sets them on fire with love.
Let us sing praises to our God.
With the Spirit as the music and Jesus as the lyrics, we sing glad songs to our God.
Words of Institution
Sharing of the Lord’s Supper
(Hold the bread and wine until all are served, then partake together to symbolize our unity in Christ. The outer ring of the wine tray is fermented wine; the inner cups, plain juice.)
Prayer After Communion
THE GRATEFUL RESPONSE OF GOD’S PEOPLE
Announcements
Invitation to Prayer
Sharing of Joys and Concerns
Prayers of the People and the Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who are 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.
Choral Response “This is My Prayer” Doug Holck
Invitation to Offering
Offering
*Doxology Page 606
Prayer of Dedication
Somewhere, a child huddles in fear. May our gifts set them free. Somewhere, a family sleeps on the streets. May our gifts provide them with shelter. Somewhere a lonely person longs to hear a voice of hope. May our gifts speak to them in whatever their native tongue. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
THE SENDING OF GOD’S PEOPLE
*Closing Hymn/Sending “Take My Life” Page 697
*Charge and Benediction
Leader: Go, as the breath of God carries you beyond your fears.
People: Come, Holy Spirit, and give us courage.
Leader: Go, as the peace of Christ grounds you in grace.
People: Come, Holy Spirit, that we may serve others with hope and healing.
Leader: Go, as the Spirit dares to lead you into places you would never go alone.
People: Come, Holy Spirit, so we may join in your wild dance of life.
Choral Prayer “To Worship You” Fettke & Kingsmore
SOUTHMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
7801 Livingston Road Oxon Hill, MD 20745
Phone: 301 567-1510
E-mail Address: Southminster @verizon.net
Webpage: www.Southminstermd.org
Pastor: Rev Nancy Neal
Choir Director: Gail Tyler
Organist: Alberta Stith
Administrative Assistant: Lori Weaver,
Pulpit Assistant:
June 8 through June 14, 2025
TODAY 10:30 am WORSHIP SERVICE
MONDAY Church Office Closed
TUESDAY Church Office Open 8:30 am – 1:00 pm
WEDNESDAY Church Office Open 8:30 am – 1:00 pm
Bible Study, led by Gwen Driggins
10:30 am – 11:30 am
THURSDAY Church Office Open 8:30 am – 1:00 pm
FRIDAY Church Office Open 8:30 am – 1:00 pm
SATURDAY Church Office Closed
The bulletin can also be found on the church website.
Moderator. Rev. Nancy Neal
Clerk of Session– Don White
Session Elders
Class of 2026 – Julius Njabebuh, Kudi Njembu, Frida Fru.
Class of 2027– Jennifer Driggins, Janis McGeehan, Theresia Njembu.
Class of 2028 – Kicheko Driggins, Gregory Nguhmbi, Anna Tendongfack.
Welcome! We are blessed by your presence with us today. We give a special welcome to our visitors. Southminster is committed to growing in faith and being a blessing to our neighbors. We thank God for our diversity of race, theological views, and personal background. We invite you to visit with us during the fellowship time after worship and to worship with us again. If you have questions about our ministry, speak with a worship leader. Please send us your email and telephone number if you have questions about us and may want to join us in worship at some time. We offer you blessings in the name of the Lord. To join us for worship online each Sunday, you may join from your computer, tablet, or smartphone. Please invite others. The link to church worship services can be found on the Church website at the following URL http://southminstermd.org/worship.
Prayers:. We continue to pray for our homebound member.
Upcoming Events
Session Meeting immediately following Worship Service today.
Please join the Nurture Committee for the Southminster Cookout. It is scheduled for Sunday, June 22nd following service. The Nurture Committee will provide hamburgers, hot dogs, buns and condiments. Please sign up so we know who is bringing which particular item(s). Marvel Kwno has volunteered to be our Grill Master. Thanks Chef! Some suggestions for sign-up are: green salad, potato salad, macaroni salad, chips, fruit, drinks, dessert,
Oxon Hill Elementary Family Market
The school has a grant from the Capital Area Food Bank that provides enough supplemental food for 100 families. If you are interested in volunteering to help sort and distribute the food once a month, please let Janis McGeehan know. We sort food from 2-4 pm and distribute it from 4-5 pm. The last date for this year will be June 17. All adult volunteers will need a background check if you plan to volunteer more than once. Teens are welcome and will receive Community Service Credits. You may assist all or part of that time. The school system website has directions for how to apply. The fee is $61 payable by the volunteer. Thank you to our dedicated volunteers who helped during the 2024-25 school year!
Oxon Hill Food Pantry- The pantry continues to need volunteers to help sort and distribute food. Please continue to bring canned goods, cereal, peanut butter, jelly, pasta, soups, spaghetti sauce, or other shelf stable foods to Southminster any Sunday. Speak to Janis McGeehan to volunteer. Thank you for your continued support to help provide food to our local community. Additionally, the Food Pantry is looking for even more volunteers so a second monthly food distribution can be added on the 4th Saturday each month.
Flower Fund needs replenishment. Please see Nurture Division.
Special Offering Date-
Higher Education Scholarship Fund (February through June)