Southminster Presbyterian Church
3rd Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 8) June 29, 2025
Order of Worship 10:30 am Hybrid/Zoom Worship
Liturgical Color Today is Green
*All who are able, please stand
Prelude Alberta Stith
Welcome Pulpit Assistant
Sharing the Peace of Christ
Leader: The Peace of Christ be with you.
People: And also with you.
THE GATHERING OF GOD’S PEOPLE
Call to Worship
On days when we think God has nothing to do with work or family or the world:
Scripture tells us of One who wandered the streets; who upset his family; who overturned tables.
On days when we think the purpose of life is to make more money and fewer friends:
Scripture speaks of a life of giving away of ourselves and finding a community as we do so.
On days aching with loneliness and empty of love and laughter:
Scripture draws us into the embrace of God’s open heart.
Hymn of Praise “What a Fellowship, What a Joy Divine” Page 837
Call to Reconciliation
Christ has set us free from everything that might detain, oppress, derail us. But we should not confuse this with the right to do whatever we wish. No, we are called to serve others, to share God’s hope and joy with everyone we meet. Let us confess how we have misused this wonderful gift of grace, as we pray together the prayer that is written in the bulletin.
Prayer of Confession (Unison)
Redeeming God, how easily we say we would follow you, but how often we live as if we don’t have a clue as to what that means. We choose to complain about our friends, rather than surrounding them with love. Our survival instincts drive us to success measured in worldly pleasures, when we could be engaged in costly service. When we do for others, we expect praise and gratitude instead of finding joy in the act of giving.
Forgive us, High ad Holy One. Set us free to serve in love and compassion; help us to feast on the fruit the Spirit offers to us; put us on the path of faithful discipleship, as we walk with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
Friends, let us call to mind what God has done for us; let us remember how God’s love comes in fresh and surprising ways; let us soak in the fruit of the Spirit poured out upon us.
We will remember God’s promise of resurrection: the wonder, the joy, the mercy which is given. From the rich abundance of the Spirit’s fruit, God sends us to serve. Thanks be to God! Amen.
*Gloria Patri Page 581
THE WORD FOR GOD’S PEOPLE
A Time for Children
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 16
Second Reading Galatians 5:1, 13-25
Hymn of Inspiration “Spirit of God, Descend upon My Heart” Page 688
Sermon Rev. Nancy Neal
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.
THE GRATEFUL RESPONSE OF GOD’S PEOPLE
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.
Announcements
Invitation to Offering
Offering
*Doxology Page 606
Prayer of Dedication
Free to indulge ourselves in every luxury, we would share our abundance with those in need; free to gratify every desire that comes along, we would serve those who have so little; free to hoard all that we have and are, we would give ourselves away to everyone we meet, risking our good names and reputations with our families and friends, to welcome those who are lonely and afraid. In Jesus’ name. Amen
THE SENDING OF GOD’S PEOPLE
*Closing Hymn/Sending “O God in Whom All Life Begins” Page 308
*Charge and Benediction
Let us go to wander the streets with God:
For God has everything to do with work, family, our lives, our world.
Let us go to give ourselves away as Jesus did:
for Jesus calls us to upset those around us,
as we accumulate less stuff and make more friends.
Let us go to find the lonely, the empty, the searchers:
for the Spirit would embrace each and every person, drawing them into the
open heart of divine love.
Postlude Alberta Stith
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 29 through July 5, 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 Closed
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 members.
Upcoming Events
The Outreach Division is asking anyone who has taken photos of the Fellowship Hall all fancy for celebrations to share one or two with us so we can use a few on the website. We want to show how people have decorated the room. (Website photos are best without people for privacy)
In addition, we would like to have photos of any members serving Southminster or our community projects so we can make a display. (Work days at church, food pantry, Oxon Hill Market Day, choir, pulpit assistant, coffee fellowship or luncheon prep., usher duties, etc.) Text or email to Janis McGeehan. My telephone number is in the church directory.
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 was 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)