Southminster Presbyterian Church
5th Sunday of Easter May 18, 2025
Order of Worship 10:30 am Hybrid/Zoom Worship
Liturgical Color Today is White
*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.
Introit “To Worship You” Fettke & Kingsmore
THE GATHERING OF GOD’S PEOPLE
Call to Worship
Leader: Praise God, all people!
People: Praise the Lord, all creation!
Leader: Whales doing backflips in the air, squid and octopi dancing on the ocean floor;
People: giant redwoods stretching to the sky, tomato vines cuddling around a stake.
Leader: Mountains blocking the sunrise, moles tunneling through our front lawns;
People: 5-year-olds sitting in a story-time circle, grandparents singing “their song.”
Leader: Redbuds decorating our backyard, grass growing faster than our children;
People: seals getting a suntan on the rocks, teenagers knotted together at church.
Leader: Praise the Lord, all creation!
People: Praise God, all people!
Hymn of Praise “For the Beauty of the Earth” Page 14
Call to Reconciliation
We show others who we are by the lives we lead, the words we speak, the actions we undertake. Let us confess how we have not been God’s little children, when we fail to love as we have been loved. Let us pray together the prayer of confession, saying,
Prayer of Confession (Unison)
Who are we to get in your way, Holy God? We put people into neat little boxes, but you rip them open, so folks can dance in your joy. We imprison others with our unmet expectations, and you set them free with a Word. We build walls around those we don’t know, and you tear them down, so they can run wild in the kingdom.
Who are we to get in your way, Saving Power, especially in the way of your forgiveness offered to all! Give us your vision that sees everyone as equal – forgiven, graced, loved – even as we seek to follow our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
We know who God is by the love shown to us in Christ Jesus.
We will show others who we are -and Whose we are – by the loved poured out by our lives. Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! Amen
*Gloria Patri Page 581
Anthem “To You Alone” Ruth & Fred Coleman
THE WORD FOR GOD’S PEOPLE
A Time for Children
Prayer for Illumination
Draw us close, Holy Spirit, as the Scriptures are read and the Word is proclaimed. Let the word of faith be on our lips and in our hearts, and let all other words slip away. May there be one voice we hear today –the voice of truth and grace. Amen.
First Reading Acts 11:1-18
Second Reading John 13:31-35
Hymn of Inspiration “O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go” Page 833
Sermon Rev. Nancy Neal
THE GRATEFUL RESPONSE OF GOD’S PEOPLE
Affirmation of Faith
We trust in Jesus Christ, fully human, fully God. Jesus proclaimed the reign of God: preaching good news to the poor and release to the captives, teaching by word and deed and blessing the children, healing the sick and binding up the brokenhearted, eating with outcasts, forgiving sinners, and calling all to repent and believe the gospel. Unjustly condemned for blasphemy and sedition, Jesus was crucified, suffering the depths of human pain and giving his life for the sins of the world. God raised this Jesus from the dead, vindicating his sinless life, breaking the power of sin and evil, delivering us from death to life eternal. Amen.
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
Announcements
Invitation to Offering
Offering
*Doxology Page 606
Prayer of Dedication
You bless us in so many ways and with so many gifts, Loving God. As we praise you, may we offer our gifts so those who have so little may be fed, clothed, healed, restored, and graced. In Jesus’ name, we pray Amen.
THE SENDING OF GOD’S PEOPLE
*Closing Hymn/Sending “Today We All Are Called to Be Disciple” Page 757
*Charge and Benediction
Leader: Let us go now to praise God with our hearts.
People: To see the imagination of God in every moment of creation, in every person we meet in the days to come.
Leader: Let us go now to praise the Spirit with our lives.
People: To bring justice to those who are oppressed, to bring hope to those who live in despair and worry.
People: To speak peace into all the broken places of our communities, to whisper grace to all those forgotten by the world.
Choral Prayer “To Worship You” Fettke & Kingsmore
Postlude
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:
May 18th through May 24th 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 members.
Upcoming Events
Session meeting today immediately following worship in the Fellowship Hall.
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. Dates: May 20 and 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)