january 25, 2025

asbcsite
3 days ago
3 min read

Guest Preacher: Rev. Romall Smalls

Please use this Order of Service to easily follow the service online.

CLICK HERE FOR HYMNS (or scroll to the bottom)

Prelude: Performed by Debbie Deane

Chalice Lighting: Share Your Glorious Light with the World (Morison)

Within each of our hearts there is a most glorious light.

Go forth, and let its spark help you understand what troubles both you and others;

Go forth, and let its light of reason be a guide in your decisions;

Go forth, and bring its ray of hope to those in need of help in both body and spirit, that they may find healing;

Go forth, and fan the flames of passion to help heal our world;

Go forth, and spread the warm glow of love, pushing back the darkness of the world;

Go forth, and share your glorious light with the world.

Opening Hymn: COME THOU FOUNT OF EVERY BLESSING NCH#459

Welcome and Announcements

Call to Worship: Rev. F. Romall Smalls, M.Div.

Prayer of Invocation

First Sacred Reading: I Begin With Love

by Jericho Brown

I begin with love, hoping to end there.I don’t want to leave a messy corpse.

I don’t want to leave a messy corpseFull of medicines that turn in the sun.

Some of my medicines turn in the sun.Some of us don’t need hell to be good.

Those who need least, need hell to be good.What are the symptoms of your sickness?

Here is one symptom of my sickness:Men who love me are men who miss me.

Men who leave me are men who miss meIn the dream where I am an island.

In the dream where I am an island,I grow green with hope. I’d like to end there.

Hymn of Reflection: THERE IS A BALM IN GILEAD #553

Passing of the Peace

Sharing of our Joys and Concerns

Prayers of the People/Pastoral Prayer

Offering

Doxology: We Give You But Your Own

We give you but your own,what e'er the gift may be;All that we have is yours alone,we give it gratefully

Second Sacred Reading:

Esther (Greek) 11:2-12 (NRSV)

Mordecai's Dream

2 In the second year of the reign of Ahasu-e'rus (ăḥaš-vērôš) the Great, on the first day of Nisan, Mor'decai the son of Jair, son of Shim'e-i, son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, had a dream.

3 He was a Jew, dwelling in the city of Susa, a great man, serving in the court of the king.

4 He was one of the captives whom Nebuchadnez'zar king of Babylon had brought from Jerusalem with Jeconi'ah (yᵊ-hôy-āqîm) king of Judea. And this was his dream:

5 Behold, noise and confusion, thunders and earthquake, tumult upon the earth!6 And behold, two great dragons came forward, both ready to fight, and they roared terribly.

7 And at their roaring every nation prepared for war, to fight against the nation of the righteous. 8 And behold, a day of darkness and gloom, tribulation and distress, affliction and great tumult upon the earth! 9 And the whole righteous nation was troubled; they feared the evils that threatened them, and were ready to perish. 10 Then they cried to God; and from their cry, as though from a tiny spring there came a great river, with abundant water; 11 light came, and the sun rose, and the lowly were exalted and consumed those held in honor.

12 Mor'decai saw in this dream what God had determined to do, and after he awoke he had it on his mind and sought all day to understand it in every detail.

Hymn of Preparation: Amazing Grace, NCH# 547

Sermon: Continuing to Walk Even When

the Earth Shakes

Closing Hymn: O MIGHTY GOD WHEN I BEHOLD IN WONDER NCH# 35

“Thank You Lord” sung by Bishop Yvette Flunders and written by Walter Hawkins

Benediction

Postlude: Performed by Debbie Deane

All Souls Bethlehem Church

An Open and Affirming Congregation

Pastor: Rev. Dr. Boon Lin Ngeo

Ministers: All Members of ASBC

Minister Emeritus: Rev. Bill Nye