june 28, 2025

Guest Preacher: Rev. Dr. Bill Nye

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

CLICK HERE FOR HYMNS (or scroll to the bottom)

“The biblical narratives throughout the Old Testament and the New trace a trajectory of mercy that leads us to welcome sexual minorities no longer as ’strangers and aliens’ but as ‘fellow citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God.’” from “The Widening of God’s Mercy” (2024) by Richard B. Hays

Prelude: Richard Harper Our opening prelude invites us into a time of quiet reflection. Chalice Lighting: from Progressive Christian Global (read responsively)

We light this candle

To remind ourselves that the Bible is clear.

THE BIBLE IS CLEAR: Moabites are bad! They were not to be allowed to dwell among God’s people (Deuteronomy 23).

BUT THEN comes the story of “Ruth the Moabite,” which challenges the prejudice against Moabites.

THE BIBLE IS CLEAR: People from Uz are evil! (Jeremiah 25).

BUT THEN comes the story of Job, a man from Uz, who was the “most blameless man on earth.”

THE BIBLE IS CLEAR: No foreigners or eunuchs allowed! (Deuteronomy 23).

BUT THEN comes the story of an African eunuch, welcomed into the church (Acts 8).

THE BIBLE IS CLEAR: God’s people despised Samaritans.

BUT THEN Jesus tells a story about a Samaritan more good, more right-living than the

best of God’s people.

THE BIBLE IS CLEAR: The story may begin with prejudice, discrimination, hostility or hatred.

BUT THEN the Spirit moves God’s people towards openness, welcome, inclusion,

acceptance, and affirmation.

Opening Hymn: Help Us Accept Each Other

Help us accept each other as Christ accepted us;

teach us as sister, brother, each person to embrace.

Be present, Lord, among us, and bring us to believe

we are ourselves accepted and meant to love and live.

Teach us, O Lord, your lessons, as in our daily life

we struggle to be human and search for hope and faith.

Teach us to care for people, for all, not just for some,

to love them as we find them, or as they may become.

Let your acceptance change us, so that we may be moved

in living situations to do the truth in love;

to practice your acceptance, until we know by heart

the table of forgiveness and laughter’s healing art.

Lord, for today’s encounters with all who are in need,

who hunger for acceptance, for righteousness and bread,

we need new eyes for seeing, new hands for holding on;

renew us with your Spirit; Lord, free us, make us one!

Passing of the Peace

Sharing of our Joys and Concerns

Prayers of the People/Pastoral Prayer

Welcome and Announcements

Call to Worship: Recalling Why We Are Here

One: Whether we worship from behind our computer screens and cell phone windows or we are sitting in the chairs of our sanctuary, let us come and imagine

Many: God calls us together.

One: From beyond the lengths of the prairies and over the heights of the mountains and down the river’s valley, let us come and imagine

Many: God gathers us in.

One: Whether our faith is formed solid or is alive with question and search or rests gently on

beauty and gratitude, let us come and imagine

Many: God receives us.

All: Called, gathered, and received, let us worship the God who invites us, accepts us, and

extends eternal love. Amen.

Passing of the Peace

The Prayers of the People Offered as Joys and Concerns

Many: Lord, hear our prayer.

Offering & Doxology NCH 780

Praise God from who all blessing flow;

Praise God, all creatures here below;

To God the Spirit now we raise

Our joyful songs of thankful praise.

Sacred Reading - Acts 8:26-39

The Apostle Phillip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

Then an angel of the Lord spoke to Phillip saying, “Be ready to set out at noon along the road that goes from Jerusalem down to Gaza, the desert road.” So he got up and went. Now it happened that an Ethiopian had been on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and was returning home. He was a eunuch and an officer of the court of the kandake, or queen, of Ethiopia. In fact he was her chief treasurer, in charge of the entire royal treasury. He was seated in his chariot and reading the prophet Isaiah’s description of the suffering servant. Then the Spirit said to Phillip, “Go up and

meet that chariot.” When Phillip ran up, he heard him reading Isaiah and asked, “Do you

understand what you are reading?” “How can I,” he replied, “unless I have someone to guide me.” And he invited Phillip to get in and sit beside him. Now the passage of the scripture that he

was reading was this:

“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth.He has been humiliated and has no one to defend him.

Who will ever talk about his descendants,since his life on earth has been cut short.” (Isaiah 53:7-8)

As they read, the eunuch turned to Phillip and said, “Tell me, is the prophet referring to himself or to someone else?” Then Phillip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. As they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look, water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?” He ordered the chariot to stop, and both of them, Phillip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Phillip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Phillip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing.

Hymn of Reflection: "Somewhere" from West Side Story

There’s a place for us, Somewhere a place for us.

Peace and quiet and open air Wait for us somewhere.

There’s a time for us, Someday a time for us.

Time together with time to spare, time to learn, time to care,

Someday, Somewhere.

We’ll find a new way of living,

We’ll find a way of forgiving. Somewhere.

There’s a place for us, A time and place for us.

Hold my hand and we’re halfway there.

Hold my hand and I’ll take you there.

Somehow. Someday. Somewhere.

Sermon: The Just Love Story Bible - Dr. Nye

Closing Hymn: We Are a Gentle, Angry People SLT #170

Benediction

Postlude: Richard Harper

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 

First Time Visitor?  

Please sign our red Guest Book (located near the entrance)

and be our guest at the gathering following the service!

Interested in “Official” Church Membership?  

Please speak with Council President Raquel Irizarry about our next New Member gathering!  

An All-inclusive, Welcoming Community of Faith

born from the traditions of the:

Disciples of Christ - www.Disciples.org

United Church of Christ - www.UCC.org

Unitarian Universalist Association - www.UUA.org 

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