Order of Worship, Grafton Community Church, 10-19-25
Bill Watson is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Grafton Community Church Worship
Time: Meeting – 9:45 a.m. October 19, 2025
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Meeting ID: 235 223 715
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**In the sanctuary, masks and a safe social distance are suggested, especially when singing or responding in prayer!!!
Order of Worship, Grafton Community Church, 10-19-25 – Season of Pentecost
Prelude (Ken Olsson, Music Minister)
(After entering Zoom or the Sanctuary, please use mute or observe silence to allow all to prepare for worship. Thank you & Blessings)
To God Be the Glory (Mary McDonald)
Be Thou My Vision (Molly Ijames)
Schlummerlied (Robert Schumann)
What a Friend We Have in Jesus (Mark Hayes)
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (Anthony Giamanco)
Welcome and Announcements (Linda Robertson, Council Chair)
No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here!
*Please observe a moment of silence; so we may each offer our prayers and praise to Creator, Christ & Holy Spirit.
*Hymn #65 “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” ©
1 A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
our present help, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe does seek to work us woe;
with craft and power great, and armed with cruel hate,
on earth without an equal.
2 Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing,
but there is one who takes our side, the one of God's own choosing.
You ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is he;
with mighty power to save, victorious o’er the grave,
Christ will prevail triumphant
3 And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God has willed his truth to triumph through us.
The powers of darkness grim, we tremble not for them;
their rage we can endure, for lo! their doom is sure;
one little word shall fell them.
4 God’s Word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them abideth.
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Christ who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
the body they may kill: God's truth abideth still;
God’s reign endures forever!
All lyrics © 1995 Chalice Press
Used by Permission. CCLI License #21383697
* Call to Worship (from “Prayers for the World & Its People,” Iona Abbey Worship Book)
One: Believing that God made and loves the world,
Many: we gather.
One: That it may be reshaped to fulfill God’s purposes,
Many: we pray.
One: To seek a wisdom deeper than our own thinking,
Many: we listen.
One: To honor God who gave us voice,
Many: we worship.
* Unison Prayer
God of power and justice, as with the Prophet Jeremiah, You weep over those who wander from Your way, as they turn aside to idols of wealth and power, as if they were gods.
By Your tears and through Your mercy, guide us in Your ways so that we might follow faithfully
the path You show us. Amen!
* Response Hymn #65 Verse 2
Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing,
but there is one who takes our side, the one of God's own choosing.
You ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is he;
with mighty power to save, victorious o’er the grave,
Christ will prevail triumphant.
Scripture:
Jeremiah 31: 27-28 & 31-34
The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of humans and the seed of animals.
And just as I have watched over them to pluck up and break down, to overthrow, destroy, and bring evil, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, says the LORD.
The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt--a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the LORD.
But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
No longer shall they teach one another or say to each other, "Know the LORD," for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD, for I will forgive their iniquity and remember their sin no more.
Luke 18: 1-8
Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.
He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people.
In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, 'Grant me justice against my accuser.'
For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, 'Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone,
yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.'"
And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says.
And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them?
I tell you; he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"
*Hymn #585 “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”
1 What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit, oh, what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.
2 Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer!
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer!
3 Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer!
Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.
Reflection: “Seeking Justice” Pastor Bill Watson
Synopsis: At the end of the Parable of the Widow Begging for Justice, Jesus asks us: “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth. Christ might find such faith, if we can decipher the words of God’s Covenant inscribed on our hearts. It’s hard to decipher them in the chaos of our lives, but only in our constant seeking to understand God’s will can we discover the meaning of God’s Justice
*Hymn #72 “To God Be the Glory”
1 To God be the glory, great things he hath done! So loved he the world that he gave us his Son,
who yielded his life an atonement for sin, and opened the life gate that all may go in.
[Refrain]
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear his voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice!
Oh, come to the Father, thru Jesus the Son,
and give him the glory, great things he hath done.
2 O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood, to every believer the promise of God;
the vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.
[Refrain]
3 Great things he hath taught us, great things he hath done, and great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
but purer, and higher, and greater will be our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.
Refrain]
Offerings of the People
You can present your offering for the work of Grafton Community Church, using the “Donate Now” button on our Facebook page at The Grafton Church, or on our web site www.graftoncommunitychurch.org (The button may actually say “Shop Now,” but it has the same function.
Offertory: (Music Minster Ken Olsson)
Peaceful Interlude (Teresa Wilhelmi)
Response: Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Praise God all creatures here below – Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise God above the source of gifts!
Praise Jesus Christ, whose power uplifts.
Praise the Spirit, Holy Spirit – Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Offertory Prayer of Dedication
The Benediction & The Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art 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, the power, and the glory,
For ever and ever. Amen.
Postlude: (Music Minister Ken Olsson)
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (Mark Hayes)
Please greet your neighbors on Zoom or at a “Safe Social Distance” in the sanctuary, as the postlude ends. On Zoom unmute your mikes, share greetings and the peace of this virtual space.
Masks are optional but suggested in the sanctuary!
Grafton Prayer List:
Our Planet Earth * Immigrants experiencing or facing detention or deportation in their loneliness and fear *Those enduring times of stress *Those with PTSD & their families *Beloved pets of Grafton *Mary Karam, & the Humes family *Arlene & Ron Carey *Gaelle McLoud *The Rowley family *Carol Bason *Arthur Park *Norm Robertson *Robert Johnson (Ken Olsson’s father-in-law) *Nancy Merrill *Dick Warren *Joyce Olsson (Ken’s mom) *Cecile Fisher Smith *Dennis Scharback *Todd Baker (Pastor Watson’s friend) *Linda Preziosi *Christine Tattersall *Gayle Arbuckle *JoAnn Supple (Sherry Brown’s mother) *Jeremiah Olmas (Mary Feder’s friend’s grandson) *Jim Webb (Angela Moulton’s Father) *Karen Hunt *David Lambert *Sophie Field * Robert Waldron (Sherry Brown’s nephew) *Irene Rice *Max Brown *Dick Desrochers *Ben Williams (Pastor King’s husband) *Patricia Donatelli *Roberta Geist *Lorrie Young
Those Who Have Lost Loved Ones
*Irene Rice & family *Family & friends of Liam Parker (Michele Chickering’s son) *Family & friends of Jerry Goldlust (Christine Tattersall’s close friend) *Family & friends of Bob Wright *Family & friends of Barbara Andrews (Meg Gonzalez’ mom) *Family & friends of Bob Haseltine *Family & friends of Donald F.M. Bolton *Family & friends of Denize Schemm *Family & friends of Helen Lanoie (mother of Andre Lanoie) * Family & friends of Bernard “Pete” Haley *Family & friends of Donna Rice *Family & friends of Galen Pinkham *Family & friends of Susan Lathrop *Family & friends of David James Smith (Cecile Smith’s brother in law) *Family & friends of David Fischmann (partner of Katherine Brown) *Family & friends of Estelle Pieth *Family & friends of Dave Robinson *Family & friends of Debbie Wright *Family & friends of Stephan Fitzsimmons (Caidin Domeracki’s grandfather) *Family & friends of Paul Nolan (Steve Nolan’s cousin)
Extended Care:
*Dottie Royal, Bromley Manor, 2595 Depot St., Manchester, VT 05255
*Rev. Catherine Cadieux, Sterling House, 33 Atkinson Street, Bellows Falls VT 05101
Grafton Community Church, 55 Main Street, PO Box 158, Grafton, VT, 05146, United States
(802) 843-2346 Graftonchurch@gmail.com
Our Website: www.graftoncommunitychurch.org
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