Worship Guide
November 23, 2025
Christ the King / Reign of Christ Sunday
Creating Disciples of Jesus who Transform the World
ENTRANCE WITH PRAISE
Greeting:
Minister: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!
People: And also with you!
Special Music: Fighting for Me Stefanie
Centering Words:
God shines holy light into the shadows of our world. The sun of God’s mercy and strength bathes all creation.
*Call to Worship:
Leader: Blessed be the Holy One,
People: who looks upon us with love and mercy.
Leader: Blessed be the Holy One,
People: who sent us a Savior to rescue us from despair.
Leader: Blessed be the Holy One and God’s beloved Child,
People: who rules in a realm of forgiveness and peace.
Leader: Blessed be the Holy One,
People: who is worthy of our worship.
Leader: Let us pray.
ALL: God of Creation, we cannot see you, but we see what you have created in all its beauty and bounty! Jesus, Child of God, the entire universe lives in you, and for you, and through you! Spirit of the Holy One, you sweep across creation, enlivening and sustaining. Everything on earth and in heaven has its beginning and its hope because of you, Triune God. Blessed is your holy, life-giving name! Amen
Hymn: “Crown Him With Many Crowns”
Crown him with many crowns, the Lamb upon his throne,
Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing of him who died for thee,
and hail him as thy matchless King through all eternity.
Crown him the Lord of life, who triumphed o'er the grave,
and rose victorious in the strife for those he came to save.
His glories now we sing, who died, and rose on high,
who died, eternal life to bring, and lives that death may die.
Crown him the Lord of peace, whose power a scepter sways
from pole to pole, that wars may cease,
and all be prayer and praise.
His reign shall know no end, and round his pierced feet
fair flowers of paradise extend their fragrance ever sweet.
Crown him the Lord of love; behold his hands and side,
those wounds, yet visible above, in beauty glorified.
All hail, Redeemer, hail! For thou hast died for me;
thy praise and glory shall not fail throughout eternity.
PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD
Words of Assurance
Through Jesus, our Savior, God is pleased to be reconciled to all things, on earth and in heaven.
Blessed be the Holy One, who redeems and saves us!
Amen.
*Gospel Reading: Luke 23:33-43
32 Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots to divide his clothing. 35 And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”
39 One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
Leader: This is the Word of God for the people of God
People: Thanks be to God.
WORD AND RESPONSE
Time with Young Friends: “Jesus Loves Me”
Children’s Message: “Our Good Shepherd”
Hymn: “I’ve Got Peace Like a River”
I've got peace like a river, I've got peace like a river,
I've got peace like a river in my soul
I've got peace like a river, I've got peace like a river,
I've got peace like a river in my soul
I've got joy like a fountain I've got joy like a fountain
I've got joy like a fountain in my soul
I've got joy like a fountain I've got joy like a fountain
I've got joy like a fountain in my soul
I've got love like an ocean I've got love like an ocean
I've got love like an ocean in my soul
I've got love like an ocean I've got love like an ocean
I've got love like an ocean in my soul
Sermon: “Woe to the Shepherds” Jeremiah 23:1-6
1 Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord. 2 Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the Lord. 3 Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. 4 I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord.
5 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”
RESPONSE TO THE WORD
Hymn: “Lamb of God”
Your only son, no sin to hide,
but you have sent him from your side,
to walk upon this guilty sod,
and to become the Lamb of God.
Your gift of love, they crucified,
they laughed and scored him as he died,
the humble king they named a fraud
and sacrificed the Lamb of God.
O Lamb of God, sweet Lamb of God,
I love the holy Lamb of God!
O wash me in his precious blood
my Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.
I was so lost, I should have died,
but you have brought me to your side,
to be led by your staff and rod,
and to be called a lamb of God.
O Lamb of God, sweet Lamb of God,
I love the holy Lamb of God!
O wash me in his precious blood
my Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.
Affirmation: A Modern Affirmation
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is the one true church, apostolic and universal, whose holy faith let us now declare:
We believe in God the Father, infinite in wisdom, power, and love, whose mercy is over all his works, and whose will is ever directed to his children's good.
We believe in Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of man, the gift of the Father's unfailing grace, the ground of our hope, and the promise of our deliverance from sin and death.
We believe in the Holy Spirit as the divine presence in our lives, whereby we are kept in perpetual remembrance of the truth of Christ, and find strength and help in time of need.
We believe that this faith should manifest itself in the service of love as set forth in the example of our blessed Lord, to the end that the kingdom of God may come upon the earth. Amen
Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise him, all creatures here below;
praise him above, ye heavenly host;
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen
Prayers of the People: Joys and concerns
Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer
SENDING FORTH
Hymn: “His Name is Wonderful”
His name is wonderful, his name is wonderful,
his name is wonderful, Jesus my Lord.
He is the mighty King, Master of everything;
his name is wonderful, Jesus my Lord.
He's the great Shepherd, the Rock of all ages,
almighty God is he;
bow down before him, love and adore him,
his name is wonderful, Jesus, my Lord.
His name is wonderful, his name is wonderful,
his name is wonderful, Jesus my Lord.
He is the mighty King, Master of everything;
his name is wonderful, Jesus my Lord.
He's the great Shepherd, the Rock of all ages,
almighty God is he;
bow down before him, love and adore him,
his name is wonderful, Jesus, my Lord.
Benediction
Hymn: “Go Now In Peace”
Go now in peace, Never be afraid.
God will go with you each hour of ev-ry day.
Go now in faith, stead-fast, strong and true.
Know He will guide you in all you do.
Go now in love, and show you be-lieve.
Reach out to others so all the world can see.
God will be there watching from above.
God now in peace, in faith, and in love.
Amen! Amen! Amen!
