Order of Worship
4th of May 2025 | 10:30 (Espoo)
Song 1 – In Christ Alone
Psalm 36:7–9
How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house,
and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light do we see light.
Song 2 – How Deep the Father’s Love For Us
Song 3 – Only a Holy God
Song 4 – Amazing Grace
Our welcome team members will pass an offering basket during this song.
For information about giving online, please visit ucclife.fi/give or follow the QR code on the screen. You can also speak to our pastors or leaders for more information about giving and generosity. You can also ask the welcome team or any of our staff team members for more info on giving online.
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
A warm welcome to all, and especially to any visitors joining us today – if you’d like to get connected or find out more about UCC, please see our digital visitors card or speak to us after the service!
If you have children, they are welcome to join our Sunday school classes!
Our Scripture reading today is 2 Corinthians 8:1–15. Hear the Word of God:
8:1 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— 5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. 6 Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. 7 But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.
8 I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. 10 And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. 11 So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. 12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness 14 your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. 15 As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”
This is the Word of the Lord.
The Grace That Gives: Gospel Generosity in Action
True Christian generosity flows not from guilt or wealth, but from the transforming grace of Christ.
I. Gospel Generosity Flows from the Grace of God (vv 1-5)
II. The Gospel Is the Measure and the Motive of Generosity (vv 6-9)
III. Gospel Giving Is Willing, Proportional, and Participatory (vv 10-15)
If you believe in Jesus as your Saviour and King, you are welcome to the Table.
Please hold the elements until all have received; we will all take them together.
The bread is gluten free, the cup is alcohol free.
Song 5 – Jesus, Thank You
Song 6 – 10,000 Reasons
For all church announcements, please see our digital announcements page: ucclife.fi/announcements
Introduction
1. Can you think of a time when someone gave to you in a way that surprised or deeply impacted you, not because of the size of the gift but because of the heart behind it?
2. Why do you think conversations about finances and giving can sometimes feel awkward or avoided in church life?
Into the Text
3. Read 2 Corinthians 8:1–5. What stands out to you about the Macedonian churches’ attitude toward giving, especially given their extreme poverty?
4. Read verses 6–9. How does Paul connect Christian generosity directly to the example of Christ? What does it mean that Christ “became poor” so that we might “become rich”?
5. In the sermon it was said, “Grace is the root; generosity is the fruit.” How does that idea challenge or reshape the way we think about why we give?
6. In verses 10–15, Paul talks about fairness and proportionality in giving. How does this correct both the guilt-driven and performance-driven views of generosity?
Apply the Text
7. In the sermon it was said, “It’s not just about starting in grace — it’s about finishing in grace.” Are there any areas in your life, especially in generosity, where God is inviting you to finish what you’ve started?
8. How might our church community reflect the picture of fairness and mutual care Paul describes, where no one is left behind and all share in the mission joyfully?
Order of Worship
4th of May 2025 | 16:00 (Helsinki)
Psalm 36:7–9
How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house,
and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light do we see light.
Song 1 – Here is Love (Everlasting Praise)
Song 2 – I Stand Amazed
Song 3 – Amazing Love (And Can It Be)
Song 4 – I Surrender All
Our welcome team members will pass an offering basket during this song.
For information about giving online, please visit ucclife.fi/give or follow the QR code on the screen. You can also speak to our pastors or leaders for more information about giving and generosity. You can also ask the welcome team or any of our staff team members for more info on giving online.
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
We believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
begotten from the Father before all ages,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made;
of the same essence as the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven;
he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary,
and was made human.
He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered and was buried.
The third day he rose again,
according to the Scriptures.
He ascended to heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again with glory
to judge the living and the dead.
His kingdom will never end.
And we believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life.
He proceeds from the Father and the Son,
and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified.
He spoke through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.
We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look forward to the resurrection of the dead,
and to life in the world to come.
Amen.
A warm welcome to all, and especially to any visitors joining us today – if you’d like to get connected or find out more about UCC, please see our digital visitors card or speak to us after the service!
If you have children, they are welcome to join our Sunday school classes!
Our Scripture reading today is 2 Corinthians 8:1–15. Hear the Word of God:
8:1 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— 5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. 6 Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. 7 But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.
8 I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. 10 And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. 11 So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. 12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness 14 your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. 15 As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”
This is the Word of the Lord.
The Grace That Gives: Gospel Generosity in Action
True Christian generosity flows not from guilt or wealth, but from the transforming grace of Christ.
I. Gospel Generosity Flows from the Grace of God (vv 1-5)
II. The Gospel Is the Measure and the Motive of Generosity (vv 6-9)
III. Gospel Giving Is Willing, Proportional, and Participatory (vv 10-15)
If you believe in Jesus as your Saviour and King, you are welcome to the Table.
Please hold the elements until all have received; we will all take them together.
The bread is gluten free, the cup is alcohol free.
Song 5 – Nothing But the Blood
Song 6 – His Mercy is More
For all church announcements, please see our digital announcements page: ucclife.fi/announcements
Introduction
1. Can you think of a time when someone gave to you in a way that surprised or deeply impacted you, not because of the size of the gift but because of the heart behind it?
2. Why do you think conversations about finances and giving can sometimes feel awkward or avoided in church life?
Into the Text
3. Read 2 Corinthians 8:1–5. What stands out to you about the Macedonian churches’ attitude toward giving, especially given their extreme poverty?
4. Read verses 6–9. How does Paul connect Christian generosity directly to the example of Christ? What does it mean that Christ “became poor” so that we might “become rich”?
5. In the sermon it was said, “Grace is the root; generosity is the fruit.” How does that idea challenge or reshape the way we think about why we give?
6. In verses 10–15, Paul talks about fairness and proportionality in giving. How does this correct both the guilt-driven and performance-driven views of generosity?
Apply the Text
7. In the sermon it was said, “It’s not just about starting in grace — it’s about finishing in grace.” Are there any areas in your life, especially in generosity, where God is inviting you to finish what you’ve started?
8. How might our church community reflect the picture of fairness and mutual care Paul describes, where no one is left behind and all share in the mission joyfully?