Christmas Service: December 15th at 10:30

Order of Worship

16th of June | 10:30 (Espoo) 

Song 1 – Only a Holy God

Hear God call you to worship:

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

          –Colossians 3:1–3

Let us worship the Lord!

Song 2 – How Great Thou Art

Song 3 – I Worship You, Almighty God

Song 4 – My Worth is Not in What I Own

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

Confession of Sin
Lord, we have sinned,
without considering how much you love us.
You see our sins more clearly
than we can ourselves.

Lord, you know when we are

indifferent to your Word, the Bible;
how often we forget to pray;
the times we come unwillingly to worship;
and yet we turn to you
when we are in trouble.

Lord, you know when we are untruthful
and when we think evil of others.
You see our anger and unfairness to our friends.
You know how hard it is for us to forgive.

Forgive us and make us clean,
so that we can obey your call
to take up your cross and follow you.
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness
The assurance of forgiveness comes from Romans 8:1

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

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! 

The sermon text for today is  Job 22–23 (ESV). These chapters are a conversation between Eliphaz, one of Job’s seemingly well-meaning but very critical friends, and Job, who in return declares his innocence before God.

Hear the Word of the Lord:

Eliphaz Speaks: Job’s Wickedness Is Great

22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

“Can a man be profitable to God?
    Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.
Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are in the right,
    or is it gain to him if you make your ways blameless?
Is it for your fear of him that he reproves you
    and enters into judgment with you?
Is not your evil abundant?
    There is no end to your iniquities.
For you have exacted pledges of your brothers for nothing
    and stripped the naked of their clothing.
You have given no water to the weary to drink,
    and you have withheld bread from the hungry.
The man with power possessed the land,
    and the favored man lived in it.
You have sent widows away empty,
    and the arms of the fatherless were crushed.
10 Therefore snares are all around you,
    and sudden terror overwhelms you,
11 or darkness, so that you cannot see,
    and a flood of water covers you.

12 “Is not God high in the heavens?
    See the highest stars, how lofty they are!
13 But you say, ‘What does God know?
    Can he judge through the deep darkness?
14 Thick clouds veil him, so that he does not see,
    and he walks on the vault of heaven.’
15 Will you keep to the old way
    that wicked men have trod?
16 They were snatched away before their time;
    their foundation was washed away.
17 They said to God, ‘Depart from us,’
    and ‘What can the Almighty do to us?’
18 Yet he filled their houses with good things—
    but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 The righteous see it and are glad;
    the innocent one mocks at them,
20 saying, ‘Surely our adversaries are cut off,
    and what they left the fire has consumed.’

21 “Agree with God, and be at peace;
thereby good will come to you.
22 Receive instruction from his mouth,
and lay up his words in your heart.
23 If you return to the Almighty you will be built up;
if you remove injustice far from your tents,
24 if you lay gold in the dust,
and gold of Ophir among the stones of the torrent-bed,
25 then the Almighty will be your gold
and your precious silver.
26 For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty
and lift up your face to God.
27 You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you,
and you will pay your vows.
28 You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you,
and light will shine on your ways.
29 For when they are humbled you say, ‘It is because of pride’;
but he saves the lowly.
30 He delivers even the one who is not innocent,
who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”

Job Replies: Where Is God?

23:1 Then Job answered and said:

“Today also my complaint is bitter;
    my hand is heavy on account of my groaning.
Oh, that I knew where I might find him,
    that I might come even to his seat!
I would lay my case before him
    and fill my mouth with arguments.
I would know what he would answer me
    and understand what he would say to me.
Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power?
    No; he would pay attention to me.
There an upright man could argue with him,
    and I would be acquitted forever by my judge.

“Behold, I go forward, but he is not there,
    and backward, but I do not perceive him;
on the left hand when he is working, I do not behold him;
    he turns to the right hand, but I do not see him.
10 But he knows the way that I take;
    when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.
11 My foot has held fast to his steps;
    I have kept his way and have not turned aside.
12 I have not departed from the commandment of his lips;
    I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.
13 But he is unchangeable, and who can turn him back?
    What he desires, that he does.
14 For he will complete what he appoints for me,
    and many such things are in his mind.
15 Therefore I am terrified at his presence;
    when I consider, I am in dread of him.
16 God has made my heart faint;
    the Almighty has terrified me;
17 yet I am not silenced because of the darkness,
    nor because thick darkness covers my face.

God’s Crucible
     Job 22–23

Song 5 – Turn Your Eyes 

Song 6 – 10,000 Reasons

24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

– Jude 24-25

For all church announcements, please see our digital announcements page: ucclife.fi/announcements

Order of Worship

16th of May | 16:00 (Helsinki)

Song 1 – Only A Holy God

Hear God call you to worship:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
‭‭—Hebrews‬ ‭12:1-2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Let us worship the Lord!

Song 2 – How Great Thou Art

Song 3 – I Worship You, Almighty God

Song 4 – His Glory & My Good

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

Confession of Sin
Lord, we have sinned,
without considering how much you love us.
You see our sins more clearly
than we can ourselves.

Lord, you know when we are

indifferent to your Word, the Bible;
how often we forget to pray;
the times we come unwillingly to worship;
and yet we turn to you
when we are in trouble.

Lord, you know when we are untruthful
and when we think evil of others.
You see our anger and unfairness to our friends.
You know how hard it is for us to forgive.

Forgive us and make us clean,
so that we can obey your call
to take up your cross and follow you.
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness
The assurance of forgiveness comes from Romans 8:1

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

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! 

The sermon text for today is  Job 22–23 (ESV). These chapters are a conversation between Eliphaz, one of Job’s seemingly well-meaning but very critical friends, and Job, who in turn declares his innocence before God.

Hear the Word of the Lord:

Eliphaz Speaks: Job’s Wickedness Is Great

22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

“Can a man be profitable to God?
    Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.
Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are in the right,
    or is it gain to him if you make your ways blameless?
Is it for your fear of him that he reproves you
    and enters into judgment with you?
Is not your evil abundant?
    There is no end to your iniquities.
For you have exacted pledges of your brothers for nothing
    and stripped the naked of their clothing.
You have given no water to the weary to drink,
    and you have withheld bread from the hungry.
The man with power possessed the land,
    and the favored man lived in it.
You have sent widows away empty,
    and the arms of the fatherless were crushed.
10 Therefore snares are all around you,
    and sudden terror overwhelms you,
11 or darkness, so that you cannot see,
    and a flood of water covers you.

12 “Is not God high in the heavens?
    See the highest stars, how lofty they are!
13 But you say, ‘What does God know?
    Can he judge through the deep darkness?
14 Thick clouds veil him, so that he does not see,
    and he walks on the vault of heaven.’
15 Will you keep to the old way
    that wicked men have trod?
16 They were snatched away before their time;
    their foundation was washed away.
17 They said to God, ‘Depart from us,’
    and ‘What can the Almighty do to us?’
18 Yet he filled their houses with good things—
    but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 The righteous see it and are glad;
    the innocent one mocks at them,
20 saying, ‘Surely our adversaries are cut off,
    and what they left the fire has consumed.’

21 “Agree with God, and be at peace;
thereby good will come to you.
22 Receive instruction from his mouth,
and lay up his words in your heart.
23 If you return to the Almighty you will be built up;
if you remove injustice far from your tents,
24 if you lay gold in the dust,
and gold of Ophir among the stones of the torrent-bed,
25 then the Almighty will be your gold
and your precious silver.
26 For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty
and lift up your face to God.
27 You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you,
and you will pay your vows.
28 You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you,
and light will shine on your ways.
29 For when they are humbled you say, ‘It is because of pride’;
but he saves the lowly.
30 He delivers even the one who is not innocent,
who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”

Job Replies: Where Is God?

23:1 Then Job answered and said:

“Today also my complaint is bitter;
    my hand is heavy on account of my groaning.
Oh, that I knew where I might find him,
    that I might come even to his seat!
I would lay my case before him
    and fill my mouth with arguments.
I would know what he would answer me
    and understand what he would say to me.
Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power?
    No; he would pay attention to me.
There an upright man could argue with him,
    and I would be acquitted forever by my judge.

“Behold, I go forward, but he is not there,
    and backward, but I do not perceive him;
on the left hand when he is working, I do not behold him;
    he turns to the right hand, but I do not see him.
10 But he knows the way that I take;
    when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.
11 My foot has held fast to his steps;
    I have kept his way and have not turned aside.
12 I have not departed from the commandment of his lips;
    I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.
13 But he is unchangeable, and who can turn him back?
    What he desires, that he does.
14 For he will complete what he appoints for me,
    and many such things are in his mind.
15 Therefore I am terrified at his presence;
    when I consider, I am in dread of him.
16 God has made my heart faint;
    the Almighty has terrified me;
17 yet I am not silenced because of the darkness,
    nor because thick darkness covers my face.

God’s Crucible
     Job 22–23

Song 5 – Turn Your Eyes 

Song 6 – 10,000 Reasons

Our Father in heaven, 
hallowed be your name;
your kingdom come;
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven. 
Give us this day our daily bread. 
And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who have sinned against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. 
For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.
Amen.

24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

– Jude 24-25

For all church announcements, please see our digital announcements page: ucclife.fi/announcements