Trinity United Church

“Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” Colossians 3:14 (NRSV)

Here is the link for Sunday, October 26, 2025 worship service: https://youtu.be/B4Fj1ux7Xmc

Worship: Sunday November 2, 2025 at 10:45 a.m. Communion

SCRIPTURE TO PONDER 

Week of October 27, 2025

Scriptures this week:

Habakkuk 1:1‒4; 2:1‒4 or Isaiah 1:10‒18. Psalm 119:137‒144 or Psalm 32:1‒7; 2 Thessalonians 1:1‒4, 11‒12; and Luke 19:1‒10

 Scripture to Ponder: Isaiah 1:16–18 & Luke 19:1–10

“Stop doing wrong, learn to do right; seek justice, defend the oppressed.” – Isaiah

“For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.” – LukeThe prophet Isaiah speaks a hard but necessary truth from God: faith without justice is empty. God rejects hollow worship, religious pretenses, and rituals done without righteousness. The call is unmistakable, stop doing wrong and learn to do right. True worship is demonstrated in seeking justice, defending the oppressed, advocating for the vulnerable, and standing with the widowed and orphaned. God does not desire offerings without obedience, prayers without repentance, or praise without transformation.

Luke’s Gospel gives us a living example of this transformation in the story of Zacchaeus. He was wealthy, powerful, and deeply compromised—yet when he encountered Jesus, his heart changed. He didn’t just feel guilty—he acted. Zacchaeus restored what he had broken, repaired what he had stolen, and turned his life toward justice and generosity. Jesus did not praise him for words alone but for a faith that led to restitution and renewal.

Together, these scriptures remind the Church—our church—of our sacred calling. Faith must move beyond our sanctuaries and into the streets. Our prayers must become action. Our love for God must bear fruit in compassion, advocacy, and justice. God still says to us today: “Come now, let us reason together” (Isaiah 1:18)—a divine invitation not to shame, but to transformation.

 Reflection Question

 Where is God calling us—not just to believe—but to act for justice, mercy, and reconciliation in our community today?

 A Prayer

God of justice and mercy,
Cleanse our hearts from empty religion and awaken us to courageous faith.
Teach us to do right, to seek justice, and to lift up the oppressed.
May our worship be made true in our living,
and may salvation be seen among us,
as lives are restored and hope is renewed.
Amen.