Worship Archive – November 23rd 2025 – Methodist Church: Hillside Circuit

Sunday Service from Hillside Circuit for November 23rd 2025:

Lectionary Theme: God’s sovereignty, redemption and mercy in the face of injustice and suffering

Occasion: 24th Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary readings:
Psalm 46
Jeremiah 23: 1-6
Colossians 1: 11-20
Luke 23: 33-43

Additional readings for Hillside (Theme: Living a life of Thanksgiving)
1 Chronicles 16: 8
1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18
Matthew 26: 27

[Click or tap on a Bible reference above to jump down the page to the Bible reading to read it for yourself (and/or to listen to it) and then click or tap on Back to top to come back here.]

Songs:

Here are the songs for Sunday morning service. Click or tap on a song to open it in YouTube.

Bless the Lord.
Give thanks.
Light of the world.
King of Kings, Majesty.
Now thank we all our God.
All creatures of our God.
Praise to the Lord.
To God be the Glory.

Prayers:

You can listen and join in with prayers from the English Methodist Service Book. They can be found at the Prayers for worship webpage.

Children’s Address:

[No Children’s Address was received.]

Sermon:

Audio message for Hillside Circuit November 23rd 2025 with Dr Themba Hwalima – 1.

Audio message for Hillside Circuit November 23rd 2025 with Dr Themba Hwalima – 2.

Bible readings:

Psalm 46

1 God is our mighty fortress,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
2 And so, we won’t be afraid!
Let the earth tremble
and the mountains tumble into the deepest sea.
3 Let the ocean roar and foam,
and its raging waves shake the mountains.

4 A river and its streams bring joy to the city,
which is the sacred home of God Most High.
5 God is in that city, and it won’t be shaken.
He will help it at dawn.

6 Nations rage! Kingdoms fall!
But at the voice of God the earth itself melts.
7 The LORD All-Powerful is with us.
The God of Jacob is our fortress.

8 Come! See the fearsome things
the LORD has done on earth.
9 God brings wars to an end all over the world.
He breaks the arrows, shatters the spears,
and burns the shields.
10 Our God says, “Calm down, and learn that I am God!
All nations on earth will honour me.”

11 The LORD All-Powerful is with us.
The God of Jacob is our fortress.

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Jeremiah 23

1 You leaders of my people are like shepherds that kill and scatter the sheep. 2 You were supposed to take care of my people, but instead you chased them away. So now I’ll really take care of you, and believe me, you will pay for your crimes!
3 I will bring the rest of my people home from the lands where I have scattered them, and they will grow into a mighty nation. 4 I promise to choose leaders who will care for them like real shepherds. All of my people will be there, and they will never again be frightened.

5 Someday I will appoint an honest king
from the family of David,
a king who will be wise and rule with justice.
6 As long as he is king, Israel will have peace,
and Judah will be safe.
The name of this king will be “The LORD Gives Justice.”

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Colossians 1

11 His glorious power will make you patient and strong enough to endure anything, and you will be truly happy.
12 I pray that you will be grateful to God for letting you have part in what he has promised his people in the kingdom of light. 13 God rescued us from the dark power of Satan and brought us into the kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who forgives our sins and sets us free.

15 Christ is exactly like God, who cannot be seen.
He is the first-born Son, superior to all creation.
16 Everything was created by him,
everything in heaven and on earth,
everything seen and unseen,
including all forces and powers,
and all rulers and authorities.
All things were created by God’s Son,
and everything was made for him.

17 God’s Son was before all else,
and by him everything is held together.
18 He is the head of his body, which is the church.
He is the very beginning, the first to be raised from death,
so that he would be above all others.

19 God himself was pleased to live fully in his Son.
20 And God was pleased for him to make peace
by sacrificing his blood on the cross,
so that all beings in heaven and on earth
would be brought back to God.

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Luke 23

33 When the soldiers came to the place called “The Skull,” they nailed Jesus to a cross. They also nailed the two criminals to crosses, one on each side of Jesus.
34-35 Jesus said, “Father, forgive these people! They don’t know what they’re doing.”
While the crowd stood there watching Jesus, the soldiers gambled for his clothes. The leaders insulted him by saying, “He saved others. Now he should save himself, if he really is God’s chosen Messiah!”
36 The soldiers made fun of Jesus and brought him some wine. 37 They said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!”
38 Above him was a sign that said, “This is the King of the Jews.”
39 One of the criminals hanging there also insulted Jesus by saying, “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and save us!”
40 But the other criminal told the first one off, “Don’t you fear God? Aren’t you getting the same punishment as this man? 41 We got what was coming to us, but he didn’t do anything wrong.” 42 Then he said to Jesus, “Remember me when you come into power!”
43 Jesus replied, “I promise that today you will be with me in paradise.”

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