27 March 2025 – Chapel – Drew Theo Chapel

Gathering Music

“Torumbidza zita renyu (We praise your name)”

AfriSCaD Choir

Verse 1: Tonamata zita renyu, totenda kunaka kwenyu Jesu.
Chorus: Totenda kunaka x3 kwenyu Jesu.
Verse 2: Torumbidza zita renyu totenda Kunaka kwenyu Jesu
Chorus: Totenda kunaka x3 kwenyu Jesu.

Ndiye woga, ndiye, ndiye, ndiye wakarurama.
Verse 1: Simudza mawoko ako urumbidze Mwari nokuti ndiye woga wakarurama.
Ndiye woga, ndiye, ndiye, ndiye wakarurama.

Verse 2: Pupura nemuromo wako urumbidze Mwari nokuti ndiye woga wakarurama.
Ndiye woga, ndiye, ndiye, ndiye wakarurama.

Call to Worship

Benin Shekawongo

Leader: When we lose our way,
All: God calls us back with open arms.
Leader: When we feel unworthy of love,
All: God reminds us we are always welcome.
Leader: God’s grace knows no limits,
All: Reaching beyond our failures and fears.
Leader: With joy, God runs to meet us,
All: Embracing us in mercy and love.
Leader: Let us worship the One who never gives up on us,
All: And celebrate the boundless grace of God. Amen.

Opening Song

“Name Above All Names”

AfriSCaD Choir

All: Iye le le leh eh eh
Lead:
There’s power in the name
There’s Healing in the name
Deliverance in the name
I see breakthrough in the name
Mountains moving in the name
Chains are breaking in the name
Doors are opening in the name
Miracles happening in the name

All: The name above all names
Lead & All: JESUS is the name
The name above all names 4x
Iye le le leh eh eh

Lead:
Signs and Wonders in the name
Demons bow in the name
The name is a strong tower
I am saved in the name
My enemies scatter in the name
I got victory in the name
I am free in the name
I’m free to worship in the name

All: The name above all names

Lead & All: JESUS is the name
The name above all names 4x
Iye le le leh eh eh

Opening Prayer

Asa Agooti

Scripture Reading

(Read in African Languages and English): Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

in Akan (Luke 15:1-3)

Dorcas Ewoodzie

1 Na atowgyefo nye ndzebɔnyɛfo nyina twee piinii dɛ woribetsie no. 2 Na Farisifo nye mbrakyerɛfo no so hwinhwiim dɛ, “Dɛm nyimpa yi gye ndzebɔnyɛfo, na ɔnye hɔn dzidzi.”
3 Dɛm ntsi Jesus buu hɔn bɛ yi dɛ,

in Wollof (Luke 15:11-21)

Francis Osuji

15:11 Yeesu dellu ne leen: «Dafa amoon góor gu am ñaari doom.
15:12 Benne bés chaat bi ne baay ba: “Baay, damaa bëggoon, nga jox ma li may war a féetewoo ci ndono li.” Noonu baay bi daldi leen séddale alelam.
15:13 Ayy fann yu néew passe, caat mi fab yëfam yépp, dem ca réew mu sore, yàqqa fa alalam bi yep nafsoom.
15:14 Bi mu sànkee alalam jépp, hiif bu metti dal ca réew ma, mu tàmbalee ñàkk.
15:15 Mu dem nag, di liggéeyal ku dëkka ca réew ma, kooku yobu ko ca toolam ngir mu sàmma mbaam-xuux ya.
15:16 Mu xiif ba bëgg a lekk ca ñamu mbaam-xuux ya, ndax kenn mayyu ko dara.
15:17 yye xelam dellusi, mu ne: “Suma baaye amm na ayy Jamma yu bare, te dañuy lekka ba suur. Man nag maa ngi fii di bëgg a deeh ak xiif!
15:18 Dama jóg, dem ca sama baay ne ko: ‘Baay, tooñ naa Yàlla, tooñ naa la;
15:19 yeyootumaa nekk sa doom; boole ma ci sa jamm yii.’ ”
15:20 «Mu daldi jóg, jëm kër baayam. Waaye bi muy soree kërr ga, baayam séen ko, yërëm ko, daldi daw, laxasu ko, fóon ko.
15:21 Doom ja ne ko: “Baay, tooñ naa Yàlla, tooñ naa la; yeyootumaa nekk sa doom.”

in Swahili (Luke 15:21-32)

Esther Somp

Yule mtoto akasema, ‘Baba, nimekosa mbele ya Mungu na mbele yako. Sistahili kuitwa mwanao tena.’ 22 Lakini baba yake aka waambia watumishi, ‘Leteni upesi kanzu iliyo bora mumvalishe. Pia mvalisheni pete na viatu. 23 Kisha mleteni yule ndama aliyenona mkamchinje; ili tule tusherehekee. 24 Kwa maana huyu mwanangu alikuwa amekufa, na sasa yu hai tena; alikuwa amepotea na sasa amepatikana.’ Basi wakaanza sherehe.

25 “Wakati huo kaka yake alikuwa shambani. Alipokuwa ana karibia nyumbani akasikia sauti ya nyimbo na ngoma. 26 Akamwita mmoja wa watumishi akamwuliza, ‘Kuna nini?’ 27 Akamwambia, ‘Mdogo wako amekuja, na baba yako amemchinja yule ndama aliyenona kwa sababu amempata mwanawe akiwa mzima.’ 28 Yule kaka akakasi rika, akakataa kuingia ndani. Basi baba yake akaenda nje akaanza kumbembeleza. 29 Lakini yeye akamjibu baba yake, ‘Angalia, miaka yote hii nimekutumikia na hata siku moja sijaacha kutii amri zako, lakini hujanipa hata mwana mbuzi ili nisherehekee na mara fiki zangu. 30 1Lakini huyu mwanao ambaye ametapanya mali yako kwa makahaba amerudi nyumbani nawe umemchinjia ndama aliyenona!’

31 “Baba yake akamwambia, ‘Mwanangu, umekuwa nami siku zote na vyote nilivyo navyo ni vyako. 32 Lakini ilitubidi tufurahi na kusherehekea kwa sababu mdogo wako alikuwa amekufa na sasa yu hai tena, alikuwa amepotea naye amepatikana.”’ Mfano Wa Meneja Mjanja

in English (Luke 15:1-3, 11-32)

Jey Sanyangore

Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3 So he told them this parable:
11 Then Jesus[a] said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the wealth that will belong to me.’ So he divided his assets between them. 13 A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant region, and there he squandered his wealth in dissolute living. 14 When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that region, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that region, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16 He would gladly have filled his stomach[b] with the pods that the pigs were eating, and no one gave him anything. 17 But when he came to his senses he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.” ’ 20 So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 21 Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’[c] 22 But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate, 24 for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.
25 “Now his elder son was in the field, and as he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. 27 He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf because he has got him back safe and sound.’ 28 Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command, yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ 31 Then the father[d] said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’ ”

Anthem

“Excess Love” by Mercy Chinwo

AfriSCaD Choir

Lead:
Your love is kind
Your love is patient
You fill my heart
With so much peace and joy
You’re amazing
You make my life feel brand new
You’re amazing
You make my life feel brand new
Chorus:
Jesus you love me too much o
Too much o too much o excess Love o (x4)
Lead: Your love
All: Your love is kind
Your love is patient
you fill my heart heart
With so much peace and joy
You’re amazing
You make my life feel brand new
All your promises are yea and amen
You’re not a man you never lie
Chorus:
Jesus you love me too much o
Too much o too much o excess love o (x4)
Lead: Thank you for loving me too much o
Thank you for loving me too much o
Thank you for loving me too much o (x3)

Sermon

“The Prodigal Love of God”

Jacqualine Chipongo

Sacrament of Holy Communion

Faith Gitonga
Servers: Monica Mafarachisi, Josephine Tunda

Christ our Lord invites to his table all who love him,
who earnestly repent of their sin and
seek to live in peace with one another.
Therefore, let us confess our sin before God and one another.
Merciful God,
we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart.
We have failed to be an obedient church.
We have not done your will,
we have broken your law,
we have rebelled against your love,
we have not loved our neighbors,
and we have not heard the cry of the needy.
Forgive us, we pray.
Free us for joyful obedience,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Hear the good news: Christ died for us while we were yet sinners;
that proves God’s love toward us.
In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!
In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!
Glory to God. Amen.

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is right, and a good and joyful thing,
always and everywhere to give thanks to you,
Almighty God, creator of heaven and earth.
And so, with your people on earth
and all the company of heaven
we praise your name and join their unending hymn.
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ.
By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection
you gave birth to your church,
delivered us from slavery to sin and death,
and made with us a new covenant
by water and the Spirit.
On the night in which he gave himself up for us,
he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread,
gave it to his disciples and said:
“Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.”
When the supper was over, he took the cup
gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said:
“Drink from this, all of you;
this is my blood of the new covenant,
poured out for you and for many
for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this as often as you drink it,
in remembrance of me.”
And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving
as a holy and living sacrifice,
in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of faith.
Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here,
and on these gifts of bread and wine.
Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ,
that we may be for the world the body of Christ,
redeemed by his blood.
By your Spirit make us one with Christ,
one with each other,
and one in ministry to all the world,
until Christ comes in final victory
and we feast at his heavenly banquet.
Through your Son Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit in your holy church,
all honor and glory is yours, almighty God
now and forever.
Amen.

Sharing the meal

Prayer after Communion
(Adapted from: Kim Eiffert)

Thank you, O Christ, for this feast of life.
We are fed by your love;
we are strengthened by your life.
We are sent forth into this world to live into the visions God has laid on our hearts.
We are now commissioned to:
feed as we have been fed,
forgive as we have been forgiven,
love as we have been loved.
Thanks be to God.
Amen.