April 28, 2024
Sunday Gathering
. . . . . . . . . .
-PRELUDE-
”Joyful, Joyful” – arr. P. Keveren
Brenda Gardiner
-ACKNOWLEDGEMENT-
We acknowledge that the place where we are gathered today is the ancient and ancestral homeland of more than twenty Indigenous tribes. We mourn the loss of their lives, livelihoods, homes, and cultures, and acknowledge the legacy of violence against them.
We acknowledge that the space where we worship today was established and built by those whose Black ancestors were also abused and mistreated - some even bought and sold as enslaved people right here in our city.
We acknowledge the women who’ve faced unfair treatment and misogyny throughout the ages and we acknowledge those who identify as LGBTQ or other who’ve been mistreated and misunderstood.
We acknowledge our role and responsibility as professed followers of Christ to stand for and alongside all of these and others who have been and continue to be oppressed.
-SINGING TOGETHER-
"For All the Children”
GOD, WE GATHER AS YOUR PEOPLE
TO RAISE OUR SONG ABOVE,
AND WE DARE TO CLAIM THE PROMISE OF YOUR LOVE,
THOUGH THE DAY MAY NOT YET BE HERE
WE TRUST IT SOON WILL BE,
WHEN YOUR CHILDREN WILL BE FREE.
O, MAY OUR HEARTS AND MINDS BE OPENED,
FLING THE CHURCH DOORS OPEN WIDE.
MAY THERE BE ROOM ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE INSIDE.
FOR IN GOD THERE IS A WELCOME,
IN GOD WE ALL BELONG.
MAY THAT WELCOME BE OUR SONG.
-WELCOME-
-GREETING EACH OTHER-
-SINGING TOGETHER-
"For All the Children”
O, MAY OUR HEARTS AND MINDS BE OPENED,
FLING THE CHURCH DOORS OPEN WIDE.
MAY THERE BE ROOM ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE INSIDE.
FOR IN GOD THERE IS A WELCOME,
IN GOD WE ALL BELONG.
MAY THAT WELCOME BE OUR SONG.
-CALL TO WORSHIP-
The vine emerges from the earth;
NOURISHED AND NOURISHING.
Rises without visible connection;
roots hidden, promise unknown.
STRONG TO WITHSTAND STORMS,
FRAGILE WHEN PLUCKED TOO SOON.
So it is that we grow…
NOURISHED BY INVISIBLE CONNECTIONS
TO THE LIVING GOD,
CALLED TO NOURISH THAT WHICH IS SEEN
AND THAT WHICH IS YET BURIED WITHIN.
(*Written by Katherine Hawker for the Evangelical United Church of Christ.)
-OPENING PRAYER-
-SINGING TOGETHER-
“Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You”
JOYFUL, JOYFUL, WE ADORE YOU,
GOD OF GLORY, GOD OF LOVE;
HEARTS UNFOLD LIKE FLOWERS BEFORE YOU,
OPENING TO THE SUN ABOVE.
MELT THE CLOUDS OF SIN AND SADNESS,
DRIVE THE STORMS OF DOUBT AWAY;
GIVER OF IMMORTAL GLADNESS,
FILL US WITH THE LIGHT OF DAY.
ALL YOUR WORKS WITH JOY SURROUND YOU,
EARTH AND HEAVEN REFLECT YOUR RAYS,
STARS AND ANGELS SING AROUND YOU,
CENTER OF UNBROKEN PRAISE.
FIELD AND FOREST, VALE AND MOUNTAIN,
FLOWERY MEADOW, FLASHING SEA,
CHANTING BIRD AND FLOWING FOUNTAIN,
TEACH US WHAT OUR PRAISE SHOULD BE.
YOU ARE GIVING AND FORGIVING,
EVER BLESSING, EVER BLESSED,
WELLSPRING OF THE JOY OF LIVING,
OCEAN DEPTH OF HAPPY REST!
LOVING SPIRIT, LOVING PARENT,
ALL WHO LOVE BELONG TO YOU;
TEACH US HOW TO LOVE EACH OTHER,
BY THAT LOVE OUR JOY RENEW.
MORTALS, JOIN THE MIGHTY CHORUS
WHICH THE MORNING STARS BEGAN;
BOUNDLESS LOVE IS REIGNING O’ER US,
RECONCILING RACE AND CLAN.
EVER SINGING, MOVE WE FORWARD,
FAITHFUL IN THE MIDST OF STRIFE,
JOYFUL MUSIC LEADS US ONWARD
IN THE TRIUMPH SONG OF LIFE.
-SCRIPTURE-
John 15: 1-5 (The Message)
I am the Real Vine and [God]is the Farmer. [The Farmer] cuts off every branch of me that doesn’t bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more. You are already pruned back by the message I have spoken. “Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you.”
In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me.
“I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the [relationship is intimate] and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing.
-THE MESSAGE-
Pam Lee-Miller
-SINGING TOGETHER-
"The Open Table"
COME, OH COME, COME TO THE TABLE.
GATHER ‘ROUND, COME WITHOUT FEAR.
KNOWN BY NAME HERE AT THE TABLE, THIS TABLE;
WELCOME HERE, TO THE TABLE OF LOVE.
CIRCLE ‘ROUND, LET’S JOIN TOGETHER.
SHARE YOUR JOYS, AND BRING YOUR TEARS.
STRENGTH AND HOPE FOUND AT THE TABLE, THIS TABLE;
WELCOME HERE, TO THE TABLE OF LOVE.
GOD IS LOVE; LOVE IS CREATING
SOMETHING NEW, RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW.
WE’RE CHILDREN OF GOD, HERE AT THE TABLE, THIS TABLE;
WELCOME HERE, TO THE TABLE OF LOVE.
-SHARING AROUND THE TABLE-
-COMMUNION-
“Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone”) – arr. M. Hayes
-OFFERING-
“Thy Word” – arr. M. Hayes
-IN GRATITUDE-
-ANNOUNCEMENTS-
-INVITATION TO RESPOND-
-SINGING TOGETHER-
“Rooted and Grounded in Love”
A BLESSED LIGHT, A LOVE SO WIDE,
THAT SHINES SO DARKNESS CAN’T RESIDE;
A BAFFLING LOVE WE BARELY GRASP,
A MYSTERY REVEALED.
GOD’S GIVE TO US, A PROMISE BOLD;
THE SPIRIT’S WORD, A POW’R UNTOLD.
GOD’S SEED OF FAITH LIVES IN OUR HEARTS
AS WE’RE ROOTED AND GROUNDED,
ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN LOVE.
THE RICHNESS OF GOD’S LOVE DISPLAYED,
GOD’S WISDOM SET IN FULL ARRAY,
THE TAPROOT OF STRENGTH TO SERVE
EXCEEDS THE DREAMS WE HAVE.
WITH VERVE AND LIFE WE GROW BEYOND,
THIS FERTILE SOIL IN US HAS SPAWNED
A VITAL SENSE OF WHAT CAN BE
WHEN WE'RE ROOTED AND GROUNDED,
ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN LOVE.
TO US IS GIVEN AN INNER STRENGTH.
GOD’S LOVE: ITS HEIGHT AND DEPTH AND LENGTH;
THE SOURCE OF OUR SERENITY
IS BEDROCK ‘NEATH OUR LIVES.
A SOIL WHERE DEEPLY WE REMAIN,
THIS RICH, WARM EARTH OUR LIFE SUSTAINS.
WE RISE, WE GROW, GOD’S VINTAGE ALL,
EVER ROOTED AND GROUNDED,
ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN LOVE.
-BLESSING & BENEDICTION-
-SINGING TOGETHER-
“Rooted and Grounded in Love”
A BLESSED LIGHT, A LOVE SO WIDE,
THAT SHINES SO DARKNESS CAN’T RESIDE;
A BAFFLING LOVE WE BARELY GRASP,
A MYSTERY REVEALED.
GOD’S GIVE TO US, A PROMISE BOLD;
THE SPIRIT’S WORD, A POW’R UNTOLD.
GOD’S SEED OF FAITH LIVES IN OUR HEARTS AS WE’RE
ROOTED AND GROUNDED,
ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN LOVE.
. . . . . . . . . .
-THE TEAM-
ACCOMPANIST: Brenda Gardiner, Timmy Smallwood
BUILDING CARE: Kathy Lyons, Margaret McGladrey, Jessica Stamm, Barry Thompson
BUILDING MAINTENANCE: Seth Tuska
NURSERY: Linda Netherton
PHOTOGRAPHY: Cynthia Buckner
PROPERTY CARE: West Gillium, Lee Hamilton, Morgan Hamilton, Lorie Yaste
SERVICE PREPARATION: Travis Hines, Keith Reid, Barry Thompson
SONG LEADER: Chris Prichard, Margaret McGladrey
TECH: Nancy Alspach, Mason Bishop, Dale Hamilton, Timmy Smallwood
APRIL BULLETINS