WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS – Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan

PRELUDE – “Precious Lord, Take My Hand” – Nan Ryan

CALL TO WORSHIP – Rev. Talia Raymond

One:  Come, you who are tired, you who are hungry.

All:    Come and find rest for your soul and a feast of blessing. 

One:  Come, you who long for freedom and a reason to celebrate.

All:   Come into community: where the seeds of justice are planted,  
         stories of joy are told, and love abounds. 

One:  Come, friends, into this place, into this holy moment: we are all welcome
here. Amen.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

*OPENING SONG – “Lift Every Voice and Sing”

TIME WITH CHILDREN AND BIRTHDAYS – “Opal Lee and What it Means to Be Free” by Alice Faye Duncan, read by Jenna White

INTERLUDE

READING – Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan

None of us are free until we’re all free, and we aren’t free yet.
– Opal Lee, the “Grandmother of Juneteenth”

MOMENT FOR MINISTRY- Celebrating Juneteenth and Committing to Racial Justice – Jenna White and Jessica Elkins

SUNG RESPONSE AND OFFERING – “The Rose”

Some say love, it is a river
that drowns the tender reed.
Some say love, it is a razor
that leaves the heart to bleed.
Some say love, it is a hunger,
an endless aching need;
I say love, it is a flower;
and you, its only seed.

It’s the heart, afraid of breaking
that never learns to dance.
It’s the dream, afraid of waking
that never takes the chance.
It’s the one who won’t be taken
who cannot seem to give;
And the soul, afraid of dying
that never learns to live.

When the night has been too lonely
and the road has been too long,
And you think that love is only
for the lucky and the strong,
Just remember, in the winter
far beneath the bitter snows,
Lies the seed that with the sun’s love,
in the spring, becomes the Rose.

READING– Deuteronomy 15:7-8 – Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan             

If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of your towns within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted towards your needy neighbor. You should rather open your hand, willingly lending enough to meet the need, whatever it may be.

READING – from a letter to President Biden shared by the Children’s Defense Fund. Offered by Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan

“More than 38 million Americans, including 11.7 million children live in households that struggle to put food on the table. Food insecurity negatively impacts health, educational access, workforce readiness and business productivity. In addition, the COVID pandemic has affected food security in all corners of America, while also widening the disparities in food insecurity among individuals who are Black, Indigenous, Latino and other people of color. Food insecurity in America is a political choice and there is an opportunity to take transformative action.” It’s time to seize the moment again, including putting permanent universal school meals on the 2022 agenda. Research confirms access to universal school meals boosts attendance, improves academic and health outcomes, and reduces behavior-related suspensions. Nearly 60 percent of children just above the cutoff for free meals are children of color, leaving them most at risk of losing out on the healthy food they need to succeed inside and outside of the classroom. Decades after that visit to hungry Black children in Mississippi, institutional racism still disproportionately denies children of color—and their families—access to healthy food at home and in their communities. Universal school meals and other tools to fight hunger are an essential step for advancing racial equity right now.”

MOMENT FOR MINISTRY – Reisa George and Food4Kids – Barb Gibbs and Lynda Everitt

SUNG RESPONSE – “They’ll Know We’re God’s People by Our Love” – verses 1 and 2  

We are one in the spirit, we are one in the Lord (2x)
And we pray that all unity will one day be restored,
And they’ll know we’re God’s people by our love, by our love (2x)

We will walk with each other, we will walk side by side (2x)
We will guard each one’s dignity and save each one’s pride
And they’ll know we’re God’s people by our love, by our love (2x)

NEW MEMBER INTRODUCTIONS

•  Something I am seeking at UCG
• A talent or strength that I bring to this church
• One thing I’d like you to know about me

WELCOME OF NEW MEMBERS – UCG MODERATOR Barb Gibbs

READING OF THE COMPACT 

“We join as a spiritual community in this compact:
To worship God, however known,
To welcome into our church those of differing
understanding and theological opinion,
To learn from our religious heritage, yet to
grow by seeking new dimensions of truth.
To follow, even imperfectly, the way of Jesus
in personal involvement with each other,
And, strengthened by this bond, to act in
Christian concern for the welfare of all people.”

PRAYER FOR NEW MEMBERS and a SHARED BLESSING – Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan

SUNG RESPONSE – “They’ll Know We’re God’s People by our Love” verse 3

We will work with each other; we will work side by side (x2)
And we’ll guard each one’s dignity and save each one’s pride.
And they’ll know we’re God’s people by our love, by our love (2x)

SHARING IN HOLY COMMUNION

verse 4

All praise the Creator, from whom all things come,
And all praise to Christ Jesus who guides us on,
And all praise to the Spirit, who makes us one.
And they’ll know we’re God’s people by our love, by our love (2x)

BENEDICTION

ALLELUIA

Today at UCG

 9:45am         Childcare
10:00am         Worship – New Members, Juneteenth, Food 4 Kids
10:15am         Extended Activity Time for Children
11:00am         Reception

Summer office hours are 9am – 4pm, Monday through Friday. 

Birthday Collection for Ray Meeks – This is Ray Meeks’ sixth birthday since being released from death row. Every year we receive contributions for Ray at Christmas and for his birthday in June. All financial contributions go through UCG, there are envelopes in the Foyer, or you can give here. Please include your name and address since Ray likes to write thank you notes. The new address to write to Ray is: Douglas Raymond Meeks #046346, P.O.Box 23608 – Tampa, Fl  33623 Thanks for your continued care and prayers for Ray over the years.

Journey to Juneteenth – The Racial Justice Committee invites you to celebrate the “Journey to Juneteenth” all month long with special events, Click here for full calendar of events. Wear your UCG Black Lives Matter shirts, and we’ll see you there!

Come Show Your Pride at the Rainbow Prom!

Grushers Needed! We need Grusher volunteers (greeter/ushers) on Sundays in June and July. No experience necessary. Come 15 minutes early and be a welcoming presence for our friends and families returning to UCG. Please email hannah.norton@gmail.com for more information or visit https://bit.ly/grusher to sign up now!

C.A.M.P. UCG – For children entering Rising K-6th Grade will be July 25-29, 2022!  Our theme is “All God’s Critters” including special guests, water slide day, yummy snacks, spiritual exploration, and a visit from the zoo! Rates: $30 per child (8:30-12:00pm), $50 family cap for children in the same household; Aftercare Rate: from 12:00-5:00pm: $100 for the week, $20 per day. Email taliar@ucgainesville.org with any questions, or to volunteer with: crafts, STEM lessons, snacks, outdoor games, or if you have a connection to a community group who can teach our children about “critters”, however known. Monetary donations or gift cards to grocery/big box stores are also welcome. Register here.

Gathering Water – Wherever you are this summer- in your own yard, at the beach, in another state or country– remember to gather a small amount of water to bring to our annual “Gathering of Waters” service on August 28. This service is our ritual of re-gathering as a church community at the end of the summer.

 Next Sunday, June 26th
Work Tour Service

 9:45am         Childcare
10:00am         Worship – Talia Raymond
10:15am         Extended Activity Time for Children
Puzzlers Table
11:00am         Fellowship & Beverages

June 17 COVID Update

UCG continues to fall in our Orange zone of danger. The number of new cases of Covid continues to rise slowly in Alachua County to 340.8 per hundred thousand (was 326). The surrounding counties are now also in the Orange zone. Most cases have been mild but elders and those with altered immunity should be particularly careful. Hospitalizations for Covid occupy 4.4% of available beds in the county. Masking is required in our Sanctuary and we strongly recommend it in our indoor gathering places.

Alan Keith
Danielle Nelson
Allan March

UCG is following Endemic Response Guidelines which are based on the risk for serious disease and not the risk for transmission.  We are currently in the orange zone and masking will be required in the Sanctuary. There is a section of the Sanctuary with fewer chairs if you need more space for social distancing. Please note that UCG will continue broadcasting one Sunday worship service on YouTube.