WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS – Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan

PRELUDE – Phillip Herr-Klepacki

CALL TO WORSHIP – Rev. Talia Raymond

ONE: God’s love surrounds us. We feel it in community, in families and friends, in children and in grandparents.

MANY: We learn it from our pets: our loving dogs, cats, birds, turtles, bunnies, and guinea pigs.

ONE: We see it in the glory of nature – in the birds, the geese, the ducks, the ibises, the hawks, manatees swimming slowly, horses galloping, tortoises crawling, lizards lurching, porpoises leaping, live oak trees sprawling and bending.

MANY: We hear it in the beauty of nature: the mockingbirds chatting, the cardinals chirping, the waves crashing on the shore, owls hooting in the night, and whip-o-wills singing.

ALL: That love, that beauty, fills us and helps us to know love and teaches us to love one another.

OPENING SONG –To You, O God, All Creatures Sing

TIME WITH CHILDREN AND BIRTHDAYS- “The Runaway Bunny” by Margaret Wise Brown, pictures by Clement Hurd – Rev. Talia Raymond

INTERLUDE

RESPONSIVE READING – Living Psalm 139, as rendered by Tracy Howe

ONE: God of Life, you have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from far away.

MANY: But you did not make me a puppet,
do not control my sitting and rising,
You, in your goodness do not desire my thoughts to be captive.

ONE: You search out my path and my lying down,
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
you know it completely.
You find pleasure in who I am,
In you and in me, there is no disgust,
shame or condemnation in your creation.
You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.

MANY: Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
This intimacy and security is hard to grasp.
Where can I go from your spirit?
Or where can I flee from your presence?

ONE: When I am living my best life, you are there;
When I struggle to find meaning or care, you are there.
If I take the wings of my wildest imagination
and settle at the farthest limits of what love and humanity can be,
even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me fast.

MANY: If I say, “I will lie about who I am, even to myself,
so you cannot find me”
even my deceit cannot deceive you;
You see through all my masks as truth,
for all I am is truth to you.

ALL: Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my thoughts.
Show me what it is to affirm life and justice in the world,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE – Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan

RESPONSE – “Ubi Caritas”

READING – “A Tethered Falcon” by Hafiz (1310-1390) – Daniel Webster

SPECIAL MUSIC AND OFFERING – “Like a Bird on the Wire” by Leonard Cohen Art Crummer, guitar and vocal; Ellen Ribe, bass 

During the special music, we welcome your offerings as the Grushers pass the plates. Your gifts support all facets of the life of the UCG community. You can also give online at https://bit.ly/ucgplate.

READINGS FROM SCRIPTURE – Job 12:7-8 and John 10:1-5 – Hannah Norton

SERMON – “Listen to the Animals” – Rev. Ellen Ribe

HYMN – “The Lone Wild Bird” 

The lone, wild bird in lofty flight
Is still with thee, nor leaves they sight.
And I am thine! I rest in thee.
Great Spirit, come, and rest in me.

The ends of the earth are in thy hand,
The sea’s dark deep and far-off land.
And I am thine!  I rest in thee.
Great Spirit, come and rest in me.

BENEDICTION

ALLELUIA

Happy Birthday!