If an egg is in your nest, you sit on it and keep it warm. It doesn’t matter whose egg it is.  – Mr. Bird in Flap Your Wings

WELCOME – Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan

PRELUDE – Mark Burlingame, piano

INVOCATION – offered by Rev. Talia Raymond

Lord of wondrous patience,
the earth has risen again,
emerging
from a darkness
in a way it has never quite been before;
whirling
to a fresh time,
an unused space;

alive
with trembling possibilities,
and I with it!
Such staggering grace!
Please,
Nurture me in newness;
Set me free from the
tyrannies of habit
and complaining
and blaming;
Shake from me the dusty melancholy
Of too much success and comfort,
Pride and pretense,

That, as if on the first day of creation,
I may begin to see
The miracle of life and humanity;
To hear,
The hum of grace
Unfolding to meet all my needs,
Unexpectedly and surprisingly,
And urging me to go on in faith
To whatever is next in love.                  – From Ted Loder, in Guerrillas of Grace

OPENING SONG – “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.

TIME WITH CHILDREN – “Flap Your Wings” by P.D. Eastman
BIRTHDAYS
INTERLUDE 

READING – “The Goose” Muriel Spark – Offered by Rev. Talia Raymond

Do you want to know why I am alive today?
I will tell you.
Early on, during the food-shortage,
Some of us were miraculously presented
Each with a goose that laid a golden egg.
Myself, I killed the cackling thing and I ate it.
Alas, many and many of the other recipients
Died of gold-dust poisoning.

SPECIAL MUSIC –  “Learning to Fly” Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne – Offered by Alan Hill, bass; Art Crummer, dobro; and Andy Bachmann, 12-string guitar                   

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SCRIPTURE – Matthew 25: 31-40 – Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”

SERMON – “Learning to Fly” – Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan

SPECIAL MUSIC – “I’ll Fly Away” Traditional – Mary Caraher, Sue Hartman and Susan Kirkland

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND PRAYERS – Rev. Andy Bachmann          

CLOSING HYMN – “Hammer Song”  

If I had a hammer, I’d hammer in the morning
I’d hammer in the evening, all over this land.
I’d hammer out danger, I’d hammer out warning,
I’d hammer out love between my brothers and
my sisters, all over this land.

If I had a bell, I’d ring it in the morning,
I’d ring it in the evening, all over this land.
I’d ring out danger, I’d ring out warning
I’d ring out love between my brothers and
my sisters, all over this land.

If I had a song, I’d sing it in the morning,
I’d sing it in the evening, all over this land.
I’d sing out danger, I’d sing out warning,
I’d sing out love between my brothers and
my sisters, all over this land.

Well, I got a hammer and I got a bell,
And I got a song to sing all over this land.
It’s the hammer of justice, It’s the bell of freedom,
It’s the song about love between my brothers and
my sisters, all over this land.

BENEDICTION

ALLELUIA                                        

POSTLUDE

Happy Birthday!

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