United Church of Gainesville
Sunday, July 30, 2023 – 10 a.m.
Camp UCG Sunday

Our live stream begins at 10:00 a.m. Click here to join

“All God’s Critters Got a Place in the Choir”

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS – Rev. Talia Raymond

AN INVITATION FROM OUR BOARDS AND COMMITTEES:

Board of Human Resources, Stephen Pennypacker
Board of Children, Youth, and Families, Kathryn Rabb
Seminar Committee, Sue Hatch
Board of Membership, Jennifer Pritchett and Friends

GATHERING SONG AND PROCESSION– “All Things Bright and Beautiful,” #31 in the UCC Hymnal

CALL TO WORSHIP – Julia Crawford

One: We are amazed by the creation of the world and all the living creatures in the earth, sky, and sea.

ALL: We are thankful, O God.

One: For the gentle eyes of the deer, the friendship of dogs, the purr of cats, the strength of bears, the beauty of a hippo, the humor of chimps, the intelligence of gorillas, the grace of dolphins, and the magnificence of whales. Help us to keep them safe.

ALL: We are thankful, O God.

One: For the bond between all living creatures created by the same author, and for the memory of our kinship to the animal world kindled each time a rainbow appears,

ALL: We are thankful, O God.

One: Keep us mindful of the vision of the peaceable kin-dom in which all living creatures dwell in harmony.

ALL: This we pray, O God.

One: Give us eyes to see our responsibilities, not just to the human community, but the community of all living creatures. Let us be mindful of the rabbinic instruction that “The way a person treats an animal is an index to their soul.”

ALL: Help us to see, O God.

One: We pray this, O God. Help us be kind and gentle with all of creation, that we may help the sun shine on all of your creation with peace and love. Amen.

CAMP SONG SING-A-LONG – lead by CAMP UCG Staff
“What Makes a Hippopotamus Smile?”
     “The Bog Song”
     “Paula the Koala”
     “All God’s Critters” #3, UCG Songbook (lyrics below)

Chorus:
All God’s critters got a place in the choir
Some sing low, some sing higher
Some sing out loud on the telephone wire
And some just clap their hands, or paws
Or anything they got.

Listen to the bass, it’s the one on the bottom
Where the bullfrog croaks and the hippopotamus
Moans and groans with a big to-do
The old cow just goes MOOOOO

The dog and the cat pick up the middle
While the honey bee hums and the cricket fiddles
The donkey brays and the pony neighs
And the old coyote howls.

All God’s critters got a place in the choir
Some sing low, some sing higher
Some sing out loud on the telephone wire
And some just clap their hands, or paws
Or anything they got.

Listen to the top where the little birds sing
On the melody with the high note ringing
The hoot owl hollers over everything
And the jaybird disagrees.

Singin’ in the night-time, singin’ in the day
Little duck quacks, and he’s on his way
The possum ain’t got much to say
And the porcupine talks to himself.

All God’s critters got a place in the choir
Some sing low, some sing higher
Some sing out loud on the telephone wire
And some just clap their hands, or paws
Or anything they got.

It’s a simple song of livin’ sung everywhere
By the ox and the fox and the grizzly bear
Grumpy alligator and the hawks above
Sly raccoon and the turtle dove.

TIME WITH CHILDREN & BIRTHDAYS – “Old Turtle” by Douglas Wood with illustrations by Cheng-Khee Chee – Rev. Talia Raymond & the CAMP UCG Kids

CAMP Slideshow

INTERLUDE

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE – Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan

PRAYER RESPONSE AND OFFERING – “O Great Spirit,” #49 in the UCG Songbook

O Great Spirit, Earth and sky and sea.
You are inside, And all around me.

Your gifts support all facets of the UCG community. You can also give online: bit.ly/ucgplate.

READING/SCRIPTURE: Selections from Psalm 104

MEDITATION: “The Work of Children” – Rev. Talia Raymond

CLOSING HYMN – “What a Wonderful World,” #83 in the UCG Songbook

I see trees of green, red roses too,
I see them bloom for me and you,
and I think to myself, what a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue and clouds of white,
the bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
and I think to myself, what a wonderful world.

The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky,
are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shaking hands,
Sayin’ “How do you do!”
They’re really sayin’ “I love you.”

I hear babies cry, I watch them grow
They’ll learn much more than I’ll never know
and I think to myself, what a wonderful world.

Yes, I think to myself, what a wonderful world.

BENEDICTION

ALLELUIA

A huge, hippopotamus-sized thank you to all who made “Critter Camp” at CAMP UCG possible through donations, support, and care! A special ca-cawphony of thanks to our camp staff and volunteers:

Alena Baxter
Rhonda Baxter
Leif Bittikoffer
Justin Blake
John Bollinger
Suzanne Byrne
Julanie Gordon
Callie Hammond
Fiona Hammond
Betsy Harris
Elise Lee
Mira Lemstrom
Angel McGee
Kathryn Rabb
Lucy Stein
Sofi White
Julia Crawford, Director of Children’s Ministries