United Church of Gainesville
Sunday, June 16, 2024 – 10 a.m.
“Spirituality, However Known”
Our livestream begins here at 10 a.m.
WELCOME, INTRODUCTION, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS – Rev. Talia Raymond
UCG STORY CORPS – Joanne LaFramenta
PRELUDE – Meditation with Crystal Bowls, offered by Cindy Bergbower
INVOCATION – “As the different streams having their sources in different places all mingle their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee… the wonderful doctrine preached in the [Bhagavad] Gita echoes the same idea, saying: “Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths which in the end lead to me.” – Swami Vivekananda
OPENING SONG – “What a Wonderful World”
TIME WITH CHILDREN AND BIRTHDAYS – “Festival of Colors” written by Surishtha and Kabir Sehgal, illustrated by Vashti Harrison – shared by Meaghan Bonnaghan
SPECIAL MUSIC AND OFFERING – Meditation with Crystal Bowls, offered by Cindy Bergbower
Your gifts support all facets of the UCG community. You can also give online: bit.ly/ucgplate.
WORK TOUR BLESSING – Lindsey Telg, moderator
One: Today, we gather as neighbors to send you out to meet other neighbors. We celebrate that we are connected to each other across different places and pray that those bonds will grow stronger through this work tour experience.
Congregation: We rejoice that you will meet new neighbors and will work together with them to embody God’s love in that community. We commit to receive you and to be open to new ideas ourselves when you return, empowered for long term involvement here and to work toward a just world for all.
One: A story is told of two disciples who walked the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They did not notice the length of the journey because they were talking and discussing the events of the past days – seeing Jesus suffer and watching the community struggle. You will be asked to be attentive to the sacred places where you will meet the Spirit in the stranger and in the complexities of the world’s beauty and its struggles.
Congregation: May you, like the early followers, barely notice the long journey, as you seek to learn and to help.
One: We charge you to be active listeners and compassionate participants when a stranger joins you on the road.
Team: We go to walk with our spiritual siblings who God calls friends – And in the journey to find ourselves friended.
Congregation: Go with our love, support and prayers. Go with our blessings. Go with our willingness to receive you when you return and with the willingness to change ourselves with the new ideas, inspirations, and insights you will share.
Team: We accept your love, support, and prayers. We accept the responsibility to be open to new ideas, inspirations, and insights during this journey. We accept the possibility of spiritual transformation of ourselves and others.
One: May you be granted traveling mercies and may God watch between us while we are absent, one from the other. Amen
ALL: AMEN!
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE – Rev. Talia Raymond
MUSIC FOR MEDITATION – Meditation with Crystal Bowls, offered by Cindy Bergbower
SACRED READING – Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4, Verse: 7-8, offered by Pradeep Kumar
यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत ।
अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम् ॥४-७॥
परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम् ।
धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे ॥४-८॥
Whenever there is decay of righteousness, O Bharata,
And there is exaltation of unrighteousness, then I Myself come forth;
For the protection of the good, for the destruction of evil-doers,
For the sake of firmly establishing righteousness, I am born from age to age.
SERMON – “Truth, Duty and Divinity: Meditations on My Hindu Roots and Finding a Spiritual Second Home at UCG” – offered by Pradeep Kumar
CLOSING SONG – “Coming Home”
BENEDICTION – Rev. Talia Raymond
ALLELULIA
POSTLUDE
Many thanks to our guest speaker, UCG member, Pradeep Kumar.
Renata Serra
Bill Williams
6/19:
Luca Schwartz
Blanche Stokely
6/20:
Ellen Ribe
6/22:
Linda Galloway
Avery Hill
Anne Taylor
10:00 a.m. Worship Service – Sanctuary
10:15 a.m. Activity Time – children’s wing
11:00 a.m. Fellowship and Beverages – courtyard
Ask the Leadership – courtyard
11:15 a.m. Story Corps – library
11:30 a.m. UCG Summer Book Tasting – Reimer Hall
Summer Book Tasting at 11:30 a.m. in Reimer Hall. Join Meaghan Bonnaghan for a Summer Book Tasting. Participants will get to view and chat about some diverse and inspiring new titles from the Alachua County Library District’s collection in a lively movement and conversation-oriented exercise. Whether your tastes are cookbooks, mysteries, poetry, or something else, there will be some favorites and some new treats to get you started on your summer reading journey.
Story Corps – Tell YOUR UCG Story! This summer’s UCG activity inspired by NPR’s Story Corp is here and you can be a part of it. We will be recording stories of your seminal experiences in the library after the service. See the sign-up sheet and sample questions at the Story Cycle in the courtyard. Additional storytelling dates are June 30, July 14, and July 21.
Ask the Leadership – Look for the “Ask the Leadership” table in the courtyard. The Moderator and other church leaders will take turns at the table each Sunday to answer questions and provide updates on UCG activities. You’re welcome to stop by, grab a seat, and get an update on church happenings. Documents (such as materials from last week’s Leadership Summit, a copy of Shanna Swiers’ letter to the congregation, or the Spring Congregational meeting minutes) will be available.
Pastoral Care – Rev. Talia Raymond will be away on Work Tour this week from June 16-23. Please call the office if you need assistance and Rev. Ellen Ribe will be in contact with you to offer any needed support and care.
Where’s My Stuff? – Seminar A improvements have continued! Shelves have been filled with Board and Committee materials. Please come by and affirm that the things that are in your cubby are yours. Also, there is a “mystery table” filled with items and boxes that were unmarked. Please look through these and if you find something that’s yours, label it and relocate it to your designated spot. Unclaimed items will be donated to charity on Tuesday, June 25. Next up: the banner-hanging apparatus will be moved from Seminar C to Seminar A.
“Climate” Watch Party – On Thursday, June 20, the UCG Creation Justice Committee is hosting a unique watch party at Heartwood Soundstage. Arrive at 7:30 p.m. to chat, and at 8 p.m. we will tune into a live broadcast from San Francisco of an original composition, “Climate,” that was based on climate change data. Afterwards will be a Q&A with the presenting organization, Climate Music. Join us for a new twist on addressing climate justice.
Pathfinding Listening Session on Wednesday, June 26 from 6-8 p.m. in Reimer Hall. The Pathfinder Subcommittee invites all to join in conversation about exploring the paths ahead of us as a congregation. We hope to share committee progress as well as solicit feedback from attendees. Childcare is available upon request; please email info@ucgainesville.org.
The All-Church Band is planning another performance at the 10 a.m. service on July 7, offering “Stars and Stripes Forever.” Musicians of all skill levels are encouraged to pick up music in the Sanctuary foyer, practice on their own, and join others for a single rehearsal at 9 a.m. on July 7.
Art in the Sanctuary – Please take the time to enjoy the calligraphy art by Joon Thomas hanging in the Sanctuary as we explore “Spirituality However Known” this summer. For more information about their work, see https://worldcalligraphy.com/about/.
Ray Meeks Birthday Offering – This June, Ray will turn 71. He has had quadruple heart bypass surgery. He has degenerative disc disease and uses a walker. And he never stops smiling. The only worry he had when he left Death Row was that people at UCG might forget about him, since his case was no longer quite so notable. So, let him know that we remember him on his birthday, June 28. We’ll be accepting money for him at UCG throughout June. Make a contribution to UCG and designate it for Ray Meeks. You may leave a note for him at the office or send him a card at PO Box 23608, Tampa, FL 33623. Please include his number next to his name, 046346.
Summer of Congregational Renewal – The Congregation-Ministry Review Board and the Renewal Subcommittee have spent the past several months preparing for the sabbatical of Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan. They have put together a series of speakers and events. Schedules are available here.
Puzzler Exchange
10:00 a.m. Worship Service with Lama Losang (Dr. David Bole)
10:15 a.m. Activity Time
11:00 a.m. Fellowship and Beverages
Entr’acte
Ask the Leadership
11:30 a.m. Seminar: Sermon Talk Back with Lama Losang
A Reminder to Gather Water – Wherever you are this summer – in your own backyard or somewhere else, in this or another country – gather a small amount of water to bring to our annual Gathering of Waters service on Sunday, August 11. We will celebrate our summer journeys, however known, and our reunited community. We will combine the gathered waters into one sacred water to use for baptisms and blessing rituals in the coming year.
