United Church of Gainesville
Sunday, June 15, 2025 – 10 a.m.
Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper
Blessings upon all our fathers today; we extend our gratitude to you!
Our livestream begins here at 10 a.m.
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS – Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper
PRELUDE – Phillip Herr-Klepacki
OPENING CALL AND RESPONSE – Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper
ONE: Day by day, dear One I pray
MANY: To see thee more clearly
ONE: To love thee more deeply
MANY: Follow thee more nearly
ALL: Day by day.
UNISON PRAYER:
So, help us to measure our days that we grow in wisdom.
Devote us to what is good and true and beautiful.
Help us ignore what is bad and false and ugly.
Habituate us to wellness.
Turn our habits towards heaven and away from hell.
In the name of Whomever, Amen.
OPENING SONG – “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” #38 UCG songbook
Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it Jesus if you please,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
I am weak, but Thou art strong
Jesus, keep me from all wrong.
I’ll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk, close to Thee.
Through this world of toils and snares,
If I falter Lord, who cares,
Who with me my burden shares?
Only Thee, dear Lord, only Thee.
When this troubled life is o’er
Time for me will be no more.
Then guide me gently, safely on,
To Thy shore, dear Lord to Thy shore.
(Repeat verse 1)
TIME WITH CHILDREN – Rev. Ellen Ribe
BIRTHDAYS – Rev. Chad McGinnis
INTERLUDE AND OFFERING – Phillip Herr-Klepacki
Your gifts support all facets of the UCG community. You can also give online: bit.ly/ucgplate.
SONG – “Nothing Can Trouble” (Nada te Turbe) #94 UCG songbook
Nada te turbe, nada te espante.
Quien a Dios tiene nada le falta.
Solo Dios basta.
Nothing can trouble, nothing can frighten.
Those who seek God never go wanting.
God alone fills us.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE – Rev. Ellen Ribe
MEDITATIVE MUSIC – offered by David Evans
SCRIPTURE – Select readings from Amos, read by Alexis Dixon
Seek me and live.
Don’t fool around at those shrines of Bethel,
Don’t waste time taking trips to Gilgal,
and don’t bother going down to Beer-sheba.
Gilgal is here today and gone tomorrow
and Bethel is all show, no substance.
So seek God and live! You don’t want to end up
with nothing to show for your life
But a pile of ashes, a house burned to the ground.
For God will send just such a fire,
and the firefighters will show up too late. (Amos 5:4-6)
I can’t stand your religious meetings.
I’m fed up with your conferences and conventions.
I want nothing to do with your religion projects,
your pretentious slogans and goals.
I’m sick of your fund-raising schemes,
your public relations and image making.
I’ve had all I can take of your noisy ego-music.
When was the last time you sang to me?
Do you know what I want?
I want justice—oceans of it.
I want fairness—rivers of it.
That’s what I want. That’s all I want. (Amos 5:21-24)
SPECIAL MUSIC – “Let’s Take a Walk” offered by Mark Burlingame, ngoni, and Nan Ryan, handpan
SCRIPTURE – Matthew 6:5-6 – Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper
“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”
SERMON – “Is Prayer Your Steering Wheel or Your Spare Tire?”
– Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper
CLOSING SONG – In Solitude #521 UCC hymnal
BENEDICTION – Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper
ALLELUIA
POSTLUDE – Phillip Herr-Klepacki
Thank you to Jean Cunningham for providing the flowers for today’s Worship Center.
Here are our UCG friends celebrating a birthday this week:
June 15
Joyce Griffiths
Jan Haase
Sam Harris
Ted Runions
Joan Stevens
June 16
Judah Bachmann
June 18
Renata Serra
Bill Williams
June 19
Luca Schwartz
Blanche Stokely
June 20
Ellen Ribe
****************ANNOUNCEMENTS******************
Today at UCG
8:45 a.m. Childcare – children’s wing
9 a.m. Ministerial Mornings with Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper
– Reimer Hall
10 a.m. Worship Service – Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper
Coffee Church – Reimer Hall
11 a.m. Fellowship and beverages – courtyard
Ministerial Mornings with Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper will be held today and on June 22 and 29 at 9 a.m. in Reimer Hall. Join us for coffee and conversation. Childcare will be provided.
Coffee Church will be held in Reimer Hall at 10 a.m. as an alternative space to the Sanctuary. The service will be livestreamed on the big screen TV and coffee and tea will be available. Join us if you want to eat and drink and be together in a less-crowded room for the service.
Juneteenth celebration – Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper invites you to gather with her for “An Evening with Avery*Sunshine” from 6 – 9 p.m. at the Bo Diddley Plaza on Thursday, June 19. The concert is part of the City of Gainesville’s 5th Annual Journey to Juneteenth. The event is free and open to the public. Bring a chair or blanket and let’s listen together to this Grammy award-winning musician.
Space Cadets – Our effort to clear out spaces on our campus is picking up speed. We will meet again Friday, June 20, at 9 a.m. If you plan to participate, please contact Phoebe Papadi so that there will be plenty of work lined up. Bring rubber gloves or work gloves.
Celebrating Summer Solstice – Susan Cary still has space in her small group at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 20 at Sweetwater Wetlands Park (325 SW Williston Rd.) Please contact Susan Cary if interested.
The Racial Justice Committee is selling advance tickets to “Gospel Meets Jazz,” an event on Friday, June 20 at 7 p.m. featuring music by Lanard Perry and his band. This event is a fundraiser for the Alachua County Community Remembrance Project. Advance tickets are $35 ($45 at the door). Tickets are available from www.gospelmeetsjazz.com or from members of the Racial Justice Committee during coffee time in June.
Attention puzzle lovers – Stop by the Puzzlers’ Table in the courtyard next Sunday, June 22. Take home some puzzles, a great substitute for TV watching, and good for your brain! You can bring puzzles to swap, or not; we have plenty to share.
There will be a free showing of the movie, “How to Become a Man in 127 Easy Steps” on Friday, June 27 at 7 p.m. We will be showing the film in the Sanctuary and then afterwards serving popcorn and drinks in Reimer Hall. This is a joint venture between Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) and UCG’s Open and Affirming (ONA) committee. Open to the public.
Ray Meeks’ Birthday Offering – Think of it, Ray Meeks was sentenced to Florida’s death row when he was about 19 years old. On Saturday, June 28, Ray will be 72 years old, which on its own is something of a miracle. You have been so generous in contributing to his birthday fund for the last few years, he has had enough money for clothing, shoes, paints, and snacks. This year let’s resume contributing to him. You may send your gifts to UCG (please designate for the Ray Meeks Fund), attention Catherine Cake. You may also send him a birthday card either to church or to Douglas Raymond Meeks 046346, PO Box 23608, Tampa, FL 33623.
The All-Church Band will play “Stars and Stripes” at the service on Sunday, July 6. Worship will be followed by an ice cream social in Reimer Hall. If you want to join in the band, find the music in the Sanctuary foyer this morning. Please sign up to let us know if you’ll be playing.
A request from Larry Reimer – Did you emigrate to the U.S.? Larry would like to hear your story for the Sunday, July 13 worship service, “An American Tune.” How we will use the stories depends on how many of you will be available to share on that Sunday. Please email Larry at reimer.larry@gmail.com whether you can be at UCG on July 13.
Open and Affirming Sunday Social – Come get to know members of UCG in a fun and inclusive environment, hosted by the ONA Committee. The next Sunday Social will be on July 13 at 6 p.m. We will be bowling at Splitz Bowling. The price will be $15-20 per person, depending on the size of our group. Email Brandon at brantelg@gmail.com to RSVP by Wednesday, July 9.
Resilience for Immigrants – The Justice League is collecting supplies for the Rural Women’s Health Project. They advocate to help women with infants and small children whose partners have been detained or deported by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Please bring donations to Seminar C during office hours or on Sundays. Financial donations are also appreciated at www.rwhp.org. Supplies needed: dry beans (pinto and black), rice, maseca flour (tortilla flour available at Publix), diapers (especially sizes 0,1, and 2), canned tuna, and formula.
Critter Camp is coming! July 28 – August 1 is our annual C.A.M.P. UCG! This year we are doing a rain forest theme! To sign your child(ren) up or for more information about kids’ camp please email Julia at juliac@ucgainesville.org.
Next Sunday, June 22
8:45 a.m. Childcare
9 a.m. Ministerial Mornings with Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper
9:45 a.m. Puzzlers Group
10 a.m. Worship Service – Nkwandah Jah
Coffee Church
11:30 a.m. Sunday Seminar – Hurricane Preparedness with Helen Warren
12 p.m. Friendship Group (offsite)
Please participate in our church assessment. Your input is important!
The Convergence Congregational Vitality Assessment will measure the difference our church is making in people’s lives and dream how we can enlarge our impact in our community and in the world. We need your help to do this by responding to this survey of our gifts, passions and needs as a congregation called to our shared mission and ministry. Each member of your household (teens included) should complete this congregational survey so that each person’s unique perspective is known. Please respond by July 18. You can take part online or paper survey forms are available in the Church Office. It doesn’t matter where – just take part!
The survey can be found at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/UCGParticipant
Let’s Stay Connected
Read our June newsletter!
Submit Your E-vents and Bulletin Announcements – Please email E-vents and bulletin announcements to Shanna Swiers to have them included in our newsletter, bulletin, and emails.
The deadline for submissions to the July newsletter is
this Tuesday, June 17.
Church Office Schedule for June 2025
Mondays and Saturdays – Closed
Tuesdays and Thursdays – 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Wednesdays and Fridays – 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Sundays – 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
