United Church of Gainesville
Sunday, April 7, 2024 – 10 a.m.
“The Toys That Made Us”

Our live stream begins here at 10 a.m.

“Imagination makes us infinite.” – John Muir 

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS – offered by Hannah Norton

PRELUDE – Mark Burlingame

CALL TO WORSHIP – from “Remember to Play” by Jenny Justice – offered by Renee Andrews

ONE: Play is an endeavor of the spirit,

ALL: playfulness is an attitude of pure glee,
playing is curiosity in action, discovery, pretending –

ONE: play is approaching each moment as new,
full of beautiful possibility, of imagination.

ALL: Play is grace and laughter
even when falling and crawling –

ONE: play is using our bodies, hearts, minds and spirits
to explore the world around us with kindness and awe.

ALL: We have to make time
all of us,
children, adults, men, women –
we have to remember to play.

MUSIC – “The Marvelous Toy” by Tom Paxton – offered by Fiona Hammond, Mira Lemstrom, and Mae McGinnis, vocals; and The Hogtown Pickers: Alan Hill, bass; Art Crummer, guitar; David Evans, banjo; and Jack Nettles, mandolin.

TIME WITH CHILDREN – “Teddy’s Favorite Toy” by Christian Trimmer – offered by Pam Smith

INTERLUDE – Mark Burlingame

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE – offered by Mary Crummer

READINGS – From “Fun is Easy” by Bernard DeKoven – offered by Heather Dewar

Fun is easy.
It’s wherever you are, in whatever you are doing or sensing or thinking.
It’s between you and the person you’re with or the machine you’re using
or the table you’re sitting at or the path you’re walking down.
It’s not something to strive for.
But something to melt into, to sink into, to open up to.
Listen. You can almost hear the laughter.
Breathe. You can almost taste the joy.
Listen a little more closely. Breathe a little more deeply. And there it is again.
Fun. Real fun.
Deep, forever fun.

SCRIPTURE READING: Luke 18:17

“Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

SCRIPTURE READING: Proverbs 17:22

A joyful heart is good medicine.

SPECIAL MUSIC AND OFFERTORY – “Both Sides Now” by Joni Mitchell – offered by Rebecca Vincent, vocals, and guitar

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REFLECTION 1 – Ana White

AWAKENING YOUR PLAYFUL SPIRIT (part 1) – the congregation with Heather Dewar

REFLECTION 2 – RD Bonnaghan

AWAKENING YOUR PLAYFUL SPIRIT (part 2)

REFLECTION 3 – Art Crummer

INTERLUDE – offered by Mark Burlingame

PRAYER – offered by Pam Smith

CLOSING HYMN – “All God’s Critters”

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.

BENEDICTION – offered by Hannah Norton

ALLELUIA