Fourth Sunday in Advent

The Parables of Christmas

The United Church of Gainesville – December 20, 2020

“Only if there are ever angels in your head will you ever,
possibly, see one.” – Mary Oliver

If you would like to watch the service as a playlist, please click here and you will be directed to our YouTube page. If you prefer, you may click on the individual links below at your own pace.

Welcome, All-Church Band, Advent Candle lighting, Children’s Christmas Video

Welcome- Andy Bachmann

Introduction to the All Church Band- Larry Reimer

The All-Church Band Christmas Carol Sing-a-long

The Lighting of the Fourth Advent Candle, Love- Catherine and Sanford Berg

A Christmas Message from our Children

United Tribes Christmas Craft and Activity Time

Readings, Special Music, Prayers, Sermon

Reading – “Help Me to Believe in Beginnings” by Ted Loder read by Talia Raymond

Help me to be a beginning to others
To be a singer to the songless,
A story to the aimless,
A befriender of the friendless;
To become a beginning of hope for the despairing,
Of assurance fo the doubting,
Of reconciliation for the divided;
To become a beginning of freedom for the oppressed,
Of comfort for the sorrowing,
Of friendship for the forgotten;
To become a beginning of beauty for the forlorn,
Of sweetness for the soured,
Of gentleness for the angry,
Of wholeness for the broken,
Of peace for the frightened and violent of the earth.

Help me to believe in beginnings,
To make a beginning,
To be a beginning,
So that I may not just grow old,
But grow new
Each day of this wild, amazing life;
You call me to live.

Special Music – “The Hope of Christmas” by Matthew West. Offered by Melvin Lopez and his brother, Ismael Lopez

Prayers – Bromleigh McCleneghan

Poem – “The World I Live In” by Mary Oliver. Offered by Tracy Bachmann

The World I Live In
I have refused to live
Locked in the orderly house
Of reasons and proofs.

The world I live in and believe in
Is wider than that. And anyway,
What’s wrong with maybe?

You wouldn’t believe what once or
Twice I have seen. I’ll just
Tell you this:
Only if there are ever angels in your head
Will you ever, possibly, see one.

Sermon – “Good news, Great Joy, (Yeah right)”- Andy Bachmann

Benediction

O Come Desire of nations bind
All peoples in one heart and mind
Mid envy strife and quarrel cease
Fill the whole world with heaven’s peace
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel

 

Here are the UCG friends celebrating a birthday this week.
Happy Birthday!

Jenny	Dorley	12/20
Clara	Noble	12/20
Mark	Burlingame	12/21
Stephanie	Escue-Milch	12/21
Susan	James	12/21
Tessa	Frenchman	12/22
Sofia	White	12/22
Holly	Collins	12/23
Sadie	Darnell	12/23
Kristin	Larsen	12/23
Holly	Prugh	12/23
Jim	Sarisky	12/23
Justin	Chance	12/24
Gavin	Noble	12/24
Olivia	Provost	12/24
Dottie	Dreyer	12/25
Beth	Noble	12/25
Pilar	Useche	12/25
Cadien	Archer	12/25
Nurallah Eleanor	Briseno	12/26

Sunday Schedule

Sunday Seminar – Blue Christmas- How to find peace and joy despite the maelstrom of 2020. Led by Bromleigh McCleneghan. Join here.  Meeting ID: 829 6457 0385, Passcode: 1624

Please also join us at 12:30pm for Congregational Coffee Hour – Bromleigh will be available on our Zoom account to talk and share. She’ll be prepared to talk about the online worship experience, but with no set agenda other than hoping to see your faces and have a chance to touch base. Join here. Meeting ID: 875 0792 2974 Passcode: 1624

Important Announcements

Advent Devotional Book – Make your way through Advent guided by the voices of our community. Check our FB page at noon for each day’s reading. Download a PDF at www.bit.ly/UCG20AdventBook

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Blue Christmas Labyrinth Walk – From Sunday, December 20 through Wednesday, December 23, you can sign-up for a 30-minute spot to come and walk our labyrinth in our Sanctuary. You will have the place all to yourself (or with your COVID cohort.) Click here to reserve your time.

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Longest Night/Blue Christmas Service – Dec. 21 • 7:15 pm- A service of grief, loss, reflection, and quiet hope, live on zoom. Click here to join.  Meeting ID: 832 7996 9792. Passcode: 1624

Before you join the service, take a moment to gather a few supplies: a candle and match, some colored or shading pencils, a photo of a loved one, a symbol of something that is weighing on your heart and mind, and a copy of a finger labyrinth (found here). You need not share the photos or symbols with anyone, but you will be invited to reflect upon them. If you have any trouble accessing the labyrinth, please contact Bromleigh.

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Christmas Eve Worship Dec 24 – we invite you to worship with us in one (or more!) of the following ways:

• Online, on our YouTube channel or via emailed link, to the pre-recorded Virtch Church service available beginning at noon, for you to watch at any time.
• In person, at one of three outdoor services, at 1:00pm, 3:00pm, and 5:00pm. All of our spots are filled up, but if you would like to be added to the waitlist, please be sure to add each person in your party individually, including children. Click here to be added to the waitlist. Look forward to more in-person gatherings in January.
• Online at 5pm, a live-stream of the in-person service.

 
The service will be the same for each of these offerings: some carols, the Christmas story, a sermon and the lighting of candles (though, to be fair, if you’re at home you’ll have to provide your own candles). Brief, and simple; lovely and life-giving.

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Post Christmas Office and Staff Schedules – Everyone on our church staff works full days and weeks during December. In recognition of their need for holiday time as well as some down time, the church office is closed from December 24 through January 1. The front office answering machine will be checked daily for messages. Any situation that needs immediate attention will be referred to one of the ministers or to the appropriate staff person. Note that e-mail will not be checked during this Christmas break.  From all the Staff of UCG, we wish you a blessed holiday season filled with peace!

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Looking Ahead: Sunday, January 3 – Drive-by donations to support Food First (Gainesville Community Ministries) AND donations of blankets, jackets/hoodies/coats for Grace Marketplace. Drop off food and/or blankets and coats anytime between 10-12.

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Ray Meeks has been moved to Madison Correctional Institution. Eventually it will have more opportunities for educational activities, but for the moment all classes are shut down because of COVID. His address is:

Douglas Raymond Meeks 046346
Madison Correctional Institution
382 S.W. MCI Way
Madison, FL 32340

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The survey is here! As part of our newly-adopted Three-Year-Plan, we have committed to periodically checking in with each other to assess how well church programs are meeting our needs for spiritual nurture, connection, and accessibility. Please respond to the survey today! It should take less than 10 minutes for most. Thanks!

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If you are a regular supporter through our collected offering, please consider making your donation now.  Our budgeted (anticipated) amount of Plate Income for 2020 is $40,000, so we rely on the weekly passing of the plate. To GIVE, click here to make a one-time donation to UCG -or- to set up a recurring donation via your bank account or credit card click here.  Thank you for your support.

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Please note: While the Church Office remains closed, we are still available by phone or email from 9am – 4pm, Monday – Friday.