• John Harvey – The Prodigal Son’s Story, Luke 15:11-32
• Taizé Chant – “Ubi Caritas” #99 UCG Songbook
  
• David Aune – Parable of the Sower, Mark 4:1-9
• Taizé Chant – ”Nothing Can Trouble” #94 UCG Songbook
  
• Pam Smith – Scripture of Mary/Martha, Luke 10:41-42
• Taizé Chant – “Within Our Darkest Night” #95 UCG Songbook
  

CLOSING PRAYER – “Lord’s Prayer” from the Aramaic– Pam SmithO Birther! Father-Mother of the Cosmos,
Focus your light within us—make it useful:
Create your reign of unity now–
Your one desire then acts with ours, as in all
light, so in all forms.
Grant what we need each day in bread and
insight.
Loose the cords of mistakes binding us,
as we release the strands we hold of others’
guilt.
Don’t let surface things delude us,
But free us from what holds us back.
From you is born all ruling will, the power and
the life to do, the song that beautifies all,
from age to age it renews.
Truly—power to these statements—may they
be the ground from which all my actions grow.
AmenCLOSING TAIZÉ – “Oh Lord Hear My Prayer” #91 UCG Songbook
BENEDICTION – John 14: 26-27 – Pam Smith

ALLELUIA

9:45 a.m.       Childcare – children’s wing
10 a.m.          Worship Service – Board of Parish Ministry
10:15 a.m.     Kids United Activity Time – education wing
11 a.m.          Fellowship and Beverages – courtyard

As our fiscal year draws to a close, we hope that everyone will be able to fulfill their pledge commitment to 2024. If you have any questions, please email our church accountant, Catherine Cake. Although the office will be closed the week after Christmas, she will check her email periodically during that time and answer questions as needed. Please indicate the fiscal year – 2024 or 2025 – on your payment to avoid any confusion. As always, THANK YOU for your continued support of our church! 

The church office will be closed from December 30 through January 1. The front office answering machine will be checked for messages.

Please note there will be no Tuesday events email sent out on December 31, due to the office being closed. Please look at the most recent bulletin, January newsletter or the Christmas Eve flyer for upcoming events and information for 2025.

Next Sunday, January 5
Epiphany Sunday and Food First

9:45 a.m.     Childcare – children’s wing
10 a.m.        Worship Service – Rev. Talia Raymond
10:15 a.m.    Kids United Activity Time
11 a.m.         Fellowship and Beverages
11:15 a.m.    Women’s Retreat Registration
Common Threaders 
11:30 a.m.    Visitor’s Coffee 
                    Sunday Seminar
Youth United and Middle School Together

The next Food First Sunday is January 5. Please bring your non-perishable donations. Thank you, United Church of Gainesville! In 2024, our generous congregation donated almost 2 tons (1,911 pounds) of non-perishable food items for the Gainesville Community Ministry Food Pantry and we gave $5,018 for them to purchase food items the pantry especially needs. Your ongoing compassionate support makes a difference in the lives of many in our community who face the challenge of hunger in their lives.

Visitors’ Coffee – Sunday, January 5. If you’ve been visiting UCG and would like to learn more about the church, please join Rev. Talia Raymond and members of the Board of Membership for coffee and conversation in the court yard following the 10 a.m. service.

January 31- February 2: Please mark your calendar to join us for the annual Women’s Overnight 2025! Our extravagantly planned weekend includes sessions at UCG on Friday (day) for anyone not available to get away, as well as the weekend at Camp Weed in Live Oak (you’re welcome to join us for all). Exciting details to follow in the January newsletter. Online registration starts January 3; see us in Seminar C in between services on Sundays, January 5 and 12 for questions or to register!

The Racial Justice Committee is looking forward to collaborating with the Alachua County Community Remembrance Project (ACCRP) and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) on a series of lectures about black history in Alachua County, The Other Book: Black History in Alachua County. Each lecture will be held in a different location to contribute to experiential learning the first lecture will be on Saturday, January 11 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the Harn Museum. For more information contact the front office.

Join UCG’s Open & Affirming Committee at our next Open & Affirming Sunday Social. Come get to know members of UCG in a fun and inclusive environment, hosted by ONA. We meet up on the Second Sunday of the month in the evening. The next Sunday Social will be on January 12 at 4 p.m. We will be painting pottery at Corks & Colors! Afterwards, anyone who is interested can gather for a bite to eat at Mi Apa.