United Church of Gainesville
Sunday, February 9, 2025 – 10 a.m.
“This Month Brought to You By the Letter ‘F'”
Our livestream begins here at 10 a.m.
“Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.” – Romans 12:21
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS – Rev. Talia Raymond
PRELUDE – “Welcome to This House” by David Cowen, offered by our UCG Choir, Phillip Herr-Klepacki, director
CALL TO WORSHIP – from enfleshed
One: In the house of Love, there is no hierarchy of value.
ALL: Every life is cherished.
One: In Love’s presence, there is a Spirit of Protection.
ALL: We shelter each other from harm.
One: Love calls upon us:
ALL: To divest from evil.
One: To come home to ourselves.
ALL: To share what we have.
One: Sharing in life and learning and labors of liberation.
ALL: May Love welcome us today. Amen.
OPENING SONG – “O for a World” #575 UCC Hymnal
TIME WITH CHILDREN AND BIRTHDAYS – This Story is Not About a Kitten by Randall de Sève and Carson Ellis – Rev. Talia Raymond
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE – Rev. Ellen Ribe
MEDITATIVE MUSIC – Offered by Mary Fukuyama, native flute and Shirell Hix, piano
READING – From This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories That Make Us by Cole Arthur Riley, read by Barbara Beynon
We are a people much more concerned with ruling than loving. This is a mistake that positions us in places where we are no longer close enough to another person or thing to perceive its pain or need. To be human in an aching world is to know our dignity and become people who safeguard the dignity of everything around us. To protect everything may seem like too great a call. But we will not survive without it. Everything should be called by its name. So let justice roll down and twist and juke like a movement. Let it march into your bones, into seas of charred cane. Wash the earth in justice and watch what rises to the surface. Curses can’t breathe underwater…
Liberation loves company. It is not threatened by another person’s identity, because liberation is not a scarcity. It can only affirm itself in another person. Solidarity is a group that stands together and would do so for even its weakest member. It is that community which resists the intoxicating lie of individualism -we live for ourselves and by ourselves. Solidarity dismisses self-preservation in favour of a new way—to sense the injustice, need, or glory of any one part as the unflinching responsibility of the collective.
SPECIAL MUSIC AND OFFERING – “True Colors” by Cyndi Lauper, offered by Kamie Hemmerich and Melvin Smith-Lopez, vocals and Andy Bachmann, guitar
Your gifts support all facets of the UCG community. You can also give online: bit.ly/ucgplate.
READING FROM SCRIPTURE – Romans 12: 9-21
SERMON – “‘F’ is for Fellowship” – Rev. Talia Raymond
HYMN – “Called as Partners in Christ’s Service” #495 UCC Hymnal
BENEDICTION – Rev. Talia Raymond
ALLELUIA
Here are our UCG friends celebrating a birthday this week:
February 9
Jasmine Angelini-Knoll
Malik Grady
February 10
Stacy A. Scott
February 11
Mariam Sow
February 12
Rick Johnson
Barbara Loesch
Kandy Penner
Betsy Stechmiller
February 13
Deborah Hill
Olivia Mickle
February 14
Robert Sammel
February 15
Shanna Johnson
****************ANNOUNCEMENTS******************
Today at UCG
Winter Congregational Meeting
9:45 a.m. Childcare – children’s wing
10 a.m. Worship Service – Rev. Talia Raymond
11 a.m. Fellowship and Beverages – courtyard
11:30 a.m. Winter Congregational Meeting – Sanctuary
2 p.m. ONA Sunday Social – offsite
3 p.m. Dances of Universal Peace – West Wing
5:30 p.m. Youth United and Middle School Together – Youth Room
6 p.m. Sacred Sound Symphony – Sanctuary
Our Winter Congregational Meeting will be held in the Sanctuary after the service. Please plan to join us as we will vote on our budget and whether to move forward with Rev. Cameron Trimble and the Convergence Consulting team. In person or on Zoom. Meeting ID: 811 9811 8104. Passcode: 667187
Join UCG’s Open & Affirming Committee at our “Open & Affirming Sunday Social” today at 2 p.m. Come get to know members of UCG in a fun and inclusive environment, hosted by ONA. We will be seeing “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) (Revised) (Again)” at The Hippodrome Theater. Purchase tickets around Row D, Seats D10 & D11 in the Center Section at the box office or at thehipp.org.
Work has begun on the remodeling of the west side bathrooms. Please use the office bathrooms for the month of February. Exterior access is available from the breezeway between the chapel and courtyard, next to the water fountain. A gender neutral restroom is in the parents’ room in back of the sanctuary. Note also that our west side parking lot may have limited spaces available. Please let the office know if you will need assistance on Sundays for parking so we can help arrange a driver.
Gift Bags for the Homeless – The Compassion in Action Committee invites you to provide items for the Gift Bags for the Homeless project in partnership with GRACE Marketplace and St. Francis House. Please bring donations on Sundays, February 9 or 16. For early donations during the week of February 9, Seminar C will be open Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. If you prefer, Amazon purchases can be delivered directly to the church. Volunteers, including our youth groups, will transfer your donations to colorful handmade cloth bags that will be delivered to our neighbors at GRACE Marketplace and St. Francis House. Your gifts will brighten the lives of many! The donation list is available in the foyer or office and also posted in the display case outside of Seminar B for your review.
The next Kids Night Out will be Friday, February 14 from 5:30 – 9 p.m. The theme is “Love is in the Air”. The focus is on STEAM Activities that spark interest in our youth and foster intergenerational relationships within our church community. The cost is $20 for the first child in a household and $15 per additional child. If you are interested in registering your child for these events, please contact juliac@ucgainesville.org.
UCG’s Justice League: Racial Justice, Open and Affirming, and Creation Justice invite you to a screening of the movie “Rustin” on Sunday, February 16 at 6:30 p.m. in Reimer Hall. The event will be in honor of Black History Month. Bayard Rustin was almost written out of the history books. He was Martin Luther King’s right-hand man and an indispensable part of the Civil Rights Movement. He was responsible for organizing the 1963 historic March on Washington. However, he was openly gay. Due to discrimination and criticism over his sexuality, he took a background role in the movement. Movie time is 1 hour 48 min. Recommended for 13+. Those 12 and younger must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Famous quote from Rustin: “We need in every community a group of angelic troublemakers.”
Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on March 5, and we are seeking submissions of art, photos, and/or writings for this year’s Lenten devotional booklet! Please email your submissions to Taylor Williams at gutsandglorygnv@gmail.com no later than Friday, February 21. For written word, please submit it in the body of your email or as a Word document. Please send all pictures and art pieces in a JPEG format. This year’s Lenten theme is “Through the Lens”.
Visitors Coffee – 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 courtyard following the 10 a.m. service on Sunday, February 23. New Member Sunday is March 9.
We are delighted to host “An Evening with Art Crummer” on Sunday, February 23 at 5 p.m. Join us in Reimer Hall as Art Crummer shares his gifts of poetry and song. Guests will enjoy live music as well as readings from Art’s latest poetry book release, It’s About Time. A light reception will follow. Copies of Art’s books will be available for purchase. Donations support Youth United’s Work Tour 2025 to Washington, DC. We look forward to sharing this magical experience with you!
Help wanted for Kids Night Out (KNO) – We are so grateful for how KNO has been going. The children have loved the different events and activities each month. We have three unplanned Fridays left and are looking for volunteers to do activities with the kids. Please email Julia at juliac@ucgainesville.org if you would like to bring your area of expertise to a fun night at KNO.
Small Group registration is open! Small groups for this spring are available on ShelbyNext. Paper copies of the offerings along with a registration form are available in the foyer, front office, or at bit.ly/sgspring25. The Small Groups committee is happy to share with you the exciting offerings this season!
The Seminar Committee is regrouping/reorganizing and going strong! We will be offering many exciting seminars with great guest speakers this spring on diverse topics. Help the committee to keep our seminars diverse and interesting with our new virtual seminar suggestion box! Go to bit.ly/SeminarSuggestions to submit your idea today.
Next Sunday, February 16
9 a.m. Gift Bags for the Homeless – donations due
9:45 a.m. Childcare – children’s wing
10 a.m. Worship Service – Rev. Chad McGinnis
Friendship Group
11 a.m. Fellowship and Beverages
11:15 a.m. Entr’acte
Lively Arts Committee meeting
Board of Membership meeting
11:30 a.m. Youth United and Middle School Together
Sunday Seminar
6:30 p.m. Justice League movie night
