Sunday, January 8, 2023 – 10:00 AM
Epiphany Sunday
Our live stream begins at 9:15am. Click here to join.
“Once upon a time there were three–yes, three–very wise men who were all sitting in their own countries minding their own business when a bright star lodged in the right eye of each one of them. It was so bright that none of them could tell whether it was burning in the sky or in their own imaginations, but they were so wise they knew it did not matter all that much. The point was, something beyond them was calling them, and it was a tug they had been waiting for all their lives.“ – Barbara Brown Taylor “Home By Another Way.”
WELCOME- Rev. Andy Bachmann
PRELUDE- Phillip Herr-Klepacki
INVOCATION- “Daily Briefing” by Rev. Laura Martin, offered by Rev. Talia Raymond
What do you need to know today?
That every day the way of loving
the real and the changing,
the fleeting and the forever
is given into your hands.
Choose what comes singing,
Crossing unlikely places to reach you.
Choose the way shared by magi and shepherds
and the ones not named out loud,
who moved when it was dark and early
and ensured that the world continued.
Choose what sustains creation–
the holy and quiet work of
plant, harvest, repair, renew.
The holy and quiet commitment of
wash, chop, clean, rest.
Into your hands today is given
all of this,
born of ordinary and
Incomparable Light.
OPENING SONG- “Guide Me, O My Great Redeemer”
TIME WITH THE CHILDREN- Rev. Talia Raymond
PRAYER
BIRTHDAYS
INTERLUDE
“The Work of Christmas” by Howard Thurman
When the song of the angels is stilled,
when the star in the sky is gone,
when the kings and princes are home,
when the shepherds are back with their flocks,
the work of Christmas begins:
to find the lost,
to heal the broken,
to feed the hungry,
to release the prisoner,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among the people,
to make music in the heart.
SPECIAL MUSIC & OFFERTORY – “Bright Morning Star,” offered by Salina Briseno Kiker, Elena Frenock, and Andy Bachmann
Your gifts support all facets of the UCG community. You can also give online: bit.ly/ucgplate
SCRIPTURE AND POETRY
Matthew 2:1-12
“Handprint at Fond De Gaume,” by David Whyte
SERMON – “A Hard Gift is Good to Find”- Rev. Andy Bachmann
PRAYER
TIME FOR SHARING JOYS AND CONCERNS
ENLISTMENT MOMENT – “A Future with Hope,” Allan March and Kim Kruse
SUNG RESPONSE – “Dayspring”
BENEDICTION
ALLELUIA
Here are our UCG friends celebrating a birthday this week!
Happy Birthday!
|
Stephen |
Bottomly |
01/10 |
|
Mary |
Fukuyama |
01/10 |
|
Mikey |
Pitcher |
01/10 |
|
Emma |
Murphy |
01/11 |
|
Mary Jay |
McClave |
01/12 |
|
Irma E |
Riley |
01/12 |
|
Madeline |
Cox |
01/13 |
|
Lauren |
McLendon |
01/13 |
|
Beatrice |
Poe |
01/13 |
|
Lauren |
Poe |
01/13 |
|
Emily |
Anderton |
01/13 |
|
Wilson |
Bell |
01/14 |
Announcements
9:15 & 11:15am Worship– Rev. Andy Bachmann
9:30am United Tribes
10:15 am Fellowship & Beverages
YU & MST –Parents Meeting for Mystery Trip & Work Tour
10:30am Sunday Seminar
12:15pm Lively Arts Committee
2:00pm OWL Session*
5:30pm YU & MST Second Sundays
6:00pm Sacred Sound Symphony *Pre-registered group
Sunday Seminar – “Braver Angels: How to Talk to Someone with Opposing Political Viewpoints,” featuring Steve House, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives for Braver Angels. He will share his thoughts on basic approaches to solving political polarization at the community, family, and church levels including discussions about how individuals can solve these problems between one another. He will offer his experiences with one-on-one conversations he has had through the Braver Angels process, with people who are on the opposite side of the political spectrum from him. He will also discuss the outcomes reaped through Braver Angel workshops in multiple types of settings. Join Zoom here. Meeting ID: 829 6457 0385 Passcode: 1624
Food First SUNDAY Today, January 8. Please help fill the UCG shopping cart with non-perishable goods in front of the Sanctuary, or click here to donate online. Thank you for your continued support to Gainesville Community Ministries.
”A Future with Hope” – On October 16 UCG started with zero dollars in pledges for 2023. The pledges already submitted reflect generous increases, and we are all grateful for this. These pledges have brought us 95% of the way toward meeting our pledge goal. However, if you have not pledged to help us reach our goal, please do so today. If you have already pledged, we need a one-time increase of $150. By so doing, your financial covenant with UCG will empower the church to continue providing you with spiritual fulfillment, family development, meaningful social connections, and community welfare. Thank you. To pledge:
1. complete a credit card transaction with Catherine Cake in the Courtyard
2. email UCG Accountant catherinec@ucgainesville.org
3. fill out a pledge card available in the church office and foyer
4. pledge online here
Attention wonderful board and committee members: This is the last call for 2022 expense reimbursements! If your board/committee chair approves your expense AND verifies that funds are available to reimburse you, please forward receipts to catherinec@ucgainesville.org by Monday, January 9th. Thank you!
Our first 2023 Family Promise hosting begins January 22nd. We need your help more than ever as during the last hosting, we struggled tremendously to fill the more than 70 roles it takes to make this operation happen smoothly. The Family Promise committee will have a table set up in the courtyard before and after services on January 8th and January 15th. Thank you to all our volunteers for your supportThe Board of Membership invites all potential new members to UCG101 on Tuesday, January 17 at 5:30 pm in the West Wing. Come find out more about what life is like as a member of UCG. If you are ready to say yes to this community, Joining Sunday will be on January 29. Please contact the office (352 378-3500) or sign up in the Courtyard to RSVP. Childcare is provided.
Taylor Bourg, our beloved Activity Time Director, will be leaving UCG soon for new horizons. Our plan is to celebrate him on Sunday, January 22 between services. We’d love to send him off with cards of appreciation for his great work. We will be collecting these cards in the office over the next two weeks and will present them to him on the 22nd.Vinery Update – Later this month, your Vinery lead team will head to Clemson University for a retreat kicking off our second year of participation. Before we go, we’d like to invite anyone interested in helping us plot our next steps of engaging our university neighbors — particularly if you’re a student, faculty, or staff member at Santa Fe or UF (retired or current!) — to a working lunch. We’ll gather at 12:30pm on Sunday, January 22, in Reimer Hall. Please rsvp to Bromleigh at bromleighm@ucgainesville.org if you are interested in participating.
Parents’ Night Out – Friday, January 13 at 5:30pm at UCG – Children, infants through 5th grade are invited for a night of pizza and fun. $15 for the first child/$10 for each additional child. RSVP by Wednesday, Jan. 11 to taylorb@ucgainesville.org.
Next Sunday, January 15
9:00am Childcare
9:15 & 11:15am Worship– Rev. Andy Bachmann
9:30am Activity Time for Kids
10:15 am Fellowship & Beverages
Women’s Easy Backpacking*10:30am SG -Entr’acte planning meeting Sunday Seminar 11:15am Buildings & Grounds Subcommittee Friendship Group12:15pm Young Adult Lunch3:30pm SG – Gospel Singing**Pre-registered group