Little Words/Big Ideas

This morning our worship service will live-stream at 10:00am. It is available for viewing at anytime after this. Please click here to begin. If the live-stream link is not active or working for you, you can find our service at our YouTube page here.

WELCOME, RINGING THE BELL, and LIGHTING THE CANDLE – Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan

PRELUDE MUSIC –    Phillip Herr-Klepacki

CALL TO WORSHIP – Barb Gibbs
One: Emerging from our memories, as melodies and poems,
All: we recall the many usages of these little words. 
One: Four letter words, or three. So much held in a remarkably small package.
All: Awe and fear. Exile and beauty. Separation and wholeness.
One: In the bible, God’s holiness is an awe-inspiring thing.
All: The Holy One sits on a throne, surrounded by smoke. 
One: A wondrous and confusing vision.
All: The heavens sing praises and the prophet questions his own worthiness. 
One: As we seek the Holy, let us both sing praises and proclaim the worthiness of all.
All: Let us speak of the presence of the sacred in all things, in all creatures. 
One: May we in this time together consider what it is that makes something holy,
All: And may our ears, eyes, hearts and minds be opened to the holy in our midst.

HYMN – “Holy, Holy, Holy,”

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

PRAYER RESPONSE- “Every Time I Feel the Spirit”

READING – “Holy Shit,” by Peter Pereira

It used to be more private—just the
immediate family gathered after mass,
the baptismal font at the rear
of the church tiny as a bird bath.
The priest would ladle a few teaspoons’
tepid holy water on the bundled baby’s
forehead, make a crack about the halo
being too tight as the new soul wailed.
We’d go home to pancakes and eggs.

These days it’s a big Holy-wood production—
midmass, the giant altar rolls back to reveal
a Jacuzzi tub surrounded by potted palms.
The priest hikes up his chasuble, steps
barefoot out of his black leather loafers
and wades in like a newfangled John as
organ music swells and the baby-bearing families
line up like jumbo jets ready for takeoff.

But when the godparents handed my niece’s newborn
naked to their parish priest, and he dunked her
into the Jacuzzi’s bath-warm holy water,
her little one grew so calm and blissful she
pooped—not a smelly three-days’ worth, explosive
diaper load, but enough to notice. As the godparents
scooped the turds with a handkerchief,
the savvy priest pretended he hadn’t seen,
swept through the fouled water with his palm
before the next baby in line was submerged.

After mass, my niece sat speechless,
red-faced, not knowing what to say—
or whether—as church ladies, friends, and
family members presented one by one to
the tub where the babies had been
baptized. As they knelt and bowed
and dipped their fingers in,
and blessed themselves.

SCRIPTURE – Isaiah 6:1-5

SERMON – “Holy: Hands and Lips and Water” –  Bromleigh McCleneghan

CLOSING HYMN –  “They’ll Know We’re God’s People By Our Love”

BENEDICTION

ALLELUIA

 

Here are the UCG friends celebrating a birthday this week.

Happy Birthday!

Larry

Loesch

07/11

Paul

Prusakowski

07/11

John

Harvey

07/12

Liz

McCulloch

07/12

Laura

Robertson

07/12

Lizzie

Dixon

07/12

Brandon

Telg

07/12

Curt

DeGroff

07/13

Holden

Martin

07/13

Mark

Martin

07/13

Walt

Barry

07/14

Darren

Burgess

07/14

Aubrey

Ingram

07/14

Lauren

McIntyre

07/15

Cindy

Bergbower

07/16

Janet

Jackson

07/16

Miles

Wolcott-Durante

07/17

Christie

King

07/18

Linda

Ledbetter

07/18

Sandy

Reimer

07/18

Sunday Seminar at 11:15am

We are fortunate to have Steven Lawson, creator of the Monk Manual, speak via Zoom at our UCG seminar the Sunday, July 11, at 11:15 am. The topic of Steven’s talk is “Integrating Being and Doing; Moving Away From Event-Based Spirituality. He will discuss our tendency to compartmentalize our spiritual life, viewing it as separate from our “active” life. He will also discuss his popular Monk Manual, which “…combines best practices in psychology, productivity and spiritual growth…to provide a daily system upon which you can build an intentional daily life.” (Monkmanual.com) Join us in Reimer hall to hear Steven via Zoom on our large-screen TV, or tune in from the comfort of your own home. Join here. Meeting ID: 829 6457 0385, Passcode: 1624.

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Announcements

The Lost and Found table will be in the the Courtyard for the next two Sundays.  Please check for any items that may belong to you. Anything not claimed will be donated to charity.


July 10 COVID Update – The past week’s average number of daily new cases of COVID-19 in Alachua County increased from 13 to 19 per day (Yellow Zone). The Yellow Zone represents 3-27 daily new cases (moderate risk of viral transmission).

 “All God’s Critters” CAMP UCG 2021, August 2-6 – CAMP UCG is back! REGISTER HERE!  We are delighted to announce that our summer camp for children entering PreK-6th Grade will happen on the UCG Campus from August 2-6th. More information will be coming in the July newsletter. Please email Talia with any questions, or if you would like to volunteer to help with: crafts, STEM lessons, snacks, outdoor games, or have a connection to a community group (or you yourself) who can teach our children about “critters”, however known.

Let’s “Grush” This! – Looking for an easy way to re-emerge with your UCG community this summer? We are still looking for individuals or couples willing to help greet/usher (aka “Grusher”!) at the Sunday services this summer. There’s no lifting involved and you can show up as late as 9:30AM to help for just 30 minutes before the start of the service. No experience necessary. Dar will train you in ~5 minutes or less! To volunteer, click here, email Dar Mikula, or call (352)378-3500.  Thank you for your help with this important job!

Hurricane Season has begun! – If you live in Florida, you likely know that Hurricane Season is upon us and lasts officially through November 30th. Two years ago, UCG started a group called the Emergency Response Team to check in on those who signed up for both a pre-storm and post-storm check in call. The primary purpose is to educate UCG members on what supplies to have on hand to be prepared as well as a reassuring phone call before and after a severe storm. If you want to be on the list or double check that your name is still on the list, email Star Bradbury or call the church office at 352-378-3500. The best websites to review to be prepared are: The National Weather Service or the official United States government website for Hurricanes. The 2021 Florida Department of Elder Affairs Disaster Resource Guide is an excellent source of information for anyone, no matter what your age!

Minister Andy Bachmann is in Wisconsin for the summer at Camp Highlands. Please contact the church office to reach him or to speak to the minister handling his programs for the summer.

Please help keep our church finances healthy while you stay healthy!  Please consider donating online. To GIVE,  click here  to make a one-time donation to UCG -or- to set up a recurring donation schedule via your bank account or credit card. Our budgeted (anticipated) amount of Plate Income for 2021 is $36,000, so we rely on the weekly passing of the plate.  Here  is a video on how to use Shelby Giving.  Thank you for your support!