Spirituality, However Known
Sunday, July 7, 2024 – 10 a.m.
Our livestream begins here at 10 a.m.
“I should like to be able to love my country and love justice too.”
– Albert Camus
WELCOME – Rev. Larry Reimer
STORY CORPS – Jeff Shapiro
PRELUDE – Suite from “The New World Symphony” (Antonín Dvořák) – offered by Phillip Herr-Klepacki
CALL TO WORSHIP – From “The Age of Reason” by Thomas Paine – offered by Jane Emmeree
I believe in one God, and no more; and I hope for happiness beyond this life. I believe in the equality of all people, and I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and endeavoring to make our fellow creatures happy. It is necessary to the happiness of humankind that one be faithful to oneself. Infidelity does not consist in believing or in disbelieving; it consists in professing to believe what one does not believe.
AFFIRMATION – Psalm 67 as translated by Stephen Mitchell
Leader: Bless us, God, with your peace: make your light shine within us,
People: So that your love appears to all people.
Leader: Let all earth’s peoples honor you and shout out your praise:
People: Christian, Muslim, and Jew,
Leader: humanist, agnostic,
People: Buddhist, Taoist, scientist,
Leader: people of all colors and nations.
People: Let wisdom speak in their hearts and let justice light up
their eyes.
Leader: Let them feel your presence and sing out in the fullness of joy.
OPENING HYMN – “America the Beautiful” (verses by Katherine Lee Bates and Miriam Therese Winter) Brass – Brian Martin, David Martin, Tim Martin, Ruth Saunders, Mark Burlingame
How beautiful, our spacious skies, our amber waves of grain;
our purple mountains as they rise above the fruited plain.
America! America! God’s gracious gifts abound,
and more and more we’re grateful for life’s bounty all around.
O beautiful for pilgrim feet, whose stern, impassioned stress
a thoroughfare for freedom beat across the wilderness
America! America! God mend thy every flaw,
confirm thy soul in self-control, Thy liberty in law.
Indigenous and immigrant, our daughters and our sons:
O may we never rest content till all are truly one.
America! America! God grant that we might be
a sisterhood and brotherhood from sea to shining sea.
READING – From the Declaration of Independence – offered by Carl Carter
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all people are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.
TIME WITH THE CHILDREN – Alexis Dixon
PRAYER
BIRTHDAYS
INTERLUDE
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND PRAYER CONCERNS – Rev. Sandy Reimer
Choral Response: “In the Lord I’ll be ever Thankful” (Taizé)
(Phillip will play the song through once, then we will sing it twice.)
In the Lord I’ll be ever thankful, in the Lord I will rejoice!
Look to God, do not be afraid; lift up your voices, the Lord is near;
Lift up your voices, the Lord is near.
SPECIAL MUSIC and OFFERING – “Simple Gifts,” offered by Cindy Martin and Sally Simonis, flutes
Your gifts support all facets of the UCG community. You can also give online: bit.ly/ucgplate.
SCRIPTURE – II Corinthians 4: 7-9
Yet we who have this spiritual treasure are like common clay pots…
We are often troubled, but not crushed;
sometimes in doubt, but never in despair;
there are many enemies, but we are never without a friend;
and, though badly hurt at times, we are not destroyed…
SERMON – “Despair Is Not an Option” – Rev. Larry Reimer
PRAYER
UNISON LORD’S PRAYER – “Paraphrase” by Parker Palmer
Heavenly Father, Heavenly Mother,
Holy and blessed is your true name.
We pray for your reign of peace to come.
We pray that your good will be done.
Let heaven and earth become one.
Give us this day the bread we need.
Give bread to those who have none.
Let forgiveness flow like a river between us
From each one to each one to each one.
Lead us to holy innocence beyond the evil of our days.
Come quickly, Mother, Father, come
For yours is the power and the glory and the mercy.
Forever your name is All in One.
HYMN – “Weave Me the Sunshine” (Peter Yarrow) – offered by Alan Hill, bass, Mary Fukuyama, flute, and Charlie Williams, vocal and guitar
Chorus – ALL
Weave, weave, weave me the sunshine, out of the falling rain.
Weave me the hope of a new tomorrow, and fill my cup again.
Charlie – They say that the tree of loving, shine on me again,
Grows on the bank of the river of suffering, shine on me again.
(Chorus)
Charlie – If only I could heal your sorrow, shine on me again,
I’d help you find a new tomorrow, shine on me again.
(Chorus)
Charlie – Only you can climb that mountain, shine on me again,
If you want to drink from the golden fountain, shine on me again.
(Chorus)
BENEDICTION – from Psalm 24, Stephen Mitchell, paraphrased
May your strength be in your compassion
As God’s light shines through your hearts.
May your children’s children bless you,
And may the work of your hands endure.
“ALLELUIA”
POSTLUDE – “Stars and Stripes Forever” (John Philip Sousa) – offered by the UCG All Church Band with Larry Reimer, directing
Vicki Evans
Alice Hill
Jenny Hill
Lilliam Pancorbo
Elizabeth Sugalski
July 9
Tracy Bachmann
July 10
Reid Schreiber
Stasia Snowden
July 11
Larry Loesch
July 12
John Harvey
Liz McCulloch
Laura Robertson
Lizzie Dixon
Brandon Telg
July 13
Curt DeGroff
Holden Martin
Mark Martin
Jenna White
9:45 a.m. Childcare
10:00 a.m. Worship Service
10:15 a.m. Activity Time
11:00 a.m. Fellowship and Beverages
Ask the Leadership
Ice Cream Social
Food First Sunday – From January through June 2024, UCG’s congregation has donated 1,696 pounds or .85 tons of food to Gainesville Community Ministry’s (GCM) Food Pantry! GCM reports that they especially need the following items at this time: canned meats including tuna, chicken and chili, instant oatmeal, canned fruit, raisins, and salad dressings. And many thanks to the team of Compassion in Action committee members, Kitty Williams and Priscilla Arinson, who diligently weigh and transport the food to GCM every month! If you forget to bring your donations or prefer to donate online click here.
Ice Cream Social – Join us after the service today in Reimer Hall to cool off with ice cream and great company!
Ask the Leadership – The Moderator and other church leaders take turns at the table each Sunday to answer questions and provide updates on UCG activities. You’re welcome to stop by, grab a seat, and get an update on church happenings. Handouts with updates will be available at the table. Email moderator@ucgainesville.org if you are looking for something else.
Lost and Found – Please check out the table in the courtyard this Sunday to see if any of your lost items can be reclaimed!
Open and Affirming Sunday Social – UCG’s Open and Affirming Committee is launching a new monthly social gathering called the “Open and Affirming Sunday Social.” Come get to know members of UCG in a fun and inclusive environment, hosted by ONA. We’re going to meet up on the second Sunday of the month in the evening, starting in July! Our first Sunday Social will be July 14 at 6 p.m. at The Bull. Please contact Brandon Telg at brantelg@gmail.com with any questions.
Capital Campaign Feasibility Study Update: One of the important findings of this spring’s Capital Campaign Feasibility Study was that congregants needed to learn more about the projects on the “Essential Repairs and Improvements” list, what they entailed, why they were necessary, and so on. As part of the effort to address this need, the UCG Capital Campaign Visioning Committee and the Buildings and Grounds Committee are assembling a series of short videos to describe projects on the “Essential Repairs and Improvements” list. Click here to see videos available on a YouTube playlist. The first two videos cover the church water supply, and the beam that separates Reimer Hall from the West Wing. Please send any questions or comments about the projects, and about the effectiveness of these videos, to either Tim Martin (tamartin@ufl.edu) or Erick Smith (erick@kestreleco.com).
Story Corps – Tell your UCG story! This summer’s UCG activity inspired by NPR’s Story Corp is here and you can be a part of it. See the sign-up sheet and sample questions at the Story Cycle in the courtyard. Available storytelling dates are July 14 and July 21.
Work Tour Sunday
10:00 a.m. Worship Service with Rev. Talia Raymond and Rev. Chad McGinnis
10:15 a.m. Activity Time
11:00 a.m. Fellowship and Beverages
Ask the Leadership
Story Corps
11:30 a.m. Sunday Seminar: Sustainable Florida Gardening with Denise Weber
6:00 p.m. Open and Affirming Sunday Social
6:00 p.m. Small Group: Sacred Sound Symphony
A Reminder to Gather Water – Wherever you are this summer – in your own backyard or somewhere else, in this or another country – gather a small amount of water to bring to our annual Gathering of Waters service on Sunday, August 11. We will celebrate our summer journeys, however known, and our reunited community. We will combine the gathered waters into one sacred water to use for baptisms and blessing rituals in the coming year.
