United Church of Gainesville
Sunday, March 9, 2025 – 10 a.m.
Through The Lens
Our livestream begins here at 10 a.m.
WELCOME – Rev. Andy Bachmann
OPENING SONG – “In This Place” #33 UCG songbook
In this place, among these people
God is worshipped, God is praised.
We have seen the signs and wonders;
The lost are found here, the dead are raised.
We are living the gospel story;
Lives are changed and mountains moved.
Won’t you come and work among us?
You are welcomed, you are loved.
CALL TO WORSHIP – “The Peace of Wild Things” by Wendell Berry, led by Helda Montero
Leader: When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
People: I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
Leader: I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief.
People: I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light.
Leader: For a time, I rest in the grace of the world
People: And am free.
All: For a time, I rest in the grace of the world and am free.
OPENING HYMN – “Here We Are” #27 UCG songbook
TIME WITH THE CHILDREN – “Fredrick,” by Leo Leonni. Read by Reisa George.
PRAYER
BIRTHDAYS
INTERLUDE – Phillip Herr-Klepacki
SPECIAL MUSIC AND OFFERING – “Shining in the Distance” by The Stray Birds, offered by Salina Briseno-Kiker, with Andy Bachmann, Alan Hill, David Evans and Jack Nettles.
(If you’re so inspired please join us on the tags, “Shining in the distance,” and “Is it not time, is it not time?”)
Your gifts support all facets of the UCG community. You can also give online: bit.ly/ucgplate.
SCRIPTURE – Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 from An American Translation of the Bible by Edgar Goodspeed and Mark 1:9-13, read by John Engels
SPECIAL MUSIC – “Doubting Thomas” by Nickel Creek. Offered by Adam Hill, Alan Hill, David Evans and Jack Nettles.
SERMON – “You’re Not Lost, You’re Just Finding Your Way” – Rev. Andy Bachmann
PRAYER
HYMN – “Dayspring” #10 in the songbook
ANNOUNCEMENTS and PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE – Rev. Ellen Ribe
SUNG RESPONSE: “Bless the Lord” – Taizé’
Bless the Lord, my soul—And bless God’s holy name!
Bless the Lord my soul-Who leads us into light. (Sing twice)
BENEDICTION
ALLELUIA
Here are our UCG friends celebrating a birthday this week:
Shawn Larson
Cathy Persons
Rebecca Vincent
March 12
Jalaina Harris
March 13
Anne Bonneville
March 14
Coleen DeGroff
Jean Epling
Joan Rothrock
Tom Williams
****************ANNOUNCEMENTS******************
Today at UCG
First Sunday of Lent
9:45 a.m. Childcare – children’s wing
10 a.m. Worship Service – Rev. Andy Bachmann
11 a.m. Fellowship and Beverages – courtyard
All Church Retreat Registration – library
11:15 a.m. Board of Membership – seminar C
11:30 a.m. Sunday Seminar: Reimer Hall
1 p.m. Youth United and Middle School Together – offsite
Congregational Life Team – library
2 p.m. OWL Training – west wing
3 p.m. Dances of Universal Peace – Reimer Hall
6 p.m. Open and Affirming Sunday Social – offsite
Registration for UCG’s All-Church Retreat is happening today in the library until 1 p.m. We will also be available for registration during office hours this coming week: 8:30 – 1 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday and 8:30 – 4:30 p.m. Wednesday and Friday. Office is closed on Mondays! Check your email for more information about registration. The retreat is April 4-6 at the Warren Willis United Methodist Camp and Conference Center in Fruitland Park.
Sunday Seminar – “Spiritual Diversity at UCG.” In a church of Christian orientation, united not by common faith or shared ideas of the divine but by shared values and social goals, how do we as individuals – whether we are firmly within the Christian faith or at the margins of God however known – experience UCG as a spiritual home? A panel of UCG members of varying faith backgrounds will share their own answer to the question above. Discussion, comments, and questions will follow. In-person and on Zoom. Meeting ID: 829 6457 0385 Passcode: 1624
Lent has begun! For a full list of all the activities happening at UCG leading up to Easter Sunday, pick up a flyer in the sanctuary foyer or in the office.
Lenten Devotional Booklets are available in the office or the church foyer or access the convenient digital edition here: bit.ly/lentdevo25.
We will welcome our new members on Sunday, March 16 with a reception to follow the service. If you are interested in becoming a new member, contact the front office at (352)378-3500 or info@ucgainesville.org.
Pride at the Capitol 2025: ONA is coordinating a trip to Tallahassee on Tuesday, March 18 for Pride at the Capitol. This is our time to mobilize our community and allies to defeat as many harmful bills as possible, reduce the damage of any legislation that may pass, and champion our proactive legislation. Pride at the Capitol takes place March 18-20 in Tallahassee. The current plan for UCG is that we will carpool to participate on March 18, leaving Gainesville at 5:45 a.m. Please email brantelg@gmail.com with any questions; sign up by Tuesday March 11.
Member Isabel Coutts could use help with a few meals this week as she deals with severe back pain and a recent hospitalization. Please sign up here if you can assist.
The Racial Justice Committee is 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. The last lecture will be on Saturday, April 12, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the Cotton Club. The program will look at “Civil Rights to the Present” with Dr. Rik Stevenson and officials from the County and City Commissions and the School Board. For more information, click here.
UCG Supper Club: The last supper club of the year will take place on Saturday, April 12 at Jim White and Lisa McElwee-White’s home on Kanapaha Prairie. Rather than being assigned a recipe, you will be assigned a category (appetizer, salad, side or dessert) and can bring whatever you wish. We also request that you bring your place settings and beverage so we only need to collect money to reimburse Jim for the meat he will barbecue (no charge for vegetarians). Please RSVP to annecasella@gmail.com or kmccollough224@gmail.
Speak Up! Make Change! As we read the “outrage du jour” in the daily news, instead of feeling hopeless and depressed, speak up and make change! One of the most effective methods of influencing our legislators is with phone calls. According to research, people who work in Senate offices understand that people who call are deeply invested in the issues, most likely to vote and to influence others to vote. Calls are tallied daily! One call per day, two minutes a day to make a difference. Meaghan Bonnaghan has created this easy guide on how to “Speak Up! Make Change” which will be updated weekly! Let’s do it! Sponsored by the Justice League.
Work continues with the remodeling of the west side bathrooms. Please use the office bathrooms for a few more weeks. Exterior access is available from the breezeway between the chapel and courtyard, next to the water fountain. Note also that our west side parking lot may have limited spaces available.
Next Sunday, March 16
New Member Sunday
9:45 a.m. Childcare – children’s wing
10 a.m. Worship Service – Rev. Talia Raymond
Friendship Group
11 a.m. Fellowship and Beverages
New member reception
11:15 a.m. Lively Arts Committee meeting
11:30 a.m. Sunday Seminar: “Masculinities and Why They Matter”
6 p.m. Sacred Sound Symphony