United Church of Gainesville
Sunday, May 11, 2025 – 10 a.m.
Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper
“Mothering Graceful Verbs”
Our livestream begins here at 10 a.m.
“Lord, I confess I want the clarity of catastrophe but not the catastrophe.
Like everyone else, I want a storm I can dance in. I want an excuse to change my life.”
– from The World Keeps Ending, and the World Goes On (2022) by Franny Choi
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS – Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper
PRELUDE – Phillip Herr-Klepacki
CALL TO WORSHIP
One: As one day becomes another,
ALL: We marvel at the passage of time.
One: We wonder at both the slow and the fast, the full and the empty, about our beginnings and our ends.
ALL: We remember the day of our birth.
One: We recall who was there with us.
ALL: We honor time, our mothers, our friends and pray to be complete.
OPENING SONG – “Bring Many Names” #11 UCC Hymnal
TIME WITH CHILDREN AND BIRTHDAYS – Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE – Rev. Ellen Ribe
MEDITATIVE MUSIC – Offered by Mark Burlingame and Cindy Martin.
READING – Excerpt from a William Green review of The Left Hand of Darkness in “Tip-Off #180 – Time Out,” from Substack. Read by Kimberly McCollough.
The celebrated science fiction author Ursula Le Guin made sense by showing how to handle nonsense. In her novel The Left Hand of Darkness, she begins with a fierce, counterintuitive introduction. “Distrust everything, I say. I am telling the truth. The only thing that makes life possible is permanent, intolerable uncertainty: not knowing what comes next.”
Living with problems that don’t have solutions is hard in a culture as broken as ours. But there is no way of telling the truth without causing more trouble.
That’s not much comfort. Neither is “huddling together in the pale light of answers to questions we’re afraid to ask.” Le Guin says, “Darkness is only in the mortal eye, that thinks it sees but sees not. Some things outweigh comfort unless one is an old woman or a cat.” Le Guin distrusts solutionism.
SPECIAL MUSIC AND OFFERING – “You’ve Been a Friend to Me” by The Carter Family. Offered by Harmony Fare: Mary Caraher, Sue Hartman, Susan Kirkland, vocals; Les Caraher, guitar; Ellen Ribe, bass.
Your gifts support all facets of the UCG community. You can also give online: bit.ly/ucgplate.
READING FROM SCRIPTURE – Matthew 11: 28-30. Read by Malik Grady.
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
SERMON – “Mothering Graceful Verbs” – Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper
HYMN – “Pass It On” #52 UCG Songbook
It only takes a spark to get a fire going,
And soon all those around can warm up in its glowing;
That’s how it is with God’s Love,
Once you’ve experienced it,
Your spread the love to everyone
You want to pass it on.
What a wondrous time is spring,
When all the tress are budding
The birds begin to sing, the flowers start their blooming;
That’s how it is with God’s love,
Once you’ve experienced it.
You want to sing, it’s fresh like spring,
You want to pass it on.
I wish for you my friend
This happiness that I’ve found;
You can depend on God
It matters not where you’re bound,
I’ll shout it from the mountain top;
I want my world to know
The Lord of love has come to me
I want to pass it on.
I’ll shout it from the mountain top;
I want my world to know:
The Lord of love has come to me;
I want to pass it on.
BENEDICTION – Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper
ALLELUIA
Here are our UCG friends celebrating a birthday this week:
May 11
Adam Hill
Ellen Louis-Stewart
May 12
Ben Stapleton
May 13
Karol Halter
Bill Hoppe
Bob Myrick
May 14
Jenny Jones
May 15
David Evans
Mae Jewell McGinnis
May 16
Alexandra Ingram
Dar Mikula
Mike Myers
Julia Rainer
May 17
Barb Gibbs
Callie Hammond
John Moran
****************ANNOUNCEMENTS******************
Today at UCG
8:45 a.m. Childcare – children’s wing
9 a.m. Ministerial Mornings with Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper
– Reimer Hall
10 a.m. Worship Service – Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper
Coffee Church – Reimer Hall
11 a.m. Fellowship and Beverages – courtyard
Art in the Library Reception – library
11:15 a.m. Summer Planning Committee meeting – chapel
11:30 a.m. Sunday seminar – Reimer Hall
3 p.m. Dances of Universal Peace – west wing
5 p.m. Youth United/Middle School Together – Reimer Hall
6 p.m. Sacred Sound Symphony – Sanctuary
Our interim minister, Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper invites you to join her this morning from 9 -9:45 a.m. in Reimer Hall for coffee and conversation. Childcare will be available at 8:45 a.m.
Coffee Church will be held in Reimer Hall at 10 a.m. as an alternative space to the Sanctuary. The service will be livestreamed on the big screen TV and coffee and tea will be available. Join us if you want to eat and drink and be together in a less-crowded room for the service.
Lost and Found table – Please stop by the table in the courtyard this Sunday and see if you find anything that you’ve lost. Items not claimed today will be donated.
The opening reception for a new art exhibit in the UCG Library will follow the service today. The exhibit features mixed media and watercolor works by artist friends who have been meeting weekly via Zoom since 2020. When Covid hit, folks who had drawn and painted together as part of Journey Daybook decided to continue to meet online for sharing and support. Artists included in the show are Barbara Beynon, Vicki Evans, Diane Farris, Mary Fukuyama, Barb Gibbs, Ann Gill, Margaret Herrick, Susan Torgerson James, and Lilliam Pancorbo.
Sunday Seminar – Building a Welcoming Community with Lauren Poe, former Gainesville mayor, and currently CEO/president of the Greater Gainesville International Center (GGIC). He will share the mission of GGIC, how it works to build a welcoming and affirming Gainesville for our international and immigrant community, and the challenges and opportunities we have during this unique political climate. In person at 11:30 a.m. today in Reimer Hall and on Zoom.
Youth United/Middle School Together – Join us tonight from 5-7 p.m. in Reimer Hall for “Nailed It!” the UCG Edition.
From Kairos: We have an opportunity as a caring community to support the grieving friends and family of Jeff Shapiro by providing finger foods for the memorial reception on Sunday afternoon, May 18, at 3 p.m. If you are unable to attend the memorial service and/or reception, you are welcome to bring your offering of food to the kitchen earlier in the day.
Noodles and Doodles/work tour fundraising results – We have now surpassed the Noodles and Doodles $5,000 goal due to a generous donor and further sales of art. Please note that the work tour budget still welcomes ongoing funding beyond this one successful event. If you feel so moved, donate at bit.ly/ucgplate or send a check with “Work Tour” noted in the memo line. A big thank you to all who have supported us in all the ways, however known!
The west wing bathrooms are complete. A big thank you to the construction team and all who worked on color choices and decorating. Check out the lovely results this morning while you are on campus. Please note that the office bathrooms will no longer be accessible around the clock and the exterior door will be locked after hours.
UCG Directory – The Board of Membership encourages members to wear their name tags and upload a photo of themselves in our ShelbyNext online directory. This helps us put a face to a name and get to know one another. It is also helpful when individuals sign up for boards/committees, small groups, etc. To view your profile, go to https://bit.ly/UCGSNLog.
Next Sunday, May 18
8:30 a.m. Sabbatical Send-Off Celebration for Rev. Talia
9:45 a.m. Childcare
10 a.m. Worship Service – Children’s Sabbath and Graduate Sunday
Coffee Church
Friendship Group
11:00 a.m. Fellowship, beverages, and cake!
11:30 a.m. Spring Congregational Meeting
3 p.m. Celebration of Life for Jeff Shapiro
Sabbatical Send-Off Celebration for Rev. Talia and hosted by Congregation Ministry Review Board – Join us for a potluck breakfast from 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 18 in Reimer Hall before the service. Stop by for a few minutes or stay awhile! There will be a slideshow of some of the sights/activities she has planned. Decorate a bookmark with a message of love, provide a book recommendation, or suggest a must-see location in France or England! If you feel so moved, you can also make a financial donation to symbolically purchase her a cup of coffee at a cafe or an admission ticket to a museum.
The Spring Congregational Meeting will also be held at 11:30 a.m. following the Children’s Sabbath and Graduate Sunday service.
That same afternoon, a service of celebration, full of music and love to honor the life of Jeff Shapiro will be held at 3 p.m. in the Sanctuary with reception to follow in Reimer Hall. If you are able, please bring a finger food to share.
Let’s Stay Connected
Read our May newsletter!
Submit Your E-vents and Bulletin Announcements – Please email E-vents and bulletin announcements to Shanna Swiers to have them included in our newsletter, bulletin, and emails.
Church Office Schedule for May 2025:
Mondays and Saturdays – Closed
Tuesdays and Thursdays – 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Wednesdays and Fridays – 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Sundays – 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.