Moving Mountains
United Church of Gainesville
May 14, 2023 – 9:15 am
Our live stream begins at 9:15 am. Click here to join.
WELCOME – Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan
PRELUDE – “Big Rock Candy Mountain” Lyrics adapted from the movie “O Brother Where Art Thou?” Offered by the Ukulele Club
CALL TO WORSHIP – based on “A Mother’s Day Proclamation,” by Julia Ward Howe
One: Arise, all women who have hearts, whether your baptism be that of water or of tears!
Women-Identifying: Let us say firmly: we will not give praise to violence or war.
One: Arise, all others who have hearts, whether your baptism be that of water or of tears!
All Others: Let us say firmly: we will not allow the children of our nation to unlearn what we have taught them of charity, mercy, and patience.
One: Let us not accept the loss of our beloved children to violence and hatred.
All: But rather let us commit to the work of peace. Let us advocate for our children — for all children — that they may grow and flourish.
One: In this time of earnest counsel and worship, let us seek out the means by which the great human family can live together in peace. May we build alliances across nations and value the lives of all. Amen.
OPENING HYMN – “Mothering God, You Gave Me Birth”
Based on the writings of Julian of Norwich, late 14th century.
TIME WITH THE CHILDREN AND BIRTHDAYS – “Dear Mama God,” by Daneen Akers – Read by Betsy Harris
INTERLUDE
READING – “Hymn for the Hurting,” by Amanda Gorman
Minds made muddied and mute.
We carry tragedy, terrifying and true.
And yet none of it is new;
We knew it as home,
As horror,
As heritage.
Even our children
Cannot be children,
Cannot be.Everything hurts.
It’s a hard time to be alive,
And even harder to stay that way.
We’re burdened to live out these days,
While at the same time, blessed to outlive them.This alarm is how we know
We must be altered —
That we must differ or die,
That we must triumph or try.
Thus while hate cannot be terminated,
It can be transformed
Into a love that lets us live.
May we not just grieve, but give:
May we not just ache, but act;
May our signed right to bear arms
Never blind our sight from shared harm;
May we choose our children over chaos.
May another innocent never be lost.
Maybe everything hurts,
Our hearts shadowed & strange.
But only when everything hurts
May everything change.
REFLECTION – “All I Want for Mothers’ Day is Reinstatement of the Bipartisan Assault Weapons Ban” – Catherine Cake
SPECIAL MUSIC AND OFFERTORY – “Teach Your Children,” by Graham Nash – Offered by the Ukulele Club
Your gifts support all facets of the UCG community. You can also give online: bit.ly/ucgplate
REFLECTION – “Alien Abduction” – Edo Carter
SPECIAL MUSIC – “Rocky Mountain High,” by John Denver – Offered by Elizabeth Clark and Michael McCoy on guitar.
READING – Galatians 3:28
“There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.”
REFLECTION – “My Children, Our Children” – Susan Schneider
SUNG RESPONSE – “I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry,” Vv. 1-2
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE – Rev. Talia Raymond
*SUNG RESPONSE – “I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry,” Vv. 3-4
BENEDICTION – “Resurrection”
After this life here, we’re to be awakened one day
By the terrible screams of trumpets and bugles?
Forgive me, Lord, but I trust
That the beginning and the resurrection of us, the dead,
Will be announced by the crowing of a rooster…
We’ll lie on for a little longer…
The first one to rise
Will be mother…We’ll hear her
Quietly making the fire,
Quietly putting the kettle on,
And cozily taking the coffee grinder out of the cupboard.
We’ll be at home again. -Vladimir Holan (1905-1980)
ALLELUIA
POSTLUDE
Here are our UCG friends celebrating a birthday this week!
|
Ian |
Baldwin |
05/14 |
|
Jenny |
Jones |
05/14 |
|
David |
Evans |
05/15 |
|
Mae Jewell |
McGinnis |
05/15 |
|
Alexandra |
Ingram |
05/16 |
|
Dar |
Mikula |
05/16 |
|
Mike |
Myers |
05/16 |
|
Julia |
Crawford |
05/16 |
|
Barb |
Gibbs |
05/17 |
|
John |
Moran |
05/17 |
|
Callie |
Hammond |
05/17 |
|
Christine |
Engels |
05/18 |
|
Bob |
Filippi |
05/18 |
|
Evelyn |
Hackett |
05/18 |
|
Tyson |
Denny |
05/19 |
|
Jodi |
Hall-Rodgers |
05/19 |
|
Tony |
Miller |
05/20 |
|
Jerry |
Steinberg |
05/20 |
|
Roger |
Wester |
05/20 |
|
Abram |
Hill |
05/20 |
Announcements
9:00am Childcare9:15 & 11:15am Worship – “Mothering as Advocacy”9:30am United Tribes 10:15am Fellowship & Beverages Common Threaders 10:30am Sunday Seminar 12:30pm Board of Membership Meeting via Zoom4:00pm Dances of Universal Peace 5:30pm MST & YU Second Sundays6:00pm Sacred Sound Symphony
Sunday Seminar – “The Capital Campaign Committee wants to hear your opinion!” Our team was formed to consider if UCG needs a fundraising campaign to address critical infrastructure needs and projects which support the church’s missions. Join us to ask questions and share thoughts about whether we should launch this important financial endeavor. We will share the committee’s goals, process, and next steps, as well as the results from the chalk talk and survey which helped to focus our work. Join us in person or on Zoom. Zoom Meeting ID: 829 6457 0385 Passcode: 1624The Capital Campaign Visioning Task Force is in the process of gathering input from UCG congregants on their hopes and dreams for UCG in the future, and how different projects might contribute to bringing these dreams to reality. We encourage you to take this survey on proposed projects. Here is a link to the survey: https://bit.ly/capsurvey23.Common Threaders meet at 10:15am this morning. Please bring any type of stitching, knitting, etc.., or just join us for some coffee and conversation. Everyone is welcome, you do not need to have signed up for the small group. Dances of Universal Peace are led & (taught) with Musical Instruction with Vocal accompaniment from participants, Joyful & Inspired from all cultures & Spiritual attunement & Inspiration. The group meets today at 4pm in the West Wing led by Nurallah Briseno.
UCG Supper Club – The last supper club of the season will be on Sunday, May 21 at 6:30 pm. Once again, Jim and Lisa McElwee-White are welcoming the entire group to their lovely home on Kanapaha Prairie and Barbecue King Jim White will be firing up his smoker to prepare pork. All of the sides will be vegetarian so there will be plenty for the vegetarians to eat as well. Please contact Anne Casella (256-5960) or Kimberly McCollough (378-8371) if you would like to participate. The deadline to sign up is NEXT Sunday, May 14.
Youth Work Tour Fundraiser – Trunk Treasures will be held at First Magnitude Sunday, May 21 from 3-6 p.m. Come and shop our first mobile rummage sale or sign up in advance with Tami Herchel to bring donated items. UCG teal logo tumblers are still available to purchase for $22 in the front office or at the sale. Also, if you are able to donate toward the Work Tour Scholarship Fund, please contact Catherine Cake. Thank you for your support!Small Group Opportunity – Learn how to DO THE WORK! Learn how to not be overwhelmed by racial injustice and white supremacy in our country. We will be studying DO THE WORK: An Antiracist Activity Book by W. Kamau Bell and Kate Schatz. Contact Terrie Mullin if you wish to sign up. The group will meet on Wednesdays starting June 14 at 7:00pm.
Patticakes Potluck is Back! – Patticakes is a group for UCG member and visitor families with small children, from infants through 1st grade, as well as their siblings. Join us Saturday, May 20, 4-6 pm at The Tudeens’ Treehouse at 4908 NW 16th Pl., GNV. Please bring a finger food appetizer or easily shareable dish. We will have snacks and drinks for the kids.
REMINDER: Summer Sunday Worship Schedule Begins next Sunday, May 21 with one service at 10:00am.
C.A.M.P. UCG – For children entering Rising K-6th Grade will be July 24-28, 2023! Our theme is “All God’s Critters” including special guests, water slide day, yummy snacks, spiritual exploration, and a visit from the zoo! Rates: $30 per child (8:30-12:00pm), $50 family cap for children in the same household; Aftercare Rate: from 12:00-5:00pm: $100 for the week, $20 per day. Email taliar@ucgainesville.org with any questions, or to volunteer with: crafts, STEM lessons, snacks, outdoor games, or if you have a connection to a community group who can teach our children about “critters”, however known. Monetary donations or gift cards to grocery/big box stores are also welcome. Look for a registration link in Tuesday’s events email!
Please mark your calendars for the Spring Congregational Meeting next Sunday, May 21 at 11:30am. The meeting will be in-person and via Zoom and will follow the 10:00am service. If a member is unable to attend a Congregational Meeting, the member may authorize another member to vote in their place. This authorization can be completed via email to Barb Gibbs or Lisa Goldstein, or you can pick up a form in the office. Click here for more information about the agenda or to access the proxy voting form.
Next Sunday, May 21
Summer Worship Schedule Begins: One Service at 10am
9:00am Lively Arts Committee9:45am Childcare10:00am Worship – Children’s Sabbath & Graduate Sunday10:30am Activity Time11:30am Spring Congregational Meeting2:00pm The Five Pillars of Aging Successfully*3:00pm Trunk Treasures Youth Fundraiser 6:30pm UCG Supper Club*
May 12 COVID Update – Although the nationwide COVID-19 public health emergency has ended, the pandemic has not. New, more contagious sub-variants of the omicron virus are still circulating. Last week there were 39 hospital admissions for COVID in Alachua County. The levels of virus in the County’s wastewater were also up. Seniors continue to be the most susceptible to serious illness from COVID-19.Therefore, people over 65 and those with medical risks are strongly encouraged to get a second bivalent booster if they received their last bivalent booster more than 4 months ago. Why? In the elderly, immunity begins to wane after 2 months. And prior infection provides no protection. The Pfizer and Moderna bivalent vaccines may not prevent people from becoming infected, but they do protect them from serious illness.
According to the CDC, Alachua County residents have a relatively low risk of serious illness from COVID (the green zone). For church goers, N-95 and KN-95 masks are not required but should be considered by seniors and people with medical risks who have not received a bivalent booster within the last 6 months.