Children’s Sabbath and Graduate Sunday 2023
May 21, 2023 – 10:00 a.m.

Our live stream begins at 10:00 am. Click here to join.

Here’s an important thing to remember: Big doesn’t happen all at once. Big happens little by little. One little thought, one little question, one little action, one little change, one little way, one little day at a time.” – C.M. Paratore
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS – Rev. Talia Raymond

PRELUDE – “Trumpet Voluntary” by Jeremiah Clarke, offered by Ewan Johnson and Carl Carter, trumpets; accompanied by Phillip Herr-Klepacki

OPENING PRAYER – led by our K-1st and 2nd-3rd grade United Tribes classes

OPENING  SONG – “Here We Are” – Amanda Garrigues DeMouey, guitar 

Chorus: Here we are, all together
As we sing our song joyfully.
Here we are, joined together
As we pray we will always be.

Join we now as friends, and celebrate
The community we share, all as one.
Keep the fire burning, kindle it with care,
And we’ll all join in and sing:
        Chorus

Glorify the Lord with all your voices,
Show Him we’re sincere by all our deeds.
Shout the joys of freedom everywhere,
And we’ll all join in and sing:
Chorus

Happy now are those who do their best
To free the troubled world from all its pain.
Let us join with them to free the troubled world
As we all join in and sing:
        Chorus

Let us make the world an Alleluia
Let us make the world a better place.
Keep a smile handy, lend a helping hand
Let us all join in and sing:
        Chorus

TIME WITH GRANDPARENTS AND BIRTHDAYS – “The Big Book about Being Big” by Coleen Murtagh Paratore, led by our 4th-5th grade United Tribes class

PRESENTATION OF BIBLES 

FIFTH GRADE BLESSING

INTERLUDE

PASTORAL PRAYER

SPECIAL MUSIC & OFFERTORY – “Watershed” by Indigo Girls, offered by Stella Bachmann and Elena Frenock

REFLECTIONS FROM OUR GRADUATES

Colleen Anderson
Stella Bachmann
Elena Frenock
Isa Ward
Mariam Sow

SENIOR SLIDESHOW

A PARTING BLESSING FOR OUR GRADUATING SENIORS

CLOSING SONG – “Now in the Days of Youth”

BENEDICTION 

ALLELUIA

POSTLUDE

Congratulations to our Graduates!

Colleen Anderson graduated from the Gainesville High School Cambridge and Academy of Future Teachers programs. She will be attending Florida State University to study civil and environmental engineering.

Stella Bachmann graduated from P.K. Yonge and will be spending her first year in Valencia, Spain through Florida State University’s international program.

Elena Frenock graduated from the International Baccalaureate Program at Eastside High School and intends to get her undergraduate degree at Santa Fe College before transferring to the University of Florida to major in environmental science and Spanish.

Caroline Hartley is graduating from P.K. Yonge. She is attending Florida Polytechnic University in the fall and plans on studying computer science.

Mariam Sow graduated from the Eastside High School International Baccalaureate program. She is attending the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for a Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis on writing.

Isa Ward is graduating from Gainesville High School and attending Santa Fe College to study English.

Bryan Clark graduated from Santa Fe College on May 5th with an A.S. in digital media technology and will be continuing toward his bachelor’s degree.

We are thankful for our Children’s Ministry Staff!

Julia Crawford – Director of Children’s Ministries
Rhonda Baxter – United Tribes K-1st Lead Teacher
Lucy Stein – United Tribes 2nd-3rd Lead Teacher
Fiona Hammond – United Tribes 4th-5th Lead Teacher
Mira Lemstrom – United Tribes 4th-5th Lead Teacher

Shay Smith – Director of Infant and Toddler Care
Alena Baxter – Nursery and Parent’s Night Out Lead
Candice King – Pre-K Volunteer

And our wonderful Childcare Aides:

  • Annabel Crater
  • Aaron Gitzendanner
  • Will Hartley
  • Eliza McGinnis
  • Mae Jewell McGinnis
  • Olivia Sandberg
  • Donald Stowell
Here are our UCG friends celebrating a birthday this week!

Judy

Parsons

05/21

Drew

Willard

05/21

Jillian

Provost

05/22

Michael

Horseman

05/25

Suzanne

Huggard

05/26

Sue

Hatch

05/27


Announcements

Today at UCG

9:45 a.m.                 Childcare – Education Wing
10:00 a.m.               Worship – Sanctuary
10:30 a.m.               United Tribes – Education Wing
11:30 a.m.               Spring Congregational Meeting – Sanctuary & Zoom
2:00 p.m.                 The Five Pillars of Aging Successfully* – Reimer Hall
3:00 p.m.                 Trunk Treasures Youth Fundraiser – Offsite
6:30 p.m.                  UCG Supper Club* – Offsite

*Pre-Registered Group

Please attend the Spring Congregational Meeting at 11:30 a.m. In the Sanctuary or on ZoomMeeting ID: 212 046 6883 Passcode: 1624

No Sunday Seminar – Please join us for the Spring Congregational Meeting at 11:30 a.m. today. Next Sunday, May 28 at 11:15 a.m., the topic is “Transition Team Where Do We Go from Here?” Join the Transition Team for the first of several congregation-wide discussions on the future of UCG.

The 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.

Youth Work Tour FundraiserTrunk Treasures will be held at First Magnitude TODAY, 3-6 p.m. Come shop our first mobile rummage sale. UCG teal logo tumblers are still available to purchase for $22 in the front office or at the sale. Also, if you can donate toward the Work Tour Scholarship Fund, please contact catherinec@ucgainesville.org. Thank you for your support!


Next Sunday, May 28

9:00 a.m.                 LifeSouth Blood Mobile
9:45 a.m.                 Childcare
10:00 a.m.               Worship – Board of Parish Ministry
10:30 a.m.               Activity Time
11:00 a.m.                Fellowship & Beverages
                                 Puzzler Exchange
11:15 a.m.               Sunday Seminar
2:00 p.m.                 The Five Pillars of Aging Successfully*

*Pre-Registered Group

LifeSouth Blood Mobile will be in the east parking lot NEXT Sunday, May 28, 9:00-1:00 p.m. Please give the gift of life!

Calling all puzzle lovers – Stop by the Puzzlers’ Table in front of Seminar B NEXT Sunday, May 28. Take home some puzzles this week. They are a great substitute for TV watching, and good for your brain! You can bring puzzles to swap, or not; we have plenty to share.

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 at asat2299@aol.com if you wish to sign up. The group will meet on Wednesdays starting June 14 at 7:00 pm.

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.” There will be special guests, a water slide day, yummy snacks, spiritual exploration, and a visit from the zoo! Rates: $30 per child (8:30 a.m.-12 p.m.), $50 family cap for children in the same household. Aftercare Rate: 12-5 p.m. $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 that can teach our children about critters, however known. Monetary donations or gift cards to grocery/big box stores are also welcome. Visit https://bit.ly/campucg23 to register.


May 19 COVID Update – 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.