United Church of Gainesville
Sunday, May 5, 2024 – 10 a.m.
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Our live stream begins here at 10 a.m.
 
“It doesn’t matter if you’re a frog or a pig or a bear or even a person. It doesn’t matter if you’re a big fish in a little pond or a small fish in a big pond – you’re you and you matter.” – Kermit the Frog
 

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS – Rev. Chad McGinnis

PRELUDE – “Ashokan Farewell” by Jay Unger – Angela Mickle, cello

CALL TO WORSHIP – from “Litany for Becoming” by Rev. M. Jade Kaiser – offered by Rev. Talia Raymond

ONE: To become is a lifelong process. Nothing is constant, not even the self. We evolve in the midst of narratives meant only for some and ways of being made narrow by fear and power. We must, then, have the courage to listen to the truth of our own lives, to the wisdom that comes from within – responding without resistance or need to control, but with welcome and curiosity. This is what ensures our becoming is an unfolding of our truest self. This lifelong labor cannot be carried out alone. It requires help from friends, and lovers, family, and creaturely companions who bear witness to what makes us come alive. And say to us, “Listen. Look. Feel. Pay attention to that.”

ALL: This is loving and being loved.

ONE: Telling the stories. Sharing in the memories. Giving thanks for the relationships, understandings, and experiences past that have shaped us to this day.

ALL: This is loving and being loved.

ONE: Celebrating new beginnings that excite. Holding risks together. Leaning into unknowns with the promises of support and companionship.

ALL: This is loving and being loved.

ONE: Listening to the future calling uniquely to each of us in the midst of all of life’s noise. Helping one another find our place in the shared labor of collective life. Supporting each other in what it is the world’s ache is asking from us.

ALL: This is loving and being loved.

ONE: To say, for the first time, “This is who I am. This is the truth of my body. This is what I know about myself. This is my name and this is where my path is leading me.” And to have it heard. Have it received. Have it affirmed. And then, to say it again, and again, as we change and as the world changes, and to have each proclamation greeted with an open-armed embrace:

ALL: This is loving and being loved.

ONE: There is no me without you. We shape one another. The Sacred that birthed us weaves our lives together so that we can only find ourselves through shared becoming. For my journey and all its winding ways. For yours. For all the saints who labored for what is, all the kin whose lives made ours possible. For all those yet to come for whom living our truths today will mean breaking possibilities open for them tomorrow: We pause. We give thanks. We acknowledge.

ALL: This is loving and being loved.

OPENING HYMN – “Morning Has Broken” #48 UCG Songbook

TIME WITH CHILDREN AND BIRTHDAYS – “Fry Bread” by Kevin Maillard – Rev. Chad McGinnis

INTERLUDE AND OFFERTORY

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HYMN – “What Gift Can We Bring?” #370 black Hymnal

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE – Rev. Ellen Ribe

SPECIAL MUSIC – “Sonata in C Major movement” by J.B. Breval – offered by Angela Mickle, cello

SCRIPTURE – “Eucharist” – the Gospel by Gen Z – Rev. Chad McGinnis 

Jesus told his fam the opps are about to throw hands w me
(the opps were in fact planning it low key)
a few days later it was independency day
and holy bro told peter and john to get a vip room
when jesus and the twelve pulled up sacred blud said ngl
ive been looking forward to this canon event
after their pregame meal jesus said
take and eat this bread for its my body
like actually
in the same way he took the cup and said take and drink
for this is my sacred blud of the new covenant to forgive L’s
don’t ever stop reposting this moment
yet one of you is major sus and low key an op
judas said (sweat emoji) don’t eat all my margaritas
and left the chat to meet up w the ops for some bread
then the mods argued over who was more based
but holy bro said nah fam, to be truly based
you must be a low key real one as i have to you
then jesus said fam, ngl y’all about to be runnin
for its a canon event that i must 1v1 the op of ops
but peter said quit playin you know i’m ride or die
jesus replied nah fam
you will be runnin so fast
but after you pull up again, gas up your bros

SERMON – “Margaritas and the Importance of Rituals” – Rev. Chad McGinnis

CLOSING SONG – “Servant Song” #61 UCG Songbook

Neighbor, let me be your servant
Let me be as grace to you
Pray that I may have the grace
To let you be my servant, too

We are pilgrims on a journey
We are neighbors on the road
We are here to help each other
Walk the mile and bear the load

I will hold the grace light for you
In the night-time of your fear
I will hold my hand out to you
Speak the peace you long to hear

I will weep when you are weeping
When you laugh’ I’ll laugh with you
I will share your joy and sorrow
Till we’ve seen this journey through

BENEDICTION – Rev. Chad McGinnis

ALLELUIA

POSTLUDE – Mark Burlingame

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