The United Church of Gainesville – October 11, 2020

If you would like to watch the service as a playlist, please click here and you will be directed to our YouTube page. If you prefer, you may click on the individual links below at your own pace.

Welcome, Prayers, and Musical Response 

Welcome and Prayers – Rev. Andy Bachmann 

Today we honor the 94th Continuation Day of Thich Nhat Hanh. We begin our time together with the ringing of the bell, and these words:

Listen, listen
this wonderful sound
brings me back
to my true self.

Prayer Response – Tane’ DeKrey, Piano 

Time with Children – Rev. Talia Raymond 

Welcome to United Tribes Worship!

 Join us at United Tribes Activity Time at 10am! 

Reading, Sermon, and Responsive Song 

Reading -  from the writing of Thich Nhat Hahn- Read by Andy Bachmann

The last expression to examine is “making it here and now.” Only the present moment is real and available to us. The peace we desire is not in some distant future, but it is something we can realize in the present moment. To practice Buddhism does not mean to endure hardship now for the sake of peace and liberation in the future. The purpose of practice is not to be reborn in some paradise or buddhaland after death. The purpose is to have peace for ourselves and other right now, while we are alive and breathing….

“Means are ends in themselves…. All activities and practices should be entered into mindfully and peacefully. While sitting, walking, cleaning, working, or serving, we should feel peace within ourselves. The aim of sitting meditation is first to be peaceful and awake during sitting meditation. Working to help the hungry or the sick means to be peaceful and loving during that work. When we practice, we do not expect the practice to pay large rewards in the future, even nirvana, the pure land, enlightenment of Buddhahood. The secret of Buddhism is to be awake here and now.

There is no way to peace; peace is the way.
There is no way to enlightenment; enlightenment is the way.
There is no liberation; liberation is the way.

Sermon - ”Patience and Change,” Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan 

on Exodus 32:1-14
When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered around Aaron and said to him, ‘Come, make gods for us, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ Aaron said to them, ‘Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.’ So all the people took off the gold rings from their ears, and brought them to Aaron. He took the gold from them, formed it in a mould, and cast an image of a calf; and they said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’ When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation and said, ‘Tomorrow shall be a festival to the Lord.’ They rose early the next day, and offered burnt-offerings and brought sacrifices of well-being; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to revel.

The Lord said to Moses, ‘Go down at once! Your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have acted perversely; they have been quick to turn aside from the way that I commanded them; they have cast for themselves an image of a calf, and have worshipped it and sacrificed to it, and said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” ’ The Lord said to Moses, ‘I have seen this people, how stiff-necked they are. Now let me alone, so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them; and of you I will make a great nation.’

But Moses implored the Lord his God, and said, ‘O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, “It was with evil intent that he brought them out to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth”? Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring disaster on your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, how you swore to them by your own self, saying to them, “I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it for ever.” ’ And the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people.

Responsive Song – Lead On, O Heavenly Spirit, words by Ruth Duck and music by Henry T. Smart, Tane’ DeKrey, Piano 

Lead on, O Heavenly Spirit,
The exodus is come:
In wilderness and desert
Our tribe shall make its home
Our slav’ry left behind us
A vision in us grows,
We seek the land of promise
Where milk and honey flows.

Lead on, O fiery pillar,
We follow yet with fears,
But we shall come rejoicing
Though joy be born of tears:
We are not lost, though wandering
For by your light we come,
And we are still God’s people,
The journey is our home.

Lead on, O God of freedom,
Our guiding spirit be;
Though those who start the journey
The promise may not see.
We pray that all our children
May live to see that land
Where justice rules with mercy
And love is law’s demand.

Here are the UCG friends celebrating a birthday this week.
Happy Birthday!

 

Charlotte	Gravlee	10/11
Stan	Smith	10/11
Paul	George	10/12
Tammy	Herchel	10/12
Andrea	Palmer	10/12
Jackson	Kruse	10/12
Doug	Kiker	10/13
Lois	McNamara	10/13
Helda	Montero	10/13
Ty	Robertson	10/15
Jhett	Hill	10/16
Ella Grace	Johnson	10/16

Sunday Seminars 

Sunday Seminar, October 11 at 11:15am – “Bellamy Road Visual Experience,” with Barb Gibbs. Barb will show her photos that illustrate the book, Florida’s Bellamy Road: A Place Remembered by writer/historian Sudye Cauthen. She will discuss the project as well as touch on the history of the Bellamy Road. This federally funded road was started in 1824 to connect St. Augustine with Pensacola, and John Bellamy served as the engineer and building manager of the section that went from St. Augustine to Tallahassee. The road went through Alachua and there are remnants of the road that still exist in our county. Click here to join. Passcode: UCG

Sunday Seminar, October 11, at 12:30pm – Congregational Coffee Hour. Bromleigh will be available on our Zoom account to talk and share. She’ll be prepared to talk about the online worship experience, but with no set agenda other than hoping to see your faces and have a chance to touch base. Join here. Passcode: UCG

 

Important Announcements

If you have not yet pledged, there are several ways you can do so:

• Use our ShelbyNext website and app to make your pledge. First, if you haven’t logged into your ShelbyNext account, click here for a quick tutorial.  
• If you’d rather access ShelbyNext from your smartphone, you’ll need to download the app.  Click here for a video to show you how to get the app in the App Store.
• If you have the app and you are ready to go, click here for a video on how to submit your pledge commitment for 2021.
• You can also stop by the church office to fill out a paper pledge card. There are blank pledge cards and envelopes in the Suggestion Box next to the church office door. If you are returning a completed card, you can use the black mail box at the corner of the office building closest to the Sanctuary.
• If you aren’t a UCG member or you live far away, simply contact the office (info@ucgainesville.org or 352-378-3500) and we will be happy to mail a pledge card to you. You may also email your commitment directly and confidentially at our accountant, catherinec@ucgainesville.org. Please note that all pledging is confidential.  

Our hope is to complete our pledge campaign by November 8th, so please let us know as soon as you can! Thank you so much for your commitment to UCG! 

The Racial Justice Committee will distribute BLACK LIVES MATTER yard signs Sunday, October 18th, 2:00 – 3:30pm.
This will coincide with that Sunday’s drive-thru Communion in the Church parking loop.

• To view/order: Click here or, email Lynda Dillon,
• Quantity limit: 2/per order. Please inquire for larger orders. Net proceeds to RJC.
• Sliding scale pricing: $10 – $12 – $15 ea. Online payment or at pickup: cash or check to UCG, BLM sign in memo line.
• Volunteers for distribution day: email Jessica Elkins

 

Advent Reflections Submissions Wanted – It’s that time of year again! We are seeking your writings and art for the UCG Advent devotional booklet! We invite you to send in original writings and art, or favorites that remind you of the season. Important: please send in art as jpegs and writings typed in the body of your email, or as PDFs. This makes the editing process run smoothly! Please submit by Sunday, November 8.  You can send submissions to Taylor Williams at gutsandglorygnv@gmail.com.

Young Adults Sunday Lunch Group -UCG Young Adult Group is lunch meeting TODAY, October 11, at noon.  Are you a UCG young adult? Older than high school, younger than 30ish? Grab your lunch (optional) and join the UCG YA group for a meal, making connections, and for discussions on various topics. Call Judy Parsons 352-213-6516 if you have any questions or need more information. Join here. 

 

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If you are a regular supporter through our collected offering, please consider making your donation now.  Our budgeted (anticipated) amount of Plate Income for 2020 is $40,000, so we rely on the weekly passing of the plate. To GIVE, click here to make a one-time donation to UCG -or- to set up a recurring donation via your bank account or credit card click here.  Thank you for your support.

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Please note: While the Church Office remains closed, we are still available by phone or email from 9am – 4pm, Monday – Friday.