Welcome to Worship
The United Church of Gainesville – October 10, 2021
Join us here for a live-stream of Sunday Worship beginning at 9:15am.
“It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”
Who Is My Neighbor?
“We need more light about each other. Light creates understanding,
understanding creates love, love creates patience, and patience creates unity.”
– Malcolm X
PRELUDE MUSIC – Mark Burlingame
WELCOME – Alberto Breccio
CALL TO WORSHIP – Pam Smith – from the Dalai Lama:
Leader: May I be a guard for those who need protection
Congregation: A guide for those on the path
Leader: A boat, a raft, a bridge for those who wish to cross the flood
Congregation: May I be a lamp in the darkness
Leader: A resting place for the weary
Congregation: A healing medicine for all who are sick
Leader: A vase of plenty, a tree of miracles
And for the boundless multitudes of living beings
May I bring sustenance
HYMN – “They Asked, ‘Who Is My Neighbor?’” click here for music
READING – The World Has Need of You by Ellen Bass – Daniel Webster
“everything here seems to need us” -Rainer Maria Rilke
I can hardly imagine it
as I walk to the lighthouse, feeling the ancient
prayer of my arms swinging
in counterpoint to my feet.
Here I am, suspended
between the sidewalk and twilight,
the sky dimming so fast it seems alive.
What if you felt the invisible
tug between you and everything?
A boy on a bicycle rides by,
his white shirt open, flaring
behind him like wings.
It’s a hard time to be human. We know too much
and too little. Does the breeze need us?
The cliffs? The gulls?
If you’ve managed to do one good thing,
the ocean doesn’t care.
But when Newton’s apple fell toward the earth,
the earth, ever so slightly, fell
toward the apple.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE – Alberto Breccio
READING - Luke 10:25-37 – Renee Andrews
MESSAGES
Pam Smith – Introduction of theme and speakers
Ms. Carla Lewis – from Greater Duval Neighborhood Association
Jerry Steinberg – “Miracles, Fishes, and Loaves in Our Neighborhood”
CLOSING HYMN - “Take My Gifts” – click here for music
BENEDICTION – Daniel Webster
ALLELUIA
Song Leader: Hannah Norton
Here are the UCG friends celebrating a birthday this week
| Charlotte | Gravlee | 10/11 |
| Stan | Smith | 10/11 |
| Tammy | Herchel | 10/12 |
| Andrea | Palmer | 10/12 |
| Jackson | Kruse | 10/12 |
| Paul | George | 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 |
| Scott | DeMouey | 10/16 |
Sunday Seminar
Sunday Seminar at 10:15am – “Budget Deep Dive!” – Last Sunday our congregation approved a “challenge budget”; but what is that really? Do you need more details before making your pledge? Are you curious about how the budget was developed? What about that PPP money? Join folks from the Board of Business and the PPP committee, plus our incredible accountant, Catherine Cake, as we tackle all questions you bring. Transparency: it’s a UCG thing. Join here. Meeting ID: 829 6457 0385, Passcode: 1624
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Announcements
Imagine, Engage, Invest – Our 2022 Pledge Campaign has begun! Our congregation’s work — in caring for one another, in nurturing our spiritual imaginations, in connecting us to each other and the needs of our city — is funded almost entirely by the gifts and offerings of our members. Whether you can increase support for the church over last year or need to keep it the same or lower it a little, please use this link here and do it now? Thanks!
All are invited to share a memory, a story, a song, or simply a few moments with the family of David Dick at Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery this afternoon from 1:30-3:30. Click here for more details.
CMRB sends out a periodic survey which boards and committees and church leadership can use to gauge our progress with our Three Year Plan. The next survey is ready, and can be found at this link. The survey has been significantly shortened, so it should only take you a few minutes to complete. Please provide your input today!
All-Saints Labyrinth Walk, October 25-October 29, 9am – 5pm, and Sunday, October 31, 12pm-2pm – In preparation for All Saints’ Day, bring a photo or memory of a loved one for our shared altar, and stay to walk the labyrinth. Finger (seated) labyrinths are also available. Sign up online or call the office to make reserve your time.
The UCG Jazz Band will be playing that great arrangement of “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” on November 7. We’ll rehearse at UCG on Thursday, November 2 at 7:00 pm. Music is available in the church office. If you want Shanna to send it to you, please contact the church office. Please let Larry Reimer know if you plan on playing. Cindy Martin has transcribed the sax music for flute, so we have lots of opportunities for our flutes to join the band. NOTE: The UCG Jazz band is open to anyone playing a jazz instrument.
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 Friday, November 5. You can send submissions to Taylor Williams at gutsandglorygnv@gmail.com.
UCG Family Promise needs your help with providing for families experiencing homelessness in our community by offering catered meals each weeknight of our weeklong “hostings.” Your continued financial support will allow us to continue our catering until it is safe to gather again for on-site hostings. Donations can be made by sending a check to UCG with “Family Promise” noted in the memo line or by donations made to UCG’s online giving page here. Use the drop down menu to choose Family Promise. Thank you for your generosity!
October 9 Covid Update
According to the Florida Department of Health, last week the number of new cases of COVID-19 in Alachua County decreased from 157 to 97 per 100,000 per week, moving down into the orange zone (substantial risk of community transmission).
Your help is needed on Sunday mornings. We are still looking for volunteers willing to assist with setup and greeting congregants at the 9:15AM outdoor Sunday service. There’s some moderate lifting involved if you want to come at 8:30AM and help with chairs or no lifting involved if you can come about 25 minutes early and help at the greeting table. To sign up please click here, email Dar Mikula, or call (352) 378-3500.
Please help keep our church finances healthy while you stay healthy! Please consider donating online. To GIVE, click here to make a one-time donation to UCG -or- to set up a recurring donation schedule via your bank account or credit card. Our budgeted (anticipated) amount of Plate Income for 2021 is $36,000, so we rely on the weekly passing of the plate. Here is a video on how to use Shelby Giving. Thank you for your support!
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