Welcome to Worship
The United Church of Gainesville – October 17, 2021
Join us here for a live-stream of Sunday Worship beginning at 9:15am.
“It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”
“We must not see any person as an abstraction. Instead, we must see in every person a universe with its own secrets, with its own treasures, with its own sources of anguish, and with some measure of triumph.” ― Elie Wiesel
WELCOME – Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan
PRELUDE MUSIC – Phillip Herr-Klepacki
INVOCATION
God dear God above, God almighty, God of love,
Please look down and see my people through.
SPECIAL MUSIC – “Come Sunday” by Duke Ellington – Mark Burlingame, trumpet, and Philip Herr-Klepacki, piano
TIME WITH CHILDREN -“Anti-Racist Baby” Ibram X. Kendi and Ashley Lukashevsky
A MOMENT FOR STEWARDSHIP – Laura Maxwell
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE – Rev. Talia Raymond
PRAYER RESPONSE – “Not My Brother, nor My Sister (Standing in the Need of Prayer)”
Not my brother, nor my sister, but it’s me, O God,
standing in the need of prayer;
Not my brother, nor my sister, but it’s me, O God,
standing in the need of prayer.
Refrain:
It’s me, it’s me, O God,
standing in the need of prayer;
It’s me, it’s me, O God,
standing in the need of prayer.
Not the preacher, nor the deacon, but it’s me, O God
standing in the need of prayer;
Not the preacher, nor the deacon, but it’s me, O God,
standing in the need of prayer. [[Refrain]
Not my father, nor my mother, but it’s me, O God,
standing in the need of prayer;
Not my father, nor my mother, but it’s me, O God,
standing in the need of prayer. [Refrain]
Not the stranger, nor my neighbor, but it’s me, O God,
standing in the need of prayer;
Not the stranger, nor my neighbor, but it’s me, O God,
standing in the need of prayer. [Refrain]
RESPONSIVE READING, adapted from Matthew 1 and Luke 3
Please join by enthusiastically reading the signs as they are held up.
SERMON- “Inheritance” – Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan
CLOSING HYMN – “I’m Gonna Live So God Can Use Me”
BENEDICTION
ALLELUIA
Here are the UCG friends celebrating a birthday this week!
Happy Birthday!
| Abby | Land | 10/18 |
| Lola | Yousey | 10/18 |
| Caryss | Baldwin | 10/19 |
| Pamela | Becker | 10/20 |
| Ben | Murphy | 10/20 |
| Abigail | Huelsman | 10/20 |
| Lesley | LeBaron | 10/21 |
| Noah | Robertson | 10/21 |
| Ause | Brown | 10/22 |
| Gloria | Burger | 10/22 |
| Gade | Duerksen | 10/22 |
| Nate | Stapleton | 10/22 |
| Jason | Vogel | 10/22 |
Sunday Seminar
Please note: 11am start time
Sunday Seminar – Voter Suppression in Florida – Since January of this year, 18 states have enacted 30 laws that make it more difficult for people to vote, including here in Florida. This campaign reflects a long history of voter suppression as an instrument of white supremacy. Join former State Representative Cynthia Chestnut, Dr. Lance Gravlee (UF Anthropology and UCG Racial Justice Committee) and Dr. Jay Maggio (St. John’s River State College Political Science and Alachua County Democratic Party) to place these developments in context and discuss strategies for fighting back. Join here. Meeting ID: 829 6457 0385, Passcode: 1624
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Announcements
Open and Affirming Committee will be selling “Y’all Means All” shirts and UCG masks today in the Courtyard! Adult shirts are $15, youth sizes are $10, and masks are $8. Get your shirt and mask and join us on Pride Sunday to show your UCG PRIDE!
Lessons & Carols Rehearsals begin TODAY, OCTOBER 17TH AT 12:15pm in the courtyard. No vocal experience necessary– new and/or once-in-a-while singers are welcomed enthusiastically! This year we also welcome Phillip Herr-Klepacki as our new choir director! Bring your lunch to eat in the courtyard as we listen through the CD together while Phillip narrates and points out places that will need the most focus. Join us!
Imagine, Engage, Invest – Our enlistment campaign to fund the 2022 UCG budget continues. Our congregation’s work is funded almost entirely by the gifts and offerings of our members and to date we have received 82 pledges totaling $275,729, which equals 30% of our goal. We still need $538,700 to reach our 2022 budget of $814,429. We have many options to make pledging easier, and as always your gift is secure and confidential with our Church Accountant, Catherine Cake. If you have not already made your pledge for 2022, please use this link here and do it now, or email confidentially email Catherine here. Thank you!
All-Board Kickoff on Sunday, October 24th from 5:30 to 6:30 pm via Zoom. This is our annual kickoff event for all Board and Committee members and chairs. You will meet new folks, learn about the work of our Boards and Committees and see what an integral part each of us plays in the ministries of the church. It is fun, informative and inspiring, and we hope you will attend! PLEASE RSVP here.
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 28, 9am – 5pm, and October 29 9am – noon – 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 – We are seeking your writings and art for the UCG Advent devotional booklet! Please 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.
October 16 Covid Update
According to the Florida Department of Health, last week the number of new cases of COVID-19 in Alachua County moved slightly from 97 to 111 per 100,000 per week. The past 6-week downward trajectory has ended right at the interface between the red and the orange zones.
We are holding services inside the Sanctuary again! Your help is needed more than ever on Sunday mornings with greeting and ushering individuals and families at the 9:15AM service. There’s no lifting involved – just a friendly smile illuminating from behind your mask! 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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