United Church of Gainesville
“The Gospel According to the Wizard of Oz”
Sunday, September 10, 2023 – 10:00 a.m.
Our live stream begins at 10:00 a.m. Click here to join.
“You had the power all along, my dear.”
-L. Frank Baum, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS – Rev. Talia Raymond
PRELUDE – “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” music by Harold Arlen, lyrics by E.Y. Harburg, offered by the Ukulele Club
CALL TO WORSHIP – Dorothy Gail (aka Julie Anspach)
One: We come with all that we are;
ALL: We come with our minds; filled with knowledge, wonder, experience, and dreaming.
One: We come with all that we are;
ALL: We come with our hearts; open and longing, knowing that love changes us for good.
One: We come with all that we are;
ALL: We come with our courage; the call to be our whole selves, while open and listening to those who travel alongside us.
One: We come with all that we are;
ALL: We come seeking home; to share our gifts in community, only to find that we had all that we needed, all along.
OPENING SONG – “Servant Song”
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
TIME WITH CHILDREN and THE LOLLIPOP GUILD – Rev. Talia Raymond
INTERLUDE – Phillip Herr-Klepacki
A READING ON BRAINS – Selections from “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum, offered by Glenn Mans
SPECIAL MUSIC AND OFFERING – “Ease on Down the Road” from the musical “The Wiz,” music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls, offered by The Scarecrow Ensemble
Your gifts support all facets of the UCG community. You can also give online: bit.ly/ucgplate.
A READING ON HEART – Selections from “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” by L. Frank Baum, offered by Jennifer Pritchett
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE – Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan
PRAYER RESPONSE – “For Good” from the musical “Wicked,” music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, offered by Elena Frenock and Hannah Norton
A READING ON COURAGE – Selections from “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” by L. Frank Baum, offered by Ezra Stone
A VISIT FROM THE WITCHES – “Defying Gravity” from the musical “Wicked,” music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
MEDITATION – “The Gospel According to The Wizard of Oz,” Rev. Talia Raymond
CLOSING SONG – “Everybody Rejoice” from the musical “The Wiz,” music and lyrics by Luther Vandross, offered by the UCG Choir
BENEDICTION
ALLELUIA
Here are our UCG friends celebrating a birthday last week and this week!
| Linda | Dahl | 09/10 |
| Tricia | Gregory | 09/10 |
| Eve | Mickle | 09/10 |
| Bromleigh | McCleneghan | 09/10 |
| Ian | Filippi | 09/11 |
| Amor | Villar | 09/11 |
| Eric | Vogel | 09/11 |
| Don | Fitzpatrick | 09/12 |
| Liz | Harvey | 09/12 |
| Avery | Sperbeck | 09/12 |
| Hillary | Craven James | 09/14 |
| Susan | Eichner | 09/15 |
| Taylor | Trosper | 09/15 |
| Chad | McGinnis | 09/15 |
| Jim | Archer | 09/16 |
| Rebecca | Beachy | 09/16 |
| Mark | Hostetler | 09/16 |
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Today at UCG
10:00 a.m. Worship – “The Gospel According to ‘The Wizard of Oz’” – Rev. Talia Raymond
10:15 a.m. United Tribes – Education Wing
11:00 a.m. Fellowship and Beverages – Courtyard
Young Adult Lunch – meet by the Fountain
Common Threaders – Library
11:15 a.m. Sunday Seminar – Reimer Hall
12:00 p.m. Kairos Meeting – Reimer Hall
12:30 p.m. Board of Membership – Seminar B
4:00 p.m. Dances of Universal Peace – West Wing
5:30 p.m. MST & YU Second Sundays – Reimer Hall
6:00 p.m. Sacred Sound Symphony – Sanctuary
7:00 p.m. Transition Team Listening Session – Zoom
Sunday Seminar – “Webster’s Faith Vocabulary, Part 1” with Daniel Webster – In this seminar, we will explore some keywords, including defining, comparing, and contrasting key oft-used religious terms such as faith and belief through the lens of a progressive religious perspective. If time allows, we may explore some other words connected to who we are as UCG, or other terms may come up later (if there is ever a Volume 2 or 3.) Daniel Webster will be utilizing the premise of the book “Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith” by Kathleen Norris as a launching point. In Reimer Hall or on Zoom at 11:15 a.m. Meeting ID: 829 6457 0385, Passcode: 1624.
Today is the final day to RSVP for the UCG Supper Club on Friday, September 22 at 7 p.m. – The meal features a chicken entree. Recipes are provided so that each group shares the same menu. Since we meet on Fridays in the fall to avoid football games, working people will be assigned easy or make-ahead recipes. Contact Anne Casella (annecasella@gmail.com, 352-256-5960) or Kimberly McCollough (kmcollough224@gmail.com, 352-378-8371) to RSVP.
Transition Listening Session today at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom – The Transition Team is trying multiple ways to make sure everyone feels heard during this time of transition. We have held seminars, offered a survey and now we are hosting evening listening sessions on Zoom. We value all opinions – even if you’re new to UCG, don’t attend often, or haven’t returned to your pre-pandemic levels of involvement. Meeting ID: 852 6246 0183 Passcode: 1624. Please join us.
Small Group Registration Continues – Visit https://bit.ly/SGFALLWIN23 to see our current offerings and to register. If you need a reminder on how to register in ShelbyNext, please contact the office for help. A list of offerings is also available in the church office. The deadline to register is September 17.
Calling All Artists! We want you to exhibit your creations at our annual UCG Art Show on Sunday, November 12. You can sell your work, just show it, or both. We call it, “Show & Tell . . . and Sell” and welcome all ages, all kinds of creativity, and all skill levels! Applications are available online at https://bit.ly/artsapp23 or in the Foyer.
Food4Kids is our outreach program that provides weekly bags of food for students at Rawlings Elementary. We have been feeding kids in the community for over 13 years, and last year we had 200 students to feed! In the past, we have received grants from the county, but these funds only cover about 45% of our total budget. Our funding has traditionally come entirely from the UCG congregation, and with rising food costs and more students in our program, we need you more than ever. You can donate by check to UCG with Food4Kids in the subject line, or at https://bit.ly/food4k23.
In light of the fall and Christmas schedule and to allow more time for consideration, we will continue with a single 10:00 a.m. service through January 2024. A preliminary report will be presented at the October 15 Congregational Meeting, and a decision on the worship schedule will be made at the January 28, 2024, Congregational Meeting.
Save the date! Learn about local climate change and what we can do at the Climate Summit on September 30, 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., cosponsored by the Creation Care and Climate (C3J) Task Force of UCG and the Alachua NAACP Environmental Climate Justice Committee (ECJC). Register at https://bit.ly/CSRSVP23.
Next Sunday, September 17
LifeSouth Blood Drive 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
10:00 a.m. Worship – “A Conversation Between Frederic Douglass and John Brown” – Special presentation by the Racial Justice Committee.
Friendship Group
10:15 a.m. United Tribes
11:00 a.m. Fellowship and Beverages
11:15 a.m. Sunday Seminar
Entr’acte
MST & YU
Adult Seminar
12:15 p.m. Lively Arts Committee
7:30 a.m. Transition Team Listening Session via Zoom
September 8 COVID Update
In Alachua County the COVID-19 virus continues to be detectable in all wastewater samples. However, the levels appear to be declining. Nonetheless, the continued emergence of new viral strains has increased the probability of infection with COVID in people who have been vaccinated or previously infected.
Masks are strongly encouraged for people at risk for serious illness from COVID-19, for people who live with someone with increased medical risk factors, and people who are currently experiencing any symptoms of a respiratory illness. The only masks that protect people from getting infected are the N-95 and KN-95 masks, the latter of which are available in the foyer.
