What I Learned on My Summer Vacation
Sunday, September 22, 2024 – 10 a.m.
Our livestream begins here at 10 a.m.
All it read was ‘When I grow up, I just want to be a good human.’
And all I can think was, ‘I really hope I haven’t let her down.’”
– Nikita Gill
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS – Rev. Chad McGinnis
PRELUDE – offered by Phillip Herr-Klepacki, Director of Music Ministry
CALL TO WORSHIP – adapted from “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Glacier” by Craig Santos Perez – Rev. Talia Raymond
The only moving thing
Was the edge of a glacier.
ALL: We are of one ecology
Like a planet
In which there are 200,000
glaciers.
One: The glacier absorbed greenhouse gases.
We are a large part of the
biosphere.
ALL: Humans and animals
Are kin.
Humans and animals and
glaciers
Are kin.
One: We do not know which to fear more,
The terror of change
Or the terror of uncertainty,
The glacier calving
Or just after.
ALL: O vulnerable humans,
Why do you engineer sea walls?
Do you not see how the glacier
Already floods the streets
Of the cities around you?
One: The sea is rising.
The glacier must be retreating.
It was summer all winter.
It was melting
And it was going to melt.
The glacier fits
In our warm-hands.
OPENING HYMN – “Creating God, Your Fingers Trace”
TIME WITH CHILDREN AND BIRTHDAYS – Rev. Chad McGinnis
INTERLUDE AND OFFERING
Your gifts support all facets of the UCG community. You can also give online: bit.ly/ucgplate.
People travel to wonder
at the height of the mountains,
at the huge waves of the seas,
at the long course of the rivers,
at the vast compass of the ocean,
at the circular motion of the stars,
and yet they pass by themselves
without wondering.
MEDITATIVE MUSIC – offered by Shirell Hix, piano and Eric Nelson, cello
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE – Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan
SPECIAL MUSIC – “Better Together” by Jack Johnson – offered by Phillip Herr-Klepacki, Director of Music Ministry
READING FROM SCRIPTURE – Job 1:16-19
While he was still speaking, another came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them; I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was still speaking, another came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three columns, made a raid on the camels and carried them off, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was still speaking, another came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house, and suddenly a great wind came across the desert, struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; I alone have escaped to tell you.”
SERMON – “What Echoes in Eternity” – Rev. Chad McGinnis
CLOSING HYMN – “What a Wonderful World”
I see trees of green, red roses too,
I see them bloom for me and you,
and I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
I see skies of blue and clouds of white,
the bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
and I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky,
are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shaking hands,
Sayin’ “How do you do!”
They’re really sayin’ “I love you.”
I hear babies cry, I watch them grow
They’ll learn much more than I’ll never know
and I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
Yes, I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
BENEDICTION
ALLELUIA
POSTLUDE
Here are our UCG friends celebrating a birthday this week:
Stella Bachmann
Suzi Kaufman
Cheryl Poe
Luke Engels
Rick Croley
September 25
Jane Day
Deborah Holt
September 26
Myth Hendrix
Kathy Berg
Eden Ivines
Maggie Wise
Jaxon Bonnaghan
Jennifer Larson
Terrie Mullin
Evelyn Ragsdale
Kari Shattuck
Eliza McGinnis
Today at UCG
10 a.m. Worship Service – Rev. Chad McGinnis
10:15 a.m. Kids United
11 a.m. Fellowship and Beverages
Visitor’s Coffee
11:15 a.m. Banned Book Reception
ONA Art Party
11:30 a.m. Youth United
Middle School Together
2 p.m. Entr’Acte Benefit Concert
Calling all puzzle lovers – Stop by the Puzzlers’ Table in front of Seminar B on Sunday, September 22. Take home some puzzles, a great substitute for TV watching, and good for your brain! You can bring puzzles to swap, or not; we have plenty to share. If you have puzzles to donate to the church at other times, please contact puzzle co-chair Marianne Schmink to arrange a time.Visitors’ Coffee is today at 11 a.m. in Reimer Hall – If you have been visiting United Church of Gainesville and would like more information about the church, please stop by to see members of our Board of Membership after the service.
Today kicks off Banned Books Week, which is not a celebration, but a call for action. The Racial Justice Committee is hosting an informational presentation about UCG’s Banned Book Collection today at the Banned Books Reception in the library after service. We hope you will come, enjoy some snacks, learn more about the recent rise in banning books in public schools and public libraries. You can also sign up to read a banned book yourself. We will announce a date for all participants to discuss what they read. FREE PEOPLE READ FREELY!
Open and Affirming Committee (ONA) will be selling the new and exciting Pride Shirts! They are available in the courtyard before and after service for $15.
Art Party – today after the service in the west wing. Open and Affirming Committee will be making Pride pins, bracelets, decorating t-shirts, and applying temporary tattoos. This is a lead-up to the Gainesville Pride festival, the crafts made can be worn at the Pride festival, and we will be giving out some of what is made at the festival as well. All are welcome to the Art Party!
Food 4 Kids Benefit Concert – Today at 2 p.m. in the Sanctuary featuring fan favorites The Hogtown Pickers and Dalirusa Trio, we also welcome Another Voice to our stage. Other local artist solos, duets and trios will share a variety of bluegrass, pop, original compositions (classical and meditation), soul, and other contemporary genres. Enjoy a fun afternoon and support the Food 4 Kids program at Rawlings Elementary School. Sponsored by United Church of Gainesville Entr’acte musicians.
Small Group registration is going on now through September 29! Small groups for this fall through the winter are available on ShelbyNext. Paper copies of the offerings along with a registration form are available in the foyer, front office or at https://bit.ly/sgroups24. The Small Groups committee is happy to share with you the exciting offerings this season!
Friendship Group
11 a.m. Fellowship and Beverages
11:30 a.m. Pride Potluck
2 p.m. Our Whole Lives (OWL) Training
If you are considering United Church of Gainesville (UCG) membership, the next UCG 101 is Tuesday, October 1, 5:30 p.m. in Reimer Hall. This is a time to learn about the church and connect with other members over light refreshments. Please contact the office to RSVP or sign up on the bulletin board by the office on Sundays. Please let us know if you need childcare. We will hold a welcome and reception for new members during and after service on New Member Sunday, October 20.
We invite you to support the Gainesville Area AIDS Project (GAAP) and their TREE program (The Replenishment of Everyday Essentials) on PRIDE Sunday, September 29. Help us assist our income-challenged neighbors living with HIV/AIDS by providing essential items that cannot be purchased with food stamps/SNAP. Items include: toilet paper, bleach tablets, toothpaste, laundry detergent, disposable razors, shaving cream, shampoo, deodorant, household cleaners, dish soap, sponges, feminine products (pads & liners are preferred to tampons). Please bring donations to church on Sunday, September 29. For early donations during the week of September 22, seminar C will be open, Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Thank you for your support of our local income-challenged residents living with HIV/AIDS.
Alachua County Faith Leaders Alliance – The second Alachua County Faith Leaders Alliance Interfaith Potluck in honor of International Peace Day will be September 22 at 5 p.m. at Baha’i Community, 4451 NW 19th St. Bring a vegetarian potluck dish and your own silverware and plate and learn about and build relationships across different faiths.
UCG Boomer Single Mingle – Get to know other UCG Boomer singles! A far-out evening of fun and conversation at First Magnitude Brewing Co., 5:30 to 7:00, on Thursday, September 26. We’ll be meeting on the garden deck area of First Magnitude. Food trucks and beverages both with & without alcohol will be available. Feel free to bring a snack to share, and feel free to invite other Boomer singles. The more the merrier! Be there or be square! First Magnitude Brewing Co. is located at 1220 SE Veitch St, Gainesville, FL 32601.
Creation Justice Climate Events – Gainesville Art Exhibit: August 27-October 19 the Gainesville Fine Arts Association (GFAA) will be hosting “HEAT,” their Biennial National juried exhibit. As part of this exhibit, they are partnering with UCG and other community groups to host climate change related events such as a Florida Friendly Landscaping event September 27 from 6-10 p.m. with free trees, Florida friendly plants for sale, tabling with information about Florida friendly landscaping, composting, and tree planting demonstration and panel discussion. They are located at 1314 S. Main Street. Climate Book Discussion Group is sponsoring Jeff Goodall, author of the book “The Heat Will Kill You First” – he will speak and do book signing on September 28 at GFAA. The book is available at The Lynx and other local bookstores. The Hawthorne Sustainability and Resilience Summit will take place on September 28 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with a discussion “Building Sustainable Climate Justice Solutions for Our Most Vulnerable Communities” followed by results of the county’s Climate Vulnerability Study and panels on Development and Conservation, Food and Health, and Weatherization. Snacks, lunch, coffee, and beverages provided at New Generation Church, 225— SE 71st Ave., Hawthorne, FL.
Capital Campaign Feasibility Study Update: One of the important findings of this spring’s Capital Campaign Feasibility Study was that congregants needed to learn more about the projects on the “Essential Repairs and Improvements” list, what they entailed, why they were necessary, and so on. As part of the effort to address this need, the UCG Capital Campaign Visioning Committee and the Buildings and Grounds Committee are assembling a series of short videos to describe projects on the “Essential Repairs and Improvements” list. Three new videos have been added:
in addition to the first five videos about water supply, the beam that separates Reimer Hall from the west wing, west bathrooms and HVAC. The videos will be available on this YouTube playlist. Please send any questions or comments about the projects, and about the effectiveness of these videos, to either Tim Martin or Erick Smith.
UCG Emergency Volunteer Phone Tree – If you are not already on the call recipient list of the UCG Emergency Volunteer Phone Tree and you would like a call from the UCG Phone Tree about any hurricane warnings issued for the Gainesville area, please contact the front office to add your name to the list.
September 13 COVID Update
Although its levels are low, the COVID-19 virus is still being detected in nearly all of Alachua County’s wastewater samples. Likewise, a moderately small number of people continue to test positive for COVID-19. The CDC’s Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices therefore recommends that everyone over age 6-months get either of the two 2024-25 mRNA vaccines produced by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech. Both of these vaccines have received emergency use authorization from the FDA and are designed to be effective against the most recent KP.2 variant that appeared earlier this Summer. It is especially important that people over age 65 and those at high risk for severe disease obtain an updated vaccine, which is now available by appointment at local pharmacies.
Regrettably, the Florida Surgeon General, Joseph Ladapo, continues his campaign of misinformation, for which he has been admonished by the heads of the CDC and the FDA. Dr. Ladapo has informed all Florida physicians of his position to advise against the use of all mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. Allan March, MD does not support Dr. Ladapo’s position and advises people who are unsure about the CDC’s current recommendations to consult their personal physician.
