What I Learned on My Summer Vacation
Sunday, September 8, 2024 – 10 a.m.
Our livestream begins here at 10 a.m.
”It takes the same energy to say why something can’t be done
as to figure out how to do it.” – Jaime Lerner
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS – Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan
FOOD 4 KIDS UPDATE – Jess Archer
PRELUDE – offered by Phillip Herr-Klepacki, Director of Music Ministry
INVOCATION – Rev. Talia Raymond
My Lord is the source of Love; I the river’s course.
Let God’s love flow through me. I will not obstruct it.
Irrigation ditches can water but a portion of the field;
The great Yangtze River can water a thousand acres.
Expand my heart, O Lord, that I may love yet more people.
The waters of love can water vast tracts,
Nothing will be lost to me.
The greater the outward flow, the greater the returning tide.
If I am not linked to Love’s source, I will dry up.
If I dam the waters of Love, they will stagnate.
Can I compare my heart to the boundless seas?
But abandon not the measure of my heart, O Lord.
Let the waves of your love still billow there!
– Wang Weifan
OPENING HYMN – “Just a Closer Walk with Thee”
Just a Closer Walk with Thee
Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it Jesus if you please,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
I am weak, but Thou art strong Jesus, keep me from all wrong.
I’ll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk, close to Thee.
Through this world of toils and snares, If I falter Lord, who cares,
Who with me my burden shares?
Only Thee, dear Lord, only Thee.
When this troubled life is o’er Time for me will be no more.
Then guide me gently, safely on,
To Thy shore, dear Lord to Thy shore.
Repeat verse 1
TIME WITH CHILDREN AND BIRTHDAYS – from Lessons from Our Ancestors by Raksha Dave – Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan
INTERLUDE – Children 3 years – 5th grade may leave for our children’s program, Kids United, accompanied by our children’s staff. Our nursery for babies and toddlers and programs for older children are available until 12:30 p.m., as is a caregivers’ room in the back of the Sanctuary.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE – Rev. Talia Raymond
MEDITATIVE MUSIC – offered by Mark Burlingame, handpan, and Cindy Martin, flute
READING – from “Curitiba: A Global Model for Development” by Bill McKibben – read by Orlando Barros
“The first time I went there, I had never heard of Curitiba. I had no idea that its bus system was the best on Earth or that a municipal shepherd and his flock of 30 sheep trimmed the grass in its vast parks. It was just a midsize Brazilian city where an airline schedule forced me to spend the night midway through a long South American reporting trip. I reached my hotel, took a nap, and then went out in the early evening for a walk–warily, because I had just come from crime-soaked Rio.
But the street in front of the hotel was cobbled, closed to cars, and strung with lights. It opened onto another such street, which in turn opened into a broad and leafy plaza, with more shop-lined streets stretching off in all directions. Though the night was frosty – Brazil stretches well south of the tropics, and Curitiba is in the mountains – people strolled and shopped, butcher to baker to bookstore. There were almost no cars, but at one of the squares, a steady line of buses rolled off, full, every few seconds. I walked for an hour, and then another. I felt my shoulders, hunched from the tension of Rio (and probably New York as well) straightening. Though I flew out the next day as scheduled, I never forgot the city.”
READING FROM SCRIPTURE – Luke 10: 25-37
SERMON – “On the Road” – Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan
SPECIAL MUSIC AND OFFERING – “Revolution” by Alex Hope – offered by Elizabeth Clark, voice, Michael McCoy, guitar
Your gifts support all facets of the UCG community. You can also give online: bit.ly/ucgplate.
PRAYER OF DEDICATION – Rev. Talia Raymond
CLOSING HYMN “Siyahamba (We are Marching)”
– offered by Cindy Martin, flute; Mark Burlingame, Nan Ryan, Shelby Havens, and Connie Caldwell, drums
BENEDICTION
ALLELUIA
POSTLUDE
Here are our UCG friends celebrating a birthday this week:
September 9
Larry Reimer
September 10
Linda Dahl
Tricia Gregory
Eve Mickle
Bromleigh McCleneghan
September 11
Ian Michael Filippi
Amor Villar
Eric Vogel
September 12
Don Fitzpatrick
Liz Harvey
Avery Sperbeck
September 14
Hillary Craven James
****************ANNOUNCEMENTS******************
Today at UCG
9:45 a.m. Childcare
10 a.m. Worship Service
10:15 a.m. Kids United
11 a.m. Fellowship and Beverages
Art in the Library Reception
11:15 a.m. Common Threaders
11:30 a.m. Called Congregational Meeting
6 p.m. Sacred Sound Symphony
Open and Affirming Sunday Social
7 p.m. Middle School Together
Youth United
Art in the Library Reception – Please join us in the library after today’s service for an Artist Reception. Our newest show includes works by member Barb Gibbs.
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.
Called Congregational Meeting today at 11:30 a.m. Please join us after the service for a special congregational meeting to discuss the Pathfinders subcommittee report and its recommendations. An agenda and Zoom links were distributed in a separate email.
Join UCG’s Open and Affirming Committee (ONA) at our next Open & Affirming Sunday Social. Come get to know members of UCG in a fun and inclusive environment, hosted by ONA. We meet up on the Second Sunday of the month in the evening. The next Sunday Social is today, September 8 from 7-9 p.m. We will be singing our hearts out doing karaoke at Stage 7 Karaoke (4110 SW 34th St #1, Gainesville, FL 32608). This event will be for adults. We are renting a private room which means we are limited to the number of people who can attend. If you plan to attend, you must sign up.
A reminder to please wear name tags on Sundays – UCG members are encouraged to find their white name tags on the bulletin board next to the Sanctuary doors and return them after the service. If you can’t find your name tag, there is an extra name tag box in the Sanctuary foyer, a Grusher can assist you with a new name tag holder or to request a new one. If you are a new or regular visitor, we have green name tags or temporary ones available at the Board of Membership table in the Sanctuary foyer.
Next Sunday, September 15
9 a.m. LifeSouth Bloodmobile
9:45 a.m. Childcare
10 a.m. Worship Service – Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan
Friendship Group
10:15 a.m. Kids United
11 a.m. Fellowship and Beverages
OWL Parent Information Meeting
11:15 a.m. Board of Membership
Lively Arts Committee Meeting
11:30 a.m. Sunday Seminar
Youth United
Middle School Together
UCG Blood Drive Sunday, September 15 – There is an emergency need for all blood types. Please give the gift of life. The Bloodmobile will be at UCG from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Families of Youth grades 6-9 – We will once again be offering Our Whole Lives (OWL) sexuality education this academic year. For families interested in participating, we will be hosting an orientation meeting on Sunday, September 15 at 11:15 a.m. in the West Wing. Please look for additional details in the September newsletter and in future weekly emails.
Looking Ahead
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. They are located at 1314 S. Main Street. There is also a Climate Book Discussion Group September 9 from 6-7 p.m. at The Lynx Bookstore, we will be discussing the book “The Heat Will Kill You First” by Jeff Goodall. Later, on September 28 at GFAA, the author will speak and do book signing. The book is available at The Lynx and other local bookstores. Discussion will be led by Allan March and Jackie Davis. This book discussion is sponsored by Creation Justice Committee of UCG, GFAA, and The Lynx Bookstore. The Creation Justice committee has several exciting events and opportunities happening for September, see them all in the August newsletter or visit bit.ly/CJ0824
UCG Boomer Single Mingle – Get to know other UCG Boomer singles! Two far-out evenings of fun and conversation at First Magnitude Brewing Co., 5:30 to 7:00, on Thursdays, Sept. 12, and Sept. 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! Come to one event or come to both. Be there or be square! First Magnitude Brewing Co. is located at 1220 SE Veitch St, Gainesville, FL 32601.
Introducing the first Kids Night Out! Friday September 13 5:30-9:30 p.m. at UCG. Infants through 5th Grade are invited for a night of STEAM/STEM learning activities, crafts and food. We have new prices! $20 for the first child, and $15 for each additional child. Please RSVP by noon Thursday September 12 to juliac@ucgainesville.org.
UCG Supper Club – The ever-popular UCG Supper Club is a great way to meet members and share a meal and fellowship. We meet in groups of 8-10 in the homes of participants. Recipes are provided so that each group shares the same menu. The next Supper Club will be Saturday September 28 at 6:30 p.m. and will feature a salmon entree. Please contact Anne Casella or Kimberly McCollough if you would like to participate. If you are able to host one of the groups, please let them know. The deadline to sign up is Sunday, September 15.
Calling UCGers of all ages! Come to our Ent’racte Food 4 Kids Benefit concert on Sunday, September 22 at 2 p.m. Tap your foot, sing along, and enjoy the afternoon. An offering will be collected to help fund our Food 4 Kids program which gives food to children whose families need help feeding them on the weekends. If you’d like to volunteer, please email Nan Ryan.
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 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.
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.
Volunteer for Pride Events:
- Open and Affirming Committee is looking for volunteers for UCG’s booth at Pride and for the Potluck Pride Brunch. Sign up at https://bit.ly/ONA0924.
- Our local Pride Center needs community volunteers for this year’s Pride Festival. They have a sign-up sheet with time slots and also details of the event at bit.ly/PrideCenter24.
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.