Open and Affirming of ALL God’s Children
Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost
November 20, 2022
This service will be in the Sanctuary and on Zoom at 10:00 a.m.
Join us for Zoom Coffee Hour beginning shortly after the service ends.
(Find the link below and in your email in-box.)
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 882 8024 5071
Passcode: 402851
Silent Prayer
Compassionate God, undo any hierarchies that we have woven into our hearts and minds. Widen the realm of what we imagine—no stairsteps up to the sky, no first and second place podiums. No thinking our worth depends on “if only I achieve this… if only I improve that…”. Holy Spirit, you take the measuring stick from our hands and whisper to us
that belonging is our birthright. Thanks be to God. Amen
* Indicates points in the service when we stand in body or spirit
Announcements
Prelude Simple Gifts Shaker Tune/ Wilbur Held
Welcome
Weave, weave, weave us together. Weave us together, together in love.
*Call to Worship
One: Living Christ, save us from harm!
All: Protect us in all the ways we need protection!
One: Rage with us over the ways we should have been protected and weren’t!
All: We long to live in the kin-dom of care—
One: where power does not flow from the top down,
All: but breathes through and among us;
One: where the wells of consent are deep
All: and the soil is rich with mutuality.
One: In Your Kin-dom, those who stoke the fires of domination shall not have the last word
All: and the cool rain of tenderness shall water our parched landscapes.
One: God is mighty in Their gentleness.
All: Let us praise God today.
*Passing of the Peace (ASL) – Lighting of the Peace Candle & Prayer for Peace & Justice
*Hymn We Gather Together R. #23
We gather together to ask for your blessing, you chasten and hasten your will to make known;
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing.
We praise your name, O God; forget not your own.
Beside us to guide us, O God, with us joining, ordaining, maintaining, redeeming our world;
so from the beginning the fight we were winning;
Lord you were at our side; we trust in your Word.
We all do extol you, our leader triumphant, and pray that you still our defender will be.
Let your congregation escape tribulation.
Your name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!
*Invocation (spoken in unison)
Holy God, through the generations you have spoken to us. You have sent voices crying out in the wilderness. You have sent the words of an overjoyed new father and an expectant mother. You have sent the assurance of a condemned man on a cross. Quiet in us any voice but your own that, by the power of your Spirit, we might hear the words you speak to us today. Amen
Children’s Message
Old Testament Reading Jeremiah 23:1-6
New Testament Reading Luke 1:68-79
Special Music Autumn Carol Schultz/ Widmar
MessageHymn Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior B. #551
Pass me not, O gentle Savior, hear my humble cry; While on others you are calling, do not pass me by.
Refrain: Savior, Savior, hear my humble cry; While on others you are calling, do not pass me by.
Let me at your throne of mercy find a sweet relief; Kneeling there in deep contrition, help my unbelief.
Refrain:
Trusting only in your merit, would I seek your face; Heal my wounded, broken spirit, save me by your grace.
Refrain:
Be the Spring of all my comfort, more than life to me; Not just on here on earth beside me, but eternally.
Refrain:
Prayers of the People – Sharing Joys & Concerns
Lead me Lord, lead me in thy righteousness, make thy way plain before my face.
For it is thou Lord, thou Lord, only, that makest me dwell in safety.
Invitation to Offering – With gratitude, let us offer ourselves and our gifts to God.
Offertory Beach Spring Setting by Wilbur Held
*The Doxology
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise God, all creatures here below;
Praise God for all that love has done; Creator, Christ, and Spirit, One. Amen
*Prayer of Dedication (spoken in unison)
Almighty God, make us worthy stewards of your gifts and generous citizens of the
kin-dom of your Son, Jesus Christ, through whom we pray. Amen
*Hymn God’s Eye Is on the Sparrow B. #475
Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come, Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home, When God is ever my portion? My constant friend will be: God’s eye is on the sparrow, and I know God watches me; God’s eye is on the sparrow, and I know God watches me.
Refrain: I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free, God’s eye is on the sparrow, and I know God watches me.
“Let not your heart be troubled,” Christ’s tender word I hear, And resting on God’s goodness, I lose my doubts and fears; Though by the path God leads me, but one step I may see; God’s eye is on the sparrow, and I know God watches me; God’s eye is on the sparrow, and I know God watches me.
Refrain:
Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise, When song gives place to sighing, when hope within me dies, I then draw close to my Savior, from care I am set free; God’s eye is on the sparrow, and I know God watches me; God’s eye is on the sparrow, and I know God watches me.
Refrain:
*Blessing
*Sung Benediction Go, My Children, with My Blessing (v. 2) B. #82
Go, my children, fed and nourished, closer to me;
Grow in love and love by serving, joyful and free.
Here my Spirit’s power filled you, here with tender comfort stilled you;
Go, my children, fed and nourished, joyful and free.
(Please remain seated for the Postlude)
Many thanks to those who helped make this service possible –
in front of the camera and behind the scenes.
Music Minister – Debbie Riley
Deacons – Nick Davis & Pat Summerer
Liturgist –
Graphics Minister – Cynthia Wood
Audio-Video Support –
(Mike Summerer is happy to teach others this simple task. Please inquire…)
Office Secretary – Vicky Espling
Settled Minister – Rev. TJ Mack
The Body of Christ – You
Support our Church Financially
Please visit Hancock (Maine) UCC on Facebook or our webpage www.hancockucc.org
or visit this link to our PayPal account: paypal.me/hancockucc
or mail offerings to:
Union Congregational Church, PO Box 443, Hancock, ME 04640 (Attention: Treasurer)
Contact Us
207.422.3100 207.323.6743
Resources
enfleshed: liturgies that matter and Feasting on the Word: Worship Companion
"Permission to podcast / stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE, License #A-738532. All rights reserved.”
Weaving Round - Suzanne Toolan
Words and Music - ©1995 OCP
We Gather Together – Public Domain
Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior– Public Domain
God’s Eye is on the Sparrow – Public Domain
Words - ©1983 Concordia Publishing House
Contributors: Jaroslav J Vajda, Welsh traditional; arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams
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