Veradale United Church of Christ
An Open & Affirming Congregation
Worshiping God in Christ – Welcoming All – Working for Justice & Peace
“No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here!”
October 2, 2022 • 10:30am
10:20am Gathering & Prelude
Wayne Shull, Music Director • Charlie Salt, AV • Naomi Hanvey, Facebook Monitor • Scotty Patton, Zoom Monitor
Diane Smith, Acolyte • Glen Scott, Scripture Reader
10:30am Worship begins
God calls us to abundant life . . . all the time!
All the time . . . God calls us to abundant life!
Passing the Peace and Welcoming the Light Christ
Hymn: “In the Midst of New Dimensions”
391 (NCH) CCLI license #11038266
In the midst of new dimensions, in the face of changing ways.
Who will lead the pilgrim peoples wandering in their separate ways?
(Refrain) God of rainbow, fiery pillar, leading where the eagles soar,
We your people, ours the journey now and ever, now and ever, now and ever more.
As we stand a world divided by our own self-seeking schemes,
Grant that we, your global village, might envision wider dreams. (Refrain)
We are man and we are woman, all persuasions, old and young,
Each a gift in your creation, each a love song to be sung. (Refrain)
Should the threats of dire predictions cause us to withdraw in pain,
May your blazing phoenix spirit, resurrect the church again. (Refrain)
Blessing the Animals
(see attached page)
The Community at Prayer
Sharing Prayers of Gratitude & Celebration
All: Gather us, O God, body, spirit, soul, and mind.
Gather us, O God, one in union now with you.
45 (Sing!) CCLI license #11038266
Sharing Prayers of Concern
All: Gather us, O God, body, spirit, soul, and mind.
Gather us, O God, one in union now with you.
45 (Sing!) CCLI license #11038266
Sharing Prayers Which Take Us Beyond Words Into Silence
All: Gather us, O God, body, spirit, soul, and mind.
Gather us, O God, one in union now with you.
45 (Sing!) CCLI license #11038266
The Lord’s Prayer
(in the spirit of diversity, you are invited to use the words most familiar to you)
Response: “Four-fold Amen”
813 (NCH) CCLI license #11038266
A Time of Communion
An Invitation to the Table
All who hunger & thirst for God are welcome at Christ’s table.
God’s People Receive the Gifts of God’s Grace
Individual communion packs are available on the table at the back of the sanctuary.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
All: O God of Eternal Abundance, you call us to a full, rich, and abundant life. You feed and nourish us for that life. And you walk with us in every moment along the way. We receive your gifts with deep gratitude, and open ourselves to ongoing presence. Amen.
A Time of Offering
An Invitation to Share
Dedication Hymn: “A Doxology”
Praise God who gives us hearts to care. Praise God who gives us gifts to share.
Praise God for helping us to give, so others in the world might live. Amen.
Dedication Prayer
All: O God of Overwhelming Abundance, through our giving and our living we want to participate in sharing your love with this world. Guide our choices and our actions as we continue learning to let you shine in us and through us. Amen.
Listening for God
Scripture
“Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10: 1-10)
Pastoral Reflection: “Abundant Life – a Test”
Silence for Reflection
Announcements
We Carry God’s Light Into the World God Loves
Hymn: “Restless Weaver”
CCLI license #11038266
Restless Weaver, ever spinning threads of justice and shalom.
Dreaming patterns of creation where all creatures find a home.
Gathering up life’s varied fibers - every texture, every hue.
Grant us your creative vision. With us weave your world anew.
Where earth’s fragile web is raveling, help us mend each broken strand.
Bless our urgent, bold endeavors, cleansing water, air, and land.
Through the Spirit’s inspiration - offering health where once was pain
strengthen us to be the stewards of your world knit whole again.
Restless Weaver, still conceiving new life - now and yet to be.
Binding all your vast creation in one living tapestry.
You have called us to be weavers. Let your love guide all we do.
With your Reign of Peace our pattern, we will weave your world anew.
Blessing for Departing
Closing Song: “Lord, Prepare Me to Be a Sanctuary” (sing 2X)
187 (Sing!) CCLI license #11038266
Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary, pure and holy, tried and true.
And with thanksgiving, I’ll be a living sanctuary for you.
Postlude
You are invited to spend a few minutes in quiet reflection& allow the music to wash over you.
Blessing of the Animals
Veradale United Church of Christ
October 2, 2022
(from Rev. Deborah Streeter)
Whether you have fingers & toes or paws & claws or feathers or fins or talons or hooves, you are welcome here.
May you find this time to be holy & this space to be sacred.
Since the earliest of days, humankind has relied on the other creatures of the earth for survival.
Today we gather here with those creatures who bring us delight for our days & comfort for our nights.
We come to give thanks, not only for the animals in our own homes, but for all of God’s creatures.
We ask God to guide us & grant us wisdom as we seek to provide for each of them safe habitat & good lives.
A Litany of Welcome (responsively)
We welcome all our brothers and sisters.
We enter into this circle of diversity,
Celebrating the ways that we upright walking two-legged wanderers share
With the four-leggeds lounging, lunging and leaping among us,
With winged warblers, with slithering, sliding snaky beings,
With circling cavorters in a watery world, and with those who carry their house on their backs.
We look so different, moving according to the way we were made.
Yet look at us here in this circle, we are part of one family sharing one planet.
May our celebration bring us into a deeper relationship with the diverse beings in the interdependent web of all life,
Remembering we all have common needs for safety, care and respect.
Welcome to all our brothers and sisters gathered here today.
(written by Susan Karlson, uua.org)
Song “All Things Bright and Beautiful”
31 (NCH) CCLI license #11038266
All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, all things wise and wonderful, in love God made them all.
Scripture
From the most ancient of days, our ancestors knew that all living beings are connected to our creator. Hear these words from the Book of Job.
“But ask the animals, and they will teach you; the birds of the air, and they will tell you: ask the plants of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of God has done this? In God’s hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of every human being.” (Job 12: 7-10)
Remembering Those Who Have Left Us
It is a difficult thing to lose a loved one, whether that being is human or animal. As we pause, now, to remember those pets who have left this world, we give thanks for the ways they graced our lives with their love and faithfulness. As we light a candle in remembrance, you are invited to speak the name(s) of your beloved pets and whisper a prayer of thanksgiving.
Introductions
You are invited to introduce yourself and your pet(s).
A Blessing of Our Pets (responsively)
For the blessing we receive from our animal companions we give thanks.
For the beautiful ones, those whose fur is silky and whose tails are long; whose feathers are brilliant or whose voices are splendid we give thanks.
For the frantic ones, the runts and the hungry, who run for a food bowl or a pat as though this is life’s last possible gift, we give thanks.
For the obnoxious ones, the heads that butt against us as we’re trying to sleep; the bodies that refuse to learn discretion as they make digestive gifts we give thanks.
For those who bark and purr and growl and mew, for all who squeak or squawk or snarl or hiss, we give thanks.
For the animals unknown to us, those whose niche in life’s web is fragile; whose lives are insecure; for all who care for them and wish them well, we give thanks.
Blessed are the animals.
Blessed are the creatures who live with us and need our care.
Blessed are the mammals and the reptiles and the birds who teach us we are not alone.
Blessed are all living things from whom we learn to love. Amen.
(written by Rev. Maureen Killoran, uua.org)
Song “All Things Bright and Beautiful”
31 (NCH) CCLI license #11038266
All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, all things wise and wonderful, in love God made them all.
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