St. Mark United Church of Christ

09/01/2026

Good morning;

Here is the YouTube link for Worship, Sunday, August 30, 2026

https://youtu.be/CyS6RNjmELY





St. Mark United Church of Christ

1861 Missouri State Road

Arnold, MO 63010

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

08/20/2026

St. Mark United Church of Christ

1861 Missouri State Road, Arnold, MO 63010 # 636-296-6636; [email protected]; www.stmarkucc.org

Please silence your cell phone.

Rise physically or in spirit as able.

St. Mark UCC Welcoming Covenant

God is still speaking through our diverse faith family as we welcome all – regardless of race, economic background, marital status, gender identity or sexual orientation, age, physical or mental ability, nationality or faith history. We embrace change and growth as we respond to the needs of the environment, our community and neighbors throughout the world. We are an open and affirming congregation that encourages and incorporates the gifts of all members. We invite everyone to join us on the journey as we faithfully celebrate and serve Jesus Christ.



Backpack & School Year Sunday

Welcome to Worship

Prelude/Ringing of the Bell



Call to Worship

Calling all children of the Living God: the gospel is good news for every age and every stage.

Let us worship together, the young and the old.



The good news is proclaimed in God’s words, and also with crayons, silly songs, snacks, and rest time.

Let us worship together, every generation.



We come together with different abilities and disabilities, learning in a rainbow of ways and styles.

Let us worship together, with our family of faith.



All are welcome in the arms of Christ who proclaimed, “Let the children come!”

Let us worship together, united in our eternal hope.

Hymn “God of All Learning, God of All Knowing” (Morning Has Broken)

God of all learning, God of all knowing, We bring these backpacks filled with supplies. Bless all these tools of learning and growing. Use them, we pray, to change many lives.



Bless all the students, young ones and old ones - Walking or riding, traveling by bus. May they remember that you go with them, And that they all are precious to us.



Some kids are poor and some kids are wealthy; May we give all the tools that they need. May we make sure they're safe, loved and healthy So that they all may thrive and succeed.



Bless all who learn and bless those who guide them, Bless those who teach and counsel and care. May they remember you walk beside them. Through all their school days, you, Lord, are there.



Opening Prayer:

Let us pray: God our teacher, who helps us to understand the world around us, Thank you for the privilege of education. You have blessed our communities with teachers who take new skills and concepts and pass them along to each new class of young people.



God who came as a child to show us how to be fully human, to show us how to be children of God,

You have given our children minds that grow and develop in unique ways, at unique speeds, and we are astounded by that miracle.



You speak to us through the words, actions, play, and feelings of children. You call us to listen to the Spirit speaking through our young siblings in Christ.

We celebrate the beginning of this school year and ask for your blessings upon the children, the educators, and the families who support them all.

But in this celebration of education and learning, we do not forget there are children and families and teachers who do not have the resources they need. When systems are unjust, the outcomes are unacceptable. Today we remember those who are beginning school this year: those who have what they need to learn and grow in safety, and those who lack supplies, teachers, safe buildings, and accommodations for all needs and abilities.

We come to worship together, to lift up our young people and all those who care for them and teach them. Open our hearts to what you are saying to us today. Amen.



The Word in Music

A drawing of a backpack

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BLESSING OF THE BACKPACKS









The Morning Prayer & The Lord’s Prayer

The Call to Share – Ephesians 4:25 reminds us that we are members of one another. That is true of the church, humanity, and all creation. The gifts we receive to sustain us have been given for our common good. When one member lacks, we all lack. When one flourishes, we all share in the abundance. Let us give generously to ensure all needs are met, and the Generous One is glorified.



Offertory



Offertory Response……………………. #575 (verse 2)

“O for a world where goods are shared and misery relieved, Where truth is spoken, children spared, equality achieved.”



Offertory Prayer – Holy God, thank you for the gift of generosity. Make us bold stewards of the resources you provide. Increase our offerings, expand our territory, and let our ministry testify to your goodness, nurture, and care for all. Amen.

Sending Song – “God, You Give Each Generation” (Ode to Joy)…………………………………………………………….. #4

God, you give each generation - Words of wisdom, truth to tell. And your call to every nation - Is to teach our children well. For each child is in your image - Moving toward maturity. Through your word, we hear your message: Teach your children! Guide and lead!



Christ, you taught us love of neighbor - When you welcomed people in; And you told us: Children matter! - To neglect them is a sin. May the children who are yearning - To be all that they can be - Find in every school the caring - Of the whole community.



Spirit, give to us a vision - Of a world that's just and fair.
May our courage, strength and wisdom - Reach to children everywhere. God may education always - Touch the lives of rich and poor; May we build a strong foundation - Then watch all your children soar.



Announcements
Benediction - Children, families, and all who love them, go out into the beautiful world that God has made! Go and play! Go and learn! Go and love others! May you be filled with lovingkindness for yourself and everyone around you. May the prayers of your faith community keep you safe, healthy, and full of joy. May God bless us and keep us, always and in all ways, and let all of God’s beloved say … Amen.

Sung Benediction “What a Covenant” ……….… #471

“Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.”



Worship resources: Select liturgy by Rev. Dr. Cheryl A. Lindsay who serves as Minister for Worship and Theology for the United Church of Christ. BLESSING OF THE BACKPACKS and BACK-TO-SCHOOL WORSHIP LITURGY. © 2022 Illustrated Ministry, LLC. All rights reserved. illustratedministry.com. Hymn by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette.

If you can't join us in person, please join us virtually! Our worship services are streamed live at 10:00 a.m. Sunday Morning!

06/27/2026

cid:[email protected]. Mark UCC 1861 Missouri State Road, Arnold, MO 63010 # 636-296-6636; [email protected]; www.stmarkucc.org

Please silence your cell phone.

+Rise physically or in spirit.

St. Mark UCC Welcoming Covenant

God is still speaking through our diverse faith family as we welcome all – regardless of race, economic background, marital status, gender identity or sexual orientation, age, physical or mental ability, nationality or faith history. We embrace change and growth as we respond to the needs of the environment, our community and neighbors throughout the world. We are an open and affirming congregation that encourages and incorporates the gifts of all members. We invite everyone to join us on the journey as we faithfully celebrate and serve Jesus Christ.



July 12, 2026 7th Sunday of Pentecost



Welcome to Worship/Yah Time! /Prayer Requests Prelude/Ringing of the Bell



+Gathering

Somewhere deep inside we know …
We need to keep on growing.



This is why we gather here …
When we could be so many other places.



We know we are not converted only once in our lives …
But need to continually be fertile soil …



Until every aspect of our being …
Is slowly but surely transformed by God.



Let us, then, open ourselves again and anew …
To the seeds of faith God would sow within us.



+Hymn “Lord, I Want To Be a Christian”....................... #454



Opening to God in Prayer

O God Who believes in our ongoing growth, help us to believe as well. Still our souls and silence any distractions, that You may creatively cultivate, again and anew, the soil of our hearts, as we come to You in prayer …



O Divine Sower of seeds, sometimes we are tempted to close or even harden our hearts to You, smugly thinking we have grown enough. Strengthen us, then, to resist this urge, that our faith may be renewed, our hope refreshed, and our love rekindled, today and every day. Amen.



Community of Faith, know there is more patience in God than there is stubbornness in us and more perseverance in God than there is resistance in us. If, then, we are faithful and humble in turning to God, we will discover God forever and always waiting to embrace us with open arms.





We Hear the Story

Storytelling Jesus, make us ready, willing, and able to place ourselves within the timeless parables you share, that they may further enrich our ongoing growth. Amen.



Matthew 13:1-9 & 18-23…………………….…………Page # 794

Here Jesus speaks of the challenges we continually face in seeking to be fertile soil for the seeds God sows.



Let us join together saying: Let these words take root in our hearts and blossom forth in our lives. Thanks be to God. Amen.




The Word in Music





Pastoral Meditation Rev. Dr. Allen Grothe

“Far More Than Once”



Pastoral Prayer/Lord’s Prayer (debts & debtors)



Invitation to Generosity
There are those who complain, and there are those who remember the countless gifts of love which have blessed them on their way. There are those who complain and those who count it as a privilege when they are invited to become givers and blessings themselves, who help enrich the lives of others and the life of this beautiful yet fragile world. Let us ourselves remember and rejoice as we now receive our Morning Offering.





+Offertory Response …………………………. #448 (verse 1)

“Take my life, God, let it be consecrated faithfully. Take my moments and my days, let them flow in ceaseless praise.”





+Offertory Prayer – O Creative, Reconciling, and Sustaining God, make of these gifts, and make of us ourselves, seeds of faith, signs of hope, and living reminders of love in a world deeply longing for these blessings. Amen.



Sending Song: “Guide My Feet”…………………………$497



Announcements



+Benediction – Now may we go forth to live in such a way that all who come behind us will find us faithful. May the fire of our devotion light their way. May the footprints that we leave help them to believe and the lives we live inspire them day by day. And may God bless us and keep us, always and in all ways, and let all of God’s beloved say … Amen.



+Sung Benediction - “I Would Be True”……………… #492

“I would be true, for there are those who trust me; I would be pure, for there are those who care; I would be strong, for there is much to suffer; I would be brave, for there is much to dare, I would be brave, for there is much to dare.”



The Rev. Dr. Allen Grothe is a graduate of Heidelberg College, Yale Divinity School, and Eden Theological Seminary. He retired in 2015. He and his wife, Anne, each have a son and daughter and greatly enjoy their six grandchildren. Anne worked at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio and in various positions at Eden Seminary. She retired in 2020. Thank you for serving us today!



Pastor Kim will return to the church office the week of July 13th.





The Rev. Carleton Norton will be celebrating his 100th birthday this August! There is an invitation posted on the board in the Hall and in the Narthex. Details are as follows: The celebration will be held – Sunday, August 2nd from 2 – 5PM at St. John’s UCC – 15370 Olive Blvd. – Chesterfield, MO 63017. Happy Birthday will be sung at 3:30. Honorariums to St. John’s UCC. If you would like to send a card, the Nortons reside at 1939 N. Signal Hills Drive – St. Louis, MO 63122-6821.

If you can't join us in person, please join us virtually! Our worship services are streamed live at 10:00 a.m. Sunday Morning!

06/27/2026

cid:[email protected]. Mark UCC 1861 Missouri State Road, Arnold, MO 63010 # 636-296-6636; [email protected]; www.stmarkucc.org

Please silence your cell phone.

+Rise physically or in spirit.

7/5/26

Welcome to Worship/Yah Time! /Prayer Requests Prelude/Ringing of the Bell

+Gathering

This is the truth Jesus makes flesh …
A truth we often resist …



There is only one us …
One whole family of God.



There is no “them” …
No one who does not belong.



The only divisions between us are those we create …
By our own fear and insecurity.



Let us, then, renew our commitment …
To the justice, peace, and inclusiveness God wills for us.



+Hymn “Forward through the Ages” …......................... #377



Opening to God in Prayer

O God Whose love embraces us all, even when we turn away, remind us that You have created us for communion, one with another and all with You, and remove any obstacles we may have within us to this calling as we come to You in prayer …



O Love that will not let us go, may we rest our weary souls in You. Help us to see how much of our weariness comes from a reluctance to love as we are loved, and empower us, then, to become more courageously loving, this day and each day. Amen.

Community of Faith, be assured that there is more courage in God than there is cowardice in us and more love in God than there is fear or reluctance in us. Be assured that if we are faithful and humble in asking for help, help will graciously be given to us.



We Hear the Story

Jesus, God made flesh among us, be present even here and now, that the eyes of our eyes might awake and the ears of our ears might be opened to the truth which you are and the truth you would share. Amen.



Matthew 11:16-19 & 25-30………………….…………Page #792

Here Jesus both laments the different excuses we can make for not responding to God and also celebrates those moments when we bravely let go of any excuses.



Let us join together saying: Let these words take root in our hearts and blossom forth in our lives. Thanks be to God. Amen.



The Word in Music



Pastoral Meditation “Only One Us” Rev. Dr. Allen Grothe



Pastoral Prayer



Invitation to Generosity
Let us share the gifts of life and love given to sustain us on our journey, knowing our generosity strengthens communities and witnesses to the love of God in the world. May our time, talent, and treasure testify to the goodness and abundance of God’s creation.



+Offertory Response ……………………. #575 (verse 1)

“O for a world where everyone respects each other’s ways, Where love is lived and all is done with justice and with praise.”



+Offertory Prayer - O Divine Gift-Giver, as You have blessed us, so we humbly seek to help You bless the world. May our gifts build relationships, mend the broken, and draw us all closer to Your heart. May our giving reflect our trust and may our trust lead us to go where You send us, step by step, stage by stage, into Your future. Amen.



The Sacrament of Holy Communion

No rules, no regulations, no elaborate explanations. Just an open invitation to come, just as we are, to this table, which is not your table or my table or even our table, but Christ’s table, where all are embraced and none are excluded. It is a table that stretches back to an Upper Room and stretches forward into eternity:

It is a table where no one sits alone, where everyone we ever loved, and everyone who ever loved us, along with all those within time and even beyond time, sit and feast together.



Let us, then, ask God’s blessing on this simple yet sacred meal. Here may God help us discover, again and anew, how deeply we are loved. Here may God unite with the risen Christ and with one another. Here may God grant unto us the courage to love.

Here may we find our wholeness in Christ.



For on the night when Jesus gathered with his closest friends, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them, saying …

“This is my body, broken for you. Do this in remembrance of and in communion with me.”



Bread... the very stuff of life. Broken. Take and eat.

Likewise, he took the cup, again giving thanks and again sharing it with his friends, this time saying …

“This cup is God’s new covenant. Do this in remembrance of and in communion with me.”



W**e... fruit of the vine. Cup full. Take and drink.



Let us pray: O Holy One, You have come to us and shared our common lot: living, dying, and being resurrected in our midst. You have shared with us the gift of Yourself through Jesus and through this sacrament, and we would give You thanks. Send us forth now in the Spirit to generously share the gift of ourselves with others and to gratefully receive the gifts others would share with us, as we lift up the words Jesus taught us, saying…Our Father…



Prayer after communion

At this table, we’ve become part of something beyond ourselves: part of Christ, creation, and each other. Holy is this time, and holy is this meal. Holy is this sacred space we have set apart. Holy is the life we are returned to – to be broken and poured out for others. Amen.



Sending Song: “In Christ … No East or West”…………$394



Announcements



+Benediction – Now may we walk hand in hand with God and hand in hand with one another. And so walking, may we know there is no mountain too high, no valley too low, no river too wide, but only the sacrament which is life and the celebration which is love. May God bless us and keep us, always and in all ways, and let all of God’s beloved say…Amen.



+Sung Benediction - “I Will Trust in the Lord”……… #416

“I will trust in the Lord, I will trust in the Lord, I will trust in the Lord till I die. I will trust in the Lord, I will trust in the Lord, I will trust in the Lord till I die.”



The Rev. Dr. Allen Grothe is a graduate of Heidelberg College, Yale Divinity School, and Eden Theological Seminary. He retired in 2015. He and his wife, Anne, each have a son and daughter and greatly enjoy their six grandchildren. Anne worked at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio and in various positions at Eden Seminary. She retired in 2020. Thank you for serving us today!



Pastor Kim will return to the church office the week of July 13th.

If you can't join us in person, please join us virtually! Our worship services are streamed live at 10:00 a.m. Sunday Morning!

06/26/2026

Are your kids looking for something to do this summer? Sign up for Vacation Bible School at St. Mark UCC in Arnold.
Date: July 20-July 24 from 9-11am.
Ages: 4-10 years old (must be potty-trained)
Event is free but must register by July 7.

06/21/2026

Good morning;

Here is the YouTube link for Worship, Sunday, June 21, 2026.

https://youtu.be/yXpSGFL3hFI

Happy Father’s Day to everyone.





St. Mark United Church of Christ

1861 Missouri State Road

Arnold, MO 63010

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

06/10/2026

cid:[email protected]. Mark UCC 1861 Missouri State Road, Arnold, MO 63010 # 636-296-6636; [email protected]; www.stmarkucc.org

Please silence your cell phone.

+Rise physically or in spirit.

St. Mark UCC Welcoming Covenant

God is still speaking through our diverse faith family as we welcome all – regardless of race, economic background, marital status, gender identity or sexual orientation, age, physical or mental ability, nationality or faith history. We embrace change and growth as we respond to the needs of the environment, our community and neighbors throughout the world. We are an open and affirming congregation that encourages and incorporates the gifts of all members. We invite everyone to join us on the journey as we faithfully celebrate and serve Jesus Christ.



A Miracle Called Laughter

Forming a Family/Preparing a People Series



Welcome to Worship/Yah Time! /Prayer Requests Prelude/Ringing of the Bell



+Gathering

God meets us in surprising yet ordinary places - under a tree, in the smile of a stranger, in a refreshing breeze that comes at just the right time.
God, open our hearts to notice your presence all around us.



God speaks to us in surprising yet ordinary ways - in a well-placed word from a friend, in a prayer that comes at just the right time, in a song that resonates through our entire being.
God, open our minds to recognize your voice all around us.



God fulfills God’s promises in surprising yet ordinary ways - in an unexpected act of kindness, in providing just what we need at just the right time, in sending someone to listen when we feel alone.
God, open our hands to receive your blessings all around us.



Beloved, in the surprising and ordinary ways that God shows up among us, may we meet God and our neighbors with open hearts, minds, and hands, ready to encounter God’s miraculous work.
God, open our lives to receive your blessings, that we may share together in the joy, wonder, and laughter of God’s miraculous works all around us.





+Hymn “All My Hope on God Is Founded” ……............. #408





Opening to God in Prayer

God who calls us, we are here, here to serve, and here to worship. We are here to sing and to pray, to let the word resound in us and the community to envelop us. We are here, O God, to know you and be known by you. We enter with thanksgiving and praise. We enter in safety of love and hope of peace. Holy One, we respond to your call. We are here and we come to you in prayer, saying…



God of Grace, we give you thanks for love that transcends our shortcomings, that greets us with mercy, and that offers the possibility of transformed life. Plant seeds in us that will stretch our faith in you and in us. Nurture us to live miraculous lives. Let our faith and our work join with your power to make us fruitful despite our limitations, doubts, and fears. May the fruit we produce add sustenance and hope in your kindom. Amen.



Gracious ones, you may receive the nourishment and encouragement of God to be fruitful even when the Holy One amazes us beyond expectation and dream. God is with us in season and out of season. Expect an abundant and bountiful harvest to witness to God’s grace at work in and through us.







We Hear the Story

Jesus, Word who became flesh, be present with us today as we encounter the written word. Open our ears to hear the message. Open our eyes to see your love in every story, especially the tough ones. Keep us open to the guidance of your Spirit and help us be transformed by your love. Amen.



Genesis 18: 1-15, 21:1-7.………………………………Page #12

God appears to Abraham in the form of three visitors whom Abraham welcomes and serves. And they promise that in a year’s time, Sarah will have a son. But, when Sarah laughs in disbelief, the strangers reaffirm the promise. And then their promise is fulfilled, and Sarah gives birth to a son.



Let us join together saying: The grass withers and the flowers fade; but the word of our God will stand forever! Thanks be to God, Amen.



The Word in Music



Sermon

Pastoral Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer (debts/debtors)



Invitation to Generosity
What shall we return to the Holy One for God’s bounty to us? God calls us to live fruitful and faithful lives that witness to and spread the good news of the kindom in the world. God provides for our needs abundantly so that all may flourish. May we use the bounty that we receive as gifts to share rather than as resources to hoard. Let generosity, trust, and hope guide us to support the ministry of this faith community and the wider church.



+Offertory Response ………………………………….. #376

“Take whatever I can offer – gifts that I have yet to find, skills that I am slow to sharpen, talents of the hand and mind, things made beautiful for others in the place where I must be: take my gifts and let me love you, God who first of all loved me.”



+Offertory Prayer - Faithful God, thank you for the gifts we receive and that we give. Bless them so that needs will be met, your beloved will experience communal embrace, and you will be honored and glorified. Amen.



Sending Song: “I Will Trust in the Lord” …………..…... #416



Announcements



+Benediction – Go now, in the blessing of God who meets us where we are and surprises us with new life where none seemed possible. May we be a people who embody God’s miracle called laughter as we work for the flourishing of all creation as the family of God. Until we meet again let all of God’s beloved say…Amen.



+Sung Benediction - “Lord, Dismiss… Blessing” ….… #77

“We give thanks and adoration for your gospel’s joyful sound; May the fruits of your salvation in our hearts and lives abound: Ever faithful, ever faithful to the truth may we be found.”



Worship Resources: From the Discipleship Ministry of the United Methodist Church; Rev. Dr. Cheryl A. Lindsay, UCC Ministries. Offertory Response: Rev. Carolyn Winfrey Gillette.









Please join us in the fellowship hall after worship today for a brunch celebrating the men in our church and in our lives.

If you can't join us in person, please join us virtually! Our worship services are streamed live at 10:00 a.m. Sunday Morning!

06/05/2026

cid:[email protected]. Mark UCC 1861 Missouri State Road, Arnold, MO 63010 # 636-296-6636; [email protected]; www.stmarkucc.org

Please silence your cell phone.

+Rise physically or in spirit.

6/7/26

Welcome to Worship/Yah Time! /Prayer Requests Prelude/Ringing of the Bell



+Gathering

Like Abram and Sarai, God calls us to go into the unknown, trusting that God’s promises are true.
Whether we are certain or full of doubts, God blesses us that we may be a blessing.



God sends us into the world to journey by faith, believing that God’s blessings are greater than anything we can imagine.
Whether the path is straight or winding, God blesses us that we may be a blessing.



God gathers us today with trusted companions, those who also follow God’s call, even when it does not make sense to the world around us.
Whether we journey with friends or feel all alone, God blesses us that we may be a blessing.



As we gather to worship, may we remember that we are God’s people, blessed by God to be a blessing to our world that is hurting and desperately in need of good news.
God, form us today as a family of faith, that your blessings might flow out of us and into our world, drawing all people into your promise of abundant life and flourishing. Amen.



+Hymn “The God of Abraham Praise”……………............. #24



Opening to God in Prayer

Wonderful God, we delight in your presence. We find shelter in your abiding and enduring love. You humble us, Holy Love, by gathering us as a people. Thank you for being our Companion and Guide on this journey. Receive our songs, prayers, and openness. Nourish us from the fountain of your word and the hospitality of your table. May we find hope and inspiration, courage and direction, community and resolve as we come to you in prayer…



Holy One, through the Prophet Hosea, you declared, “I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” We confess that, at times, we offer the ritual and routine of religious practices rather than a discerning heart that breaks with compassion and beats for justice. Strengthen us to the tenderness of knowing you, O God, more deeply, loving our neighbors more justly, and embracing our lives more fully. Amen.



Community of Faith, rest assured that renewal and revival is possible and available to us. Let us embrace our rituals to sing even old songs as if they are new, pray routine prayers as if they have been written in our hearts, and join in worship as if this were the first or last time. The Holy One makes all things new, and that may be so in us this day and every day.



We Hear the Story

Jesus, Word who became flesh, be present with us today as we encounter the written word. Open our ears to hear the message. Open our eyes to see your love in every story, especially the tough ones. Keep us open to the guidance of your Spirit and help us be transformed by your love. Amen.



Genesis 12: 1-9………..…………………………………Page #8

God calls Abram to leave his home country, promising that his offspring will become a great nation. So, Abram leaves with his family and settles in the land of Canaan. Then God promises to give that land to his descendants.



Let us join together saying: The grass withers and the flowers fade; but the word of our God will stand forever! Thanks be to God, Amen.



The Word in Music



Sermon

Pastoral Prayer

Invitation to Generosity
Let us share the gifts of life and love given to sustain us on the journey. Our generosity strengthens communities and witnesses to the love of God in the world. May our time, talent, and treasure testify to the goodness and abundance of God’s creation.



+Offertory Response ………………………………….. #376

“Take whatever I can offer – gifts that I have yet to find, skills that I am slow to sharpen, talents of the hand and mind, things made beautiful for others in the place where I must be: take my gifts and let me love you, God who first of all loved me.”



+Offertory Prayer - Calling God, we journey by faith, offering these gifts not for our greatness, but to bless the world. May our gifts build relationships, mend the broken, and draw us all to your heart. May our giving reflect our trust and may our trust lead us to go where you send, step by step, stage by stage, into your future. Amen.



The Sacrament of Holy Communion

We gather now as the people of God to celebrate the sharing of a simple meal, remembering that Jesus’s ministry centered around meeting people’s material needs:

Meeting hunger with food, nakedness with clothing, homelessness with shelter, and sickness with healing.



Come in this place, O God, and awaken each of our senses. Help us be fully present with each other in this holy, beloved space.

Help us to appreciate this table, its gifts, and the many hands that prepared it, from seed and vine to loaf and cup. It is here that we gather, fill ourselves with good things to eat, and go to proclaim justice, love and life.



We remember Jesus:

On the night in which Jesus was gathered with his closest friends, he sat at supper with his disciples. While they were eating, he took a piece of bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And then he took the cup, blessed it and gave it to them, saying, “This cup is God’s new covenant. Do this to remember me.”



Let us pray: From the grain of the fields, God shapes the Bread of Life for us; from the fruit of the vine, God fills the Cup of Grace for us. We pray that God’s Spirit will be poured out on the bread and the cup, that they may be the life of Christ for us. As we live like Easter people, let us continue to pray the words Jesus taught us to pray, saying…Our Father…



Prayer after communion

At this table, we’ve become part of something beyond ourselves, part of Christ, creation and each other. Holy is this time and holy is this meal. Holy is this sacred space we have set apart. Holy is the life we are returned to – to be broken and poured out for others. Amen.



Sending Song: “We Are Dancing Sarah’s Circle” …... #501



Announcements



+Benediction – As you go from this gathering: Find hope in the journey. Cultivate joy. Give love. Share peace. And trust that the God of the journey will be with you now and always. Until we meet again let all of God’s beloved say…Amen.



+Sung Benediction - “Lord, Dismiss… Blessing” ….… #77

“We give thanks and adoration for your gospel’s joyful sound; May the fruits of your salvation in our hearts and lives abound: Ever faithful, ever faithful to the truth may we be found.”



Worship Resources: From the Discipleship Ministry of the United Methodist Church; Rev. Dr. Cheryl A. Lindsay, UCC Ministries. Offertory Response: Rev. Carolyn Winfrey Gillette.

If you can't join us in person, please join us virtually! Our worship services are streamed live at 10:00 a.m. Sunday Morning!