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Community UCC, 805 South 6 th Street, Champaign, IL 61820 Trinity Sunday Year B - Dislocation: Relocating Ourselves Amid a Pandemic Live Stream May 30, 2021
Community UCC, 805 South 6th Street, Champaign, IL 61820 Trinity Sunday Year B - Dislocation: Relocating Ourselves Amid a Pandemic
Live Stream May 30, 2021
Champaign, Illinois Trinity Sunday Year B - Dislocation: Relocating Ourselves Amid a Pandemic May 30, 2021
_________________________________________________________________________________________________ We welcome you to our service this morning. Celebrating the diversity of creation, Community United Church welcomes persons of any age, ability, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, or life condition. May the Divine Presence become real to you through this time of worship. We hope you come back!
Gathering Music Take, O Take Me as I AM CUCC Choir
#42 Music © 1995 The Iona Community, GIA Publications, Inc. exclusive North American agent
Welcome Rev. Leah Robberts-Mosser Good morning and welcome to Community United Church of Christ. Today, we begin a 5-part worship series based on an article written by American theologian and writer, Diana Butler Bass, called, “Religion After Pandemic: Lost means gone - it also means dislocated.” Bass asserts that we have experienced an incredible sense of dislocation as a people amid the pandemic, in not one, not two, but four different ways: temporal, physical, historical, relational, and, we add a fifth, spiritual dislocation. Throughout this series, we are going to do a deep dive into each kind of dislocation and do so in comparison to scripture that explores each. This week, we kick off with the story of the journey the Exodus and Temporal dislocation -- We’ve lost our sense of time as it existed before the pandemic. How often have you thought: What day is this? What time is it? What week is it? Having had our own experience of Blursday here in the pandemic, it’s not so hard to see why the people of the Exodus wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. As we try to find our way out of this pandemic wilderness, in our wanderings, may we re-locate ourselves in time. As we settle into worship, as we begin, we welcome you. And who are we? We are young and old and middle age. Gay and straight and in between. We are single and partnered. Happy and sad, confused and inspired. We are street smart, and college educated. Some of us can’t pay our bills and others of us have more than enough to share. Who are we? We are God’s people. We are the Body of Christ. No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here and we really mean it. Welcome to worship.
Prelude Aaron Ames
Call to Worship Rev. Leah Robberts-Mosser, Jennifer Robbennolt What day is it? It is Sunday – the day our community of faith sets aside to gather together.
What time is it? It is time for worship – the time our community of faith sets aside for connection with God and with one
another.
We give you thanks, Holy one, that you have anchored us in time throughout these pandemic days. Help us, as
we seek to relocate ourselves, to always remember that in you we are already found, and in you there is a time
for everything under heaven. Be with us now as we worship in your name. Amen and amen.
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Hymn Holy, Holy, Holy NCH #277 v 1, 4 Led by Kathy Kew Lee, Jim Kew
Words Reginald Heber, Music John B. Dykes, Descant David McK.Williams
Holy, holy, holy. God the Almighty! Early in the morning we praise your majesty.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty! God in three persons, blessed Trinity!
Descant sung with verse 4 Holy, holy, holy! Holy, holy, holy! Holy, holy, holy!
God in three persons, blessed Trinity.
Holy, holy, holy, God the Almighty! All your works shall praise your name in earth and sky and sea. Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty! God in three persons blessed Trinity!
Blessing of the Animals Rev. Leah Robberts-Mosser, Chloe Robberts-Mosser,
Cora/Elena Kasper, Oscar Tomkin, Emalyn Radek The animals of God's creation inhabit the skies, the earth, and the sea. They share in the fortunes of human existence and have a part in human life. God, who confers gifts on all living things, has often used the service of animals or made them reminders of the gifts of salvation. We remember:
In Genesis, animals were saved from the flood and afterwards made a part of the covenant with Noah. In Exodus, the lamb recalls the Passover sacrifice and the deliverance from slavery in Egypt. In Jonah, a giant fish saved Jonah and animals were included in the repentance of Nineveh. In 1 Kings, ravens brought bread to Elijah.
And, throughout our faith, animals share in Christ's redemption of all God's creation. We, therefore, invoke God's blessing on the animals, both those gathered today, and those spread across creation. As we do so, let us praise the Creator and thank God for setting us as stewards over all the creatures of the earth:
Let us give thanks to God our Giver of all gifts so freely bestowed upon us, for the beauty and wonder of your creation, in earth and sky and sea;
For all creatures that breathe, and move, and have life; For the songs of birds and the loveliness of flowers and trees; And, now, we ask that you will bless the animals, many of which are gathered for worship with us, for the trust you have shown in giving into our care these, our pets; We thank you, God, that each pet here may be treasured with care.
First, we ask the guinea pigs and hamsters to gather: Holy One, we ask that you bless WICKETT and SESAME and these their humans – may these tiny, furry creatures and their humans enjoy life together and find joy in the God of their creation.
Next, we ask the birds to gather: Holy One, we ask that you bless DOBY and BOJANGLES and these their humans – may these feathered friends and their humans enjoy life together and find joy in the God of their creation.
Next, we ask the cats to gather: Holy One, we ask that you bless PEAT, HOPE, GINGER, GARFIELD, KATOOMBA, MEMPHIS, SAMURI, MAVERICK, PATSY, TALIESIN, CC, OSCAR, WHITMAN, IVY, ELLA, PHOEBE, JASPER, ALICE, MILES, TIGERLILY, FRODO, MR. TOBIAS PICKLES, LEO, MISS KITTY, COLBY, CHESTER and these their humans – may these independent yet loving creatures and their humans enjoy life together and find joy in the God of their creation.
Next, we ask the dogs to gather: Holy One, we ask that you bless HARRY, MOLLY, ALICE, ZUKO, FLYNN, ROXIE, HANNAH, EZRA, MARLEY, BOWIE, HUGH, ZOEY, SCRUFFY, SCOUT, ZOE, PEPPERJACK, FINNIGAN, SOPHIA, KHALEE (pronounced like “alley” with a k) and these their humans – may these loyal companions and their humans enjoy life together and find joy in the God of their creation.
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And last we give thanks for all the pets who are no longer with us. Holy One, we give you thanks for the good lives these pets lived with these their humans and are grateful for the joy they found in you the God of their creation.
Are there any we’ve missed? As we end today’s pet blessing, we say: Go out into God's world. Live in peace with one another and with all God's creatures.
Thanks be to God. Passing of the Peace Rev. Leah Robberts-Mosser Prelude to Scripture Jennifer Robbennolt Whether we take what is written in the Bible as fact, metaphor, myth, or story, let us listen now for the meaning it might hold for us on this day. Sacred Reading from the Original Testament Psalm 31:15-24 15 My times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors. 16 Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your steadfast love. 17 Do not let me be put to shame, O LORD, for I call on you; let the wicked be put to shame; let them go dumbfounded to Sheol. 18 Let the lying lips be stilled that speak insolently against the righteous with pride and contempt. 19 O how abundant is your goodness that you have laid up for those who fear you, and accomplished for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of everyone! 20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them from human plots; you hold them safe under your shelter from contentious tongues. 21 Blessed be the LORD, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was beset as a city under siege. 22 I had said in my alarm, ‘I am driven far from your sight.’ But you heard my supplications when I cried out to you for help. 23 Love the LORD, all you his saints. The LORD preserves the faithful, but abundantly repays the one who acts haughtily. 24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD.
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Sacred Reading from the Original Testament Exodus 40 34:38 34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 36Whenever the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out on each stage of their journey; 37but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day that it was taken up. 38For the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, before the eyes of all the house of Israel at each stage of their journey. Postlude to Scripture Together, let us say: May the Spirit bless us with wisdom and wonder as we ponder the meaning of these words for our lives. Hymn Praise to the Living God NCH 8 v 1, 3, 4
Led by Xiaoyi Zha, Megan Krejci, David Willcox, Elena Kasper, Brin Schuler, Kathy Lee Words Curtis Beach, Music George J. Elvey
Praise to the living God, the God of love and light,
Whose word brought forth the myriad suns and set the worlds in flight; Whose infinite design, which we but dimly see, Pervades all nature, making all a cosmic unity.
Praise to the living God, who knows our joy and pain, Who shares with us our common life, the sacred and profane,
God toils where’er we toil, in home and mart and mill; And deep within the human heart God leads us forward still.
Praise to the living God, around, within, above, Beyond the grasp of human mind, but whom we know as love.
In these tumultuous days, so full of hope and strife, May we bear witness to the Way, O Source and Goal of life.
Message What is time, anyway? Relocating ourselves amid Temporal Dislocation
A Dialogue Sermon with Rev. Connie Bandy, Rev. Angela Menke Ballou, Rev. Leah Robberts-Mosser
Congregational Response --- using menti….
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Call to Offering Jennifer Robbennolt At this time, you are invited to place your prayer concerns in the comments or the chat as we prepare for prayer. We pause in our worship now to affirm that we are the church, together. Although we have been dislocated in these many ways, we continue to be relocated in the Body of Christ. Though lost, we are found. Though scattered, we are gathered together in One Body. The mission and ministry of Community United Church of Christ is made possible through the generosity of you, Community UCC’s members and friends, and your gift of time, expertise, talent, and treasure. Together, we give thanks for the generosity of our Community and ask God to bless and multiply all that is offered in God’s name. To make a financial gift to CUCC, you can go to our website www.community-ucc.org where you can click “donate” and give. May God bless the gifts and the givers. Anthem We Are Not Alone CUCC Choir
Music Pepper Choplin
Sharing our Prayer Requests
• Chris Oberheim
• Doug Irwin
• Oliver “Ollie” Taylor
• Violence against our black and brown siblings o Whispering Wind Bear Spirit
o Sophie Vásquez
o Danika “Danny” Henson, aka Pryynce Daniel, aka and Niia Da Don
o Serenity Hollis
o Ronald Green
o Mikayla Miller
o Thomas Hardin
• Residual trauma all black and brown people experience every time there is trauma against black and brown people in this country.
• People of our country Prayer Requests and Morning Prayer Rev. Leah Robberts-Mosser Commissioning of the Community Rev. Leah Robberts-Mosser
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Hymn Guide Me, O My Great Redeemer NCH #18 Led by Xiaoyi Zha, Elena Negruta
Words William Williams, Peter Williams, Music John Hughes
Guide me, O my great Redeemer, pilgrim through this
barren land; I am weak, but you are mighty; hold me with your powerful hand. Bread of heaven, bread of heaven,
feed me till I want no more, feed me till I want no more.
Open now the crystal fountain, where the healing waters flow. Let the fire and cloudy pillar
lead me all my journey through. Strong deliverer, strong deliverer, ever be my strength and shield, ever be my strength and shield.
When I reach the River Jordan, bid my anxious fears subside. Death of death, and hell's destruction,
land me safe on heaven’s side. Songs of praises, songs of praises I will ever sing to you, I will ever sing to you.
Benediction Rev. Leah Robberts-Mosser
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Serving Today
Ministers: The Community of Community UCC Preacher: Rev. Leah Robberts-Mosser
Liturgist: Jennifer Robbennolt Director of Music Ministry: Kathy Lee
Organist: Aaron Ames Audio/Video: Rev. Nate Brantingham
Audio/Video: David Gerstenecker
CUCC Staff Pastor: Rev. Leah Robberts-Mosser [email protected]
Parish Associate: Rev. Connie Bandy | [email protected]
Director of Youth Ministries: Jessica Smiley | [email protected]
Director of Music Ministries: Kathy Lee | [email protected]
Childcare Coordinator: Courtney Hayman | [email protected]
Organist: Aaron Ames, Interim Organist
Commissioned Minister of Congregational Health: Linda Morgan | [email protected]
Office Manager: Carla Rush| [email protected]
Your Ministry Team Leaders
-Community Building: Peg Wade and Randy Musser
-Usher Coordinator: (pending)
-Care Team: Jeff & Tina Stovall -Sound Coordinator: Roger Wade
-Prayer Shawls: Elena Kasper -Clerk: Shane Brownfield
-Meal Train: Jennifer Robbennolt -Moderator: Elizabeth Shack
-Driver’s Ministry: John Osborne Past Moderator: Jon Ebel
-Card Ministry: Peg Wade -Incoming Moderator: Erin Ewoldt
-Healing Music Ministry: Marilou Hinrichs -UCC Campus Ministry Liaison: Ilsa Kantola
-Health and Wellness Team: Doug Irwin -Pastoral Relations: Cara Finnegan
-Finance: Roger Wade (treasurer), David Willcox (financial secretary)
-Personnel Committee: Anna Barnes
-Mission: Jeanne Ward and Kristy Brownfield -Sound & Ethical Practices (SEP): Grant Robbennolt and Kyle Mahannah
-Identity: Keri Evans and (pending) -Buildings & Grounds: Tom Ward and Matthew Hart -Children & Family: Julie McClure and (pending) -Contracts & Insurance: Andrew McClure
-Worship: Chase Skye and Susan Pawlicki
United Church Foundation (UCC Campus Ministry) Director of Campus Ministry: Nate Brantingham ([email protected])
http://community-ucc.org/campus-ministry/
Community United Church of Christ 805 S. Sixth Street, Champaign, IL 61820
Phone: (217) 344-5091 ~ Website: www.community-ucc.org ~ Email: [email protected]
Words for Hymns reprinted with permission under One License #A-734456. All rights reserved. (4/22) Words for Hymns reprinted with permission under CCLI Music Copyright License #3154689. All rights reserved (10/21)
Words for Convergence Songs reprinted with permission under Convergence Music Project License #100002047. (10/21) Video clips shown with permission under CVLI License #504305331 (12/21)
Worship streamed live on Zoom and Facebook Live with permission under CCLI Streaming License #20117321 (3/21)
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