Order of Worship

02-23-25

Prelude ~

Shared by Travis Meyers

Welcome and Announcements

Shared by Pastor Ken

Opening Words

Led by Pastor Ken

One: Who are we and what are we called to do?

All: We are the sensitive and responsive ones called

to create a world where every person is radically

affirmed and barriers between people become

bridges of inclusion, justice, and spirituality.

Singing Our Faith ~ God Is Still Speaking

God is still speaking, blessed invitation,

God is still speaking listen and draw near,

God is still speaking, see a new creation,

God is still speaking, stand and do not fear.

All creation groans and yearns; God is still speaking.

Seek the way that life returns, listen and draw near.

Through our broken, wounded earth, God is still speaking.

God can bring new seeds to birth. Stand, and do not fear.

Refrain

To the ones enslaved, oppressed: God is still speaking.

God is here in human dress, Listen and draw near.

When the poor and lost are found, God is still speaking.

When the mighty are cast down, Stand, and do not fear.

Refrain

In the bleak and hopeless hour, God is still speaking.

Love is telling truth to pow’r, Listen and draw near,

Though the nations rage and fight: God is still speaking,

Hear the Word of breaking light; Stand, and do not fear.

Refrain

Call to Worship

Led by Sue Stuart and Joe Botticelli

One: There is, under the mystery that is “us”, a deep, abiding sense of oneness.

All: As we gather and celebrate today, may we be filled with an awareness of that oneness, and may it soak into and through the whole of our living.

One: So, at this time and in this place, let us celebrate the

richness and diversity of life.

Musical Invocation ~ Listen to the Spirit

by Janet Allyn

Listen, listen, listen to the Spirit, Spirit, Spirit

In your heart, in your heart.

Listen, listen, listen to the Spirit, Spirit, Spirit

In your heart, in your heart.

Open, open, open to the Spirit, Spirit, Spirit

In your heart, in your heart.

Open, open, open to the Spirit, Spirit, Spirit

In your heart, in your heart.

There is a voice deep inside you, (side you),

Ever and always inside you, (side you).

There is a voice that will guide you, (guide you),

Taking your love ever higher, higher, higher, higher.

Listen, listen, listen to the Spirit, Spirit, Spirit

In your heart, in your heart.

Listen, listen, listen to the Spirit, Spirit, Spirit

In your heart, in your heart.

In your heart, in your heart.

In your heart.........in your heart.

Opening Prayer

Shared by Pastor Ken

Word About Life

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.” — Acts 2:42, 44-45

Claiming Sunday—Recognition and Introduction of New Members and Friends

From time to time we recall how new people arrived, decided to stay and enrich our life as a congregation. We also recognize that we are a very mobile and transient society, so we have people who claim us for a season and then their journey takes them away, and sometimes back again. A traditional understanding of membership does not fit the way we live our lives, so we celebrate the coming and going of people in a new way.

When we are blessed by their presence, their contributions and their faithfulness, we celebrate that people have arrived and decided to call Shadow Rock United Church of Christ their new spiritual home. We become milestones in each other’s spiritual journeys. Today, we welcome them into this growing and changing fellowship.

Sharing Our Covenant

We covenant one with another to be that sensitive and

responsive part of human society which perceives and responds to God’s newest thrust in the midst of history. The uniqueness and greatness of every life is radically affirmed. Our task together demands a comprehensive view of life, always pointed intentionally to the future. Our life together will involve us individually and corporately in study and worship, always maintaining a proper balance between proclamation of the Word about life with the deeds which make life good. Those activities which eliminate age barriers, cut across religious dogma, reduce cultural parochialisms and engage secular

people with life’s ultimate possibilities will be worthy of our best efforts.

Welcoming and Claiming New Members

Led by Rev. Ken Heintzelman

One: We welcome you into the fellowship of Shadow Rock

United Church of Christ. Thank you for claiming us and

giving us the joy of claiming you. We have welcomed,

loved and served each other and today we complete a

full expression of claiming and being claimed.

All: The full expression comes only when we have insured that every life is radically affirmed and every person has a place at the table of Creation. This is our work of peace and justice. Thank you for what each of you brings: experiences, insights, enthusiasm, questions, faith, doubts, and gifts for ministry. Together we are the people of God in this place.

One: Together we represent a unique and unrepeatable

presence of the Spirit of Life and Love to the world.

Welcome Song For Everyone Born

For everyone born, a place at the table

For everyone born, clean water and bread,

A shelter, a space, a safe place for growing,

For everyone born, a star over head.

Chorus:

And God will delight when we are creators of justice and joy,

compassion and peace:

Yes, God will delight when we are creators of justice,

justice and joy.

For woman and man, a place at the table,

Revising the roles, deciding the share,

With wisdom and grace, dividing the power,

For woman and man, a system that’s fair. Chorus

For everyone born, a place at the table,

To live without fear, and simply to be,

To work, to speak out, to witness and worship,

For everyone born, the right to be free. Chorus

Celebrations

Led by Pastor Ken

At this time, we share moments from our lives: birthdays,

anniversaries, and words of peace and justice. We celebrate

sorrows and grief as part of our comprehensive view of life.

Give voice to goodness!

Music for Thinking of You Cards

In the pew racks are cards with the title “Thinking Of You”.

Please use these cards to write a note to someone so they

know they are remembered and cared for. Put the card in

the offering plate when it comes by and the church office

will forward the cards to the person addressed in the card.

This was one of the elements of our time together that you

lifted up as important for all of us. Thank you!

Offerings and Offertory ~

Shared by Travis Meyers



Words for Mission

Led by Sue Stuart and Joe Botticelli

One: Let us embrace the wonder of this week with

expectation and imagination. Our time in this

sacred place may have ended, but our connection

to each other and this community remains.

All: Together may we walk the path of justice,

speak words of love, live the selfless deed,

tread gently upon the earth, and fill the world

with compassion.

One: These are the times!

All: We are the people!

One: All of Creation is blessed!

All: May we love all and serve all!

One: God be with you

All: And also with you.

One: Amen.

All: Amen!

Sending Forth Song ~ Weave, Weave

Words by Rosemary Crow

Chorus

Weave, weave, weave us together

Weave us together in unity and love.

Weave, weave, weave us together,

Weave us together, together in love.

We are many textures, we are many colors,

Each one diff’rent from the other.

But we are entwined with one another in one great tapestry.

Chorus

We are diff’rent instruments playing our own melodies,

Each one tuning to a diff’rent key.

But we are all playing in harmony in one great symphony.

Chorus

Moments ago we did not know our unity, only diversity.

Now the Christ in me greets the Christ in thee,

In one great family.

Chorus

Sermon Reboot is OFF for today.

This is a time to talk about the message and explore together using the ORID Art Form Conversation methodology. What is ORID? It stands for Observation, Reflection, Interpretation, and Decision. You will get the hang of it.