Order of Worship

29 September 2024

WELCOME TO SHADOW ROCK UCC!

Prelude ~

Shared by Travis Meyers

WELCOME! Thanks for making Shadow Rock your chosen

spiritual family.

GATHERING IN THE SPIRIT’S PRESENCE

Centering Affirmation: Does empathy come naturally or is it nurtured, or both?

Welcome and Announcements

Led 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.

Call to Worship and Singing Our Faith

Led by Cindy Gattorna

One: We join together as many and diverse expressions

of one loving mystery.

All: We join with each other to bring new life to the

land and to recreate the human community.

One: We come together to provide justice and peace.

All: We come to remember who we are.

One: We gather as a family of faith and conscience to

celebrate life.

All: We gather to celebrate God, the One who calls us,

empowers us, and renews us. Let us sing.

Singing Our Faith

~ Bring Many Names by Brian Wren

Led by Cindy Gattorna

1. Bring many names, beautiful and good,

Celebrate in parable and story,

Holiness in glory, living, loving God.

Hail and Hosanna! Bring many names!

2. Strong mother God, working night and day,

Planning all the wonders of creation,

SeĴing each equation, genius at play;

Hail and Hosanna, strong mother God!

3. Warm father God, hugging every child,

Feeling all the strains of human living,

Caring and forgiving till we’re reconciled;

Hail and Hosanna, warm father God!

4. Great, living God, never fully known,

Joyful darkness far beyond our seeing,

Closer yet than breathing, ever lasting home;

Hail and Hosanna, great, living God!

Centering Prayer

Shared by Pastor Ken

Special Music for Thinking of You Cards

Shared by Justin Rollefson

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 you addressed in the card. This was one of the elements of our time together you lifted up as important for all of us. Thank you! 

Invitation to Rededicate Ourselves to The More of Life Shared by Cindy Gattorna

We prepare ourselves for experiencing the act of giving of ourselves and our offerings with the reading of this reflection.

Reflection ~ "Return Blessings" By Diann L. Neu

Shared by Cindy Gattorna

Return blessings, O Holy Ones,

So life’s cycles can continue with beauty,

balance, and abundance.

May life’s cycles return blessings.

Return blessings, Sacred Earth,

So air, water, fire, and food can nourish all we hold dear.

May air, water, fire and food return blessings.

Return blessings, Beloved Sisters and Brothers,

So all creation can share pleasure and do justice.

May all creation return blessings.

Return blessings, Crawling Creatures

and Winged Friends,

So the Earth can be renewed.

May the Earth return blessings.

Return blessings, Trees, Flowers, Rivers, Mountains,

So nature can refresh all spirits.

May nature return blessings.

Return blessings, Stars, Moons, Planets, Galaxies,

So wonder can nourish all visions.

May wonder return blessings.

Return blessings,

Changing Seasons,

So life’s cycles

can continue in peace.

May life’s cycles

return blessings.

Offering and Offertory

Shared by Travis Meyers

Dedication of Our Offerings

Led by Cindy Gattorna

One: In response to the joy of this fellowship and the

hope it represents we proclaim to ourselves,

All: Choose life, that you and your children may live.

One; We say to friends:

All: Choose life, that you and your children may live.

One: We say to the world:

All: Choose life, that you and your children may live.

One: The earth is our source of survival. Deplete her

resources, poison her waters, and you will

cultivate death.

All: Choose life, that you and your children may live.

One: The universe is our sacred canopy. CluĴer its

space with the hardware of war, and the stars and

the planets will die.

All: Choose life, that you and your children may live.

One: Life is a fragile environment.

Upset the balance, and everything, everyone,

everywhere will disappear.

All: Choose life, that you and your children may live.



Words For Mission

Led by Cindy Gattorna

One: Will we remember our planet home?

All: We will nurture our planet!

One: Will we act graciously to all humanity?

All: We will act graciously to all humanity!

One: Will we wonder at the beauty of dawn and sunset?

All: We will wonder at the beauty of dawn and sunset!

One: Will we celebrate life?

All: We will celebrate life!

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: May God be with you.

All: And also with you.

One: Amen.

All: Amen.



EMPOWERING AND SENDING

Sending Forth Song ~ We Are Building A New Way

By Martha Sandefer

We are building a new way. We are building a new way.

We are building a new way, feeling stronger every day,

We are building a new way.

We are working to be free. We are working to be free.

We are working to be free of hate and greed and jealousy.

We are working to be free.

We can feed our every need. We can feed our every need.

We can feed our every need. Start with love, that is the seed.

We can feed our every need.

Peace and freedom is our cry.

Peace and freedom is our cry.

Peace and freedom is our cry,

without these this world will die.

Peace and freedom is our cry.

Thank you for being with us!

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.