Order of Worship

04-05-25

Prelude ~

Shared by Kate Vincent

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.

Call to Worship

Led by Judy Schwiebert

One: Through this time of celebraƟon, we leave for a Ɵme the daily sequence of events, to examine life in its eternal

dimensions and consequences:

All: asking quesƟons about our values, our direcƟons, our goals, and our relationships.

One: Let us spend this time in the presence of the Spirit

of the Sacred One.

All: Praise be for this gathered community

in this sacred place, for all people.

Singing Our Faith ~ Build Us a Table

by Ruth C. Duck and Jim Strethdee

1. Walls mark our bound’ries and keep us apart;

Walls keep the world from our eyes and our heart.

Tables are round, making room for one more,

Welcoming friends we had not known before.

Chorus

So build us a table and tear down the wall!

Christ is our host. There is room for us all!

2. Walls make us sure who is in and who’s out

Walls keep us safe from all quesƟon and doubt,

But at a table in open exchange

New ties are formed as our lives rearrange.

Chorus

3. Once we were strangers, divided, alone.

Hate and distrust built a wall stone by stone.

Now at a table the bread that we share.

Joins us to Christ in a circle of care.

Chorus



Opening Prayer

Led by Pastor Ken

Sharing the Peace

Led by Judy Schwiebert

Musical Interlude Calling Us Back Together ~ Allelu

Allelu! Allelu! Everybody sing Allelu!

For the Lord has risen, it is true.

Everybody sing Allelu!

On the third day he did rise, Allelu, Allelu!

Now he lives no more to die, Alleluia!

Chorus

Now we too can live anew, Allelu, Allelu!

Live in him need all we do, Alleluia!

Chorus



Celebrations

Led by Pastor Ken

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!

COMMISSIONING OUR SHADOW ROCK SEARCH TEAM

Today, we commission our pastoral search team to search for and recommend the next Senior Minister for Shadow Rock

CongregaƟonal United Church of Christ. You have a unique role and a task that requires teamwork. It requires you to spend time in prayer and listening for the Spirit of Life and Love’s direction.

You stand among us to render a particular service, you, as individuals and as a group, are a gift from God to serve your Shadow Rock spiritual family in this task. Hear this piece of wisdom from our tradition.

For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage,

then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. (Romans 12:4–8 NIV)

Questions:

Do you accept this ministry as a Pastoral Search Team as a

responsibility before God and your fellow members and friends?

Will you be diligent in your study of Scripture, our Covenant,

faithful in your use of the means of grace, and constant in prayer?

Will you trust in God’s care, strive not just for good results, but also for a good process, upholding the unity, purity, and peace of the church?

We do, God helping us.

(To the congregation.) Dear people of God, will you receive these people as servants of the Lord?

Will you encourage them, pray for them, and support them in this task?

All: We will, God helping us.

Charge: (Susan Wadell)

You are charged with searching for someone called by God for the role of pastor here at Shadow Rock Congregational United Church of Christ.

All: Go and work well together.

Go and work with diligence and integrity.

Go for the sake of the gospel and the Church of Jesus Christ.

Go with the prayers and support of Shadow Rock’s congregation.

All: Listen well.

Listen well to the needs and concerns of our neighborhood.

Listen well to the Shadow Rock congregation. Listen well to those you interview. Listen well to each other. Listen well to the Word About Life and the Spirit of Life and Love.

Celebrating Community With a Shared Table

Led by Judy Schwiebert and Pastor Ken

One: At this table we give thanks for inclusion, jusƟce, love,

peace and freedom.

All: At this table we give thanks for friends and strangers together in community in this safe place. At this table we welcome old and young.

One: We break the bread for the broken earth,

ravaged and plundered for greed.

All: May there be healing of our beauƟful blue and green planet.

One: We break this bread for our broken humanity, for the

powerful and the powerless trapped by the exploitaƟon

and oppression.

All: May there be the healing of humanity.

One: We break this bread for those who follow

other paths: for those who follow the noble

path of the Buddha,

the yogic path of the Hindus;

the way of the Eternal Guru of the Sikhs;

and for the children of Abraham and Sarah and Rachel -

the Jews, and the Muslims.

All: May there be healing where there is pain and

woundedness.

One: We break this bread for the unhealed hurts and wounds

that lie within us all.

All: May we be healed.

One: This is the cup of peace and of new life for all. A sign of

love for the community of hope.

All: A reminder of the call to live fully,

to love wastefully, and to be all that we can be.

One: To share this bread and cup reminds us of the deeper aspects of human fellowship, for from time immemorial the sharing of bread and wine has been the most universal of all

symbols of community.

Sharing the Bread and Cup

Led by Judy Schwiebert

Everyone is welcome to this table! All the bread is gluten-free. The baskets near our communion staƟons are for our

communion offering. This month, the communion offering

supports the Pastor’s Charitable Fund. Our servers are members of the Shadow Rock Search Team. Thank you!

Word About Life

Shared by Pastor Ken

Words for Mission

Led by Judy Schwiebert

One: Walk well your journey in peace and in jusƟce.

May you be wrapped in the shawl of God's loving.

May you be cherished.

May you be blessed... this day, and forever.

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 ~ The Servant Song

Song by David Haas

Will you let me be your servant?

Let me be as Christ to you

Pray that I may have the grace

To let you be my servant, too

We are pilgrims on the journey

We are travellers on the road

We are here to help each other

Walk the mile and bear the load

I will hold the Christ light for you

In the night time of your fear

I will hold my hand out to you

Speak the peace you long to hear

I will weep when you are weeping

When you laugh, I'll laugh with you

I will share your joy and sorrow

Till we've seen this journey through

Will you let me be your servant?

Let me be as Christ to you

Pray that I may have the grace

To let you be my servant too

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.