We are not proclaiming what we are not.

We are proclaiming what we are!

Order of Worship

18 August 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: It is okay if I am not a Christian nationalist. I can be a patriot and a person of faith at the same time.

Welcome and Announcements

Led by Pastor Ken

Call to Worship and Singing Our Faith

Led by Rachael and Coulter L'Heureux

One: As we enter into this sacred place,

put away the pressures of the world that ask us

to perform, to take up masks, to put on brave fronts.

Silence the voices that ask you to be perfect.

All: We are a welcoming community of compassion.

We bring all that we are and all that we yet can be,

to this safe and holy place.



Singing Our Faith

~ We Are the Family

Led by Travis Meyers

Chorus

We are the family and we are the home,

We are the mountain where love can be known.

We are the voices and we are the hands

For bringing peace to our land.

(Repeat)

1.And in our family all are welcome,

Doesn’t matter who you are,

In our home there’s always room

So plan to stay.

On our mountain where we labor

There’s much work that’s left to do,

And your talents would be helpful if you stay.

Chorus

2.And in our family ev’ry nation,

Ev’ry planet, ev’ry race,

Ev’ryone is always welcome to our home.

And with our voices let us tell you

That we mean just what we say,

And with our hands united, let us pray.

Chorus

Centering Prayer ~

Led by Rev. Ken Heintzelman

Special Music for Thinking of You Cards

Shared by Travis Meyers

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 Rachael and Coulter Ieureux

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

Reflection ~ "Kindness" by Naomi Shihab Nye

Shared by Rachael and Coulter L'Heureux

Before you know what kindness really is

you must lose things,

feel the future dissolve in a moment

like salt in a weakened broth.

What you held in your hand,

what you counted and carefully saved,

all this must go so you know

how desolate the landscape can be

between the regions of kindness.

How you ride and ride

thinking the bus will never stop,

the passengers eating maize and chicken

will stare out the window forever.

Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness

you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho

lies dead by the side of the road.

You must see how this could be you,

how he too was someone

who journeyed through the night with plans

and the simple breath that kept him alive.

Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,

you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.

You must wake up with sorrow.

You must wake up with sorrow.

You must speak to it till your voice

catches the thread of all sorrows

and you see the size of the cloth.

Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,

only kindness that ties your shoes

and sends you out into the day to gaze at bread,

only kindness that raises its head

from the crowd of the world to say

It is I you have been looking for,

and then goes with you everywhere

like a shadow or a friend.

Offering and Offertory

Shared by Travis Meyers

Dedication of Our Offerings

Led by Rachael and Coulter L'Heureux

One: By our smallest actions such as writing cards of care and putting money in the plate we become part of a bigger world. The smallest gift can be an expression of the good spirit of generosity and caring.

All: May we and these gifts be used to build a foundation of inclusion, justice and spirituality. Amen.



Words For Mission

Led by Rachael and Coulter L'Heureux

One: As we prepare to leave this sacred space where we

have celebrated together, let us return to our work

and school enlivened and renewed...

May we also remember that each day offers more

things than we can do.

All: May we do what needs to be done, postpone

what does not, and be at peace with what we can

be and do.

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 ~ Free To Be You And Me

1. There’s a land that I see where the children are free.

And I say it ain’t far to this land from where we are free.

Take my hand, come with me where the children are

Come with me, take my hand, and we’ll live...

In a land where the river runs free.

In a land through the green country.

In a land to a shining sea.

In a land where the horses run free.

And you and me are free to be, you and me.

I see a land, bright and clear and the time’s comin’ near

When we’ll live in this land, you and me, hand in hand.

Take my hand, come along, lend your voice to my song.

Come along, take my hand, sing a song...

In a land where the river runs free.

In a land through the green country.

In a land to a shining sea.

In a land where the horses run free.

And you and me are free to be, you and me.

Every boy in this land grows to be his own man.

In this land, every girl grows to be her own woman.

Take my hand, come with me, where the children are free.

Come with me, take my hand, and we’ll run...

Chorus



Thank you for being with us!

Sermon Reboot is OFF for today. We will be back September 8 after worship.

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.