Memorial Day Weekend

Is a Great Time

To Think and Pray

For The

Healing Of Our Land



Order of Worship

26 May 2024

Welcome to Shadow Rock United Church of Christ on this

Memorial Day weekend. The front cover of our bulletin is a

recognition that we bring many different kinds of awareness

to our observance of Memorial Day.

Memorial Day was first known as “Decoration Day” with the

purpose of honoring the dead after the Civil War. There are

many stories and songs about the origins of Memorial Day

from both the North and South, but the main point is about

communities coming together to honor the members of

their community who gave their all. Through these acts of

remembering and giving thanks, there is healing and

reconciliation.

Today we remember; we give thanks. And, being true to

Shadow Rock’s cutting edge spirit, we give ourselves

permission to question authority, and the motives of

authority, that would send our people in harm’s way. Our

remembering and thanksgiving can move us to greater civic

responsibility and better stewardship of the lives of our

neighbors who are called upon to serve. We take a

“comprehensive view of life” and celebrate all that life is.

WELCOME TO SHADOW ROCK UCC!

Prelude ~

Shared by Travis Meyers

GATHERING IN THE SPIRIT’S PRESENCE

Centering Affirmation: Can there be healing without accountability?

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

Led by Cindy Gattorna

(Please stand in body, mind or spirit.)

One: As we gather in this sacred place, let us open our

minds to the challenges of love and reason.

All: We open our hearts to the healing of love.

One: Let us open our lives to the calling of conscience

and our souls to the comfort of joy.

All: Astonished by the miracle of life, grateful for the gift of fellowship, and confident in the power of a living faith, we celebrate this time together.

Singing Our Faith

~ Down By the Riverside

1. Gonna’ lay down my burdens, down by the riverside

Down by the riverside, down by the riverside.

Gonna’ lay down my burdens, down by the riverside

To study war no more!

I ain’t gonna study war no more,

ain’t gonna’ study war no more

I aint’ gone study war no more –

I ain’t gonna study war no more, ain’t gonna’ study war no more,

I ain’t gonna’ study war no more.

2. Gonna’ lay down my sword and shield,

down by the riverside

Down by the riverside, down by the riverside.

Gonna’ lay down my sword and shield,

down by the riverside, To study war no more.

Chorus

STILLING OURSELVES

Centering Prayer

Shared by Pastor Ken

Being That Sensitive Part of Society

Celebration Song and Memorial Day Prayer

Led by Travis Meyers

O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain,

For purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain!

America! America! God shed His grace on thee,

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet,

Whose stern impassion’d stress

A thoroughfare for freedom beat

Across the wilderness!

America! America! God mend thine ev’ry flaw,

Confirm thy soul in self-control,

Thy liberty in law!

A Litany for Memorial Day

Led by Cindy Gattorna

One: We sing and pray for grace, forgiveness and a renewed

commitment to justice, liberty and equality for all. We

pray that we may learn to love one another.

All: God, hear our prayer.

One: We remember those who have loved us enough to lay

down their lives for us and pray that they may rest in

peace.

All: God, hear our prayer.

One: We pray that you would comfort all those who mourn

the loss in war of a loved one.

All: God, hear our prayer.

One: We pray that we may never take the freedoms we

have for granted and will share them with others.

All: God, hear our prayer.

One: We pray that you will remove greed, envy, and

lust for power and control from our hearts and

the hearts of all people.

All: God, hear our prayer.

One: We pray that you will root out racism, sexism, and

violence from our lives, our communities, our

nation, and our world.

All: God, hear our prayer.

One: We pray that we may learn to share the world’s

resources with all and not hoard them for ourselves.

All: God, hear our prayer.

One: We pray that we may learn to wage peace so that

no more people will die in war.

All: God, hear our prayer.

One: We pray all these things in the name of Jesus Christ,

trusting in the promise that whatever we ask in the

spirit and love of Christ.

All: Amen.

O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife,

Who more than self their country loved,

And mercy more than life!

America! America! May God thy gold refine

Till all success be nobleness,

And ev’ry gain divine!

O Beautiful for patriot dream

That sees beyond the years

Thine alabaster cities gleam,

Undimmed by human tears!

America! America! God shed His grace on thee,

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea!

Invitation to Give

Shared by Cindy Gattorna

Let us bring our offerings as a symbol of our work in this place and beyond.

Offerings and Offertory ~ Heal Our Land

Shared by Travis Meyers

Dedication of Our Offerings

Led by Cindy Gattorna

One: God, help us to learn from history and teach it

faithfully.

All: May we and these gifts be used to build a

foundation of inclusion, justice and spirituality.

Amen.

Words For Mission

Led by Cindy Gattorna

One: May God’s breath stream within you.

All: May God’s breath renew you.

One: May God’s breath invigorate you.

All: Walk with confidence into this day.

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 ~ Blowin' In the Wind

Led by Travis Meyers

1. How many roads must a man walk down

Before they call him a man?

How many seas must a white dove sail

Before she sleeps in the sand?

How many times must the cannonballs fly

Before they’re forever banned?

The answer my friend, is blowin’ in the wind,

The answer is blowin’ in the wind.

2. How many years must a mountain exist

Before it is washed to the sea?

And how many years must some people exist

Before they’re allowed to be free?

How many times can we turn our heads

And pretend that we just don’t see?

The answer my friend, is blowin’ in the wind,

The answer is blowin’ in the wind.

3. How many times must a man look up

Before he can see the sky?

How many ears must one man have

Before he can hear people cry?

How many deaths will it take till we know

That too many people have died?

The answer my friend, is blowin’ in the wind,

The answer is blowin’ in the wind.

Sermon Reboot is ON 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.