We joined for worship on Sunday, May 9, 2021 at 10:00AM! You may watch a recording below, or you may watch on Facebook Live by clicking here.
Quote for Reflection:
And I saw no difference atwix God and our substance,
but as it were al God,
and yet myn understondyng toke
that our substance is in God: that is to sey,
that God is God, and our substance is a creture in God;
for the almyty truth of the Trinite is our fader,
for he made us and kepith us in him:
and depe wisdam of the Trinite is our moder
in whom we arn al beclosid;
the hey goddnes of the Trinite is our lord
and in him we aren beclosid and he in us.
Julian of Norwich, circa1400
CALL TO WORSHIP
God is the Vine- grower. Jesus is the Vine.
We are the branches.
When we give with joy, when we welcome others,
when we rest in God’s love,
We are the branches.
When we reach out in love, bearing spiritual fruit;
God’s love is made real.
We are the branches.
Jesus is the Vine.
We are the branches.
HYMN Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee UMH 89
A PRAYER FOR MOTHERS DAY Elizabeth Hagan
“Mother’s Day is complicated for many people, for many different reasons.”
Mothers come in many different forms, and today we remember them all.⠀
Thank God for all mothers.⠀
For those women who have left earth too soon and in whom we miss dearly.⠀
Thank God for these mothers.
For every woman who is raising children now making sacrifices for her children’s becoming.⠀
Thank God for these mothers.⠀
For those women who have taken in others’ children through adoption and foster care,
showing us that the love of God far extends beyond biological ties.⠀
Thank God for these mothers.⠀
For those women with grieving hearts for children that could have been,
with futures so different from what they planned.⠀
Thank God for these mothers.⠀
For the special neighbors, teachers, and friends who’ve nurtured us,
supported us and helped us to become the people we are today.⠀
Thank God for these mothers.⠀
For mothers in which our relationships are complicated, difficult or strained,
but who have forced us to choose healthier paths for our lives.⠀
Thank God for these mothers.⠀
Mothering God, help us all to reflect more of your compassion, kindness and strength to those around us today. As Meister Eckhart has said, “We are all meant to be mothers of God. God is always needing to be born” let this be true of us!
We need more of you, here, God!⠀
Thank God for all mothers, and for God, the Mother of us all!⠀Amen.
OPENING TO GOD Carter Heyward
And you whose spirit is sad and unsure,
try to remember
the very best parts of your life, the loveliest
feelings in your body self,
occasions of bold delight and quiet confidence,
moments of unambivalent commitment and unrestrained joy.
Try to remember when you have believed passionately in
something or someone human or divine.
Try to imagine that someone now believes in you
because she trusts your loveliest feelings
– commitments, confidence, joy.
She goes with us as we are called forth to go, with one another,
evoked by historical memory
and voices audible only to ears
that can hear the power of God in history.
Her name is Love.
YOUNG PEOPLE’S MESSAGE
HYMN In Christ There Is No East or West 548
EPISTLE LESSON 1 John 4
Beloved, if God has loved us so, we must have the same love for one another.
No one has ever seen God; yet if we love one another,
God dwells in us, and God’s love is brought to perfection in us.
GOSPEL LESSON John 15:1-5
”I am the true vine, and Abba is the vine-grower.
God removes every branch in me that bears no fruit.
Every branch that bears fruit is pruned to make it bear more fruit.
You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you.
Abide in me as I abide in you.
Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine,
neither can you unless you abide in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches.
Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit,
because apart from me you can do nothing.
REFLECTION Abide Mitchell
HYMN Love Divine All Loves Excelling 384
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
SHARING PRAYERS & LORD’S PRAYER
ANNOUNCEMENTS
BENEDICTION Cheryl Lawrie
take the clay of our lives and shape it to love
take the clay of the church and shape it to grace
take the clay of the world and shape it to peace
take the clay of today and shape it to hope.
and then breathe your spirit into all.
again.
for ever and ever.
amen.
RESPONSE Halle Halle Halle 2026
POSTLUDE
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