September 6 Bulletin

Claremont United Church of Christ Sunday, September 6, 2020 10:00 am We are an Open and Affirming congregation, welcoming into our full life and ministry persons of all sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, races, socioeconomic status, faith experiences, countries of origin, and abilities. Jesus welcomes everyone and so do we!

A CELEBRATION OF WORSHIP CLAREMONT UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST PRELUDE Trumpet Dialogue Clerambault INTROIT Thy Beauty on the Hills Blanchard WELCOME CALL TO WORSHIP One: Like a father who runs to welcome the prodigal home, All: Like a mother who will not abandon her child, One: Like a caring stranger who stops to help us on the side of the road, All: Our God remains steadfast and loving. Together, let us worship our God. OPENING HYMN For Deeper Love arr. Campbell, Text by Jim Burklo For deeper love we share the bread and won't be full till all are fed, till every soul has home and bed, the rest of us can't move ahead. For deeper love we share the wine. We cannot taste the love divine till every soul has walked the line, and you've had yours, and I've had mine. No one is saved till all are healed, as Jesus on the Mount revealed, your life and mine forever sealed, just like the lilies of the field. We follow where the Christ has led, to table that for all is spread, And no one's sitting at the head, but deeper love in wine and bread. PRAYER OF CONFESSION Creator and Author of Justice, we confess that we have lost our way again. We have grown distant from our loved ones, we have become suspicious of our neighbors, we have forgotten that we are enough and worthy of love. We have lost our patience with mask-wearing and hand-sanitizing and physical distancing. We have longed for the return of our luxuries and privileges and thought of them as lovingly as idols. We have questioned your presence and your care when our world is out of control. Find us where we are today, O God, and gently guide us back to your path of love and healing. Amen. WORDS OF ASSURANCE One: … Let us open our hearts up to God’s mercy and forgiveness.

All: Amen. PASSING OF THE PEACE One: May the peace of Christ be with you. All: And also with you. SERMON ON THE STEPS OFFERING/MUSIC The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power Alexandra Taylor DEDICATION SCRIPTURE Exodus 32:1-15, 21-24 32 When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered around Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make gods for us, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” 2 Aaron said to them, “Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people took off the gold rings from their ears, and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took the gold from them, formed it in a mold, and cast an image of a calf; and they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” 5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a festival to the Lord.” 6 They rose early the next day, and offered burnt offerings and brought sacrifices of well-being; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to revel. 7 The Lord said to Moses, “Go down at once! Your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have acted perversely; 8 they have been quick to turn aside from the way that I commanded them; they have cast for themselves an image of a calf, and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’” 9 The Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, how stiff-necked they are. 10 Now let me alone, so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them; and of you I will make a great nation.” 11 But Moses implored the Lord his God, and said, “O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring disaster on your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, how you swore to them by your own self, saying to

them, ‘I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’” 14 And the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people. 15 Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain, carrying the two tablets of the covenant in his hands, tablets that were written on both sides, written on the front and on the back. 21 Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?” 22 And Aaron said, “Do not let the anger of my lord burn hot; you know the people, that they are bent on evil. 23 They said to me, ‘Make us gods, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 24 So I said to them, ‘Whoever has gold, take it off’; so they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!” SERMON Rev. Dr. Jacob Buchholz When Will This End? Lessons From the Wilderness “These Are Your Gods” COMMUNION (Today’s Communion liturgy is adapted from liturgy by Jim Burklo.) PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & THE LORD’S PRAYER (These are prayers compiled by our church’s Prayer Team each week and reflect the contents of our own hearts.) One: …We pray, All: Our Father/Mother/Creator who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom/kin-dom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom/kin-dom, the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. GUEST ARTIST Break Every Chain Alexandra Taylor BENEDICTION CLOSING RESPONSE Great Is Your Faithfulness FAITHFULNESS Great is your faithfulness, O God, creator,

with you no shadows of turning we see. You do not change, your compassions they fail not; all of your goodness forever will be. Great is your faithfulness! Great is your faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see; all I have needed your hand has provided, great is your faithfulness, God, unto me! POSTLUDE Jig Fugue in C Major Buxtehude WAYS TO DONATE TO THE CHURCH: 1. Mail in your donation (233 W. Harrison Ave., Claremont, CA 91711) 2. Contribute on our website: claremontucc.org 3. Text an amount to (909) 343-5901 4. Set up automatic giving through your bank Reflection Questions About Today's Worship * What was the most meaningful moment of worship for you today? * What is one new question or idea today's worship service inspired for you

PLEASE BE IN TOUCH Claremont United Church of Christ 233 W. Harrison Ave., Claremont, CA 91711 (909) 626-1201 | claremontucc.org @uccclaremont Claremont United Church of Christ Senior Pastors Director of Music & Fine Arts Rev. Dr. Jacob Buchholz Dr. Jonathan Campbell jacob@claremontucc.org, x230 jonathan@claremontucc.org, x242 Rev. Dr. Jen Strickland jen@claremontucc.org, x 228 Children’s Music Director Ms. Sarah Shufeldt Finance & Payroll Administrator childrensmusic@claremontucc.org Ms. Jocelyn Bocking finance@claremontucc.org, x225 Principal Organist Dr. Carey Robertson Office Manager carey@claremontucc.org Ms. Jasmine Tomita officemanager@claremontucc.org, Moderator (Council President) x222 Dr. Linda Corbin moderator@claremontucc.org Minister of Children, Youth, & Families Director of the Early Childhood Rev. DJ Severin Center dj@claremontucc.org, x227 Ms. Kristy Knight krislizecc@hotmail.com, x226 Children, Youth, & Families Assistant Ms. Elizabeth Zehm elizabeth@claremontucc.org Junior High Youth Director Ms. Zoe Estrada zoe@claremontucc.org