July 4 Bulletin

Bulletin cover designed by John Lewallen Claremont United Church of Christ Sunday, July 4, 2021 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 Finlandia arr. Diane Bish Susan Achuff, organ INTROIT Excerpt from ‘National Hymn’ arr. Robert J. Hughes Susan Achuff, organ WELCOME CALL TO WORSHIP One: All of creation belongs to God; All: All things seen and unseen belong to God. One: God alone is our sovereign; All: To God alone we bow in allegiance. Come, let us worship our God, the Ruler of all nations. OPENING HYMN #591 This Is My Song FINLANDIA PRAYER OF CONFESSION Author of salvation, our personal and corporate sins are too heavy to carry, too real to hide, and too deep to undo. Forgive what our lips struggle to name, what our is breaking our hearts, and what consumes our peace. As a nation, set us free from a past that we cannot change; open to us a future in which we can be changed; and grant us the ability and will to grow more in your likeness through Jesus Christ. Amen. ASSURANCE OF PARDON PASSING OF THE PEACE One: May the peace of Christ be with you. All: And also with you. SERMON ON THE STEPS Rev. Laurel Capesius OFFERING/MUSIC Your Peace Will Make Us One John Lowery, guitar/voice DEDICATION

SCRIPTURE Genesis 6:1-8 6 When people began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that they were fair; and they took wives for themselves of all that they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My spirit shall not abide in mortals forever, for they are flesh; their days shall be one hundred twenty years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward— when the sons of God went in to the daughters of humans, who bore children to them. These were the heroes that were of old, warriors of renown. 5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord was sorry that he had made humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out from the earth the human beings I have created—people together with animals and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the sight of the Lord. Numbers 13:1-3, 27-33 13 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites; from each of their ancestral tribes you shall send a man, every one a leader among them.” 3 So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran, according to the command of the Lord, all of them leading men among the Israelites. 27 And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us; it flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 Yet the people who live in the land are strong, and the towns are fortified and very large; and besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites live in the land of the Negeb; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live by the sea, and along the Jordan.” 30 But Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” 31 Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against this people, for they are stronger than we.” 32 So they brought to the Israelites an unfavorable report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land that we have gone through as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people that we saw in it are of great size. 33 There we saw the Nephilim (the Anakites come from the Nephilim); and to ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.” SERMON Myths & Monsters: Rev. Dr. Jen Strickland

The Bible’s Summer Blockbusters— The Nephilim HYMN #594 How Beautiful, Our Spacious Skies MATERNA COMMUNION One: …Open our hearts once again to the great mystery of our faith: All: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & THE LORD’S PRAYER To honor the power of both the traditional and new versions of the Lord’s Prayer, we will alternate which version we pray each week. One: …We pray for all of these things using the words Jesus teaches us, saying… 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 Imagine Lennon John Lowery, guitar/voice BENEDICTION CLOSING RESPONSE O Christ Jesus, Sent from Heaven WESTMINSTER ABBEY O Christ Jesus, Father-Mother, Spirit, Triune Source of all, Claim our wounded, halting witness; we surrender to your thrall. Alleluia! Truth Incarnate, stir us with your servant call. POSTLUDE National Hymn Mark Thewes Susan Achuff, organ

ALTAR FLOWERS Today’s altar flowers are sponsored by Diana Miller and Catherine Curtis, in honor of Gordon Curtis. HYMN COMMENTARY \"This Is My Song\" Lloyd Stone (1912-1993) wrote this text in 1934 during the brief period of international peace that was shattered by the start of World War II. The hymn became a favorite in the Methodist Church. Stone was educated at USC, and then moved to Hawaii. He wrote 10 books of poetry as well as books for children. Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) wrote this 'tone poem' FINLANDIA, his most famous composition. First performed in Helsinki, it received such a favorable response that the occupying Russian government refused to permit its performance. Sibelius, Finland's greatest composer, based much of his music on national myths and folktales. GUEST ARTIST John Lowery started his career as a singer-songwriter in Portland, Oregon back in the mid-nineties. Since 2000 John has released all solo albums - Fancy Car, I'm Going Home, Epiphany and most recently Lucky Guy which is now available on Apple Music, Amazon, Spotify, and Pandora. John has played with some pretty big players over the years including Jeff Linsky (Jazz Virtuoso), John Smith (Grammy Award Producer from Nu Shooz), and Tony Snow (Drummer from Dramarama) to name a few. He currently resides in Poway, CA and continues to play shows as a solo artist in his own backyard in San Diego, LA, and Orange County frequently. John has also played shows internationally in Australia and most recently in Portugal. SPECIAL THANKS Thank you to Rebecca McCallister, today’s substitute ASL interpreter.

CLAREMONT UCC PRAYER LIST Join us in prayer this week for the following individuals. Would you like to get involved with the Prayer Team? Please contact Amy Duncan at (951) 212-3576 or email [email protected] OUR NEWEST SAINT: Mike Barry, friend of Diana Miller THOSE SEEKING ENCOURAGEMENT: Katrina Armienti, friend of Carolyn Barbera friends of Blair & Chris Aldworth Richard Blair, nephew of Virginia Bergfalk Randi McKee & Family, friend of Blair Aldworth Casey & Sarah Boatman, Tatum & Everett, Mario Ramos, Adelanto detainee Eric & David Sandberg, family of Ruth Sandberg Family of Sandy Wittwer & Galen Kenoyer Family of Robert Schreiber, friends of Carol Wiese Elaine Bumiller, CUCC member Jennifer Stephenson, CUCC staff Jill Carol, CUCC member Lucy, Claire, & John Stover, friends of Linda Tajima Cynthia Chertos, CUCC member Paul Towne, family of Howard Towne Ellen Feyk, CUCC member Tran Family, friends of Ruth Sandberg Victoria Findlay & Allison Thomkins, Mark Watson, family of Roxanne Watson Victor Williams Family, friends of Linda Corbin CUCC member & her daughter Charles Folks, family of Marsha Madison Roger & Jeane, friends of Ruth Sandberg Leventhal Family, friends of Francisco Barbera Tim McCann, Jasmine and Anna Gatto-McCann, FOR HEALTH AND HEALING: Chris Aldworth, CUCC member Margaret Duffy, extended family of Dali Podenski Matt Alford, CUCC member Erica & Haley Enos, CUCC member & sister Caitlin Antrim, friend of Jean Marston Tom Esposito, family of Evy Morales Robert Apodaca, friend of Lydia de los Rios Esposito Family, cousin/family of Evy Morales Tony Araunz-Martinez, friend of Maureen Moorman Max & Kelsey Ferrell, Johnathan Diaz, Ana Alicia, Lori Barbera, mother of Francesco Barbera Cristina Bergfalk, mother of Benjamin & family of Jose, Elias, & Ana Villaseñor, family of Tasha Ferrell Virginia Bergfalk Sandy French, friend of Marsha Madison Stephanie Bertleson, Betty Frank’s niece Laurie Giesenhagen, CUCC member Sylvia Brougham, grandmother of Tasha Ferrell Diaz John George, son of Brenda Keith Debbie Brown, friend of Judi Bayer Kimberly Griffin, CUCC attender Stan Burwell, friend of Carol Wiese Iris Harleman, friend of Shirley Jones Tracy Buss, friend of Blair Aldworth Brenda & Michael Henry, CUCC member Carlene Cable, friend of Sherry McCauley Joan Hunter, Granny of Zoe Estrada Sedra Canjo, daughter of Nadr Canjo David Jamieson, CUCC member Alice Chin, CUCC attender Charlie Kalb, friend of Margaret Merhoff Dolores Clem, mother of Lisa Delgadillo Chuck Kelcher, friend of Carol Wiese Jason Clinge, friend of Linda Corbin Faith King, daughter of Jeanne King Linda Cummings, CUCC member Terri King, CUCC member Frank & Phylis DeLeo, friends of Carol Wiese Jim & Janet Kolzow, family of Kristen Kolzow Toni de los Rios, cousin of Lydia de los Rios Diana Krumme, friend of Dali Podenski MaryAnn Delgadillo, mother of Christopher Richard Kuchar, friend of David Moore Delgadillo Elaine Larson, friend of Dona Turk Dustin & Cristina Dickerson, family of Roxanne Kathleen Leo, CUCC member Nola Lewallen, mother of John Lewallen Watson

Marlene Lobb, friend of Anne Stromberg Pauline Castellan Silva, friend of Sandy Gabel Frank Malone, friend of Judith Bayer Cheryl Sims, friend of Marsha Madison Jan Marshall, CUCC attender Wayne E. Sims, R.N., brother of Marsha Madison Danielle Marquez, family of Carolyn Barbera Todd Songer, friend of Diana Miller Sherry McCauley, CUCC member Larry Starkweather, friend of Sandra Wittwer Dean McCrumb, friend of Dorothy Wheat Martha Stephenson, CUCC member Catherine McIntosh, friend of Carol Wiese Julius M. Steubing, CUCC member Leslie McLouhlin, extended family of Diana Miller Lorraine Telles, friend of Marta D’Anda Wendy Mitchell, friend of Carol Wiese Keri Toghia, niece of Dona Turk Josephine Miller, mother of Deborah Castillero Michael Toomay, son of Bea Gallegos Patricia Molina, aunt of Beatriz Roman Castellanos David Tortes, brother of Rebecca Tortes Mila Moncayo, friend of Francisco Barbera Teresa Tulcan, friend of Anne Forburger Jeffrey Mulder, son of Sheri Mulder VeBrad & Karen Visser, son & daughter in-law of Jim Cynthia Munos, daughter of Juan Munoz Visser Steve Murray, extended family of Judith Bayer Dwight Vogel, friend of Jean Rosewall Nate Neumeyer, friend of Blair Aldworth Sandi Walter, CUCC member Grace Newkirk, friend of Carol Wiese Chris Weldon, friend of Christopher Fairchild Myles Nielson, grandson of Bea Gallegos Rev. Anita White, UCC Pastor, friend of Jane Greg Pavlik, friend of Marsha Madison Tom Peterson, friend of Ruth Abel Gibbons Jessie Colby Pryce, friend of Linda & Craig Cummings Jenna Robinson, friend of Rita Dixon Kathy Widmer, friend of Cynthia Moreno Joseph Robinson, brother of John Robinson Rev. Maria Wilson, CUCC attender Margo Rouette, CUCC member Troy Zeleny, nephew of Anne Stromberg Lawrence Randall Rutt, father of Christopher Rutt Ava & her father, Mike, friend of Ruth Abel Eileen Schmalle, friend of Anne Forburger Benjamin, grandson of Virginia Bergfalk Griffen Schreiber, friend of Francisco Barbera Diane, friend of Kay Brand Diane Schulman, friend of Maria Andrade Jennifer, daughter of Laura Burt Jay Sharp, CUCC member Marilyn, friend of Ruth Sandberg Simolena, grandmother of Sherry McCauley’s nurse

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 [email protected], x230 [email protected], x242 Rev. Dr. Jen Strickland [email protected], x 228 Principal Organist Dr. Carey Robertson Finance & Payroll Administrator [email protected] Ms. Jocelyn Bocking [email protected], x225 Technology Specialist Mr. Josh Ngo Office Manager [email protected] Ms. Jasmine Tomita [email protected], ASL Interpreter x222 Ms. Jennifer Stephenson Minister of Children, Youth, & Moderator (Council President) Families Ms. Rita Dixon Rev. Laurel Capesius [email protected] [email protected] Director of the Early Childhood Children, Youth, & Families Center Assistant Ms. Kristy Knight Ms. Elizabeth Zehm [email protected], x226 [email protected] Building Manager Junior High Youth Director Mr. Don Doughty Ms. Zoe Estrada [email protected], [email protected] x240