September 19 Bulletin

Claremont United Church of Christ Sunday, September 19, 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 Grant Us Peace SIM SHALOM arr. Ore INTROIT Guide My Feet Chancel Choir WELCOME CALL TO WORSHIP One: Our God has called us to work for peace, All: Not because we are perfect, but because we are created to be instruments of peace. One: Our God has called us to work for justice, All: Not because we are strong, but because we are created to be instruments of justice. One: Our God has called us to live in loving community, All: Not because it is easy, but because we are created to be instruments of love. OPENING HYMN #267 Come, O Spirit, Dwell Among Us EBENEZER (verses 1 & 3) PRAYER OF CONFESSION God of Strength, we confess that we do not always believe we have the gifts and tools to answer the call of Your Holy Spirit. We feel inadequate and incapable of tackling the plethora of social and societal ills that desperately need our time and energy. Give us the courage to say yes to new opportunities to serve you. Give us the courage to embrace ourselves the way we are see in ourselves the beauty and potential that you see. Amen. ASSURANCE OF PARDON One: …we are forgiven. All: Let us live as redeemed people! Amen. POEM I Forgive You Janice Hoffman GUEST MUSIC Piano Sonata in C minor, movement III Mozart Vic Hernandez, piano

PASSING OF THE PEACE One: May the peace of Christ be with you. All: And also with you. LITURGICAL SONG Where Children Belong Ritchie (First time: Leader; Second time: ALL) SERMON ON THE STEPS Rev. Laurel Capesius OFFERING/MUSIC Jardins sous la Pluie, from Estampes Debussy Vic Hernandez, piano DOXOLOGY LASST UNS ERFREUEN Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise Christ the word in flesh born low, Alleluia! Alleluia! Praise Holy Spirit evermore, one God, Triune, whom we adore,

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! DEDICATION SCRIPTURE 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” 20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, 23 but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength. 26 Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, 29 so that no one might boast in the presence of God. 30 He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 in order that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” SERMON Wabi-Sabi: Rev. Dr. Jacob Buchholz What Kind of God Gets Crucified HYMN #394 In Christ There is No East or West McKEE 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 using the words Jesus teaches us, saying… All: Heavenly Mother, heavenly Father, Holy and blessed is your true name. We pray for your reign of peace to come, We pray that your good will be done, Let heaven and earth become one. Give us this day the bread we need, Give it to those who have none. Let forgiveness flow like a river through us, From each one to each one to each one. Lead us to holy innocence Beyond the evil of our days, Come swiftly Mother, Father, come! For yours is the power and the glory and the mercy - Forever your name is All in One. (Parker Palmer) ANTHEM Greater Love Hath No One Ireland Chancel Choir BENEDICTION CLOSING RESPONSE God, Who Stretched the Spangled Heavens HOLY MANNA God, who stretched the spangled heavens infinite in time and place, Flung the suns in burning radiance through the silent fields of space; We, your children, in your likeness, share inventive powers with you; Great Creator, still creating, show us what we yet may do. POSTLUDE Concerto II: Allegro Bach GUEST ARTIST Vic Hernandez is a collaborative pianist. He holds a Bachelor of Music-Piano Performance degree from California State University, Northridge. He is currently a MFA-Keyboard Collaborative Arts student at the California Institute of the Arts. In 2015 he attended the California State Summer School for the Arts, where he was awarded the highest earning grant, Herb Alpert Scholarship for Emerging

Young Artists. The most recent award he received at this university is the Frank McGinnis Memorial Scholarship. His mission as a musician is to evoke pure emotion from his audiences, collaborators and himself. ALTAR FLOWERS Today’s altar flowers are given by JoAnn Banks and Linda Murray in memory of their father, Sylvestro Frank Inga. HYMN COMMENTARY Come, O Spirit, Dwell Among Us Janie Alford (1887-1986) wrote this text when she was 92 years old, although she had written poetry all her life. Alford was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and worked for over 40 years as a medical secretary. She helped start the library at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Nashville. Thomas John Williams (1869-1944) included this melody as part of an anthem he composed. Williams was a student of David Evans and served as organist at two churches in Wales. He composed a number of anthems for church choirs. 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 Judi Bayer at (215) 350-3397 or email [email protected]. THOSE SEEKING ENCOURAGEMENT: Mary Alexander, friend of Martha Stephenson Charles Folks, family of Marsha Madison Katrina Armienti, friend of Carolyn Barbera Leventhal Family, friends of Francesco Barbera Richard Blair, nephew of Virginia Bergfalk Susan Lominska, responders, & victims of Casey & Sarah Boatman, Tatum & Everett, Hurricane Ida, CUCC member Family of Sandy Wittwer & Galen Kenoyer Tim McCann, Jasmine and Anna Gatto-McCann, Elaine Bumiller, CUCC member friends of Blair & Chris Aldworth Jill Carol, CUCC member Randi McKee & Family, friend of Blair Aldworth Cynthia Chertos, CUCC member Christy Powell, friend of Ali Perreault The DiMitri Family, family of the Barbera’s Mario Ramos, Adelanto detainee Ellen Feyk, CUCC member Gary Roswell, friend of Sandy Fasano Victoria Findlay & Allison Thomkins, Penny Smith & Family, friend of Dona Turk CUCC member & her daughter Jennifer Stephenson, CUCC staff

Lucy, Claire, & John Stover, friends of Linda Tajima Victor Williams Family, friends of Linda Corbin Roger & Jeane, friends of Ruth Sandberg Paul Towne, family of Howard Towne Mark Watson, family of Roxanne Watson FOR HEALTH AND HEALING: Matt Alford, CUCC member Patricia Molina, aunt of Beatriz Roman Castellanos Caitlin Antrim, friend of Jean Marston Mila Moncayo, friend of Francesco Barbera Robert Apodaca, friend of Lydia de los Rios Jeffrey Mulder, son of Sheri Mulder Tony Araunz-Martinez, friend of Maureen Moorman Cynthia Munos, daughter of Juan Munoz Lori Barbera, mother of Francesco Barbera Steve Murray, extended family of Judith Bayer Cristina Bergfalk, mother of Benjamin & family of Myles Nielson, grandson of Bea Gallegos Virginia Bergfalk Greg Pavlik, friend of Marsha Madison Stephanie Bertleson, Betty Frank’s niece Jessie Colby Pryce, friend of Linda & Craig Cummings Debbie Brown, friend of Judi Bayer Jenna Robinson, friend of Rita Dixon Carlene Cable, friend of Sherry McCauley Joseph Robinson, brother of John Robinson Sedra Canjo, daughter of Nadr Canjo Jean Rosewall, CUCC member Linda Carney, niece-in-law of Linda Corbin Margo Rouette, CUCC member Alice Chin, CUCC attender Lawrence Randall Rutt, father of Christopher Rutt Denise Christopoulos, friend of Sandy Fasano Jay Sharp, CUCC member Barbara Coates, CUCC member Cheryl Sims, friend of Marsha Madison Char Craft, friend of Sandy Fasano Wayne E. Sims, R.N., brother of Marsha Madison Linda Cummings, CUCC member Todd Songer, friend of Diana Miller Toni de los Rios, cousin of Lydia de los Rios Joyce Sorrento, family of the Barbera’s MaryAnn Delgadillo, mother of Christopher Mickey & Sandra Spiker, friends of Tim & Peggy Delgadillo Constantine, Denise Spooner, & Joe Marino Dustin & Cristina Dickerson, family of Roxanne Larry Starkweather, friend of Sandra Wittwer Watson Kathy Starr, friend of Sherry McCauley Martha Stephenson, CUCC member Margaret Duffy, extended family of Dali Podenski Julius M. Steubing, CUCC member Erica & Haley Enos, CUCC member & sister Sandy French, friend of Marsha Madison Lorraine Telles, friend of Marta D’Anda Laurie Giesenhagen, CUCC member Michael Toomay, son of Bea Gallegos Kimberly Griffin, CUCC attender Teresa Tulcan, friend of Anne Forburger Iris Harleman, friend of Shirley Jones Dakota Van Fossen, friend of Peggy Kelly Joan Hunter, Granny of Zoe Estrada Sandi Walter, CUCC member David Jamieson, CUCC member Chris Weldon, friend of Christopher Fairchild Terri King, CUCC member Rev. Anita White, UCC Pastor, friend of Jane Diana Krumme, friend of Dali Podenski Gibbons Olivia Lakner, family friend of Carolyn Barbera Kathy Widmer, friend of Cynthia Moreno Elaine Larson, friend of Dona Turk Rev. Maria Wilson, CUCC attender Kathleen Leo, CUCC member Catherine Yamasaki, friend of Sandy Fasano Nola Lewallen, mother of John Lewallen Troy Zeleny, nephew of Anne Stromberg Marlene Lobb, friend of Anne Stromberg Ava & her father, Mike, friend of Ruth Abel Frank Malone, friend of Judith Bayer Benjamin, grandson of Virginia Bergfalk Jan Marshall, CUCC attender Chad, friend of Christopher Fairchild Sherry McCauley, CUCC member Ruthie, friend of Valerie Carrick Leslie McLouhlin, extended family of Diana Miller Simolena, grandmother of Sherry McCauley’s nurse Josephine Miller, mother of Deborah Castillero

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 Director of the Early Childhood Center Office Manager Ms. Kristy Knight Ms. Jasmine Tomita [email protected], x226 [email protected], x222 Technology Director Mr. Jon Van Minister of Children, Youth, & [email protected] Families Rev. Laurel Capesius Technology Assistant [email protected] Mr. Josh Ngo [email protected] Children, Youth, & Families Assistant ASL Interpreter Ms. Elizabeth Zehm Ms. Jennifer Stephenson [email protected] Moderator (Council President) Junior High Youth Director Ms. Rita Dixon Ms. Zoe Estrada [email protected] [email protected]