November 21 Bulletin

Claremont United Church of Christ Sunday, November 21, 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 Thanksgiving Suite Callahan INTROIT Communication is the Answer Oliver Holden/Secretary Michael WELCOME CALL TO WORSHIP One: For the waving palm trees and majestic mountains; All: For the food on our tables, to the people we call family; One: For the gift of laughter and the bonds of friendship All: Let us shout, “ALLELUIA! THANK YOU, LIVING GOD!” One: For all that was. All: For all that is. One: For all that will be. All: Let us shout, “ALLELUIA! THANK YOU, LIVING GOD!” One: For all that we were. All: For all that we are. One: For all that we could be! All: Let us shout, “ALLELUIA! THANK YOU, LIVING GOD!” OPENING HYMN #23 There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy IN BABILONE PRAYER OF CONFESSION God Who Listens to Our Cries, If we were to ask our world, “Where does it hurt?” She would likely respond, “Everywhere.” We confess that we, too, are hurt, and we, too, have caused some of this hurt. Heal us, Great Giver of Life. Amen. ASSURANCE One: …God’s ability to heal is endless. All: Amen. CHORAL BELLS Nocturne Michael Helman

PASSING OF THE PEACE One: May the peace of Christ be with you. All: And also with you. LITURGICAL SONG Where Children Belong James Ritchie This, this is where children belong, welcomed as part of the worshipping throng. Water, God’s Word, bread and cup, prayer and song: This is where children belong. SERMON ON THE STEPS Rev. Laurel Capesius OFFERING/ANTHEM Christus Paradox French carol arr. Alfred V. Fedak 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 Psalm 102:1-11 1 Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry come to you. 2 Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress. Incline your ear to me; answer me speedily in the day when I call. 3 For my days pass away like smoke, and my bones burn like a furnace. 4 My heart is stricken and withered like grass; I am too wasted to eat my bread. 5 Because of my loud groaning my bones cling to my skin. 6 I am like an owl of the wilderness, like a little owl of the waste places. 7 I lie awake;

I am like a lonely bird on the housetop. 8 All day long my enemies taunt me; those who deride me use my name for a curse. 9 For I eat ashes like bread, and mingle tears with my drink, 10 because of your indignation and anger; for you have lifted me up and thrown me aside. 11 My days are like an evening shadow; I wither away like grass. SERMON Rev. Dr. Jacob Buchholz You Ask, We Preach: Your Biggest, Burning Questions “Why do bad things happen to good people?” “Is God both love and hate?” HYMN #461 Let Us Hope When Hope Seems Hopeless LET US HOPE (verses 1-2) 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 give all our new beginnings to you. All: With grateful hearts, we lift our prayers to You, Loving God. One: …We give all our endings to you. All: With grateful hearts, we lift our prayers to You, Loving God. One: …We give all our times to you. All: With grateful hearts, we lift our prayers to You, Loving God. One: … We pray in the name of Jesus, who teaches us to pray together: 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 MUSIC Casta Diva (from Norma) Vincenzo Bellini Lacey Jo Benter, soprano

BENEDICTION CLOSING RESPONSE #419 Now Thank We All Our God NUN DANKET (verse 1) Now thank we all our God with heart and hands and voices, Who wondrous things has done, in whom this world rejoices, Who, from our parents’ arms, has blessed us on our way With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today. POSTLUDE Triumphant March: Now Thank We All Our God Karg-Elert ALTAR FLOWERS Today's altar flowers are given by Elizabeth Meehan and Paul Slaney, in celebration and with deep gratitude on the anniversary of Emily Slaney's adoption. HYMN COMMENTARY There's a Wideness in God's Mercy Frederick William Faber (1814-1863) wrote these words as part of a thirteen- stanza poem entitled \"Come to Jesus.\" Faber wrote this poem for private devotional use by other Roman Catholics, never relenting for them to be sung in corporate worship. Faber grew up a Calvinist Protestant but converted to the Roman Catholic faith in midlife. Julius Rontgen (1855-1932) a Dutch musician, composer, and director, was asked to harmonize this simple tune.

GUEST ARTIST American opera singer Lacey Jo Benter has been lauded by the New York Times as having a “rich, warm tone\" while bringing a \"broad emotional palette\" to the stage. Native to Cedar Rapids, Iowa she completed a two year residency at LA Opera with the Domingo-Colburn Stein Young Artist Program in 2016 where she debuted in the Grammy award winning production of John Corigliano's The Ghosts of Versailles. She received her Bachelor's of Music in Vocal Performance with a theater minor from Lawrence University in Appleton, WI before attending The Juilliard School where she received a Master's of Music in 2011 followed by an Artist Diploma of Opera Studies in 2014. She has appeared with Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Philharmonic in Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy, returning for several roles in Unsuk Chin’s Alice in Wonderland, which she reprised for her Barbican Hall debut with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. She has been conducted by musical master John Adams with the LA Phil in the multimedia performance of his Nixon in China and returned to the LA Phil in 2020 appearing in their exciting Weimar Nightfall production, conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen. She has performed regionally with Opera Omaha and Opera Columbus and in 2018 self- produced and performed The Wagner Project, a reworking of pieces by Wagner, fused together with icons of modern day music including Beyoncé and David Bowie. 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 Tim McCann, Jasmine and Anna Gatto-McCann, Katrina Armienti, friend of Carolyn Barbera friends of Blair & Chris Aldworth Casey & Sarah Boatman, Tatum & Everett, Linda Hodson & Family, CUCC member Family of Sandy Wittwer & Galen Kenoyer Randi McKee & Family, friend of Blair Aldworth Elaine Bumiller, CUCC member Valeria Pizzetti, friend of Dona Turk Jill Carol, CUCC member Christy Powell, friend of Ali Perreault Irma Castaneda, CUCC attender Mario Ramos, Adelanto detainee Cynthia Chertos, CUCC member Gary Roswell, friend of Sandy Fasano The DiMitri Family, family of the Barbera’s Jennifer Stephenson, CUCC staff Ellen Feyk, CUCC member Lucy, Claire, & John Stover, friends of Linda Tajima Victoria Findlay & Allison Thomkins, Paul Towne, family of Howard Towne CUCC member & her daughter Carol & Linda, friends of Kay Brand Charles Folks, family of Marsha Madison Roger & Jeane, friends of Ruth Sandberg Leventhal Family, friends of Francesco Barbera

FOR HEALTH AND HEALING: Caitlin Antrim, friend of Jean Marston Joseph Mikesell, nephew of Sandy Gabel Robert Apodaca, friend of Lydia de los Rios Josephine Miller, mother of Deborah Castillero Tony Araunz-Martinez, friend of Maureen Moorman Debbie Mitchell, CUCC member Stacey Ballard Patricia Molina, aunt of Beatriz Roman Castellanos Lori Barbera, mother of Francesco Barbera Mila Moncayo, friend of Francesco Barbera Cristina Bergfalk, mother of Benjamin & family of Jeffrey Mulder, son of Sheri Mulder Virginia Bergfalk Cynthia Munos, daughter of Juan Munoz Stephanie Bertleson, Betty Frank’s niece Steve Murray, extended family of Judith Bayer Debbie Brown, friend of Judi Bayer Myles Nielson, grandson of Bea Gallegos Carlene Cable, friend of Sherry McCauley Barbara Patch, friend of Ruth Abel Linda Carney, niece-in-law of Linda Corbin Madeline Patane, CUCC member Alice Chin, CUCC attender Greg Pavlik, friend of Marsha Madison Denise Christopoulos, friend of Sandy Fasano Jessie Colby Pryce, friend of Linda & Craig Cummings Barbara Coates, CUCC member Whitney Relf Hazel & Claudia Corbin, aunt and cousin of Linda Jenna Robinson, friend of Rita Dixon Corbin Margo Rouette, CUCC member Russell Corbin, cousin of Linda Corbin Lawrence Randall Rutt, father of Christopher Rutt Linda Cummings, CUCC member Jay Sharp, CUCC member Toni de los Rios, cousin of Lydia de los Rios Cheryl Sims, friend of Marsha Madison MaryAnn Delgadillo, mother of Christopher Bo & Wayne Sims, brother and sister in-law of Marsha Delgadillo Madison Tom Dixon, brother of Jerry Dixon Nancy Skidmore, cousin of Judith Bayer Margaret Duffy, extended family of Dali Podenski Todd Songer, friend of Diana Miller Erica & Haley Enos, CUCC member & sister Joyce Sorrento, family of the Barbera’s Matthew Enriquez, friend of Scott Bohlender Mickey & Sandra Spiker, friends of Tim & Peggy Levi Entereso, CUCC member Constantine, Denise Spooner, & Joe Marino Sandy French, friend of Marsha Madison Larry Starkweather, friend of Sandra Wittwer Laurie Giesenhagen, CUCC member Kathy Starr, friend of Sherry McCauley James Golubic, brother of Judith Bayer Martha Stephenson, CUCC member Jennifer Grande, CUCC member Julius M. Steubing, CUCC member Kimberly Griffin, CUCC attender Lorraine Telles, friend of Marta D’Anda Iris Harleman, friend of Shirley Jones Michael Toomay, son of Bea Gallegos Dixie Hegg, mother of Wendy Anson Jocelyn Tuchon, daughter of Merritt Verrill Bill Hodson, father of Linda Hodson Teresa Tulcan, friend of Anne Forburger Joan Hunter, Granny of Zoe Estrada Dakota Van Fossen, friend of Peggy Kelly David Jamieson, CUCC member Sandi Walter, CUCC member Terri King, CUCC member Shirley Washington, CUCC member Michal Kohout, husband of Anne Bennett Chris Weldon, friend of Christopher Fairchild Courtney Koverman, daughter of Briggs Gamblin Kathy Widmer, friend of Cynthia Moreno Diana Krumme, friend of Dali Podenski Donna Williams, extended family of Shirley Jones Olivia Lakner, family friend of Carolyn Barbera Rev. Maria Wilson, CUCC attender Elaine & Ed Larson, friends of Dona Turk Catherine Yamasaki, friend of Sandy Fasano Kathleen Leo, CUCC member Troy Zeleny, nephew of Anne Stromberg Nola Lewallen, mother of John Lewallen Ava & her father, Mike, friend of Ruth Abel Marlene Lobb, friend of Anne Stromberg Benjamin, grandson of Virginia Bergfalk Bob Lominska, brother of Susan Lominska Brian, friend of Tina Kambarian Frank & Barbara Malone, friends of Judith Bayer Chad, friend of Christopher Fairchild Jim Marino, brother of Joe Marino Esperanza & Hector, extended family of Siliva Jan Marshall, CUCC attender Giordano Sherry McCauley, CUCC member Ruthie, friend of Valerie Carrick Leslie McLouhlin, extended family of Diana Miller 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 Directors of Music & Fine Arts Rev. Dr. Jacob Buchholz Dr. Alexandra Grabarchuk [email protected], x230 [email protected], x242 Rev. Dr. Jen Strickland Dr. David Rentz [email protected], x228 [email protected], x242 Finance & Payroll Administrator Principal Organist Ms. Jocelyn Bocking Dr. Carey Robertson [email protected], x225 [email protected] Office Manager Building Manager Ms. Jasmine Tomita Mr. Adam Thomas [email protected], [email protected], x222 x240 Minister of Children, Youth, & Technology Director Families Mr. Jon Van Rev. Laurel Capesius [email protected] [email protected] Technology Assistant Children, Youth, & Families Mr. Josh Ngo Assistant [email protected] Ms. Elizabeth Zehm [email protected] ASL Interpreter Ms. Jennifer Stephenson Junior High Youth Director Ms. Zoe Estrada Moderator (Council President) [email protected] Ms. Rita Dixon [email protected] Director of the ECC Ms. Kristy Knight [email protected], x226