April 26 Bulletin

Claremont United Church of Christ Sunday, April 26, 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 Be Thou My Vision Dale Wood INTROIT Dreams are More Than Visions HOLY MANNA WELCOME CALL TO WORSHIP One: Hear the words of the prophet Joel: “I will pour out my spirit on all flesh!” All: “Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy!” One: “Your elderly shall dream dreams!” All: “Your young shall see visions.” One: “In those days, I will pour out my spirit.” All: People of God, rejoice! OPENING HYMN Let Justice Flow Like Streams ST. THOMAS Let justice flow like streams of sparkling water, pure, Enabling growth, refreshing life, abundant, cleansing, sure. Let righteousness roll on as others’ cares we heed, An ever-flowing stream of faith translated into deed. So may God’s plumb line, straight, define our measure true , And justice, right, and peace pervade this world our whole life through. PRAYER OF CONFESSION God, you call us to love as deeply as you love, but we are hesitant with our love. You call us to stand strong in proclaiming righteousness, but we are timid in our protests. You call us to serve the vulnerable and protect the weak, but we are cautious with our generosity. We do not deserve your grace, and yet we come before you asking for another chance to serve you with all of our hearts. Amen. ASSURANCE One: …Let us accept God’s mercy for our imperfections and commit to following Christ’s teachings with our full hearts. All: In Christ we are made new! Amen. PASSING OF THE PEACE One: May the peace of Christ be with you. All: And also with you.

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE OFFERING/MUSIC Every Time I Feel the Spirit arr. Dawson Choral quartet & Melissa Givens, soprano DEDICATION SCRIPTURE Genesis 28:10-22 10 Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. 11 He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. 12 And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 And the Lord stood beside him and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring; 14 and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. 15 Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 16 Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!” 17 And he was afraid, and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” 18 So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. 19 He called that place Bethel; but the name of the city was Luz at the first. 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, 21 so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, 22 and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house; and of all that you give me I will surely give one-tenth to you.” SERMON Seeing 2020: Envisioning a Faithful Future Rev. Dr. Jen Strickland HYMN Be Now My Vision SLANE Be now my vision, O God of my heart; nothing surpasses the love you impart— You my best thought, by day or by night, waking or sleeping, your presence my light. Be now my wisdom, and be my true word; ever within me, my soul is assured;

Mother and Father, you are both to me, now and forever your child I will be. Riches I need not, nor life’s empty praise, you, my inheritance, now and always; You and you only are first In my heart, great God, my treasure, may we never part. Sovereign of heaven, my victory won, may I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heaven’s Sun! Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, still be my vision, O Ruler of all. PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & THE LORD’S PRAYER One: …We pray for all of these places, people, and situations this morning using the words you teach us, saying 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 ARTIST I Know That My Redeemer Liveth Handel Melissa Givens, soprano BENEDICTION CLOSING RESPONSE For the Fruit of All Creation (vs. 1) AR HYD Y NOS For the fruit of all creation, thanks be to God. For God’s gifts to every nation, thanks be to God. For the plowing, sowing, reaping, silent growth while we are sleeping, Future needs in earth’s safekeeping, thanks be to God. POSTLUDE Toccata Giocosa Gilbert Martin 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