August 1 Bulletin

Claremont United Church of Christ Sunday, August 1, 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 Communion Vierne INTROIT WELCOME CALL TO WORSHIP One: Our task today is to cross the sea of uncertainty. All: Our task today is to leave our past brokenness behind. One: Our task today is to say \"yes\" to life. All: YES! Let us cross the water together. OPENING HYMN #330 Let Us Break Bread Together LET US BREAK BREAD (verses 1 & 3) PRAYER OF CONFESSION God Who Frees Us, the ocean of injustice is deep and wide, roiling with selfishness and greed. It is easy for us to be swept away by the current of apathy, to ignore the pleas of the most vulnerable who suffer at the hands of the most powerful. We pray that Your Holy Spirit would not let ignorance poison our societal sea, but that instead we would muster more courage and strength to swim, float, and transform these waters into a system that nourishes and empowers all of us. Amen. ASSURANCE OF PARDON One: …Let us go forth clothed in mercy, ready to heal ourselves and the world. All: God makes all things new! Amen. 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 On Jordan’s Stormy Banks I Stand Leah Ashton, vocals & 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 Exodus 14:10-25 10 As Pharaoh drew near, the Israelites looked back, and there were the Egyptians advancing on them. In great fear the Israelites cried out to the Lord. 11 They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us, bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Is this not the very thing we told you in Egypt, ‘Let us alone and let us serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” 13 But Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.” 15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to go forward. 16 But you lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the Israelites may go into the sea on dry ground. 17 Then I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and so I will gain glory for myself over Pharaoh and all his army, his chariots, and his chariot drivers. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gained glory for myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his chariot drivers.” 19 The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them. 20 It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the night; one did not come near the other all night. 21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land; and the waters were divided. 22 The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. 23 The Egyptians pursued, and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and chariot drivers. 24 At the morning watch the Lord in the pillar of fire and cloud looked

down upon the Egyptian army, and threw the Egyptian army into panic. 25 He clogged their chariot wheels so that they turned with difficulty. The Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the Israelites, for the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt.” SERMON Crossing Rivers: The Red Sea Rev. Dr. Jen Strickland ANTHEM Summer Choir COMMUNION One: God be with you. All: And also with you. One: Lift up your hearts! All: We lift them up to God. One: Let us give thanks to God. All: It is right to give God our thanks and praise. 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: Great Giver, in whom heaven is found, holy is Your name. May your commonwealth of peace and freedom flourish on earth. Give us this day bread for our journey, and make us hungry to see the whole world nourished. Forgive us and help us forgive one another. Strengthen us for the challenges that lie ahead. Let us hear your prophets, and deliver us from our privilege. For your love is the only power, the only home, the only honor we need, in this world and in the world to come. Amen. GUEST ARTIST Down By the River to Pray Leah Ashton, vocals & piano BENEDICTION CLOSING RESPONSE Shall We Gather at the River HANSON PLACE Shall we gather at the river, where bright angel feet have trod, With its crystal tide forever flowing by the throne of God? Yes, we’ll gather at the river, the beautiful, the beautiful river, Gather with the saints at the river that flows but he throne of God.

POSTLUDE Carillon Vierne ALTAR FLOWERS Today’s altar flowers are given by Diana Miller and Catherine Curtis in honor of John Curtis. HYMN COMMENTARY \"Let Us Break Bread Together\" This spiritual developed its communion emphasis after the Civil War. Some believe it attests to the attendance of African Americans at liturgical services of the Roman Catholic or Episcopal Church. Traditionally Anglican churches were situated so that early morning communion was received facing east \"into the sun\". Other stanzas for this spiritual include \"Let us all pray together\" and \"Let us face the cross together\". The melody is by an unknown composer. David Hurd (b. 1950) prepared this harmonization for the 1982 Protestant Episcopal hymnal. GUEST ARTIST Leah Ashton is an LA based singer/songwriter/performer with Midwestern roots. Influenced by the likes of Carole King, Sara Bareilles, Lauryn Hill, and Lake Street Dive, her music infuses vintage singer-songwriter vibes with lots of soul and the occasional sprinkle of jazz and blues. Leah has spent the past decade working in the music industry in Los Angeles, lending her voice to projects of all sorts in both studio and live performance settings. IG & FB: @leahashtonmusic , www.leahashton.com 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: Jason Clinge, friend of Linda Corbin Polly Gates, CUCC member Billie McKenna, CUCC attender THOSE SEEKING ENCOURAGEMENT: Katrina Armienti, friend of Carolyn Barbera Randi McKee & Family, friend of Blair Aldworth Richard Blair, nephew of Virginia Bergfalk Christy Powell, friend of Ali Perreault 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 Victoria Findlay & Allison Thomkins, Tran Family, friends of Ruth Sandberg Mark Watson, family of Roxanne Watson CUCC member & her daughter Victor Williams Family, friends of Linda Corbin 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, friends of Blair & Chris Aldworth FOR HEALTH AND HEALING: Matt Alford, CUCC member Delgadillo Caitlin Antrim, friend of Jean Marston Dustin & Cristina Dickerson, family of Roxanne Robert Apodaca, friend of Lydia de los Rios Tony Araunz-Martinez, friend of Maureen Moorman Watson Lori Barbera, mother of Francesco Barbera Paula DiMitri, family of Carolyn & Francesco Barbera Cristina Bergfalk, mother of Benjamin & family of Margaret Duffy, extended family of Dali Podenski Erica & Haley Enos, CUCC member & sister Virginia Bergfalk Tom Esposito, family of Evy Morales Stephanie Bertleson, Betty Frank’s niece Esposito Family, cousin/family of Evy Morales Sylvia Brougham, grandmother of Tasha Ferrell Diaz Max & Kelsey Ferrell, Johnathan Diaz, Ana Alicia, Debbie Brown, friend of Judi Bayer Stan Burwell, friend of Carol Wiese Jose, Elias, & Ana Villaseñor, family of Tasha Tracy Buss, friend of Blair Aldworth Ferrell Carlene Cable, friend of Sherry McCauley Sedra Canjo, daughter of Nadr Canjo Sandy French, friend of Marsha Madison Linda Carney, niece-in-law of Linda Corbin Laurie Giesenhagen, CUCC member Alice Chin, CUCC attender John George, son of Brenda Keith Dolores Clem, mother of Lisa Delgadillo Kimberly Griffin, CUCC attender Linda Cummings, CUCC member Iris Harleman, friend of Shirley Jones Frank & Phylis DeLeo, friends of Carol Wiese Brenda & Michael Henry, CUCC member Toni de los Rios, cousin of Lydia de los Rios Joan Hunter, Granny of Zoe Estrada MaryAnn Delgadillo, mother of Christopher David Jamieson, CUCC member Charlie Kalb, friend of Margaret Merhoff Chuck Kelcher, friend of Carol Wiese

Faith King, daughter of Jeanne King Lawrence Randall Rutt, father of Christopher Rutt Terri King, CUCC member Eileen Schmalle, friend of Anne Forburger Diana Krumme, friend of Dali Podenski Griffen Schreiber, friend of Francisco Barbera Richard Kuchar, friend of David Moore Jay Sharp, CUCC member Olivia Lakner, family friend of Carolyn Barbera Cheryl Sims, friend of Marsha Madison Elaine Larson, friend of Dona Turk Wayne E. Sims, R.N., brother of Marsha Madison Kathleen Leo, CUCC member Todd Songer, friend of Diana Miller Nola Lewallen, mother of John Lewallen Mickey & Sandra Spiker, friends of Tim & Peggy Marlene Lobb, friend of Anne Stromberg Frank Malone, friend of Judith Bayer Constantine, Denise Spooner, & Joe Marino Jan Marshall, CUCC attender Larry Starkweather, friend of Sandra Wittwer Danielle Marquez, family of Carolyn Barbera Martha Stephenson, CUCC member Julius M. Steubing, CUCC member Sherry McCauley, CUCC member Lorraine Telles, friend of Marta D’Anda Dean McCrumb, friend of Dorothy Wheat Catherine McIntosh, friend of Carol Wiese Michael Toomay, son of Bea Gallegos Leslie McLouhlin, extended family of Diana Miller David Tortes, brother of Rebecca Tortes Wendy Mitchell, friend of Carol Wiese Teresa Tulcan, friend of Anne Forburger Josephine Miller, mother of Deborah Castillero VeBrad & Karen Visser, son & daughter in-law of Jim Patricia Molina, aunt of Beatriz Roman Castellanos Mila Moncayo, friend of Francisco Barbera Visser Jeffrey Mulder, son of Sheri Mulder Dwight Vogel, friend of Jean Rosewall Cynthia Munos, daughter of Juan Munoz Steve Murray, extended family of Judith Bayer Sandi Walter, CUCC member Nate Neumeyer, friend of Blair Aldworth Chris Weldon, friend of Christopher Fairchild Grace Newkirk, friend of Carol Wiese Rev. Anita White, UCC Pastor, friend of Jane Myles Nielson, grandson of Bea Gallegos Greg Pavlik, friend of Marsha Madison Gibbons Tom Peterson, friend of Ruth Abel Kathy Widmer, friend of Cynthia Moreno Jessie Colby Pryce, friend of Linda & Craig Cummings Rev. Maria Wilson, CUCC attender Jenna Robinson, friend of Rita Dixon Joseph Robinson, brother of John Robinson Troy Zeleny, nephew of Anne Stromberg Margo Rouette, CUCC member Ava & her father, Mike, friend of Ruth Abel Benjamin, grandson of Virginia Bergfalk Diane, friend of Kay Brand Jennifer, daughter of Laura Burt 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 [email protected], x242 Rev. Dr. Jacob Buchholz [email protected], x230 Principal Organist Rev. Dr. Jen Strickland Dr. Carey Robertson [email protected], x 228 [email protected] Finance & Payroll Administrator Director of the Early Childhood Ms. Jocelyn Bocking Center [email protected], x225 Ms. Kristy Knight [email protected], x226 Office Manager Ms. Jasmine Tomita Building Manager [email protected], Mr. Don Doughty x222 [email protected], x240 Minister of Children, Youth, & Families Technology Director Rev. Laurel Capesius Mr. Jon Van [email protected] [email protected] Children, Youth, & Families Technology Asisstant Assistant Mr. Josh Ngo Ms. Elizabeth Zehm [email protected] [email protected] ASL Interpreter Junior High Youth Director Ms. Jennifer Stephenson Ms. Zoe Estrada [email protected] Moderator (Council President) Ms. Rita Dixon Director of Music & Fine Arts [email protected] Dr. Jonathan Campbell