May 3 Bulletin

Claremont United Church of Christ Sunday, May 3, 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 ROCKINGHAM Kenneth Leighton INTROIT Dreams are More Than Visions HOLY MANNA WELCOME CALL TO WORSHIP One: As people of faith, we share a vision: All: We will come together and worship our God. One: We will proclaim Good News to the poor and freedom to the captives. All: We will share in our triumphs and failures; we will witness to one another the power of God’s love and grace. One: We will share our resources with one another and those in need; speak out against injustice and work for peace. All: God is casting a beautiful vision for our future! One: We will respond by working to make it a reality. All: Let us worship our Creator. OPENING HYMN Come, O Spirit, Dwell Among Us EBENEZER (verses 1 & 3) (TON-Y-BOTEL) Come, O Spirit, dwell among us, come with Pentecostal power; give the church a stronger vision, help us face each crucial hour. Built upon a firm foundation, Jesus Christ, the Cornerstone, still the church is called to mission that God’s love shall be made known. Come, O Spirit, dwell among us; give us words of fire and flame. Help our struggling voices praise you, glorify your holy name. Good Creator, Savior, Spirit, Three in One: what mystery! We would sing our loud hosannas now and through eternity. PRAYER OF CONFESSION God who dreams big, when we believe our goodness to be greater than it is, forgive us. When we believe our sin is insignificant and manageable on our own, forgive us. When we fail to share your Good News with friends and strangers alike, forgive us. Remind us once again Your resurrection is Good News for all, and renew in us a better vision for the future. Amen. ASSURANCE One: …For our missteps, we are released in grace. All: Let us receive God’s mercy. Amen.

PASSING OF THE PEACE One: May the peace of Christ be with you. All: And also with you. CHILDREN’S MESSAGE OFFERING/MUSIC Your Peace Will Make Us One Sarah Garcia, guitar/vocals DEDICATION SCRIPTURE Acts 16:9-15 9 During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them. 11 We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. 13 On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. 14 A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. 15 When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.” And she prevailed upon us. SERMON Seeing 2020: Envisioning a Faithful Future Rev. Dr. Jacob Buchholz 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. COMMUNION PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & THE LORD’S PRAYER One: …We pray 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 Whatever Comes Rend Collective Sarah Garcia, guitar/vocals 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 Praeludium in A Minor J.S. Bach 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