August 16 Bulletin

Claremont United Church of Christ Sunday, August 16, 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 Sweet Hour of Prayer Bradbury Robert Ray INTROIT “I Believe” from Credo of Gospel Mass AURELIA WELCOME CALL TO WORSHIP One: The flowers fade and the grass withers, All: But the Word of our God shall stand forever. One: The virus rages on, but one day it will be gone, All: And the Word of our God shall stand forever. One: Our joys and sorrows ebb and flow, All: Yet the Word of our God shall stand forever. One: We walk together through the hills and valleys of life, All: And proclaim: the Word of our God shall stand forever! OPENING HYMN Help Us Accept Each Other Help us accept each other as Christ accepted us; teach us as sister, brother, each person to embrace. Be present, God, among us, and bring us to believe we are ourselves accepted and meant to love and live. Teach us, O God, your lessons as in our daily life we struggle to be human and search for hope and faith. Teach us to care for people, for all, not just for some, to love them as we find them, or as they may become. Let your acceptance change us, so that we may be moved in living situations to do the truth in love; to practice your acceptance, until we know by heart the table of forgiveness and laughter’s healing art. God, for today’s encounters with all who are in need, who hunger for acceptance, for righteousness and bread, bring us new eyes for seeing, new hands for holding on; renew us with your Spirit; God! Free us, make us one! PRAYER OF CONFESSION

God we confess that we are exhausted. Too many times this week, we have found ourselves doom scrolling through endless headlines, wistfully looking at old vacation photos, and peering anxiously at our neighbors who refuse to wear masks. We have discussed our children’s back-to-school options and found ourselves unsatisfied with every scenario. We have planned our next future gathering with friends in our heads a thousand times. We have prayed to you some version of PLEASE, HELP, or WHY? over and over for months. And now we confess that we are tired of living this way. You did not create us to live separate lives like this. You did not put in us a spirit of fear, an endless ability to endure grief and hopelessness and pain. You did not create our beautiful world and expect us to be uninterested in exploring it. For all of these reasons, we confess today that our hearts are weary. Help us, O God, to endure. Amen. WORDS OF ASSURANCE One: … Let us trust in the Creator’s promises and be renewed by God’s grace as we press on. All: In Christ, we are made new once again. Amen. CLAREMONT UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST COVENANT In response to God's creating, redeeming, and sustaining love, we unite for the worship of God and the service of all. We seek to know the will of God and to walk in God's ways, made known in Jesus Christ: to love one another, to proclaim the Gospel to all the world, to work and pray for peace and justice, and to live in harmony with all creation. We trust the presence of the Holy Spirit in trial and rejoicing and the promise of eternal life both now and for evermore. Amen. PASSING OF THE PEACE One: May the peace of Christ be with you. All: And also with you. SERMON ON THE STEPS OFFERING/MUSIC Come by the Hills Aeden McDonnell, harp & piano Michael Kelly, fiddle DEDICATION SCRIPTURE Haggai 2:1-9 In the second year of King Darius, 1 in the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai, saying: 2 Speak now to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of

Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, and say, 3 Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Is it not in your sight as nothing? 4 Yet now take courage, O Zerubbabel, says the Lord; take courage, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; take courage, all you people of the land, says the Lord; work, for I am with you, says the Lord of hosts, 5 according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit abides among you; do not fear. 6 For thus says the Lord of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land; 7 and I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the Lord of hosts. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of hosts. 9 The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the Lord of hosts. SERMON The Unread Books: Haggai Rev. Dr. Jen Strickland ANTHEM For the Sake of the World Campbell 2. Called to be Humble PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & THE LORD’S PRAYER (These are prayers compiled by our church’s Prayer Team each week and reflect the contents of our own hearts.) One: …We pray, 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 Sally Gardens Reel Set Aeden McDonnell, harp & piano Michael Kelly, fiddle BENEDICTION CLOSING RESPONSE Jesus Christ is Risen Today LLANFAIR Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia! Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia! Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia! Suffer to redeem our loss, Alleluia! POSTLUDE Ancient Galleries Janzer

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 Reflection Questions About Today's Worship * What was the most meaningful moment of worship for you today? * What is one new question or idea today's worship service inspired for you

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 Children’s Music Director Ms. Sarah Shufeldt Finance & Payroll Administrator [email protected] Ms. Jocelyn Bocking [email protected], x225 Principal Organist Dr. Carey Robertson Office Manager [email protected] Ms. Jasmine Tomita [email protected], Moderator (Council President) x222 Dr. Linda Corbin [email protected] Director of Children & Family Ministries Director of the Early Childhood Ms. Elizabeth Zehm Center [email protected], x227 Ms. Kristy Knight [email protected], x226 High School Youth Director Mr. Myron Woods [email protected] Junior High Youth Director Ms. Zoe Estrada [email protected]