July 26 Bulletin

Claremont United Church of Christ Sunday, July 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 Verbum Supernum Prodiens George Oldroyd INTROIT “Alleluia” from “Ist Gott für uns” Heinrich Schütz WELCOME CALL TO WORSHIP All: We gather to worship to hear stories that transform us from within. We gather to worship to hear stories of God’s dreams for the world. We gather to worship to hear God’s stories of love for us. We gather to worship to hear God’s stories of love for all. Let us worship and listen to the Word of God together. OPENING HYMN Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise ST. DENIO Immortal, invisible, God only wise, in light inaccessible hid from our eyes. Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days, almighty, victorious, your great name we praise. Your life is life-giving to both great and small; in all life you’re living, the true life of all; we blossom and flourish las leaves and as flowers, then wither and perish but naught dims your powers. So perfect your glory, so brilliant your light, your angels adore you, all veiling their sight; all praise we now render as your angels do: in awe at the splendor of light hiding you. PRAYER OF CONFESSION Great Redeemer of All, we pray this morning to be rescued. Rescue us from the power of our sins, from our personal shortcomings to the systemic injustice in which we participate. Rescue us from our small dreams and narrow thinking. Rescue us from believing this is as good as it can get, that we can powerless and useless when it comes to making changes in our world.We pray that you would not pour out your judgement upon us, though surely we deserve it, but rather that you would pour our your justice upon us, so that we will be moved with compassion, compelled into action, and called into sharing your message of hope with friends and strangers alike. Amen.

WORDS OF ASSURANCE One: …Let us live as redeemed people. All: In Christ, we are made new! 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 Wade in the Water Traditional Marguerite Millard, guitar & vocals Elizabeth Hangan, bass guitar & vocals DEDICATION SCRIPTURE 2 Chronicles 36:11-23 11 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign; he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. 12 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord his God. He did not humble himself before the prophet Jeremiah who spoke from the mouth of the Lord. 13 He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God; he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the Lord, the God of Israel. 14 All the leading priests and the people also were exceedingly unfaithful, following all the abominations of the nations; and they polluted the house of the Lord that he had consecrated in Jerusalem. 15 The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place; 16 but they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words, and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord against his people became so great that there was no remedy.

17 Therefore he brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their youths with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or young woman, the aged or the feeble; he gave them all into his hand. 18 All the vessels of the house of God, large and small, and the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king and of his officials, all these he brought to Babylon. 19 They burned the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious vessels. 20 He took into exile in Babylon those who had escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and to his sons until the establishment of the kingdom of Persia, 21 to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had made up for its sabbaths. All the days that it lay desolate it kept sabbath, to fulfill seventy years. 22 In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, in fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord stirred up the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia so that he sent a herald throughout all his kingdom and also declared in a written edict: 23 “Thus says King Cyrus of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may the Lord his God be with him! Let him go up.” SERMON The Unread Books: 1 & 2 Chronicles Rev. Dr. Jacob Buchholz HYMN Blessed Be the Tie that Binds DENNIS Blessed be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love; The sharing of a common life is like to that above. Before our God we come and pour our ardent prayers; Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one, our comforts and our cares. We share each other’s woes, each other’s burden’s bear, And often for each other flows a sympathizing tear. When we are called to part it gives us inward pain, But we shall still be joined in heart, and hope to meet again. PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & THE LORD’S PRAYER One: …We pray all these things using the prayer you teach us. 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 Boats to Build Guy Clark & Verlon Thompson Marguerite Millard, guitar & vocals Elizabeth Hangan, bass guitar & vocals BENEDICTION CLOSING RESPONSE Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us With Your Love CHEREPONI Jesu, Jesu, fill us with your love, show us how to serve the neighbors we have from you. Knelt at the feet of his friends, silently washing their feet, Jesu, you acted as servant to them. Jesu, Jesu, fill us with your love, show us how to serve the neighbors we have from you. POSTLUDE Exurgat Deus Peter Hurford 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]