August 2, 2026
Sunday Gathering
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-PRELUDE-
“I Surrender All” – arr. P. Keveren
Brenda Gardiner
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-ACKNOWLEDGEMENT-
We acknowledge that the place where we are gathered today is the ancient and ancestral homeland of more than twenty Indigenous tribes. We mourn the loss of their lives, livelihoods, homes, and cultures, and acknowledge the legacy of violence against them.
We acknowledge that the space where we worship today was established and built by those whose Black ancestors were also abused and mistreated - some even bought and sold as enslaved people right here in our city.
We acknowledge the women who’ve faced unfair treatment and misogyny throughout the ages, and we acknowledge those who identify as LGBTQ or other who’ve been mistreated and misunderstood.
We acknowledge our role and responsibility as professed followers of Christ to stand for and alongside all of these and others who have been and continue to be oppressed.
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-SINGING TOGETHER-
“For All the Children”
GOD, WE GATHER AS YOUR PEOPLE
TO RAISE OUR SONG ABOVE,
AND WE DARE TO CLAIM THE PROMISE OF YOUR LOVE.
THOUGH THE DAY MAY NOT YET BE HERE
WE TRUST IT SOON WILL BE,
WHEN YOUR CHILDREN WILL BE FREE.
O, MAY OUR HEARTS AND MINDS BE OPENED,
FLING THE CHURCH DOORS OPEN WIDE.
MAY THERE BE ROOM ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE INSIDE.
FOR IN GOD THERE IS A WELCOME,
IN GOD WE ALL BELONG.
MAY THAT WELCOME BE OUR SONG.
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-WELCOME & GREETING-
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-SINGING TOGETHER-
“For All the Children”
GOD, WE SING FOR ALL THE CHILDREN,
THAT ONE DAY THEY BE FREE;
AND WE SING FOR GENERATIONS YET TO BE,
THAT THEY NEVER HAVE A REASON
TO DOUBT THAT THEY ARE BLEST.
MAY THEY, IN YOUR LOVE, FIND REST.
O, MAY OUR HEARTS AND MINDS BE OPENED,
FLING THE CHURCH DOORS OPEN WIDE.
MAY THERE BE ROOM ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE INSIDE.
FOR IN GOD THERE IS A WELCOME,
IN GOD WE ALL BELONG.
MAY THAT WELCOME BE OUR SONG.
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-CALL TO WORSHIP-
Come, all who hunger for bread,
for hope, for justice, for love.
WE COME SEEKING THE ONE
WHO WELCOMES EVERY SOUL TO THE TABLE.
In a world where it seems there is never enough,
God declares there is abundance to be shared.
WE COME TO TRUST GOD’S GENEROSITY
MORE THAN OUR FEARS.
Jesus looks upon the people
with compassion, healing and nourishment.
MAY WE SEE THE PEOPLE AS JESUS DOES.
Let us worship the God who transforms
scarcity into abundance,
strangers into neighbors,
and all of us into bearers of extraordinary grace.
WITH GRATEFUL HEARTS AND OPEN HANDS,
WE COME TO WORSHIP THE GOD
OF COMPASSION, JUSTICE, AND LOVE.
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-OPENING PRAYER-
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-GREETING ONE ANOTHER-
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-SINGING TOGETHER-
“Gather Us In”
HERE IN THIS PLACE A NEW LIGHT IS STREAMING
NOW IS THE DARKNESS VANISHED AWAY,
SEE IN THIS PLACE OUR FEARS AND OUR DREAMINGS,
BROUGHT HERE TO YOU IN THE LIGHT OF THIS DAY.
GATHER US IN, THE LOST AND FORSAKEN,
GATHER US IN, THE BLIND AND THE LAME;
CALL TO US NOW, AND WE SHALL AWAKEN,
WE SHALL ARISE AT THE SOUND OF OUR NAME.
WE ARE THE YOUNG, OUR LIVES ARE A MYST’RY,
WE ARE THE OLD WHO YEARN FOR YOUR FACE,
WE HAVE BEEN SUNG THROUGHOUT ALL OF HIST’RY,
CALLED TO BE LIGHT TO THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE.
GATHER US IN, THE RICH AND THE HAUGHTY,
GATHER US IN, THE PROUD AND THE STRONG;
GIVE US A HEART SO MEEK AND SO LOWLY,
GIVE US THE COURAGE TO ENTER THE SONG.
NOT IN THE DARK OF BUILDINGS CONFINING,
NOT IN SOME HEAVEN, LIGHT YEARS AWAY,
HERE IN THE PLACE THE NEW LIGHT IS SHINING,
NOW IS THE MOMENT AND NOW IS THE DAY.
GATHER US IN AND HOLD US FOREVER,
GATHER US IN AND MAKE US YOUR OWN;
GATHER US IN ALL PEOPLES TOGETHER,
FIRE OF LOVE IN OUR FLESH AND OUR BONE.
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-SCRIPTURE-
Matthew 14:13-21 (CEB)
When Jesus heard about John, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. When the crowds learned this, they followed him on foot from the cities. When Jesus arrived and saw a large crowd, he had compassion for them and healed those who were sick. That evening his disciples came and said to him, “This is an isolated place and it’s getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go into the villages and buy food for themselves.”
But Jesus said to them, “There’s no need to send them away. You give them something to eat.”
They replied, “We have nothing here except five loaves of bread and two fish.”
He said, “Bring them here to me.” He ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves of bread and the two fish, looked up to heaven, blessed them and broke the loaves apart and gave them to his disciples. Then the disciples gave them to the crowds. Everyone ate until they were full, and they filled twelve baskets with the leftovers. About five thousand men plus women and children had eaten.
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-THE MESSAGE-
“The Real Miracle”
Kenny BIshop
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-SINGING TOGETHER-
“God Comes to Us”
GOD COMES TO US ON WINTER NIGHT,
IN BABY’S BREATH, BY FIRELIGHT,
GOD COMES TO US ON A STAR.
GOD COMES TO US AMIDST OUR FEARS,
UNSPOKEN JOYS, UNENDING TEARS,
GOD COMES TO US WHERE WE ARE.
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-JOYS & CONCERNS-
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-PASTORAL PRAYER-
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-SINGING TOGETHER-
“God Comes to Us”
GOD COMES TO US AMIDST OUR FEARS,
UNSPOKEN JOYS, UNENDING TEARS,
GOD COMES TO US WHERE WE ARE.
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-INVITATION TO COMMUNION-
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-SINGING TOGETHER-
“For Everyone Born”
FOR EVERYONE BORN, A PLACE AT THE TABLE,
FOR EVERYONE BORN, CLEAN WATER AND BREAD,
A SHELTER, A SPACE, A SAFE PLACE FOR GROWING,
FOR EVERYONE BORN, A STAR OVERHEAD.
AND GOD WILL DELIGHT WHEN WE ARE CREATORS OF JUSTICE
AND JOY, COMPASSION AND PEACE:
YES, GOD WILL DELIGHT WHEN WE ARE CREATORS OF JUSTICE,
JUSTICE AND JOY!
FOR YOUNG AND FOR OLD, A PLACE AT THE TABLE,
ALL GENDERS AND ROLES A PART OF THE SONG,
WITH WISDOM AND GRACE, DIVIDING THE POWER,
FOR EVERYONE BORN, THE RIGHT TO BELONG.
AND GOD WILL DELIGHT WHEN WE ARE CREATORS OF JUSTICE
AND JOY, COMPASSION AND PEACE:
YES, GOD WILL DELIGHT WHEN WE ARE CREATORS OF JUSTICE,
JUSTICE AND JOY!
FOR EVERYONE BORN, A PLACE AT THE TABLE,
TO LIVE WITHOUT FEAR, AND SIMPLY TO BE,
TO WORK, TO SPEAK OUT, TO WITNESS AND WORSHIP,
FOR EVERYONE BORN, THE RIGHT TO BE FREE.
AND GOD WILL DELIGHT WHEN WE ARE CREATORS OF JUSTICE
AND JOY, COMPASSION AND PEACE:
YES, GOD WILL DELIGHT WHEN WE ARE CREATORS OF JUSTICE,
JUSTICE AND JOY!
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-IN GRATITUDE-
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-OFFERING-
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-ANNOUNCEMENTS-
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-INVITATION TO RESPOND-
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-SINGING TOGETHER-
“We Are Called”
COME! LIVE IN THE LIGHT!
SHINE WITH THE JOY AND THE LOVE OF THE LORD!
WE ARE CALLED TO BE LIGHT FOR THE KIN-DOM,
TO LIVE IN THE FREEDOM OF THE CITY OF GOD.
WE ARE CALLED TO ACT WITH JUSTICE,
WE ARE CALLED TO LOVE TENDERLY,
WE ARE CALLED TO SERVE ONE ANOTHER,
TO WALK HUMBLY WITH GOD!
COME! OPEN YOUR HEART!
SHOW YOUR MERCY TO ALL THOSE IN FEAR!
WE ARE CALLED TO BE HOPE FOR THE HOPELESS,
SO HATRED AND BLINDNESS WILL BE NO MORE!
WE ARE CALLED TO ACT WITH JUSTICE,
WE ARE CALLED TO LOVE TENDERLY,
WE ARE CALLED TO SERVE ONE ANOTHER,
TO WALK HUMBLY WITH GOD!
SING! SING A NEW SONG!
SING OF THAT GREAT DAY WHEN ALL WILL BE ONE!
LOVE WILL REIGN, AND WE’LL WALK WITH EACH OTHER;
SISTERS, BROTHERS, AND OTHERS UNITED IN LOVE!
WE ARE CALLED TO ACT WITH JUSTICE,
WE ARE CALLED TO LOVE TENDERLY,
WE ARE CALLED TO SERVE ONE ANOTHER,
TO WALK HUMBLY WITH GOD!
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-BLESSING & BENEDICTION-
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-SINGING TOGETHER-
“We Are Called”
WE ARE CALLED TO ACT WITH JUSTICE,
WE ARE CALLED TO LOVE TENDERLY,
WE ARE CALLED TO SERVE ONE ANOTHER,
TO WALK HUMBLY WITH GOD!
. . . . . . . . . .
-THE TEAM-
ACCOMPANIST: Brenda Gardiner, Lisa Loeffler, Timmy Smallwood
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE: Tiff Jones
BUILDING CARE: Travis Hines, Barry Thompson
FACILITIES CARE: Edmond Edwards, Lisa Loeffler, Steve Melton, Seth Tuska
NURSERY: Linda Netherton
PHOTOGRAPHY: Cynthia Buckner
PROPERTY CARE: Skeet Freytag, West Gillium, Lee Hamilton, Morgan Hamilton, Lorie Yaste
SERVICE PREPARATION: Travis Hines, Barry Thompson
SONG LEADER: Chris Prichard, Lisa Loeffler
TECH: Nancy Alspach, Mason Bishop, Erin Drenkhahn, Dale Hamilton, Keith Moore, Timmy Smallwood
AUGUST BULLETINS