June 21, 2026
Sunday Gathering
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-PRELUDE-
“Prelude in F” – J. S. Bach
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-
“Welcome”
LET’S WALK TOGETHER FOR A WHILE
AND ASK WHERE WE BEGIN
TO BUILD A WORLD WHERE LOVE CAN GROW
AND HOPE CAN ENTER IN,
TO BE THE HANDS OF HEALING
AND TO PLANT THE SEEDS OF PEACE.
SINGING WELCOME,
WELCOME TO THIS PLACE.
YOU’RE INVITED
TO COME AND KNOW GOD’S GRACE.
ALL ARE WELCOME,
THE LOVE OF GOD TO SHARE.
‘CAUSE ALL OF US ARE WELCOME HERE;
ALL ARE WELCOME IN THIS PLACE.
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-WELCOME & GREETING-
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-SINGING TOGETHER-
“Welcome”
LET’S TALK TOGETHER OF A TIME
WHEN WE WILL SHARE A FEAST,
WHERE PRIDE AND POWER KNEEL TO SERVE
THE LONELY AND THE LEAST,
AND JOY WILL SET THE TABLE
AS WE JOIN OUR HANDS TO PRAY.
SINGING WELCOME,
WELCOME TO THIS PLACE.
YOU’RE INVITED
TO COME AND KNOW GOD’S GRACE.
ALL ARE WELCOME,
THE LOVE OF GOD TO SHARE.
‘CAUSE ALL OF US ARE WELCOME HERE;
ALL ARE WELCOME IN THIS PLACE.
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-CALL TO WORSHIP-
We gather today carrying many things;
questions and hopes, grief and courage, fear and faith.
WE COME AS WE ARE,
TRUSTING THAT GOD MEETS US HERE.
We remember that our faith was never built on easy days,
but on the enduring promise that we are not alone.
GOD IS WITH US IN THE STORM,
WITH US IN THE WAITING,
WITH US IN THE REBUILDING.
We bring our whole hearts, our weariness, and our wonder.
We bring our trembling and our trust.
WE COME SEEKING TO KNOW GOD BETTER,
TO HOLD ON,
TO KEEP LOVING,
TO KEEP SEEKING,
AND TO KEEP BECOMING.
We are holding on and keeping on.
We are seeking, loving, and becoming.
AMEN.
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-OPENING PRAYER-
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-SINGING TOGETHER-
“Lead Us From Death to Life”
LEAD US FROM DEATH TO LIFE,
FROM FALSEHOOD TO TRUTH,
FROM DESPAIR TO HOPE,
FROM FEAR TO TRUST.
LEAD US FROM HATE TO LOVE,
FROM WAR TO PEACE;
LET PEACE FILL OUR HEARTS,
LET PEACE FILL OUR WORLD,
LET PEACE FILL OUR UNIVERSE.
STILL ALL THE ANGRY CRIES,
STILL ALL THE ANGRY GUNS,
STILL NOW YOUR PEOPLE DIE,
EARTH’S SONS AND DAUGHTERS.
LET JUSTICE ROLL,
LET MERCY POUR DOWN,
COME AND TEACH US YOUR WAY OF COMPASSION.
LEAD US FROM DEATH TO LIFE,
FROM FALSEHOOD TO TRUTH,
FROM DESPAIR TO HOPE,
FROM FEAR TO TRUST.
LEAD US FROM HATE TO LOVE,
FROM WAR TO PEACE;
LET PEACE FILL OUR HEARTS,
LET PEACE FILL OUR WORLD,
LET PEACE FILL OUR UNIVERSE.
SO MANY LONELY HEARTS,
SO MANY BROKEN LIVES,
LONGING FOR LOVE TO BREAK
INTO THEIR ANGUISH.
COME, TEACH US LOVE,
COME, TEACH US PEACE,
COME AND TEACH US YOUR WAY OF COMPASSION.
LEAD US FROM DEATH TO LIFE,
FROM FALSEHOOD TO TRUTH,
FROM DESPAIR TO HOPE,
FROM FEAR TO TRUST.
LEAD US FROM HATE TO LOVE,
FROM WAR TO PEACE;
LET PEACE FILL OUR HEARTS,
LET PEACE FILL OUR WORLD,
LET PEACE FILL OUR UNIVERSE.
LET JUSTICE EVER ROLL,
LET MERCY FILL THE EARTH,
LET US BEGIN TO GROW
INTO YOUR PEOPLE.
WE CAN BE LOVE,
WE CAN BRING PEACE,
WE CAN STILL BE YOUR WAY OF COMPASSION.
LEAD US FROM DEATH TO LIFE,
FROM FALSEHOOD TO TRUTH,
FROM DESPAIR TO HOPE,
FROM FEAR TO TRUST.
LEAD US FROM HATE TO LOVE,
FROM WAR TO PEACE;
LET PEACE FILL OUR HEARTS,
LET PEACE FILL OUR WORLD,
LET PEACE FILL OUR UNIVERSE.
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-SCRIPTURE-
Genesis 2:14-21 (NRSVA)
So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered about in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.
When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the bushes. Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot; for she said, ‘Do not let me look on the death of the child.’ And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. And God heard the voice of the boy; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, ‘What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him.’
Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She went, and filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink.
God was with the boy, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with the bow. He lived in the wilderness of Paran; and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.
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-THE MESSAGE-
“Hold On Just a Little While Longer”
Daniel Beasley
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-SINGING TOGETHER-
“Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying”
LORD, LISTEN TO YOUR CHILDREN PRAYING,
LORD, SEND YOUR SPIRIT IN THIS PLACE;
LORD, LISTEN TO YOUR CHILDREN PRAYING,
SEND US LOVE,
SEND US POW’R,
SEND US GRACE.
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-SHARING JOYS & CONCERNS-
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-PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE-
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-SINGING TOGETHER-
“The Open Table”
COME, OH COME, COME TO THE TABLE.
GATHER ‘ROUND, COME WITHOUT FEAR.
KNOWN BY NAME HERE AT THE TABLE, THIS TABLE;
WELCOME HERE, TO THE TABLE OF LOVE.
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-INVITATION TO COMMUNION-
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-SINGING TOGETHER-
“The Open Table”
COME, OH COME, COME TO THE TABLE.
GATHER ‘ROUND, COME WITHOUT FEAR.
KNOWN BY NAME HERE AT THE TABLE, THIS TABLE;
WELCOME HERE, TO THE TABLE OF LOVE.
CIRCLE ‘ROUND, LET’S JOIN TOGETHER.
SHARE YOUR JOYS, AND BRING YOUR TEARS.
STRENGTH AND HOPE FOUND AT THE TABLE, THIS TABLE;
WELCOME HERE, TO THE TABLE OF LOVE.
GOD IS LOVE; LOVE IS CREATING
SOMETHING NEW, RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW.
WE’RE CHILDREN OF GOD, HERE AT THE TABLE, THIS TABLE;
WELCOME HERE, TO THE TABLE OF LOVE.
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-OFFERING-
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-IN GRATITUDE-
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-ANNOUNCEMENTS-
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-INVITATION TO RESPOND-
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-SINGING TOGETHER-
“Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)”
AMAZING GRACE! HOW SWEET THE SOUND
THAT SAVED A WRETCH LIKE ME!
I ONCE WAS LOST, BUT NOW I'M FOUND;
WAS BLIND, BUT NOW I SEE.
'TWAS GRACE THAT TAUGHT MY HEART TO FEAR;
AND GRACE MY FEARS RELIEVED.
HOW PRECIOUS DID THAT GRACE APPEAR
THE HOUR I FIRST BELIEVED.
MY CHAINS ARE GONE,
I'VE BEEN SET FREE.
MY GOD, MY SAVIOR
HAS RESCUED ME.
AND LIKE A FLOOD
GOD’S MERCY REIGNS,
UNENDING LOVE,
AMAZING GRACE.
THE LORD HAS PROMISED GOOD TO ME;
HIS WORD MY HOPE SECURES.
HE WILL MY SHIELD AND PORTION BE
AS LONG AS LIFE ENDURES.
MY CHAINS ARE GONE,
I'VE BEEN SET FREE.
MY GOD, MY SAVIOR
HAS RESCUED ME.
AND LIKE A FLOOD
GOD’S MERCY REIGNS,
UNENDING LOVE,
AMAZING GRACE.
THE EARTH SHALL SOON DISSOLVE LIKE SNOW,
THE SUN FORBEAR TO SHINE.
BUT GOD WHO LOVES ME HERE BELOW,
WILL BE FOREVER MINE,
WILL BE FOREVER MINE,
YOU ARE FOREVER MINE.
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-BLESSING & BENEDICTION-
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-SINGING TOGETHER-
“Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)”
MY CHAINS ARE GONE,
I'VE BEEN SET FREE.
MY GOD, MY SAVIOR
HAS RESCUED ME.
AND LIKE A FLOOD
GOD’S MERCY REIGNS,
UNENDING LOVE,
AMAZING GRACE.
. . . . . . . . . .
-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
JUNE BULLETINS