November 15, 2026
Sunday Gathering
. . . . . . . . . .
-PRELUDE-
Open My Eyes That I Might See” arr. S. Wilson
Brenda Gardiner
-|-
-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.
-|-
-SINGING TOGETHER-
“I Dream of a Church”
WE DREAM OF A CHURCH
WHERE EVERYONE IS WELCOME,
WE DREAM OF A PLACE
WE ALL CAN CALL HOME.
WE DREAM OF A WORLD
WHERE JUSTICE IS FLOWING
WITH HOPE AND PEACE GROWING,
WHERE GOD’S WILL IS DONE.
MAKE IT SO, MAKE IT SO!
WE PRAY FOR THAT DAY,
MAKE IT SO.
WE DREAM OF A WORLD
WHERE LOVE REIGNS AMONG US
AND YOUR WILL IS DONE,
O GOD, MAKE IT SO.
-|-
-WELCOME & GREETING-
-|-
-SINGING TOGETHER-
“I Dream of a Church”
O GOD, FILL OUR HEARTS
TO REACH OUT IN WELCOME,
MAKE US TO SEE YOUR VISION ONCE MORE.
LET’S DREAM OF A WORLD
WHERE OUR HANDS ARE YOUR HANDS,
WE OFFER OURSELVES,
O GOD, MAKE IT SO.
MAKE IT SO, MAKE IT SO!
WE PRAY FOR THAT DAY,
MAKE IT SO.
WE DREAM OF A WORLD
WHERE LOVE REIGNS AMONG US
AND YOUR WILL IS DONE,
O GOD, MAKE IT SO.
-|-
-CALL TO WORSHIP-
We are from north and south.
WE ARE FROM TINY APARTMENTS AND EXPANSIVE HOMES.
We are from this city and from others far away.
WE ARE FROM BIG FAMILIES AND DINNERS MADE FOR ONE.
We are from stages of grief and stages of love.
WE ARE FROM HOT SUMMERS AND COLD WINTERS.
We are from kitchens with passed down recipes,
and front porches with old, familiar swings.
WE ARE FROM THE DUST OF THE EARTH AND THE STARS OF THE SKY.
We are from a lot of places, but today we are here.
TODAY WE ARE TOGETHER.
Holy God, gather us in
AS WE WORSHIP YOU! AMEN.
-|-
-OPENING PRAYER-
When people heard that Jesus was from Nazareth,
they asked, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”
WE CONFESS, GOD OF BEGINNINGS, THAT WE HAVE ASKED THE SAME QUESTION.
Can anything good come from that side of town?
FROM A SCHOOL WITH POOR TEST SCORES?
From a criminal history?
FROM THE OPPOSITE POLITICAL PARTY?
From a history of addiction?
FROM A FAITH WITH DOUBT?
From a church with faults?
HOLY GOD, FORGIVE US FOR DOUBTING THAT YOU ARE IN ALL THINGS AT ALL TIMES.
OPEN OUR EYES TO SEE YOUR GOODNESS, NOT AS SOMETHING THAT RESIDES HERE OR THERE,
BUT AS THE EXPANSIVE GRACE THAT IT IS.
Can anything good come from there?
YES. ALWAYS YES. HELP US TO REMEMBER THE ANSWER IS YES. AMEN.
-|-
-GREETING ONE ANOTHER-
-|-
-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 THIS 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.
-|-
-SCRIPTURE-
Genesis 2:7 (CJB)
“Then ADONAI, God, formed a person from the dust of the ground and breathed into [the] nostrils the breath of life, so that [the person] became a living being."
John 1:35-46 (MSG)
The next day John was back at his post with two disciples, who were watching. He looked up, saw Jesus walking nearby, and said, “Here he is, God’s Passover Lamb.” The two disciples heard him and went after Jesus. Jesus looked over his shoulder and said to them, “What are you after?”They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” He replied, “Come along and see for yourself.” They came, saw where he was living, and ended up staying with him for the day. It was late afternoon when this happened.
Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John’s witness and followed Jesus. The first thing he did after finding where Jesus lived was find his own brother, Simon, telling him, “We’ve found the Messiah” (that is, “Christ”). He immediately led him to Jesus. Jesus took one look up and said, “You’re John’s son, Simon? From now on your name is Cephas” (or Peter, which means “Rock”).
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. When he got there, he ran across Philip and said, “Come, follow me.” (Philip’s hometown was Bethsaida, the same as Andrew and Peter.) Philip went and found Nathanael and told him, “We’ve found the One Moses wrote of in the Law, the One preached by the prophets. It’s Jesus, Joseph’s son, the one from Nazareth!” Nathanael said, “Nazareth? You’ve got to be kidding.” But Philip said, “Come, see for yourself.”
-|-
-THE MESSAGE-
I’ve been meaning to ask….where are you from ?”
Pam Lee-Miller
-|-
-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.
-|-
-JOYS & CONCERNS-
-|-
-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.
-|-
-IN GRATITUDE-
-|-
-COMMUNION-
-|-
-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.
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.
-|-
-COMMUNITY CONNECTION & PROJECT WHY-
-|-
-IN GRATITUDE-
-|-
-OFFERING-
-|-
-ANNOUNCEMENTS-
-|-
-INVITATION TO RESPOND-
-|-
-SINGING TOGETHER-
“The Summons”
WILL YOU COME AND FOLLOW ME
IF I BUT CALL YOUR NAME?
WILL YOU GO WHERE YOU DON'T KNOW
AND NEVER BE THE SAME?
WILL YOU LET MY LOVE BE SHOWN?
WILL YOU LET MY NAME BE KNOWN?
WILL YOU LET MY LIFE BE GROWN IN YOU,
AND YOU IN ME?
WILL YOU LET THE BLINDED SEE
IF I BUT CALL YOUR NAME?
WILL YOU SET THE PRISONERS FREE
AND NEVER BE THE SAME?
WILL YOU KISS THE LEPER CLEAN,
AND DO SUCH AS THIS UNSEEN?
AND ADMIT TO WHAT I MEAN IN YOU,
AND YOU IN ME?
WILL YOU LOVE THE "YOU" YOU HIDE
IF I BUT CALL YOUR NAME?
WILL YOU QUELL THE FEAR INSIDE
AND NEVER BE THE SAME?
WILL YOU USE THE FAITH YOU'VE FOUND
TO RESHAPE THE WORLD AROUND
THROUGH MY SIGHT AND TOUCH AND SOUND IN YOU,
AND YOU IN ME?
-|-
-BLESSING & BENEDICTION-
-|-
-SINGING TOGETHER-
“The Summons”
LORD, YOUR SUMMONS ECHOES TRUE
WHEN YOU BUT CALL MY NAME.
LET ME TURN AND FOLLOW YOU
AND NEVER BE THE SAME.
IN YOUR COMPANY I'LL GO,
WHERE YOUR LOVE AND FOOTSTEPS SHOW,
THUS I'LL MOVE AND LIVE AND GROW IN YOU.
. . . . . . . . . .
-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
NOVEMBER BULLETINS