Table of Contents
The words in **black bold** are spoken or sung by the congregation. Please, no food or beverages are allowed in the Sanctuary. * Indicates when to rise in body or spirit.
UMH--United Methodist (Blue), TFWS--The Faith We Sing (Black), W&S--Worship & Song (Green)
Prelude
“Lord, I Need You”
Matt Maher
Welcome
Threshold Moment
P:Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. — Genesis 3:23
The complexity of our relationship to the Divine is exemplified in this Eden story. Our series is really about the connections and disconnections inherent in our human-divine stories of love. Leaving home is sometimes necessary so that we might know what home really is; the Eden story can speak to our separation from God, but it can also help us reflect on times when even the knowledge of good and evil is better than an idyllic place where we never really know what we have. What does it mean when our sense of “home” shifts for whatever reason?
“We Live, We Love” · Greg Davis
We live, we love, we forgive and we never give up,
‘cause the days we are given are gifts from above,
and today we remember to live and to love!
Opening Prayer
All:Loving Creator, as we gather in worship today, remind us that our humanity is a gift to be embraced. Teach us to live with courage in a world that is both beautiful and broken. Help us to ask honest questions, to seek wisdom with humility, and to trust that your love meets us even beyond the garden gates. Amen.
Passing the Peace
P:The Peace of Christ be with you.
All:And also with you.
P:You are invited to pass the peace among you, remembering to pass it to those joining us remotely.
Praising
“Step by Step”
#3004 W&S
Young & Young at Heart Time
Contemporary Reading (Liturgist)
In Blackwater Woods
by Mary Oliver
Look, the trees are turning their own bodies into pillars
of light, are giving off the rich fragrance of cinnamon and fulfillment,
the long tapers of cattails are bursting and floating away over the blue shoulders
of the ponds, and every pond, no matter what its name is, is
nameless now. Every year everything I have ever learned
in my lifetime leads back to this: the fires and the black river of loss whose other side
is salvation, whose meaning none of us will ever know.
To live in this world
you must be able to do three things: to love what is mortal; to hold it
against your bones knowing your own life depends on it; and, when the time comes to let it go, to let it go.
COMMUNITY PRAYER ~ THE LORD’S PRAYER
Sung in Echo
Our Mother, Father, Our Mother, Father
Who art in heaven, Who art in heaven
Hallowed be thy name, Hallowed be thy name
Thy Kingdom come, Thy Kingdom come
Thy will be done, Thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven, On earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day, Give us this day
Our daily bread, Our daily bread
And forgive us all our sins, And forgive us all our sins
And lead us not, And lead us not
Into temptation, Into temptation
But deliver us from evil, But deliver us from evil
For yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory
Forever, Forever
And ever, And ever
Our Mother, Father, Our Mother, Father
Who art in heaven, Who art in heaven
Hallowed be thy name, Hallowed be thy name
Ancient Readings
Genesis 3:1-13, 20-23 (NRSVUE)
1Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.’ ” 4But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die, 5 for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to the eyes and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. 7Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.
8They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10He said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” 11He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.” 13Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent tricked me, and I ate.”
20The man named his wife Eve because she was the mother of all living. 21And the LORD God made garments of skins for the man and for his wife and clothed them.
22Then the LORD God said, “See, the humans have become like one of us, knowing good and evil, and now they might reach out their hands and take also from the tree of life and eat and live forever”— 23 therefore the LORD God sent them forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which they were taken. 24He drove out the humans, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a sword flaming and turning to guard the way to the tree of life.
We Sing
“This Is the Day of New Beginnings”
#383 UMH
Message
“Leaving Home”
Rev. Dr. Michele Robbins
Offertory
“Home · Michael Buble”
Offerings can be placed in the basket on the table, online at ukiahumc.org, or mailed to PO Box 323, Ukiah
*DOXOLOGY
“Praise God, From Whom Blessings Flow”
#94 UMH
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise God, all creatures here below;
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise God, the source of all our gifts!
Praise Jesus Christ, whose power uplifts!
Praise the Spirit, Holy Spirit!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
*MEMBERSHIP STATEMENT
Members of the Ukiah United Methodist Church accept the freedom God gives us to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves. We welcome opportunities to bring God’s love to the world in as many ways as we can. We promise to uphold our beloved church by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness.
Getting Strong
“On Eagle’s Wings”
#143 UMH
Opportunities for Ministry
- ⤷Methodism 101: Meets today and August 23rd.
- ⤷Concert in the Park: Tonight at 6:00 under the crooked maple tree on the northeast side of the park.
- ⤷Be Well Engraved Tile Campaign: Find information on our website, ukiahumc.org.
- ⤷Gentle Yoga: Every Wednesday and Saturday with hand weights at 8:15 am and yoga at 8:30 am in the Social Hall, led by Pastor Michele.
- ⤷Recycling: Annie is collecting CRV bottles & cans, to benefit Ukiah UMC. Text Annie at 707-513-9634 for pickups and more information. Items can be taken to Jone’s house and left behind her recycling totes on the corner of Jones and McPeak.
- ⤷The Building Bridges Homeless Resource Center: If you would like to donate to Building Bridges Homeless Resource Center, below is a list of needed items. All donations can be dropped at HRC M-F, 9-5 or to Trudy’s front porch at any time. Thank you to everyone who donates! Trudy•Items needed are: underwear, socks, shower towels, blankets, sleeping bags, backpacks, men’s pants, bath soap, razors, dog food
Go For It!
South:Do all the good you can,
North:By all the means you can,
South:In all the ways you can,
North:In all the places you can,
South:At all the times you can,
North:To all the people you can,
All:As long as ever you can. Amen.
— John Wesley
Blessing
*STEPPING OUT
“My Life Goes On”
#2212 TFWS
WE ARE A WELCOMING & AFFIRMING CONGREGATION:
We welcome all persons into full participation in the life of the congregation regardless of age, gender identity, racial or ethnic background, sexual orientation, marriage status, or physical or mental condition.