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‘What A Wonderful World’ instrumental
(Adamson/Savitt/Watson)
Instrumental Prelude
by Carol Rice
or
‘Wonder’ by Rev. Tom Goldsmith
of First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake City
Sunday October 16, 2022
October Theme: Awe
4th Principle: A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
(Lauren)
Opening
(Alex)
Honor and understand our lives
By Judith G Mannheim
We gather together in this space to honor and understand our lives. We bring our pasts and would share them, our dreams and would express them.
We use words, song, silence, and gesture. Words cannot define our lives, but they enable us to reach out to each other, to tell and to listen, that we may be renewed, connected, unburdened.
Apprehend with wonder the lives of those around you, for "from wonder into wonder existence opens." (Lao Tzu)
Chalice Lighting
(Lauren et al)
All the Lights of the Heavens
By Cynthia Landrum
For the wonder and inspiration
We seek from sun and stars
And all the lights of the heavens
We light this chalice.
JOYS AND CONCERNS
(Lauren et al)
Share a joy or concern with the congregation.
Raise Hand your hand in Zoom then wait to be recognized.
JOYS AND CONCERNS
(Lauren et al)
For the joys shared
we join you in celebration.
For the sorrows and concerns spoken here may you feel our sympathy and compassion.
For all that remains unspoken both joy and sorrow may the caring of our community offer you both kindness and hope.
Everything Is Sacred (Denise Rosier, adapted)
Everything is sacred.
Everything is filled with the divine.
Everything is alive with spirit, with spirit.
Everything is a wonder,
unfolding right before our eyes.
Everything is alive with spirit, with spirit.
Everything is a blessing,
bursting from the earth and sky.
Everything is alive with spirit, with spirit.
Everyone is sacred.
Everyone is filled with the divine.
Everyone is alive with spirit, with spirit.
Everyone is a wonder,
unfolding right before our eyes.
Everyone is alive with spirit, with spirit.
Everyone is a blessing,
bursting from the earth and sky.
Everyone is alive with spirit, with spirit.
Everything is sacred,
Everything is filled with the divine.
Everything is alive with spirit, with spirit.
We are alive with spirit. with spirit.
Everything is sacred.
Reading
(Amber)
Offering Call For A Community Seeking Change
By Naomi King
We know there is great abundance in our world: a great abundance of suffering—of people homeless, hungry, frightened, lonely, in danger, sick, exhausted, and wondering when this abundant suffering shall cease.
We know there is great abundance in our world: a great abundance of love—of people caring, building homes for those who need them, feeding folks who hunger, comforting folks who are frightened, inviting folks who are lonely into company, creating peace and safety zones, healing and being with the sick, and welcoming the weary to a place of rest.
We are the people of abundance, people who have known suffering and will know suffering. We are the people of abundance, people who have known love and offer our love as a blessing to our world.
As we receive disappointment, anguish, and anger, we transform those curses into the blessings of hope, joy, and love.
As we offer those blessings to this world, so our blessings increase:
the smile of gratitude eases our hearts,
the dance of joy sweeps us into the circle,
and the light of this chalice changes our world.
We are the change we wish to see through what we give. What change will you bless this world with today?
#FOMO: In this moment, we let go of expectations, of fears, of worries—and we accept that life is exactly what it ought to be.
#YOLO: In this moment, we let go of the past and future, living into the moment, accepting that life is exactly as we make it.
All: Our different lives represent different threads; each a color and texture of its own. May our lives be woven together, becoming stronger by our connections and brighter by our diversity.
—
#FOMO (fear of missing out)
#YOLO (you only live once)
Responsive Reading (Scott)
#FOMO and #YOLO: A Responsive Reading for the 21st Century Church
By Scott McNeill
#FOMO: We see the public lives of our friends and neighbors, and wonder if we are living up to our potential.
#YOLO: We feel the inner doubts and questions, and try to live life fully—creating the life we want by our words and deeds.
#FOMO: Life feels like it’s moving too fast; we cannot do all that we want or need to do. We long for us all to slow down.
#YOLO: Life is moving too fast; we have but one short life to do all that can be done. We long for us all to speed up.
#FOMO: Are we missing out by living the life that feels true to us?
#YOLO: Are we missing out by doing so much that we cannot simply just be?
STLT #21 For The Beauty Of The Earth (Pierpoint/Kocher, adapted)
For the beauty of the earth,
for the splendor of the skies,
for the love which from our birth,
over and around us lies;
Source of all to thee we raise,
this our hymn of grateful praise.
For the joy of ear and eye,
for the heart and mind's delight,
for the mystic harmony,
linking sense to sound and sight;
Source of all to thee we raise,
this our hymn of grateful praise.
For the wonder of each hour
of the day and of the night,
hill and vale and tree and flower,
sun and moon and stars of light;
Source of all to thee we raise,
this our hymn of grateful praise.
For the joy of human care,
siblings, neighbors, parent, child,
for the kinship we all share,
for all gentle thoughts and mild;
Source of all to thee we raise,
this our hymn of grateful praise.
(silent 4 minute meditation)
MEDITATION
(Lauren)
(Chris)
‘Wonder’ by Rev. Tom Goldsmith
of First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake City
(Scott)
note: change speed to 1.25
From you I receive
to you I give
together we share
and in this we live.
I've Got a Feeling I'm Falling
by Bruce Snow
uulala.org
Extinguishing the Chalice
(Lauren et al)
The Work We Share by Rev. Krista Taves
It is our work, shared with each other in covenant,
That creates and sustains this beloved community.
We extinguish this chalice, but its light lives on
in the directions we have chosen today.
The light of this faith lives on in us, together,
in our hearts, minds, bodies and spirits.
Amen and Blessed Be.
.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
(Katie)
EVENTS CALENDAR
(Katie)
Note: Services will be held both IN PERSON AND via Zoom until further notice. Masks are optional unless you are unvaccinated. Some masks and hand sanitizer will be available.�
October Theme: Awe
10/16 ‘Wonder’ by Rev. Tom Goldsmith (video)
10/23 Potluck and Discussion led by Bill Edwards on Democracy
10/26 Adult Religious Education
10/30 Special Halloween Service wear a family-friendly costume
November Theme: Remembrance
11/2 Day of the Dead
11/5 UU Outing to Longfellow Evangeline Fall Folklife Fest
11/20 Wilkin Jones on the Rural AfricanAmerican Museum
11/30 Adult Religious Education
CLOSING SONG
(Scott et al)
#159 THIS IS MY SONG (revised)
This is my song
o people of all nations
A song of peace
for lands afar and mine
This is my home
the country where my heart is
Here are my hopes
and dreams my holy shrine
But other hearts
in other lands are beating
With hopes and dreams
as true and high as mine.
CLOSING WORDS
(Alex)
Remembering that the universe is larger
by Rev. Marjorie Newlin Leaming
Remembering that the universe
is so much larger than our ability to comprehend, let us go forth from this time together
with the resolve
to stop trying to reduce the incomprehensible
to our own petty expectations,
so that wonder—
that sense of what is sacred—
can find space to open up our minds
and illumine our lives.