for Sunday, 25 January, #3

Liturgical Elements

Call to Worship
Throughout the ages those who claimed the Christ as their teacher and guide have been imparting the stories of their faith.
We remember those who have spoken of their journeys and have been strengthened by them.
As we proclaim pieces of our faith journeys, we may never know the impact it has on others.
Knowing that our lives are bound up in God’s unfathomable Story, we seek to learn how we might be tellers, as well as hearers.
As in community we worship God over the coming minutes, rejoice in those whose stories have told of God’s Love and Grace.
We are ready to hear and tell. Let us worship God!

Opening Hymn

Prayer of Approach
Dear God
and Mother of all Humanity
whose tenderness is reflected
in the beauty of a mother
suckling her child,
help me to witness
to the worth of personal values
and the need of gentleness and compassion
in a mass-produced and
impersonal world.
Amen. (Phoebe Willetts)

Time of Silence

First Scripture Reading
Jonah 3:1-5, 10

As always, everything will be printed in the liturgist notebook.

for Sunday, 25 January, #2

Worship Leaders
(I just realized I left this part off of the last posting.)

• Accompanist: Ann Willard
• Music Leader: Allen Foster
  
• Liturgist: Karen Jolliffe
• Elder: Karen Jolliffe
• Interviewee: Doral Main
• Interviewer: Gerry Brague
• Communion Bread Provider: Karen Jolliffe

for Sunday, 25 January, #1

3rd Sunday after the Epiphany

I'm sorry this posting is so late this week. With the retreat, I did not have a chance to do any preparatory work. Plus, I was waiting to hear about some things concerning the music and scriptures for this Sunday.

This week, we inaugurate (don't you love that word now?) our last Sunday of the month interview series. Instead of the sermon, I shall interview someone about their faith life & journey. My hope is that this will be an encouragement to us to tell our stories of faith to others.

Our first interviewee will be Doral Main, who is a laywoman, a member of the San Lorenzo church, and is active in the region. I hope that these interviews over time will involve folks from both within and outside our congregation; known to us & unknown as yet; part of our denomination and perhaps from other faith traditions. We'll just have to see where this will lead.

For now, I think we'll keep the structure of our worship basically the same as it has been. I asked Doral if she had a favorite hymn and if she had any particular scripture(s) she wanted to be read. She responded about the hymn but not the scriptures. So I think we'll read the lectionary texts in order to keep the flow of those readings going.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me.

Scripture (I'm not certain we'll use all of them):

• Jonah 3:1-5, 10
• Psalm 62:5-12
• 1 Corinthians 7:29-31
• Mark 1:14-20

Music:

• First hymn: Lift Every Voice and Sing, CH 631. (Ann, I don't know how difficult this one is...it sort of looks tough to me. But one hint: every time I have sung this with African-Americans or heard it sung by a Black person, it is always much slower than when White folks of European descent do it. That might help. Maybe?)
• Second hymn: 'Tis the Gift to Be Simple, CH 568. (This is the hymn that Doral has chosen. Let's plan to sing it twice through, at least.)
• Communion hymn: I Come with Joy, CH 420. (Have we sung this lately? I don't think so but I might be wrong.)