February 7, 2021
Below, you’ll find the song lyrics and scripture readings for the live stream on February 7th (in the order they are needed).
Where God Has Always Been
[This song would not exist without the influence of Howard Thurman’s Jesus and the Disinherited]
praise be the lord of all
with their backs against the wall
hands above their heads and eyes
lifted up to that impossible line
where the hill meets the sky
who wonder if the distance is
a trick of the earth or a trick of the mind
and if help will arrive
before they slip away
praise be the lord of all
who wrestle until dawn
wear their scars like names yet find
heaven and earth strangely aligned
like water in the sour wine:
hidden in plain sight
for god is now where god has always been:
bunkered down with those in the ditch
raising fountains from the cracking dirt
and raising a feast for the hollow unheard
unheard, unheard
while the powerful who reign
dissolve into the grave
the eternal one will shade
the ones they cast away
until the coming of the day
when all this is remade
praise be the lord of all
who’ve nowhere to belong
for the kingdom is drawing near
Call to Worship
we have gathered to worship
the Living God
the One who heals the brokenhearted,
and binds up their wounds,
the One who lifts up the lowly,
but casts the wicked to the ground
to enter the story of God
and find our own stories reimagined
inviting the Spirit of God to form us more fully in the way of Christ
that we might carry Christ
in our hearts and minds;
the kingdom of God
in our ordinary lives
Amen
Woke Up This Morning With My Mind Stayed On Freedom
[Check out this version from the Freedom Song soundtrack]
woke up this morning with my mind
stayed on freedom
woke up this morning with my mind
stayed on freedom
woke up this morning with my mind
stayed on freedom
hallelu, hallelu, hallelujah
been walking and talking with my mind
stayed on freedom
been walking and talking with my mind
stayed on freedom
been walking and talking with my mind
stayed on freedom
hallelu, hallelu, hallelujah
so go on and walk, walk, walk
walk with your mind on freedom
go on and talk, talk, talk,
talk with your mind on freedom
go on and walk and talk
and keep your mind on freedom
oh, go on and walk
aint nothing wrong with my mind
stayed on freedom
aint nothing wrong with keeping in my mind
stayed on freedom
aint nothing wrong with keeping your mind
stayed on freedom
hallelu, hallelu, hallelujah
so go on and walk, walk, walk
walk with your mind on freedom
go on and talk, talk, talk,
talk with your mind on freedom
go on and walk and talk
and keep your mind on freedom
oh, go on and talk
go on and walk
woke up this morning with my mind
stayed on freedom
woke up this morning with my mind
stayed on freedom
woke up this morning with my mind
stayed on freedom
hallelu, hallelu, hallelujah
Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down
[Check out this version by Blind Joe Taggart, and this one by Shirley Caesar]
satan, your kingdom must come down
satan, your kingdom must come down
I heard the voice of Jesus say
satan your kingdom must come down
we’re gonna pray until
’til we pray your kingdom down
we’re gonna pray until
’til we pray your kingdom down
I heard the voice of Jesus say
satan, your kingdom must come down
we’re gonna shout until
’til we shout your kingdom down
we’re gonna shout until
’til we shout your kingdom down
I heard the voice of Jesus say
satan, your kingdom must come down
oh satan, we’re gonna tear your kingdom down
satan, we’re gonna tear your kingdom down
you’ve been building your kingdom
in the house of god
but satan, your kingdom must come down
we’re gonna love until
’til we love your kingdom down
we’re gonna walk and talk
’til we love your kingdom down
I heard the voice of Jesus say
satan, your kingdom must come down
Old Testament Reading
Today’s Old Testament reading is Isaiah 40:21-31:
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,
and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;
who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
and spreads them like a tent to live in;
who brings princes to naught,
and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing.
Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown,
scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth,
when he blows upon them, and they wither,
and the tempest carries them off like stubble.
To whom then will you compare me,
or who is my equal? says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes on high and see:
Who created these?
He who brings out their host and numbers them,
calling them all by name;
because he is great in strength,
mighty in power,
not one is missing.
Why do you say, O Jacob,
and speak, O Israel,
"My way is hidden from the Lord,
and my right is disregarded by my God"?
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
and strengthens the powerless.
Even youths will faint and be weary,
and the young will fall exhausted;
but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
they shall walk and not faint
New Testament Reading
Today’s New Testament reading is 1 Corinthians 9:16-23:
If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission. What then is my reward? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel.
For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law) so that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.
Giving
UBC relies on the generosity of the community. If you are a in place that you are able to give of your time, talent, and resources to UBC we would be grateful. If you want to make a financial contribution, the easiest way to do so is through our church center app.
Wayward Ones
we are the wayward ones
liars and beggars, those who betray
we hand you over, deny your name
cast you aside, yet still you say
this is my body, this is my blood
broken and shed to show my love
we are the broken ones
cowards and fools, all filled with disbelief
we forsake you, deny your name
cast you aside, yet still you say
this is my body, this is my blood
broken and shed to show my love
remember me, remember me
come to the table, take and eat
remember me
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise him all creatures here below
Praise him above, ye heavenly host
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Amen
Benediction
As we approach this week
May we love God
Embrace Beauty
and Live Life to the fullest
Amen