May 23, 2021
Below, you’ll find the song lyrics and scripture readings for the live stream on May 23rd (in the order they are needed).
The Wind
they say the wind was violent the day
the fire came and divided among them
familiar shape, familiar function
and as they rose to speak their tongues were torches
like a lamp you raised to find
that the differences we claim are mostly fiction
exaggerated accidents of birth and life
accidents of time and geography
they say the wind, it howled like a ghost
through the walls, out into the open
and further out, upon the ocean
leaving in its wake a day drunk commotion
like a lamp you raised to find
that the differences we claim are mostly fiction
exaggerated accidents of birth and life
accidents of time and geography
Call to Worship
We have gathered to worship the Living God
the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us,
the Eternal One who is among us still
to enter the story of God
and find our own stories reimagined
hoping the Spirit of God will transform our hearts and minds
awakening in us
the hope of Christ
in our ordinary lives
Amen
Holy Spirit, Truth Divine
Holy Spirit, truth divine
dawn upon this soul of mine
word of god and inward light
wake my spirit, clear my sight
Holy Spirit, love divine
glow within this heart of mine
kindle every high desire
perish self in thy pure fire
Holy Spirit, power divine
by thee may I strongly live
fill and nerve this will of mine
bravely bear and nobly strive
fill and nerve this will of mine
bravely bear and nobly strive
Holy Spirit, right divine
king within my conscience reign
be my lord and I shall be
firmly bound, forever free
Look to the Hills
I lift my eyes to the hills
to remind myself this isn’t all there is
I lift my eyes to the hills
and wait for help to appear
my help is from the lord
who breaks past walls and fortress doors
my shade in sun and shield from sword
yes, my help is from the lord
so I look to the hills
and I know the score
the mountains fall
and shadows, they soar
and every rough line
is impeccably placed
as valleys rise, forgetting their place
I look to the hills
and I know what i’m for
and know my help
is going before
Old Testament Reading
Today’s Old Testament reading, is Psalm 104:24-34:
O Lord, how manifold are your works!
In wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
Yonder is the sea, great and wide,
creeping things innumerable are there,
living things both small and great.
There go the ships,
and Leviathan that you formed to sport in it.
These all look to you
to give them their food in due season;
when you give to them, they gather it up;
when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
When you hide your face, they are dismayed;
when you take away their breath, they die
and return to their dust.
When you send forth your spirit, they are created;
and you renew the face of the ground.
May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
may the Lord rejoice in his works—
who looks on the earth and it trembles,
who touches the mountains and they smoke.
I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
May my meditation be pleasing to him,
for I rejoice in the Lord.
New Testament Reading
Today’s New Testament reading is John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15:
Jesus said to his disciples, ”When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.
“I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because they do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
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.
Pulse
there’s a secret pulse, hidden in
the fabric of creation
and the story of every creature is
bone from dust//Gift from Gift
reconnect our hearts to that pulse you hid
resurrect the peace we’ve unlearned
and in the wreckage of our selective loves
build a tower that can’t be hidd’n
there’s a remedy for the ache
that plagues us all in waves
and the cure for our other-scorning rage
is break my bread, i’ll break your shame
reconnect our hearts to that pulse you hid
resurrect the peace that we’ve unlearned
and in the wreckage of our selective loves
build a tow’r and lock us in
until we find there’s only one kind of love that won’t break
more than blind, more than selfless in name
it’s open arms, either way
because there’s a pulse at the heart of all things
that gives life, all the same
and a design to the rhythm we breathe:
Holy Name//Give and Take
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise God, all creatures here below
Praise God above, ye heavenly hosts
Praise Timeless, Son, and Holy Ghost
Amen.
Benediction
As we approach this week
May we love God
Embrace Beauty
and Live Life to the fullest
Amen