Ubc Liturgy Stuff
July 19, 2020
Below, you’ll find the song lyrics and scripture readings for the live stream on July 19th (in the order they are needed), as well as some resources for kids! (this includes some stuff that is print-able—if you need Taylor to print stuff for you in the future, just let us know, and we’ll get that set up).
The Word Is Yet Flesh
this peculiar collection of pieces you left
is knit with the needle of spirit, the Word is yet flesh
like a blanket, pulled tight over torn ligaments
but the hands have a problem with the shape of the feet
the mouth can’t decide if the jaws should be married
and the spine is just tired from fighting the pull of the earth
but this fractured collective can somehow still dance
kaleidoscope motion of a shaky pirouette,
borrowed brilliance refracted in sparks down the line
and as the warmth of the glow gives flight to the gloom
the kingdom of hope fades into view
and all that we’ve known—or thought that we knew
is now finally found silent in the light of the truth
word made flesh in whom all things hold
bind up tightly these collapsing bones
and raise again a body from the cold
’til nothing remains of these flickering days
come light of the world, thief of the night
be the lamp of the body, the lens to the eye
and though we’re scattered in knowing, be one in the mind
and bid our divine mirrors come and die
and then, word-made-flesh in whom all things hold,
bind up tightly these collapsing bones
and raise again a body from the cold
’til nothing remains of these flickering days
‘til nothing remains but the light and the flame
Call to Worship
we have gathered to worship
the Living God
the Word who became flesh
and dwelt among us
to enter the story of God
and find our own stories reimagined
in hope that the Spirit of God
might form us more fully in the way of Christ
and draw us into the work of God in the world
in our ordinary lives
Amen
Wideness
there’s a wideness in god’s mercy
like the wideness of the sea
there’s a kindness in god’s justice
which is more than liberty
there is welcome for the sinner,
the cast-off and the unloved
there is mercy with the savior
there is healing in his blood
for the love of god is broader than
the measure of our mind
and the heart of the eternal is
most wonderfully kind
but we make his love too narrow by
false limits of our own
and we magnify his strictness with
a zeal he will not own
there’s grace enough for thousands
of new worlds as great as this
there’s room for fresh creations
in that upper home of bliss
there’s plentiful redemption
in the blood that has been shed
there’s joy for every creature
in the sorrows of the head
for the love of god is broader than
the measure of our mind
and the heart of the eternal is
most wonderfully kind
but we make his love too narrow by
false limits of our own
and we magnify his strictness with
a zeal he will not own
o holy instructor,
i fear we’ve found a way to
be wholly destructive
and pin the blame on you
o wideness, come searching
and repair what went wrong
Old Testament Reading
Today’s Old Testament reading, and Taylor’s sermon text, is Genesis 28:10-19a:
Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And the Lord stood beside him and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring; and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!” And he was afraid, and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”
So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He called that place Bethel.
This is the word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
New Testament Reading
Today’s New Testament reading is Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43:
Jesus put before the crowd another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”
Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!”
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Mother
is there a hair on my head
you haven’t numbered yet
you haven’t numbered yet
in the night, crying in the cold,
is there a pain of mine
you haven’t called your own
o mother comfort, mother known
though our minds so well ignore your grace
you bring it just the same
you bring it just the same
we reside in your self-giving love
but you’ve somehow found enough
for all the space that we take up
o mother wisdom, mother love
mother comfort, mother enough
through life and death, that cradled set
beginning and the end
beginning and the end
you are a shield, a beacon of defense
and our weaknesses align
as you gather us in
o mother warrior, mother age-to age
mother wisdom, mother grace
mother comfort, mother love-that-can’t-be-bought
mother faithful
mother god
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
Worship Resources for UBC Kids and Families
(And also anyone who might want them)
Hello friends! (This is Taylor) Here is a link to some fun coloring sheets and activity ideas for Sunday. Also included is a kid’s worship bulletin - so if you print it off beforehand kiddos could do that while they watch our worship service! I’m excited to see what you do with these coloring sheets and activities - so please take a picture and tag @ubcwaco when you use them! Thanks everybody! Here is the link!.
p.s. - Remember! If you don’t have a printer just let me know and I can print them out for you!
New Giving App
In case you missed this info for the past couple of weeks:
We're excited to offer a new way to give to UBC - through a simple, fast and secure app! You can download the free Church Center app and enter "UBC Waco" as your church. In just a few taps, you'll have your account set up and can give any amount, anytime, from anywhere in the world. You can make a one-time donation or set up recurring giving instantly. Best yet, this app is designed specifically for churches, with reduced fees that make sure more of your donation actually goes to support UBC. If you're not an app person, no worries - we've added Church Center as an option under the "give" tab on our website. Thanks for your giving and support of our UBC community!
