December 31, 2017                                                                          All These Words Mean Happy Kwanzaa

 

*Gathering Hymn                                             #1030 Siyahamba

 

Call to Worship                                                Abby Arnold, Worship Associate

 

Chalice Lighting                                              Love is Not Concerned

 

Music for the Morning                                     It Takes a Village                                                     by Joan Szymko

 

Welcome

 

*Opening Hymn                                               #1000 Morning Has Come

 

*Covenant                                                        Love is the doctrine of this church.

                                                                         The quest for truth is its sacrament,

                                                                         And service is its prayer.

                                                                         To dwell together in peace,

                                                                         To seek knowledge in freedom,

                                                                         To serve humankind in fellowship,

                                                                         Thus do we covenant with each other.

 

*Hymn of Praise                                                From all that dwell below the skies

                                                                          Let songs of hope and faith arise

                                                                          Let peace, goodwill on earth be sung

                                                                          Through every land, by every tongue.

 

Offering for the Westside Food Bank

 

Time for All Ages

 

Song of Blessing                                              #118 This Little Light of Mine

                                                                         This little light of mine...

                                                                         Everywhere I go...

                                                                         All around the world...

 

Life Together

 

Offering

 

Offertory Anthem                                            Kujichagulia                                                 by Sonjia Hubert Harper

 

Devotional Time

 

Reading                                                         The Story of Black People                  Michael Green & Bryan Fuller

 

Pastoral Prayer

 

Silence

 

Musical Response                                         Kuumba                                                                            by Z. Robles

 

Sermon                                                       All These Words Mean Happy Kwanzaa      Gregory C. Carrow-Boyd

 

Going Deeper

 

*Closing Hymn                                           #407 We're Gonna Sit at the Welcome Table

 

*Benediction

 

Musical Benediction                                      Umoja                                                                               by Z. Robles

 

Invitation to Fellowship

 

*Please stand in body or in spirit

 

 

Greeters:                        Barbara Gibbs

Ushers:                          Tom Foretich & Michael Young

Coffee:                           Rebecca Crawford & Linda Marten

Welcome Table:             Barbara Gibbs

Bookstore:                     Sarah Harper

 

 

Gregory C. Carrow-Boyd is a religious educator and seminarian who studies at Claremont

School of Theology. He serves on the Board of Trustees of our Unitarian Universalist

Association (UUA). Originally from Central Pennsylvania, Greg enjoys how his spirit is growing

here on the West Coast. Greg also works as the Coordinator for More Than Sex-Ed, a Greater

LA-based sexuality education collective that brings the UUA- and United Church of Christ

comprehensive sexuality education curriculum, Our Whole Lives, to schools, home school

groups and the greater community.

 

Today 40% of our non-pledge offering will go to The People Concern, a new joint collaboration

effort between OPCC (Ocean Park Community Center), and the Lamp Community, “because

everybody should be housed, healthy and safe.” This new collaboration, “united under one

mission and one aim,” helps to empower people to rebuild their lives. This

community-supported organization made up of staff, volunteers and clients work with mutual

respect to address the effects of poverty, abuse, neglect and discrimination. The agency's

programs are designed to remove barriers to access the resources individuals need to ensure

their survival, end their victimization and improve their quality of life.