June 26, 2016                                                                                                                        Summer Solstice

 

*Gathering Hymn                                  Gracias por el amor                                                        arr. William James Ross

                                                                 Gracias por el amor del cielo, gracias por el inmenso mar,

                                                                 Gracias por el cantar del bosque. ¡Aleluya!

                                                                 Gracias por este nuevo día, gracias por nuestra gran unión,

                                                                 Gracias por todas las bondades. ¡Aleluya!

 

Prelude

 

Call to Worship

 

Chalice Lighting                                   Julia Jonathan

 

*Opening Hymn                                   #51 Lady of the Seasons’ Laughter

 

*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                                  The Listening Walk                                                                           Paul Showers

 

Song of Blessing                                  From You I Receive                                                         Joseph & Nathan Segal

                                                                 From you I receive, to you I give,

                                                                 Together we share, and from this, we live.

 

Life Together

 

Pulpit Message                                      Board of Directors

                                                                  Ron Crane

 

Offering

 

Responsive Reading                           #614 The Sacred Hoop                                                                            Black Elk

 

Devotional Time

 

Silence

Sung Response                                     Meditation on Breathing                                                          Sarah Dan Jones

                                                                  When I breathe in, I breathe in peace.

                                                                  When I breathe out, I breathe out love.

 

Music for the Morning

 

Sermon                                                   The Longest Day                                                     Rev. Rebecca Benefiel Bijur

 

*Closing Hymn                                      #301 Touch the Earth, Reach the Sky!

 

*Benediction

 

Musical Response

 

*Please stand in body or in spirit

 

Greeters:                                                Glen Howell, Kris Langabeer, Michael Young & Steve Young

Ushers:                                                  Tom Foretich & Kit Shaw

Coffee:                                                   Sheila Bjornlie & Sylvia Young

Welcome Table:                                    Kris Langabeer

Bookstore:                                             Mark Warkentin

 

Today 60% of our non-pledge offering will go to Common Ground: the Westside HIV Community

Center, now housed at Venice Family Clinic. Common Ground is the only HIV agency on the Westside

of Los Angeles. Common Ground is committed to helping everyone know their HIV status and making

sure that people living with the virus find – and stay connected to – medical care.

 

Thank you to Dan Patterson for chalking our Summer Solstice Labyrinth in the courtyard. Walking the

labyrinth puts contemporary people in touch with a ritual that dates back thousands of years. It's an

ancient spiritual pathway used for meditation, relaxation and insight. Many versions of the pathway

have appeared in diverse cultures across the globe from Crete to native America. This labyrinth

pattern is similar to the Labyrinth pattern on the floor of the Chartres Cathedral in France, circa 1220.

Today, we invite you to walk the labyrinth slowly and mindfully, in three stages:

 

          1. Moving towards the center, gently release cares and concerns you are carrying with you today.

          2. In the center, pause to be present in the moment for three deep breaths in and out. You may also

               want to listen to the world around you during this time.

          3. On the way out, you may experience a shift in your cares and concerns.

 

Thank you to the Labyrinth Project of the UU Church of Arlington, VA, for this labyrinth meditation.