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Gathering Hymn

 

This is my song, O God of all the nations,

A song of peace for lands afar and mine.

This is my home, the country where my heart is;

Here are my hopes, my dreams, my holy shrine;

But other hearts in other lands are beating

With hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.

Welcome

                                                              Rev. Rebecca Benefiel Bijur                                                    

Prelude (9:00)

Choral Prelude (11:00)

The Greatest Love of All                                        Whitney Houston

Lift Every Voice and Sing                                                       Johnson

Chalice Lighting

Eve Ahlers & Bill Nunan (9:00)

Edgar Hirst (11:00)

Opening Hymn #149

                                   #360

Lift Every Voice and Sing (9:00)

Here We Have Gathered (11:00)                                                  

Covenant

 

Love is the doctrine of this church.     

The quest of 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, good will on earth be sung

Through every land, by every tongue.                ~ based on Isaac Watts

Offering for the Westside Food Bank

Time for All Ages

Squeak, Rumble, Whomp, Whomp, Whomp!     Wynton Marsalis

presented by DeReau Farrar, Director of Music and

Dr. Irene C. Gregorio- Stoup, Associate Director of Music

Song of Blessing

Go now in peace, go now in peace,

May the spirit of love surround you,

As you go, as you go, on your way.                            ~ Natalie Sleeth

A Time for Community

 

Offertory                        

This Will Be                          Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancey

VanNessa Hulme, soprano and Jyvonne Haskin, alto                                                         

Devotional Time

  Pastoral Prayer

   Silence

   Hymn #83

 

Forrest Church

 

Winds Be Still

Reading

Poem for Flight                                                            Becky Birtha

Music for the Morning (9:00)

Choral Anthem (11:00)

Interlude                                                                  Brian Hargrove

Will You Be There?                                               Michael Jackson

Sermon

"When Change Is Hard"                   Rev. Rebecca Benefiel Bijur                                                    

Closing Hymn #1017

Building A New Way

Benediction

 

Postlude (9:00)

Choral Postlude (11:00)

They Won’t Go When I Go                                    Stevie Wonder

People, Get Ready                  Curtis Mayfield, arr. Steve Wight

Extinguishing the Chalice

 

Gathering Hymn

 

Gathered here in the mystery of the hour,

Gathered here in one strong body.

Gathered here, in the struggle and the power,

Spirit, draw near.

Welcome

Catherine Farmer Loya, Director of Religious Education                                                    

Prelude (9:00)

Choral Prelude (11:00)

I've Been 'Buked and I've Been Scorned         arr. Calvin Taylor

Lift Every Voice and Sing                                                   Johnson                                

Chalice Lighting

James Witker (11:00)

Opening Hymn #6

Just as Long as I Have Breath

Covenant

 

Love is the doctrine of this church.     

The quest of 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, good will on earth be sung

Through every land, by every tongue.           ~ based on Isaac Watts

Offering for the Westside Food Bank

Time for All Ages

DeReau Farrar, Director of Music

Song of Blessing

Go now in peace,

Go now in peace,

May the spirit of love surround you

As you go, as you go

On your way.                                                                    ~ Natalie Sleeth

A Time for Community

 

Offertory                        

Walk Around Heaven All Day                          James Cleveland

Tommy Dodson, vocalist

Prayer and Meditation

  Spoken

  Silent

  Hymn #391

 

 

 

Voice Still and Small

Reading

 

Music for the Morning (9:00)

Choral Anthem            (11:00)

How I Got Over                                                             Clara Ward

He Never Failed Me Yet                                               Robert Ray

Sermon

"What We Choose”                                  Catherine Farmer Loya                                  

Closing Hymn #112

Do You Hear?

Benediction

 

Postlude                          (9:00)

                                       (11:00)

Higher Ground                                                     arr. Mark Hayes

The Storm Is Passing Over                                  Charles Tindley

Extinguishing the Chalice

 

Gathering Hymn

 

Come, come whoever you are,

Wanderer, worshipper, lover of leaving.

Ours is no caravan of despair,

Come, yet again come.

 

Ven, ven, cual eres, ven,

Nómada_en búsqueda, si_amas la vida.

La nuestra­_es la caravana de_amor,

Ven, otra vez ven.

Welcome

                                                              Rev. Rebecca Benefiel Bijur                                                    

Prelude (9:00)

Choral Prelude (11:00)

Hymn to Freedom                                                   Oscar Peterson

Lift Every Voice and Sing                                                   Johnson                                

Chalice Lighting

 

Opening Hymn

We’re Gonna Sit at the Welcome Table

Covenant

 

Love is the doctrine of this church.     

The quest of 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, good will on earth be sung

Through every land, by every tongue.           ~ based on Isaac Watts

Offering for the Westside Food Bank

Time for All Ages

 

Song of Blessing [1011]

Return again, return again, return to the home of your soul.

Return to who you are, return to what you are,

Return to where you are born and reborn again.

A Time for Community

 

Offertory                         

Come Sunday                                                          Duke Ellington

Everybody Rejoice (from “The Wiz”)                   Charlie Smalls

Devotional Time

  Pastoral Prayer

  Silence

  Hymn #1009

 

 

 

Meditation on Breathing

Reading

Love After Love                                                       Derek Walcott

Music for the Morning

I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart                         Duke Ellington

Teri Bond & Joe Engleman

Sermon

"Living the Questions, Loving the Questions”                           

                                                              Rev. Rebecca Benefiel Bijur                                                    

Closing Hymn #1064

Blue Boat Home

Benediction

 

Postlude                          (9:00)

                                       (11:00)

If I Had You                                                              arr. Art Tatum

What A Wonderful World       Thiele/Weiss, arr. Glenn Carlos

Extinguishing the Chalice

 

Gathering Hymn

 

Come, come whoever you are,

Wanderer, worshipper, lover of leaving.

Ours is no caravan of despair,

Come, yet again come.

 

Ven, ven, cual eres, ven,

Nómada_en búsqueda, si_amas la vida.

La nuestra­_es la caravana de_amor,

Ven, otra vez ven.

Welcome

                                                              Rev. Rebecca Benefiel Bijur                                                    

Prelude (9:00)

Choral Prelude (11:00)

Es ist ein Ros entsprungen                                 Johannes Brahms

Lift Every Voice and Sing                                                   Johnson                                

Chalice Lighting

 

Opening Hymn #298

Wake, Now, My Senses

Covenant

 

Love is the doctrine of this church.     

The quest of 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, good will on earth be sung

Through every land, by every tongue.           ~ based on Isaac Watts

Offering for the Westside Food Bank

Time for All Ages

When the Wind Stops                                      Charlotte Zolotow

read by Margot Page

Song of Blessing [1011]

Return again, return again, return to the home of your soul.

Return to who you are, return to what you are,

Return to where you are born and reborn again.

A Time for Community

 

Offertory                         

Deep River                                                  spiritual, arr. Burleigh

Tom Ahern, bass-baritone                                                     

Devotional Time

  Pastoral Prayer

  Silence

  Hymn #123

 

Victoria Safford                                                                              

 

Spirit of Life

Responsive Reading #650

Cherish Your Doubts                                         Robert T. Weston                                                 

Music for the Morning (9:00)

Choral Anthem (11:00)

Shall We Gather At the River?                         Traditional hymn

Fix Me, Jesus                                                                                Hill

Reflection

"The Benefit of the Doubt"                           

                                    Ian Dodd and Rev. Rebecca Benefiel Bijur                                                    

Closing Hymn #131

Love Will Guide Us

Benediction

 

Postlude                          (9:00)

                                       (11:00)

I'll Fly Away                                                                  A. Brumley

My Good Lord’s Done Been Here                                       Cloud

Extinguishing the Chalice

 

Gathering Hymn

 

Come, come whoever you are,

Wanderer, worshipper, lover of leaving.

Ours is no caravan of despair,

Come, yet again come.

 

Ven, ven, cual eres, ven,

Nómada en búsqueda, si amas la vida.

La nuestra es la caravana de amor,

Ven, otra vez ven.

Call To Worship

                                                              Rev. Rebecca Benefiel Bijur                                                    

Prelude (9:00)

Choral Prelude (11:00)

Saviour, Like a Shepherd Lead Us                     arr. Mark Hayes                                            

Truth Be In My Head                                                      Nicholson                                                                    

Chalice Lighting

 The Weber-Pelayo-Fouts family (9:00)

Edna Bonacich (11:00)

Opening Hymn #113

Where Is Our Holy Church?

Covenant

 

Love is the doctrine of this church.     

The quest of 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, good will on earth be sung

Through every land, by every tongue.           ~ based on Isaac Watts

Offering for the Westside Food Bank

Time for All Ages

 

Song of Blessing [1011]

Return again, return again, return to the home of your soul.

Return to who you are, return to what you are,

Return to where you are born and reborn again.

A Time for Community

 

Offertory                         (9:00)                                                                

                                       (11:00)             

Time Remembered                                                          Bill Evans

Elijah Rock                                                                          Hairston

Devotional Time

  Pastoral Prayer

  Silence

  Hymn #123

 

                                                                                

 

Spirit of Life

Reading

from The Tao Te Ching: A New English Version                                         

                                                                                Stephen Mitchell

Music for the Morning  

 

It Aint' Necessarily So (from Porgy and Bess)             Gershwin                                               

Babatunde Akinboboye, baritone soloist

Sermon

"The Quest of Truth Is Our Sacrament"                           

                                                              Rev. Rebecca Benefiel Bijur                                                     

Closing Song [1007]

There’s A River Flowin’ In My Soul

Benediction

 

Postlude                          (9:00)

                                       (11:00)

Be Thou My Vision                                                traditional Irish

Eternal Light, Shine In My Heart                                       Englert

Extinguishing the Chalice

 

Gathering Hymn

 

Oh, we give thanks for this precious day,

For all gathered here, and those far away;

For this time we share with love and care,

Oh, we give thanks for this precious day.

Welcome

                                                              Rev. Rebecca Benefiel Bijur                                                    

Prelude (9:00)

Choral Prelude (11:00)

Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen                             Spiritual                                              

Truth Be In My Head                                                      Nicholson                                                                    

Chalice Lighting

Jessica Fant-Chapin (9:00)

Claudia Dikinis (11:00)

Opening Hymn #149

Lift Every Voice and Sing

 Covenant

 

Love is the doctrine of this church.     

The quest of 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, good will on earth be sung

Through every land, by every tongue.           ~ based on Isaac Watts

Offering for the Westside Food Bank

Time for All Ages

The Sweet Smell of Roses                                     Angela Johnson

Song of Blessing

Go now in peace,

Go now in peace,

May the spirit of love surround you

As you go, as you go

On your way.                                                                   ~ Natalie Sleeth

A Time for Community

 

Offertory                         (9:00)                                                                

                                       (11:00)             

Song for the Nations                                            arr. Mark Hayes                                                            

To Walk Is By a Thought to Go                                             Snow                                      

 

Devotional Time

  Pastoral Prayer

  Silence

  Sung Meditation #199

 

                                                                                 Wayne Arnason

 

Precious Lord, Take My Hand

Responsive Reading #579

The Limits of Tyrants                                     Frederick Douglass                    

Introducing Our Speakers

Joan Verdon, UUCCSM Faith in Action Commission

Dialogue

Edward Tillmon and Nathaniel Trives, Guest Speakers

Music for the Morning

 

Make them hear you (from “Ragtime”)          Ahrens/ Flaherty

Phillip Brandon, bass soloist

Reflection

"Walking Together"                           Rev. Rebecca Benefiel Bijur                                                    

Closing Song

Guide My Feet

Benediction

 

Postlude                          (9:00)

                                       (11:00)

The People United Will Never be Defeated                   Rzewski

Walk Together, Children                                             W.H. Smith                                        

Extinguishing the Chalice

 

Gathering Hymn

 

'Tis a gift to be simple, 'tis a gift to be free,

'Tis a gift to come down where we ought to be,

And when we find ourselves in the place just right,

'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gained,

To bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed.

To turn, turn, will be our delight,

'Till by turning, turning, we come 'round right.

Welcome

                                                              Rev. Rebecca Benefiel Bijur                                                    

Prelude (9:00)

Choral Prelude (11:00)

Beautiful Love                                                             Victor Young  

Truth Be In My Head                                                      Nicholson                                                                    

Chalice Lighting

 

Opening Hymn #131

Love Will Guide Us

Covenant

 

Love is the doctrine of this church.     

The quest of 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, good will on earth be sung

Through every land, by every tongue.           ~ based on Isaac Watts

Offering for the Westside Food Bank

Time for All Ages

 

Song of Blessing

This Little Light of Mine

A Time for Community

 

Offertory                  (9:00)                                                                

                                 (11:00)             

Magnificat in G major                                         Alexandre Guilmant                                                            

"Love" from Four Sacred Songs                                                 DiOrio

Devotional Time

  Pastoral Prayer

  Sung Meditation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Silence

 

 

Come and find the quiet center in the crowded life we lead,

Find the room for hope to enter, find the frame where we are freed:

Clear the chaos and the clutter, clear our eyes that we can see

All the things that really matter, be at peace, and simply be.

 

Silence is a friend who claims us, cools the heat and slows the pace,

God it is who speaks and names us, knows our being, touches base,

Making space within our thinking, lifting shades to show the sun,

Raising courage when we’re shrinking, finding scope for faith begun.

 

                    ~  lyrics by Shirley Murray, music attributed to B.F. White

Reading

Blessed Are Those 

             Rev. John Buehrens,  former President of the Unitarian

             Universalist Association                    

Music for the Morning

 

The Prayer                                                                                      Foster

VanNessa Hulme, soprano and Gabriel Paredes, tenor

Sermon

"Love Will Guide Us"                               Rev. Rebecca Benefiel Bijur                                                     

Closing Song

Come and Go With Me

Benediction

 

Postlude (9:00)

Choral Postlude (11:00)

Teardrop                                                                        Brian Hargrove

Greater Love Hath No One                                                        Ireland

Extinguishing the Chalice

 

Welcome

Rob Briner, pulpit host

Prelude (9:00)

Choral Introit (11:00)

Vidalia                                                                                Ginastera

Truth Be In My Head                                                      Nicholson

Chalice Lighting

 

 Opening Hymn #190

Light of Ages and of Nations

Covenant

 

Love is the doctrine of this church.     

The quest of 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, good will on earth be sung

Through every land, by every tongue.                  ~ based on Isaac Watts

Offering for the Westside Food Bank

Story for All Ages

“Owly”                                                       Mike Thayer (adapted)

told by Catherine Farmer Loya

Song of Blessing

Go now in peace,

Go now in peace,

May the spirit of love surround you

As you go, as you go

On your way.                                                                   ~ Natalie Sleeth

 A Time for Community

Offertory                         (9:00)

                                       (11:00)

Andante                                                                             Bruckner

Shaker Gifts                                                                      Crawford

Silence and Meditation

                                           

Music for the Morning (9:00)

Choral Anthem (11:00)

Reverie                                                                                 Debussy

Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life                Vaughn Williams

Sermon

“Arbitrage: Lying for the Greater Good” 

                                                                           Rev. Silvio Nardoni

Closing Hymn #293

O Star of Truth

 Benediction

Postlude

My Dear Acquaintance                                                       Spektor

Irene Gregorio-Stoup, piano                                     

Extinguishing the Chalice

 

Gathering Hymn

 

Gathered here in the mystery of the hour,

Gathered here in one strong body,

Gathered here in the struggle and the power,

Spirit, draw near.

Welcome                                      

Prelude

 

Chalice Lighting

Rima Snyder

 Opening Song

Round and Round

Round and round the earth is turning

Turning always round to darkness,

And from darkness round to light.

Covenant

 

Love is the doctrine of this church.     

The quest of 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, good will on earth be sung

Through every land, by every tongue.     

~ based on Isaac Watts

Offering for the Westside Food Bank

Story for All Ages 

"Persephone and the Pomegranate"                      Kris Waldherr

A Time for Community

Offertory

Silence and Meditation

Reading

"Making Peace with the Darkness" 

adapted from a sermon by Rev. Fred Hammond given 

at the UU congregation of Tuscaloosa December 13, 2009

Hymn #55

Dark of Winter

Writing of Intentions

Closing Chants

Kore Evohe

Light is Returning

 

Light is returning, even though this is the darkest hour

No one can hold back the dawn.

 

Let's keep it burning, let's keep the light of hope alive,

Make safe our journey through the storm.

 

One planet is turning, circling in her path around the sun

Earth mother is calling her children home.

Extinguishing the Chalice

 

Gathering Hymn

 

Love will guide us, peace has tried us,

Hope inside us will lead the way

On the road from greed to giving.

Love will guide us through the hard night.

Welcome

Rev. Rebecca Benefiel Bijur

Prelude (9:00)

Choral Introit (11:00)

Fugue on the Theme of a Russian Noel              Reinhold Gliere

People, Look East                                                                  Farjeon

Chalice Lighting

 

Opening Hymn # 112

Do You Hear?

Covenant

 

Love is the doctrine of this church.     

The quest of 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, good will on earth be sung

Through every land, by every tongue.                  ~ based on Isaac Watts

Offering for the Westside Food Bank

Time for All Ages

Welcoming Roxanne Coleman-Bell, Preschool Teacher

Song of Blessing

Go now in peace,

Go now in peace,

May the spirit of love surround you

As you go, as you go

On your way.                                                                   ~ Natalie Sleeth

 A Time for Community

Offertory                         (9:00)

                                       (11:00)

Doce Preludios Americanos, No. 5                 Alberto Ginastera

Ubi Caritas                                                                           Durufle

Devotional Time

    Spoken Meditation

    Sung Meditation #1031

    Silence

 

                                           

Filled with Loving Kindness

Reading

from Tattoos on the Heart                                         Gregory Boyle

Music for the Morning

I'll Be There                                                                             GordyGabriel Paredes, tenor

Sermon

“Putting on the Gold Coat”                                            

Michael Eselun

Closing Song

Comfort Me

Benediction

Postlude

Intermezzo in A Major                                       Johannes Brahms

Extinguishing the Chalice