Ray Owens explains how the most recent Congregational Survey will help form our church future. For those of you who would like to attend a live presentation with a Q and A time following, it will be on Wednesday, February 17, from 6:30-8:00. The link is https://zoom.us/j/94303826410?pwd=WlJHVkF6MlQxQW5ibzVtVytrWlo0Zz09.
News & Events
Congregational Survey
Congregational survey from January 2021
Worship
February 7, 2021
“The day misspent,
the love misplaced,
has inside it
the seed of redemption.
Nothing is exempt
from resurrection.”
~ Kay Ryan
“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of the intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the beauty in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know that one life has breathed easier because you lived here. This is to have succeeded.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
“I take literally the statement in the Gospel of John that God loves the world. I believe that the world was created and approved by love, that it subsists, coheres, and endures by love, and that, insofar as it is redeemable, it can be redeemed only by love.”
~ Wendell Berry
“You cannot mend the chromosome, quell the earthquake, or stanch the flood. You cannot atone for the dead tyrants’ murders and you alone cannot stop living tyrants. As Martin Buber saw it, the world of ordinary days “affords” us that precise association with god that redeems both us and our speck of world. God entrusts and allots to everyone an area to redeem.
~ Annie Dillard
Announcements
Prayer Ministry
We have a wonderful team of folk here at LGUMC who would love to be praying for you or for those who are most on your heart. Send your prayer requests to l.e.stocking@comcast.net. If you could get your prayers to them by Sunday night, to be sent out on Monday, that would be great. However, they are at the ready to send out prayers at other times when there is a time sensitive request.
Matching Gifts
Thanks to those of you who have already responded to the generous offer of matching funds for up to $12,500 to close our budget gap for 2021. There is still time to donate before the February 10 deadline. Just write “gift” on the subject line of your check.
Prelude
Kevin McCullough
Call to Worship
Live in God’s love!
Let that love be poured out for all God’s people!
Bring hope and peace to all whom you meet.
We are called to be God’s witnesses.
Celebrate and rejoice.
Praise be to God who has called, healed, and given us a ministry of peace. AMEN.
Songs
Praise Band
“Redeemer”
“I Can Sing of Your Love Forever”
Time for Kids
Shelley Ahn-Wong, Children’s Ministry Director
Scripture Lesson
Ruth 4:1-12
Message
Pastor Kate Conolly
“Redemption”
Offering Prayer
God of grace and mercy, you are the source of the true healing that can make us whole. We remember this morning that Jesus’ ministry was deeply involved in both healing of people’s bodies and healing of relationships. As we take time now in worship to offer our gifts to you, we pray that they might be used to bring healing – of body, of spirit, of broken relationships – to people who are in desperate need. This we pray this in Jesus’ holy name. Amen.
Offertory
Praise Band
“Draw a Circle”
Sharing of Joys and Concerns
Pastoral Prayer
The Lord’s Prayer
Celebration of Holy Communion
Song
Praise Band
“Lean on Me”
Sending Forth
Being washed in the love of Christ, now go into this world with the healing love of God to be given generously in peace and hope. God’s peace will always be with those who live in God’s love. AMEN.
Postlude
Kevin McCullough
Spire
Live-stream worship, Sunday, January 31, 2021
LGUMC live-stream worship service with Pastor Kate Conolly. Los Gatos, California. Also included: Gail Hybarger, Joyce Rhodes, Gareth Williams, Greg Cook, Cindy Cook, and Pam Parisi. Thank you to the Flower Committee for altar and flower arrangements. www.LGUMC.org
Worship
January 31, 2021
“When you walk to the edge of all the light you have and take that first step into the darkness of the unknown, you must believe that one of two things will happen. There will be something solid for you to stand upon or you will be taught to fly.”
~ Patrick Overton
“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries.
Without them, humanity cannot survive.”
~ His Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV
“The willingness to show up changes us, it makes us a little braver each time.”
~ Brené Brown
“Love creates a communion with life. Love expands us, connects us, sweetens us, ennobles us. Love springs up in tender concern, it blossoms into caring action. It makes beauty out of all we touch. In any moment we can step beyond our small self and embrace each other as beloved parts of a whole.”
~ Jack Kornfield
Announcements
Moment for Mission
Live Oak Nutrition Center
Call to Worship
God of the open road,
God of the twisting path,
God of the narrow and upward way,
your people are gathered for worship!
In this hour, give us provision for the journey,
courage and faith and compassion,
and endurance to face any hardship.
Open our eyes to see you walking beside us,
protecting us, encouraging us, loving us.
Let us worship our God of Loving Kindness.
Hymn
“O God, Our Help in Ages Past” ~ UMH #117 vs. 1, 2
Time for Kids
Pastor Kate
Scripture Lesson
Ruth 3:1-13
Message
Pastor Kate Conolly
“Risky Business”
Offering Prayer
God, we give you thanks for the gift of your steadfast love and for giving us role models such as Ruth and Boaz. Help us to live a life of generosity, mercy, and compassion, as they did. Bless what we give this day and help us be faithful in the use of all our resources. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.
Sharing of Joys and Concerns
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn
“Great is Thy Faithfulness” ~ UMH #140 vs. 1, 3
Sending Forth
We’ve heard God’s story of Hesed through the lives of Ruth and Boaz—
a story of love and faithfulness,
of mercy and compassion.
As God’s people, we are called to bring this story to the world,
to tell and re-tell it by our words and our actions,
so that others may hear and join the story, too.
So go from here with joy and courage,
strengthened and sustained in your storytelling
by the grace of God,
the love of Jesus Christ,
and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Wednesday’s Catch-up, January 27, 2009
This week’s Wednesday’s Catch-up is with one of LGUMC’s mission projects. See their new social-media video. For more info. go to www.GracePreschoolLosGatos.com
Bulletin
January 24, 2021
“You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world’s problems at once but don’t ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.”
~ Michelle Obama
“Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: you don’t give up.”
~ Anne Lamott
“Darkness comes. In the middle of it, the future looks blank. The temptation to quit is huge. Don’t. You are in good company… You will argue with yourself that there is no way forward. But with God, nothing is impossible. He has more ropes and ladders and tunnels out of pits than you can conceive. Wait. Pray without ceasing. Hope.”
~ John Piper
“Our human compassion binds us the one to the other – not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future.”
~ Nelson Mandela
Prelude
Kevin McCullough
Call to Worship
Songs
Time for Youth
Robbie Frederiksen, Youth Ministry Director
Scripture Lesson
Read by Tom Waldrop
Ruth 2:17-23
Message
“Glimpses of Future Hope”
Offering Prayer
We give our offering hopefully,
hoping that you can use these gifts
hoping that these gifts can further your kingdom
hoping that your kingdom will come.
Your kingdom, your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Amen.
Sharing of Joys and Concerns
The Lord’s Prayer
Song
Sending Forth
May the God of hope,
the God of “Hesed” – of loving kindness,
the God of second chances,
the God of resurrection
bless you with strength and courage
today, and all the days of your life.
Amen.
Postlude
Kevin McCullough