News & Events

Congregational survey from January 2021

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

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.

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