March 18, :30 am

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1 March 18, :30 am Lector Kathy Ury Acolyte Emily Letchworth Greeter Shirley Faust Ushers Rose Brockhouse, Rick Happel Offering Stewards Marie Andel, Barb Black Sunday School Teacher Sharon Danyluck Sound System Isaac Grimm, Murray Pounds Coffee Hour Rick & Carol Bender Kirkwood United Church of Christ 1603 Dougherty Ferry Road Kirkwood, MO Website Phone (314) CHURCH STAFF Betsy Happel, Pastor Donna Bay, Administrative Assistant Scott Kinworthy, Director of Music Jerri Davenport, Student Pastor Ron Bryant, Accompanist Jennifer Brockhouse, Nursery Care Giver MINISTERS The Whole Congregation Facebook us No matter who you are, or where you are on life s journey, you are welcome here! OUR WELCOMING STATEMENT Kirkwood United Church of Christ is called by God to be an open, diverse and caring community of Jesus disciples. In following Christ s commandment to love one another, we welcome all who wish to share in the fellowship, membership, leadership, worship, ministry, sacraments, rites, responsibilities and blessings of our faith community. As we affirm that every person is a child of God, no one is excluded, regardless of race, ethnic or socio-economic background, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental ability, nationality, or faith background. We are an Open and Affirming and an Immigrant Welcoming congregation. All are welcome here! 1

2 GUIDE FOR WORSHIP Hearing assistance is available, please see an usher Please join in responses printed in bold lettering *All who are able, please stand Welcome Those seated on the aisle, please fill out the welcome sheet on the clipboard in the pew rack, and pass it to the next person. Request: the last person to sign, please put the sheet in plate. Thank you. Prelude *Call to Worship We are pulled in many directions. Many duties and tasks seek to lay claim on our lives. This day, in this place, let service to God be your choice. This day, in this place, we open our hearts and spirits to God. Blessed be the God of creation who has called us here. Praise be to God who sustains and nurtures our lives. Amen. *Opening Hymn "My God, Accept My Heart This Day" Page 4 *Gathering Prayer Children s Time God of grace and truth, we come to your house today to worship you. We bring all of ourselves to you, all of the good, the bad, and the ugly. We entrust our hidden, fearful, and fragile selves to your transforming power and gentle, loving care. Blessing, glory, and honor are yours alone. Thank you for the many ways your Spirit breaks into our lives and into this troubled world. We offer this prayer in the name of the One in whom we place all our cherished hopes for progress in our nation and world whose name is above every name, Jesus the Christ. Amen. 2 Barb Thompson Scripture Reading Joshua 24:14-15 Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. [And he said to them] Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.

3 Romans 7:18-19 For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Isaiah 30:19-21 Truly, O people in Zion, inhabitants of Jerusalem, you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when he hears it, he will answer you. And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way; walk in it. Message It's Not a One Way Street Song for Reflection "Teach Me, O Lord, Your Holy Way" Page 5 Prayers of the People/Lord s Prayer Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kindom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kindom and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. Moment for Mission Blessing of Easter Outfits Invitation to the Offering As we give You thanks in our tithes and offerings, Oh Lord, let us also commit the use of our mind, heart, and lives in service to you. Thanks be to you, Oh God, for your many blessings. Offertory *Doxology Accept, O God, the Gifts We Bring Page 6 *Prayer of Dedication *Blessing and Commissioning Great Provider, bless these offerings and multiply them according to your will. May they restore hope and wholeness to those who benefit from them. In Christ s name, we pray. Amen. *Hymn of Recession "Living in the Light" Page 7 Postlude Sources: Call to Worship by Nancy C. Townley, and posted on the Worship Connection page of the Ministry Matters website. Gathering Prayer and Prayer of Dedication adapted from Worship Ways at UCC.org 3

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8 KUCC CALENDAR OF EVENTS *Names in italics with an asterisk are community groups which use our facilities. SUNDAY, MARCH 18 7:15 am Group leaves to cook food 9:30 am Worship 10:30 am Coffee Hour 10:45 am Adult Ed MONDAY, MARCH 19 10:00 am Al-Anon* 1:00 pm Book Club* 7:00 pm SLAA* 7:00 pm COSA* TUESDAY, MARCH 20 11:15 am Al-Anon* 6:00 pm Yoga* 7:00 pm Church Council WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21 10:00 am Adult Faith Formation 4:00 pm Meditation Group 6:00 pm Dinner & Discussion 6:30 pm Al-Anon* THURSDAY, MARCH 22 11:15 am Al-Anon* 7:15 pm Choir FRIDAY, MARCH 23 7:25 pm Volleyball SATURDAY, MARCH 24 10:00 am Al-Anon* SUNDAY, MARCH 25 9:30 am Worship-Palm Sunday 10:30 am Coffee Hour 10:45 am Adult Ed 8

9 NEWS SPONSORED BY KUCC SUNDAY MORNING ADULT EDUCATION CLASSES: FAITHFUL APPROACHES TO LIFE S TRANSITIONS - March 18, 25 During the month of March, we will explore many of our typical transitions in life and how our faith can help us navigate these. Topics to be covered include: - What Do I Do Now: creating life in a new chapter, exploring the role faith plays in choosing next steps in life, learning surprising ways today effects tomorrow. - Deciding to Decide: discussing ways to discern God s purpose, creating your own definitions of success, identity and roles. - How Loss Can Mean Gain: investigating steps for facing fears and gaining wisdom, practicing using tools for making good decisions - Taking Action: finding ways to step over the threshold of anxiety, discovering ways of embracing prayer and building trust in God. This course will be led by Jan Aerie, MS, family counselor and gerontologist, and former UCC national staff member. Trained in community health planning, family counseling and gerontology, Jan has authored curricula, taught service providers, and presented hundreds of workshops on many aspects of family dynamics, healthy communication, and aging. Join in for lively discussions, thoughtful sharing, and compelling stories. EASTER (NO CLASS) - April 1 THE JESUS FATWAH: LOVE YOUR (MUSLIM) NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF April 8, 15, 22, 29, May 6 In Arabic, the word "fatwah" simply means "opinion," and, in a religious context, a fatwah is a spiritually instructive opinion, usually given as the answer to a question about religious law. Jesus was a master of the art of fatwah. He didn't invent his opinions about loving God or loving one's neighbors. Rather, he found and quoted passages from his sacred text, the Jewish Torah. Five centuries later Mohammad endorsed this Jesus fatwah. It is especially important for Christians to express faithfulness to the Jesus fatwah by loving their Muslim neighbors, a process that begins when we learn who Muslims are and what Muslims actually believe. This course will utilize DVD presentations from the Living the Questions series that KUCC has used & enjoyed in the past. Come join us & learn about Islam! WEDNESDAY 3/21 DINNER & DISCUSSION: COMMITTING TO GOD'S MOVEMENT Each Wednesday evening during Lent we will have the opportunity to gather for a meal, followed by discussions in small groups about the Lenten theme presented in worship the previous Sunday. This coming Wednesday we will reflect on the challenges of committing to your faith in this secular world. We ll start with a simple meal of soup, salad and bread at 6:00 pm, followed by conversation that will conclude by 7:30 pm. Please see the sheet on the bulletin board for sign-ups to bring food. These Wednesday gatherings are providing a great opportunity for meaningful fellowship. We hope you can join in. 9

10 IMMIGRATION March 22, & pm - Eliot Unitarian Chapel, Kirkwood As people rooted in compassionate action, what is required of us? To do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly. This call to loving action echoes through every age, and in each season of our lives we must consider how to respond. In this course, congregations will learn more about the historical context of Latin American immigration to the US, the current state of US border and immigration policy, and the local impacts of these policies. We will also discuss how the orienting stories of our different congregations all point us toward honoring the human dignity of all and welcoming the strangers among us. Course Objectives: 1. Learn about the history of US involvement & intervention in Latin America as well as the role of our faith-based institutions 2. Review US immigration policy and impacts, and faith teaching on migration 3. Contextualize this history in current immigrant realities of St. Louis 4. Evaluate: How am I/are we called to respond? IFCLA is honored to partner with Kirkwood United Church of Christ, Eliot Unitarian Universalist Chapel, and Congregation Shaare Emeth to offer a 3-week course on immigration. The course will be led by Sara John, Program Coordinator of the St. Louis Inter-Faith Committee on Latin America (IFCLA). Course materials will include academic articles, personal reflections, multi-faith perspectives, podcasts, films, and more. We will continue meeting for 2 hours Thursday, March 22 & 29, and will also include 1-2 hours of suggested reading/watching/listening and reflection to be done in between the meetings. Our time together will focus on discussion, small group work, and reflection. All are welcome! Please kindly RSVP on our Facebook event, hosted by IFCLA, KUCC, Eliot UU, and Shaare Emeth, OR sign the sheet on the bulletin board in the Gathering Area. Feel free to contact theresa@ifcla.net with questions! GOOD FRIDAY PRAYER VIGIL March 30 Thirty minutes of peace and quiet - and an opportunity to carry forth God's spirit into the world around you. As part of our Holy Week activities, a 12-hour prayer vigil will be held in the KUCC sanctuary from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm on Friday, March 30th. If you would like to help keep this prayer chain going, we encourage you to sign up for a 30-minute slot on the sign-up sheet posted on the bulletin board in the gathering area. Prayer can also be done at home, at work, in a garden...if you will be praying outside of the KUCC sanctuary, please indicate so on the sign-up sheet. There will be candles to light, quiet music and privacy in KUCC's sanctuary all that day. All are welcome. GOOD FRIDAY TENEBRAE SERVICE March 30 at 7:00pm - childcare will be provided Scripture and music tell the passion story during this meaningful service, with the extinguishing of candles as we go. We will end the service by gathering in the common area as the final candle is blown out, and exit in silence. PROGRESSIVE DINNER 2018: FOOD, FUN, & FELLOWSHIP! April 7 KUCC s Annual Progressive Dinner will be Saturday evening, April 7. All participants will meet at the home of Lynn Piening (309 E. Bodley in Kirkwood) at 5 pm for appetizers. Then we ll break up into smaller groups, usually 6-10 folks, for our meal, held at several homes. The evening will end with all reconvening for dessert at our newly renovated KUCC home! Throughout the evening there will be wonderful food, some prepared by the dinner participants, some catered to lighten the load for all. We could still use one or two more hosts to accommodate a group of 6-12 for the dinner course you specify the number that is comfortable for you. Hosts for a dinner group provide table settings, coffee/tea and bread; the main course is catered, with 10

11 guests bringing the side dishes. If you are not hosting a dinner, you will be asked to bring something to serve approximately ten: an appetizer, a side dish for dinner, or a dessert. Your host will call you early in the week of April 2 to let you know where you will have dinner and what you should plan to bring. Please sign up on the sheet posted on the bulletin board in the gathering area, indicating how many will attend in your party and whether you can help by hosting. The price is $15.00 per person, paid at the appetizer house. ALL adults and friends of adults at KUCC are encouraged to attend, both singles and couples! Contact Sharon Danyluck ( ), Barb Harris ( ), or Larry Willman ( ) if you have questions. The Progressive Dinner is a great way to get to know others in the KUCC community and have an enjoyable meal in the process. Mark your calendar and save April 7. Great conversation, delicious foods, and loads of laughter await you. WOMEN'S RETREAT AT CAMP MO-VAL, April 27, 28, 29 Please consider joining the small group of us that typically attends this Missouri Mid-South Conference event. We would love for more women from KUCC to experience this! This year's theme is "Bridge Over Troubled Water." Our own Susan Drake and Juile Jennings are part of the music/leadership. Look for a brochure on the bulletin board and/or contact Kathy Ury, urys984can@aol.com, for more information. KUCC CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING TIME CHANGE The Church Council will meet on the 3rd Tuesday of every month going forward. Our next council meeting is scheduled for March 20 th. Meetings begin at 7:00pm. All are welcome to attend! COFFEE HOUR HOSTS Please consider joining the Coffee Hour team! Participation offers a fun and easy opportunity to build community. At most, a team member is scheduled for the limited tasks one Sunday every couple of months (even less frequently with more volunteers). Virginia Okoloko will happily provide additional information. (vokoloko@aol.com) DIGITAL WORSHIP BULLETINS Digital KUCC bulletins are available for Sunday morning worship. If you would like to receive them, please contact Donna at donna@kirkwooducc.org to be put on the list. On Friday you will receive it in your . OTHER EVENTS SHEPHERD'S CENTER CHEF WARS 2018 April 15 Relax and enjoy some of the finest dishes prepared by Master Chefs from our most prestigious senior living communities Sunday, Apirl 15 from 5:30-8:00 pm at Kirkwood Community Center, 111 S. Geyer Road Tickets are on sale and seating is limited. Proceeds support the Shepherd's Center. Tickets sold in the Shepherd's Center office or online at 11

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