Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Beloved

An Open and Affirming Beloved Faith Community Welcoming and Inclusive Theologically Progressive Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Beloved

The Lord's Day Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Beloved Ten O'clock in the Morning The Worship of God THE SERVICE OF PREPARATION Worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of the conscience by God's holiness; the nourishment of the mind with God's truth; the purifying of the imagination by God's beauty; the opening of the heart to God's love; the surrender of the will to God's purpose and all of this gathered up in adoration. ~ William Temple Prologue As we approach the table today, our thoughts are directed to the wisdom literature in the Hebrew scriptures, particularly from the book known as the Song of Solomon, or as the Jewish faithful prefer to call it, Song of Songs. The ancient Israelites interpreted this text as a love story describing the covenant relationship of Yahweh to the chosen people. The early Church interpreted this narrative as a description of the intimacy between Christ and the Church. Both understandings are inadequate, revealing excessively elaborate whimsical thinking, extravagant metaphorical embellishments demanding the wildest interpretive imagination, incredible leaps and bounds of unbridled poetic license. At its pure essence, this beautifully written composition is a story of human love, a love story. It is an allegory describing the beloved's yearning for the beloved! And, couldn't we all use a little more love today? The Gathering Music The Call to Worship and Welcome The Spirit of the still speaking God be with you! And also with you. The Music for Organ How Deep the Father's Love Alex Christianson The Lighting of the Altar Candles The Opening of the Lectern Bible The Gathering Look, our beloved comes leaping upon the mountains, bounding over the hills, to be near us in this holy hour. The beloved One speaks and says to all, "Arise my love, my fair ones, and come away." Signs are all around us declaring, "The time of singing has come." Arise and come away in the presence of the Holy, the One whose grace and blessings endure forever and ever. Let us worship God!

Give Me a Clean Heart Margaret J. Douroux Chancel Choir Give me a clean heart so I may serve You. God, fix my heart so that I may be used by You. For I'm not worthy of all these blessings. Give me a clean heart and I'll follow You. The Choral Introit The Collect God of grace and blessing, we gather to worship our beloved this day, to hear Your voice in our midst; pour out Your grace upon us in this place, beloved God, as we sing our praise to You; we long for the voice of the beloved in this sacred setting, that You would leap upon the mountains, lovingly gazing upon us, that we might experience Your holy presence; come away our love, fairest creator, and speak softly to us in these precious moments; may the religious expression we bring to this place be pure and undefiled before You; all this we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the holy and still speaking Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. THE SERVICE OF PRAISE t The Processional Hymn Love Divine, All Loves Excelling BEECHER t The Litany of Praise Our hearts overflow with a goodly theme! The verses of our hearts are addressed to the Holy One, our beloved! Our tongues are like the pen of a ready scribe. God hears our utmost intimate song! God's grace is poured out upon us all! 2

The Lord has blessed us forever and ever, ruling with equity and righteousness in the courts of the Lord! The Holy One anoints us with the oil of gladness, clothing us with the fragrance of myrrh and aloes and cassia! With stringed instruments we make glad our offerings to the One who blesses us and graces us with overflowing abundance! The beloved instills within us the ability to bless, the gift of religion that is pure and undefiled before God. Praise the Lord! t The Gloria GREATOREX THE SERVICE OF CONFESSION The Call to Confession 1 Do we honor God only with our lips while keeping our hearts from the Holy One? Do we deceive ourselves, thinking our religion is pure? Do we trust in the One who seeks to make us whole? In the silence and stillness of our moments together, let us confess before the Holy. The Silent Confession The Corporate Confession 2 Let us pray to the Lord: Beloved God, loving leader of Your children, we hear Your words every day, but rarely actualize them in our lives. Our anger often roars like a flooded creek, but more often than not our forgiveness drips like a rusty faucet. Our impetuous tongues are quick to rush to judgment while our words of hope sound like a sluggish soundtrack. We listen with impatient ears to the cries of the poor. God of lights, may Your mercy fall on us like a summer shower on parched grass. May Your beloved Child, Christ Jesus, speak to us and call us to life. 3

The Kyrie arr. David N. Johnson The Assurance of Pardon 3 Beloved faith community, hear the good news! The voice of the Beloved speaks to us, implanting the word of hope, the word of grace, and the word of forgiveness into our hearts. We listen and understand. Every gift comes from God, especially the gifts of mercy and love. Thanks be to God, we are forgiven and empowered. THE SERVICE OF THE WORD The Witness from the Hebrew Scriptures * SONG OF SOLOMON 2:8-13 The voice of my beloved! Look, he comes, leaping upon the mountains, bounding over the hills. My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Look, there he stands behind our wall, gazing in at the windows, looking through the lattice. My beloved speaks and says to me: "Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; for now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtle-dove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. Listen to what the Spirit of the still speaking God is saying. Thanks be to God! The Response, PSALM 45:1-2, 6-9 SONG 13 How Our Hearts with Joy Abound 4

The Witness from the Epistles JAMES 1:17-27 Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. In fulfilment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures. You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God s righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act they will be blessed in their doing. If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. Listen to what the Spirit of the still speaking God is saying. Thanks be to God! t The Sequence Hymn The Gift of Love THE GIFT OF LOVE * There will be a break between verse two and verse three for the reading of the Gospel. The reading of the Gospel is read in the midst of the beloved faith community, reminding the congregation that the gospel is for all people, and that our call is to carry out its witness in the world. At this high point in the liturgy, the Gospel is not worshipped, but rather is reverenced with respect as it proclaims the ministry and mission of Jesus, represented in words attributed to Jesus. 5

t The Witness from the Gospels MARK 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands? He said to them, Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines. You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition. Then he called the crowd again and said to them, "Listen to me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile." For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person. The Gospel for today. Thanks be to God! The Homily t The Eucharistic Hymn A Love Story THE SERVICE OF COMMITMENT Draw Us in the Spirit's Tether Timothy W. Shirley UNION SEMINARY 6

t The Peace The peace of Christ always be with you. And also with you. The Concerns of the Church The Pastoral Prayer The Receiving of Our Gifts The Offertory Anthem Jo Prater, Moderator The Church of Christ, in Every Age Fred Pratt Green Chancel Choir The Church of Christ, in every age beset by change, but Spirit led, must claim and test its heritage and keep on rising form the dead. Across the world, across the street, the victims of injustice cry for shelter and for bread to eat, and never live before they die. Then let the servant Church arise, a caring Church that longs to be a partner in Christ's sacrifice, and clothed in Christ's humanity! t The Doxology OLD HUNDREDTH t The Presentation of Our Gifts t The Prayer of Thanksgiving 4 Let us be slow in our yearning to hang on to our blessings, and quick to share them with the hungry, the lonely, the forgotten, and the hurting of our world, that our gifts might become a kind of first fruits for those whose lives are lacking the gifts we so enjoy. This we pray in Jesus' name. t Amen! The Greeting 5 May the Beloved be with you! And also with you. THE SERVICE OF HOLY COMMUNION t The Sursum Corda (Lift up your hearts.) 6 Lift up your hearts, beloved of God. We lift them to the One who loves us beyond all expectations. 7

God's beloved, let us offer our thanks and praise to the Lord our God. Our voices united in joy and thanks to the One who brings us hope and healing. Our hearts overflow with praise and thanksgiving for our Beloved! The voice of wisdom spoke to chaos, calling forth the flowers of grace that bloom in our hearts. Knowing that You love righteousness as a pillar of faithfulness, You would anoint us with the oil of joy and clothe us in the robes of mercy and goodness. We know we break Your heart when we embrace the very things You hate, staining our lives. Even so, You love us and seek us out, for in Christ Jesus Your grace has defeated all evil and the risen Lord has opened the way to life in Your realm. So, we lift our voices in joy and hope, singing with the choirs of angels in heaven, and with all the faithful of every place and time, singing of Your glory forever. Holy, holy, holy, are You, lover of righteousness. All creation overflows with praise for You. Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is Your Beloved who anoints us with unexpected grace. Hosanna in the highest! t The Sanctus arr. Holy, Holy, Holy Lord Richard Proulx Look, He comes, leaping upon the mountains, bounding over the hills like a gazelle or a young stag! Your beloved Child, Christ Jesus, our mentor and friend, the joy of God's heart. Gazing into our souls, Jesus sees our emptiness and fills us with Your grace. Listening to our pain, He is quick to speak healing and hope to us. The perfect gift of life, He declares that any negativity consuming our past is forgotten, that death is over and gone, and that resurrection blossoms in our hearts forever. 8

The Words of Institution 7 As we approach the changing season, more and more of our time is spent indoors in much closer proximity to one another. One of the activities we enjoy is our time spent gathered around the table, sharing an intimate meal. These are the kinds of times when we wish we could bottle it, that time would stand still in these bellwether moments, times when we are reminded how precious are our relationships. Perhaps that was the setting when Jesus gathered His closest disciples for what turned out to be a final meal together. In these intimately sobering moments, Jesus illustrated the depth of His feelings for His closest friends by inviting them deeply into His being by offering elements of bread and wine as symbols of His very body and blood. In that same spirit, we gather around this table as beloved faith community and continue a practice that brings to mind the same thoughts, to our hearts the same emotions, and to our souls the same nourishment. Time evaporates in these sacred acts, creating an unbroken line of spiritual digestion. The Acclamation 8 As you have called Him beloved at His baptism, and as You raised Him from death to give us life, so we give ourselves to live for Him in grateful praise and service: Christ was born, hearing Your morning song. Christ died, doing Your will even in the moments of His despair. Christ was raised, in fulfillment of Your own purpose. Christ comes to us continually, the first fruits of our resurrection. The Prayer of Consecration 9 Dearly Beloved, pour out Your holy and still speaking Spirit upon those who gather around Your table, and upon the gifts of bread and wine. As holy elements, they represent the very body of Your servant, Jesus, and the eternal spirit of Your compassion. May they empower all of us to become the healing and hope the world longs for in our time. As You touch our lips with Your life, may we be quick to speak of justice. As You pour grace into our hearts, may we be the doers of Your word, those whose hands are stained by generous acts of kindness: feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, lifting the fallen to their feet, and comforting all who are broken. Then, when Your holy and still speaking Spirit unites us at Your table in Your eternal realm, as we clasp hands with all Your beloved, we will sing Your glory forever and ever: God in beloved faith community, holy in One. Amen. The Lord's Prayer And now, with confidence as the children of God in beloved faith community, let us pray the prayer that Jesus taught with words like these: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. 9

Alleluia. The Table has been set and Christ invites us to join Him here. Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia. Communion will be served by intinction at the Chancel. You are invited to come forward to receive the Eucharist. If you prefer, a member of the Diaconate will be glad to serve you at your pew. Wine is offered from the Pulpit or Gospel side, while grape juice is available from the Lectern or Epistle side. Individually-wrapped gluten-free wafers are available. Everyone is invited to partake of the elements as you receive them. The Invitation to the Table The Sharing of the Eucharist The Music for Communion Where Abideth Charity and Love Charles Callahan The Post-Communion Prayer 10 Beloved of the beloved, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food that nourishes our souls for the living of these days and for a lifetime, the holy drink that quenches our thirst now and for all eternity. With the sustenance of Your sustaining grace, empower us in these sacred elements to live all our days to their potential, "Living fully, loving wastefully, being and becoming all we can be!" All this we pray in the name of our beloved Christ, Jesus, friend and lover of our souls. The Dismissal Let us go forth in Christ. Thanks be to God! THE SERVICE OF COMMITMENT t The Processional Hymn God of Grace and God of Glory CWM RHONDDA 10

t The Benediction 11 Arise, and let us go forth as God's people. Look! God sends us forth with songs of love on our lips. Arise, and let us go forth to serve beside Jesus. Look! He stands, waiting for us to help tear down the barriers of injustice. Arise, and let us go forth to join the generous holy and still speaking Spirit. Look! We will be doers as well as givers with our gifts. Amen and amen! The Closing of the Lectern Bible The Extinguishing of the Altar Candles The Music for Organ Postlude in D-flat Major t Those who are able are invited to stand. Alexandre Guilmant The Worship of God concludes with The Music for Organ. We invite you to be seated and reflect on today s service, preparing to process into the world, sharing the love of Jesus and the "extravagant welcome" of SouthShore United Church of Christ with everyone you meet. The congregation processes into the world to share the love of Christ and the "extravagant welcome" of SouthShore United Church of Christ with all persons everywhere. The color for the Season after Pentecost is Green, symbolizing the growth and development of the Church. Various symbols of the Trinity, such as the Trefoil and Triangle designs used in our sanctuary, remind us of the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and the Triune nature of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; Parent, Child, Advocate and Comforter; Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. Ordinary Time refers to that part of the Church Year that does not fall within one of the major seasons and does not observe any specific aspect of the Mystery of Christ. It consists of thirty-four Sundays in the liturgical year counted backwards from the Reign of Christ and emphasizes personal faith development and nurture, and the growth and enhancement of the Church and the churches. 11

Worship Notes The theme for today's worship service is Beloved! *Scripture readings are taken from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) unless otherwise noted. 1-6, 8, 9, 1 7, 10 Copyright 2015 by Thom M. Shuman, in Lectionary Liturgies, liturgies based on the Revised Common Lectionary for each Sunday of the Church Year. Http://lectionaryliturgies.blogspot.com Words of Institution; Prayer by Timothy W. Shirley; quotation by John Shelby Spong. Music Copyright Information Love Divine, All Loves Excelling. Word alterations Copyright 1992 the Pilgrim Press. Lord, Have Mercy Upon Us. Text 1974 and 1992, Presbyterian Publishing/Westminster John Knox/Geneva Press. Psalm 45. From The Psalter for Christian Worship. Witherspoon Press, 2010. Copyright 2010 Michael Morgan. Used by permission. The Gift of Love. Text and Music 1972 Hope Publishing Co. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Draw Us in the Spirit's Tether. Words Copyright 1925, Oxford University Press. Text altered by special permission of the copyright holder. Music Copyright 1957; renewed 1985 c/o CPP/Belwin, Inc. All rights reserved. The Church of Christ, in Every Age. Words copyright 1971 by Hope Publishing Co. All rights reserved. Used by permission. God of Grace and God of Glory. Words used by permission of Elinor Fosdick Downs. CCLI License #11354258. An Invitation to Our Guests: Please join us for refreshments at Coffee Hour in Hospitality Hall following Morning Worship. LITURGIST ~ Marianne Strehar LECTOR ~ John Turner CELEBRANT ~ Timothy W. Shirley GOSPELER ~ Timothy W. Shirley ORGANIST ~ Jo-Anne Winslow HOSTS ~ Betsy Hinderliter, Coordinator Patty Brandt Judy Clapp Jeanne Domonkos Don Hinderliter Bob Reter Marianne Strehar MONDAY ~ SEPTEMBER 3, L2018 CHURCH CLOSED FOR LABOR DAY HOLIDAY WEDNESDAY ~ SEPTEMBER 5, 2018 9:00 a.m. ~ Prayer Group.......... Chapel SUNDAY ~ SEPTEMBER 2, 2018 DEACONS ~ Marcia Crispino, chair Jeff Williams, c aptain Verna Barnett Patty Brandt Judy Clapp Don Hinderliter SOUND AND LIGHTING ~ Tom McCombs WEEKLY CALENDAR SUNDAY ~ SEPTEMBER 9, 2018 Dr. Timothy W. Shirley, preaching 8:30 a.m. ~ Chapel Communion....... Chapel 10:00 a.m. ~ Morning Worship...... Sanctuary FRIDAY ~ SEPTEMBER 7, 2018 CHURCH CLOSED (Need Assistance?) Call Terry Hood: (813) 493-4957 I AUGUST 26, 2018 ATTENDANCE: 68 FAITH GIVING: $1,008

ALTAR FLOWERS GIVEN BY Corrie Dieden ~ Happy Birthday! WE REMEMBER Our condolences to Marianne Strehar on the death of her mother, who resided in Australia. Marianne's address is: 1610 Dower Way, SCC. MISSION OF THE MONTH FOR SEPTEMBER ~ The Hope Fund The Hope fund is an all volunteer organization (no salaries) that works with children primarily in Wimauma. They also tutor or mentor young people through high school and beyond. There are over 100 volunteer mentors, tutors, and readers who work in two places in Wimauma: The Civic Center and The Groves Apartments. The Hope Fund supports the following programs: Critical Thinking, Kids Marathon, Art, Second Step Program (physical, mental, and emotional development), Bullying, Human trafficking, and a Chess Club. Please help them help the children! For more information, please contact Carla Miles, president, at (813) 634-4268. MARKETING AND PUBLICITY The Marketing and Publicity Committee is selling "Be the Church" T-shirts to initiate "T-Shirt Tuesday!" We need to fill 45 shirt to get the shirt price of $15. Blue shirts $15 and white $10. To purchase, contact Paula Lickfeldt at (813) 633-6739. GEARING UP FOR FALL As summer comes to a close, SouthShore United Church of Christ prepares for its busiest time of year, with Committees, Organizations, and classes getting ready to resume their regular schedule. In order to keep our calendar up-to-date, please let the church office regarding any changes to meetings (Jo Winslow 634-3510 or joannewinslow7@gmail.com). For September, our calendar indicates the Qigong class will resume on September 10; the Emmaus Road Study Group and the College Board will resume their meetings on September 13; and, a presentation by the Metro Crime Prevention of Florida Association will be given on September 13 (see separate announcement). SOUTH SHORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Season tickets are now on sale for the Orchestra's 2018-2019 season. Season tickets will only be available until December 2; individual and group tickets will be available thereafter. Tickets are available in the Church Office during office hours and occasionally in Hospitality Hall. Their season beginning in October is: October 28 ("Boo!"); December 2 ("Joyful Favorites"); February 24 ("Be My Valentine"); and March 24 ("American Portrait" with guest artist and reception). I I

NEWSLETTER MATERIALS Please get your materials ready for the October Tower Chimes. Maureen Martinsky, our Financial Secretary, will be taking over the task of preparing the newsletter, so please send your materials to her as soon as possible, and no later than Thursday, September 13. Her email: uccchurchfin@gmail.com. METRO CRIME PREVENTION OF FLORIDA PRESENTATION THURSDAY ~ SEPTEMBER 13, 2018 ~ 1:00 PM ~ HOSPITALITY HALL SouthShore Church will host a presentation by this organization this coming Thursday. Metro Crime Prevention of Florida is a non-profit community service organization developed by former law enforcement officers. Their mission is to bring attention to the criminal threats facing the public as well as effective counter measures. They support the community, businesses, groups, and organizations by providing free crime awareness programs. Their speakers offer up-to-date information on all aspects of the current crime problem and recommend proven procedures to enhance personal safety. This program will last about one hour in length, allowing for questions and answers. Topics to be discussed: Identity Theft, Robbery, Burglary, Car jacking, Hurricane Safety, Frauds & Scams, and Guns & Alternative Weapons. Saving lives, preventing injury, and/or property loss are among their goals. The speaker for the day will be Mr. Joe Pines. Please join us for this very informative and free program. DON'T TRASH THAT PHONE! Recycle your old Cells or Smartphones and keep the landfills green. SouthShore Church continues to collect old phones. The church works directly with a firm that takes the phones and finds homes for them and/or disposes of them to produce useful recycling materials. Drop off any type of wireless phone. Old Android and/or ipads are also accepted to recycle. Equipment may be dropped off at the Church office or College. QIGONG (SHEE GONG) CLASS Daline Dudley will resume her Qigong class on Monday, September 10 at 10:30 a.m. in the Music Rehearsal Room. For those who do not know, the Qigong class will help you learn how to increase your energy and stamina. Qigong is an "innercise," not athletic or aerobic and is highly suited for advanced aging issues. The focus is on balance difficulties, weakness in the lower body and is suitable for all levels. Ability and confidence in balance increases along with leg strength. Qigong is a powerful aid in healing illness and injury, and also helps relieve emotional fatigue, anxiety, and depression. For more information, please call Daline at (860) 489-0938. This class is free and open to the public. I I I

Rev. Dr. Timothy W. Shirley, Senior Minister Mr. Thomas Desmond, Director of Music Dr. Jo-Anne Winslow, Secretary and Interim Organist Mrs. Jo Prater, Moderator 1501 La Jolla Avenue ~ Sun City Center, Florida 33573-5329 Phone: (813) 634-1304 Fax: (813) 633-9033 Dr. Shirley Email: timwshirley@gmail.com Mr. Desmond Email: southshoreuccmusic@gmail.com Mrs. Prater Email: southshoreucc@aol.com Church Email: uccscc1@gmail.com Church Website: uccsuncitycenter.org Community Church College Email: communitychurchcollege@gmail.com Community Church College Website: 4lifelearning.org September 2, 2018