With our routines and world upended by the Shelter in Place Order that affects all of California, we are looking for ways to stay connected during a mandate to physically stay apart from one another. This is a continuation of our time together, even though we’re in different spaces.
Welcome and Announcements
Opening Hymn • Angels from the Realms of Glory
Gathering Prayer
Lay Leader: Judy Ahrens
Reading From the Hebrew Scriptures • Isaiah 61:10-62:3
Lay Leader: Judy Ahrens
Tithes and Offerings
Checks can be mailed to:
Grace Community Church
C/O Rene Horton
P.O. Box 368
Auberry, CA 93602
Epistle Reading • Galatians 4:4-7
Lay Leader: Judy Ahrens
Gospel Reading • Luke 2:22-40
Lay Leader: Judy Ahrens
Church at Prayer and The Lord’s Prayer
All are invited to email me prayer requests for next week’s prayer, or to get in touch any time during the week. We are in the midst of an unprecidented global event, and I am available as a compassionate ear if you find you need to talk through what’s going on.
Hymn • Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
The Message • Christopher Williams, Member in Discernment
About Our Guest Preacher
This week’s guest preacher is Christopher WiIlliams, a Member in DIscernment in the Northern California Nevada Conference of the United Church of Christ. Christopher is a first-year student at Pacific School of Religion, where he is working on his MDiv with hopes of becoming a chaplain. He is currently serving in the California National Guard on a fire-fighting mission, but has a background in social work and healthcare. He is a father of four, has a menagerie of animals, including a potbelly pig named Slippy, and he lives in Hanford, CA. Oh, and did we mention? Chris is also Pastor Kim’s husband.
Closing Hymn • Sent Forth by God’s Blessing
Well done, Chris! Good message and well delivered. Thank you!
Excellent sermon! I really enjoyed how Christopher brought in how the church stems, not only from it’s popular members but is sustained by it’s everyday people. Without them, the church wouldn’t be able to sustain. I also liked how he pointed out it’s a mixture of old and new members working together that brings the message of Christ to others, again rather than large, famous, congregations. It really spoke to me, especially when I watch the news and see all these big named people trying to bring a message of hate and then I see the last story before the news ends. It’s always a story about someone, not well known, who raised money for the hungry, gave desks to children, bought a meal for a coworker. Christopher’s message was spot on what we need to hear today!! It’s us working together.
Amazing. Thank you for using a something that I would recognize as a means of understanding the word of God. Pop culture references for the win!