Pentecost Sunday * June 8, 2025
*Indicates please stand in body or in spirit
WE BECOME AWARE OF GOD’S PRESENCE
PRELUDE Diane Alveshere
WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS Rev. Dr. Jill Sanders
POURING OF THE BAPTISMAL WATER Pastor Jill
INTROIT Walk in Love, Williams & Lantz, III
One: Please rise in body or spirit and remain standing through the passing of the peace
*CALL TO WORSHIP Betty Cichy-Anderson
One: Let us rejoice and call upon God’s name.
All: Holy God, your people have gathered in this space.
One: God, pour out your Spirit:
All: Upon all people, young and old, near and far, friend and stranger—all neighbors.
One: God, pour out your Spirit:
All: Empower us to speak for justice.
One: God, pour out your Spirit:
All: Grant us visions of peace.
One: God, pour out your Spirit:
All: Inspire us with dreams for the future.
One: God, pour out your Spirit:
All: Renew the face of the earth.
One: God, pour out your Spirit:
All: Let us worship and praise!
*OPENING HYMN Like the Murmur of the Dove’s Song blk 270
*Opening PRAYER (Unison) Betty
Come, Holy Spirit, open our hearts to the beauty and brokenness of this world. As on the day of Pentecost, come to us now in whirlwind, in flame, and in holy cacophony to disrupt life-as-usual. Reveal God’s grace to us in unexpected places, in unexpected people, and even in unexpected moments of chaos. For you, O God, hovered as spirit over the restless waters, bringing forth the orders of creation. You, O God, breathed your Spirit into the world, creating goodness and life. By this Spirit, stir up in us new life, holy restlessness, and relentless inspiration to sing your praises into this world as release and as resistance. We offer ourselves to your presence, God of grace, through the love of Christ and the calling of the Spirit. Amen.
*ACT OF PRAISE Rejoice You Pure In Heart (Black #55. Verse 5)
Praise God who rules all worlds, the risen Christ adore,
Praise God the Spirit, Holy Fire, one God forevermore!
Rejoice, Rejoice, rejoice, give thanks and sing.
*PASSING OF THE PEACE Betty
GOD SPEAKS TO US
ANTHEM I feel the spirit, Price & Besig
THE STORY OF PENTECOST FROM ACTS Acts 2:1-8, 11b-21 Betty
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
5 Now there were devout Jews from every people under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. 7 Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language?… in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” 12 All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Fellow Jews[a] and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15 Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. 16 No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
17 ‘In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.
18 Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
in those days I will pour out my Spirit,
and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show portents in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and smoky mist.
20 The sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day.
21 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
MOMENT WITH THE YOUNGER CHURCH Pastor Jill
THE GOSPEL John 14:8-17 Pastor Jill
8 Philip said to Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.
11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, but if you do not, then believe because of the works themselves.
12 Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.
13 I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever.
17 This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him because he abides with you, and he will be in you.
HYMN OF PREPARATION Come Forth, O Love Divine Blk 289
SERMON “Birthing New Life & Broadening the Circle”
Rev. Dr. Jill Sanders
MUSIC FOR REFLECTION Diane Alveshere
WE RESPOND TO GOD
SHARING OF JOYS AND CONCERNS & PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
PRAYER OF OUR SAVIOR (A Version from New Zealand)
O most Compassionate Life-giver,
may we honor and praise you;
May we work with you to establish your new order of justice peace and love;
Give us what we need for growth,
And help us, through forgiving others, to accept forgiveness.
Strengthen us in the time of testing, that we may resist all evil,
For all tenderness, strength and love are yours, now and forever.
Amen.
INVITATION TO GIVE, GIVING OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS:
OFFERTORY
*DOXOLOGY Tune: Old Hundredth, Matt Laney
O Spirit, midwife of the Church,
To dry old bones you give new birth,
And blaze a trail where there was none:
Your work will never be undone.
*PRAYER OF DEDICATION
*CLOSING Hymn Spirit, Spirit of Gentleness, Blk 286
*BLESSING AND SENDING FORTH Pastor Jill
CHORAL RESPONSE This Little Light of Mine
NEWS IN THE PEWS: SUNDAY June 8, 2025
Sunday June 8 KXRA Radio
9:15 Choir
10:00 Worship in person and online
11:00 Coffee Fellowship
Monday June 9
2:-7 Voice lessons
Tuesday June 10
9-12 pie making
12-4 Elder network
5:30 Community Potluck
Wednesday June 11
10:30 Connections
6:00 Spirit on Screen, Will & Harper
Thursday June 12
9:00 Walking group@Big Ole
4:30 Holy Happy Hr
6-9 Godspell rehearsal
Friday June 13 & Sat June 14
Annual meeting at St Bens
Sunday June 15 Fathers’ Day
10:00 Worship in person and online
11:00 Coffee Fellowship
KXRA Radio Sunday
The second Sunday of every month we broadcast our worship service on KXRA Radio at 11 am. Stuart and Evelyn Henrickson are sponsoring this month’s broadcast in loving memory of their daughter Maria Johanneson.
Pastor Jill’s Vacation/Office Hours
Pastor Jill will be on vacation starting June 9. Rev. Michael Fritz will be filling in for Pastor Jill on Fathers Day. Rev. Marc Blakesley will be covering pastoral care while she is gone. Pastor Jill is normally available throughout the week for pastoral care, conversation, or coffee! She is typically in the office on Tuesday mornings—and other times as well. It is always best to schedule a time if you want to talk. She can be reached directly at jill@firstcongregationaluccalex.com or (319) 361-0737. Shetypically takes Fridays off.
Freezer clean out/free will donation
We are clearing out the freezers. Items will be in the Plymouth Room after church. If you can use it, please take it. Donations are optional.
Thank you
A heartfelt thank you to Clayton, Chris, Randy and Steve for removing the trees in the strip in the parking lot. Phase 2 of the project will be completed by Widseth with planting of new trees.
Piemaking
Kay Sukovich is leading a group that will be making pies for the Salad Luncheon. No additional volunteers are needed.
Community Potluck
This group is not directly affiliated with the church, but church members are more than welcome to attend. Community Potlucks are not just food potlucks but people bringing together ideas/ways to promote social justice causes.
Spirit on Screen
Please join us for our screening of the documentary Will & Harper. Its runtime is 1 hour 54 minutes. It is rated R-for language specifically there is no nudity, sex or violent actions in the film. Will Farrell and his friend Harper go on a roadtrip to see the United States together and build on a long friendship. One reviewer called it a guide to what allyship looks like. We will have popcorn and a beverage.
Angel Care Team volunteers needed.
We are trying to re-imagine how the Angel Care team will evolve to meet the needs of the congregation and our volunteer capacity. If you are available to be a phone buddy or are able to make visits in person this would be much appreciated. We currently have volunteers for in person visits for 4 months. Let the office know if you are available to volunteer.
Worship Service volunteers needed
We need readers, ushers, greeters, tech staff and coffee fellowship servers through the end of the year. Sign up is at the back of the sanctuary.
Godspell
Contact Joy in the office if you are interested in being part of a group going to see the performance on June 22.
June 20-21 and 26-28, 2025 at 7:00pm
June 22 and 29, 2025 at 2:00pm
Discovery Middle School Auditorium
Tickets available at wildgemtheatre.com
Rocking Walking Taco Night
Volunteers needed to plan and serve on July 24 from 5:30-8 pm. We will need publicity and other planning, please contact Joy in the office for more information.
Virtual Giving Options: Online and Text
Check out our updated website: firstcongregationaluccalex.com. Click on the word “Give” at the top of the screen. You can also text (844)987-4483 to give to our general fund. Please contact the office if you need help setting up a giving account online using our provider, Churchtrac.
Strengthen the Church offering
We will be collecting for this national UCC special offering the month of June.
Birthday and Anniversary celebrations
Lori LeBrasseur 06/20
If we have missed your birthday or other important date, please let us know.
Community Events
Alzheimer’s Association Dementia Caregiver Support Group
Join us at the Public Works Dept. meeting room (526 Willow Dr) on the 3rd Tuesday of each month from 3-4:30. Please contact the facilitator Stephanie Aasness at 320-766-1856, to learn more.
Remembrance Picnic
Anderson Funeral Home and Anderson’s on Broadway invites you and your family to a Remembrance Picnic on Wednesday June 18, 2025 at 5:30 pm at the City Park Pavilion (Lake Henry Bandshell). This remembrance picnic is centered around keeping memories of loved ones in our hearts to help endure the days following a death. Please RSVP by June 13, at 320-219-6278 or broadway@andersonfuneral.net Food and beverages will be provided.
We are an inclusive community that welcomes extravagantly, seeks God and follows Jesus into the world.
We are also a member of the Open and Affirming Coalition of the United Church of Christ and honor the dignity of each person created in God’s image. All are welcome here.
