# St. John's United Church of Christ — August 2, 2026 **Series/Theme:** *Sabbath: God Rested* **Recording:** [Sunday, August 2, 2026 — Sabbath: God Rested (YouTube)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZN3ONpwmZ2c) *Bulletin cover: watercolor by Edd Scheer — outstretched hands, cup and broken bread above a rainbow trinity knot (Communion Sunday).* ## Liturgical Context ### Christian Liturgical Calendar - **Season:** Season after Pentecost (Ordinary Time) - **Sunday:** 10th Sunday after Pentecost — Proper 13 (18th Sunday in Ordinary Time) - **Lectionary Year:** A (Matthew-focused year) - **Liturgical Color:** Green — growth and discipleship in Ordinary Time - **Communion Sunday:** First Sunday of the month; celebrated by intinction - **Nearby observances:** The Feast of the Transfiguration falls this week (Thursday, August 6). August 1 is Lammas ("Loaf Mass"), the traditional first-fruits bread blessing — an interesting resonance with today's Communion bread and the "Share the Harvest" produce ministry announced in the bulletin. ### Jewish Calendar - **Hebrew Date:** 19 Av 5786 (Sunday) - **Yesterday's Shabbat (18 Av):** Parashat Eikev (Deuteronomy 7:12–11:25) — a portion that includes "man does not live by bread alone" (Deuteronomy 8:3) - **Recent observances:** Tisha B'Av (July 23) and Tu B'Av, the festival of love (July 29), have just passed; this is the season of the *Seven Weeks of Consolation* between Tisha B'Av and Rosh Hashanah - **Sabbath connection:** Today's second reading, Genesis 2:1-3, is the biblical foundation of Shabbat — God's rest on the seventh day, which Jewish tradition celebrates weekly from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown ### Ecumenical & Global Observances - Lammastide (August 1) — harvest thanksgiving of first fruits in Anglican and other traditions - Hiroshima Day (August 6) and Nagasaki Day (August 9) — worldwide ecumenical days of prayer and witness for peace - Many congregations worldwide share Communion on the first Sunday of the month, a quiet form of visible unity at the table ### Lectionary Readings (Revised Common Lectionary) Proper 13, Year A (for reference — St. John's is following its own summer *Sabbath* series today): - **Hebrew Bible (semicontinuous):** Genesis 32:22-31 — Jacob wrestles at Peniel - **Psalm (semicontinuous):** Psalm 17:1-7, 15 - **Hebrew Bible (complementary):** Isaiah 55:1-5 — "Come, everyone who thirsts" - **Psalm (complementary):** Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21 - **Epistle:** Romans 9:1-5 - **Gospel:** Matthew 14:13-21 — feeding of the five thousand ### Connection to Today's Message Today's service departs from the RCL to continue the summer series *Sabbath: God Rested*, pairing Genesis 2:1-3 (God rests on the seventh day and hallows it) with John 15:9-15 (abide in my love; I have called you friends). The prayer of confession names our "preoccupations with busyness and status" — Sabbath framed not as rule-keeping but as belovedness and enough-ness. On a Communion Sunday, the connection is tactile: rest, abiding, and being fed at the table all belong to the same invitation. Even the RCL Gospel for this day (the feeding of the five thousand) echoes the theme of God's abundant provision when people stop and sit down. ## Order of Worship ### Gathering - **Gathering Song:** "This is the Day" - **Unison Welcome:** "No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here" - **Announcements** *(live: Blessing of the Animals next Sunday outside, weather permitting — pets in person or by photo; Ice Cream Social Aug 16; Gratitude Sunday pancake breakfast Aug 30)* - **Mission Moment** - **Passing of the Peace:** "The peace of Christ be with you" / "And also with you" - **Chiming of the Trinity & Prelude** - **\*Call to Worship** *(written by Rev. Caroline E. Saxton)* > We gather to worship the One who crafted creation out of chaos. > **We gather to worship the One who called it good.** > We lift our voices in praise. > **We bring our songs, our gifts and our prayers.** > We come into this time of worship, > **joining together as the children of God.** > Let us drink deeply from the source of life, > **knowing that we are beloved, knowing that we are enough.** - **\*Hymn #341:** "For the Beauty of the Earth" - **Call to Confession** *(written by Thom Shuman)* > We know too well our foolishness, our brokenness, our human ways of doing things. But God knows our hearts, our hopes, our desire to be made new. As we offer our prayers of confession, let us open ourselves to God, who will forgive us and give us new life. - **Prayer of Confession** *(written by Rev. Caroline E. Saxton)* > **Holy One, you invite us to return to you, with honesty about what we have done and what we have left undone. We confess our preoccupations with busyness and status, forgetting that you call us beloved and invite us to rest. Help us to embody new patterns of being and belonging, claiming the good gifts you offer us all. Amen.** - **Kyrie:** Hymnal Companion C-4 *(sung: "Lord have mercy on us... Christ have mercy on us...")* - **Assurance of Grace** *(written by Thom Shuman, adapted)* > God has given us the free gift of grace, setting us free to live as disciples. Receive the gift which brings us hope; the gift which brings us joy; the gift which brings us life. Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! **Amen.** - **\*Glory Be to the Father** #704 ### Word - **Scripture Reading:** John 15:9-15 *(read by lector Jayla Wheeler, NIV wording)* - **Responsive Reading:** "The Most Basic Blessing" (a remix of Psalm 67) — by Julia Seymour - **Special Music:** "Here I Am to Worship" — Tim Hughes *(introduced live with a reflection on "laying down" burdens and the posture of bowing down — choosing worship in the midst of everything going on)* - **Children's Message:** Lions in the Bible *(see summary below)* - **Scripture Reading:** Genesis 2:1-3 *(read by Rev. Saxton, CEB wording — "Listen for what the Spirit is saying")* - **Sermon:** Rev. Caroline E. Saxton ### Response - **UCC Statement of Faith:** Hymnal Companion C-12 *(recited in unison)* - **Sharing of Joys and Concerns** *(extensive congregational sharing — see prayer list below)* - **Prayers of the People and the Lord's Prayer (debts)** *(response: "God, by your grace" / "hear our prayer")* - **Invitation to Giving** *("God invites us to slow down, to rest, to delight in relationship and connection. We offer our gifts in response to God's creative work and invitation.")* - **Offertory** *(with "Hallelujah" sung response)* - **\*Offertory Response #706:** "Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow" - **\*Prayer of Dedication** *(written by Thom Shuman)* > May the privileged always share with the forgotten, may the powerful learn the grace of humility, and may our generosity reveal our gratitude for all the blessings we have been given so we can share them with others. Amen. - **Holy Communion:** Hymnal Companion C-76 - *We celebrate communion today by intinction, coming forward to the altar. Pre-packaged elements are available on the plates of bread.* - *All are welcome at Christ's table. To let the church office know that you communed today, please sign the black attendance pad found in each row. If you are communing from home, please contact the church office to let us know.* - **Liturgy as prayed live:** the Iona Community's "He was always the guest" invitation ("...in the homes of Peter and Jairus, Martha and Mary, Joanna and Susanna... But here at this table, he is the host"), the Great Thanksgiving with sung Sanctus ("Holy is the Lord God Almighty, the earth is filled with his glory"), epiclesis over bread and juice, words of institution, and a post-communion prayer: "Take us out to live as changed people because we have shared the living bread and cannot remain the same. Ask much of us, expect much from us, enable much by us, encourage many through us." ### Sending - **\*Hymn #376:** "For the Fruit of All Creation" - **\*Commission & Benediction** *(live: "Go forth into the world in peace. Be of good courage. Hold fast to that which is good. Render to no one evil for evil. Strengthen the faint-hearted. Support the weak, help the afflicted, honor all people, love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit." — followed by the sung blessing "The love of God with peace and joy... until we meet again")* - **Postlude** (seated) - *Join us for a time of fellowship following the service!* ## Scripture and Sermon ### Scripture Reading John 15:9-15 ![[John 15#9]] ![[John 15#10]] ![[John 15#11]] ![[John 15#12]] ![[John 15#13]] ![[John 15#14]] ![[John 15#15]] ### Additional Scripture Genesis 2:1-3 ![[Genesis 2#1]] ![[Genesis 2#2]] ![[Genesis 2#3]] ### Responsive Reading "The Most Basic Blessing" (a remix of Psalm 67) — by Julia Seymour, included in *The Words of Her Mouth: Psalms for the Struggle*, edited by Martha Spong > A blessing is a small thing, really: > **a gift of relationship, bringing depth and breadth to a communion both mysterious and self-evident.** > The most basic blessing, really: > **breath, in and out, over and over that gives us life in this world and welcomes us with love into the next.** Underlying psalm: ![[Psalm 67#1]] ![[Psalm 67#2]] ![[Psalm 67#3]] ![[Psalm 67#4]] ![[Psalm 67#5]] ![[Psalm 67#6]] ![[Psalm 67#7]] ### Children's Message: Lions in the Bible Continuing the summer series on animals in the Bible (with Michaela assisting, sunglasses and all). Lions live in prides, the females are lionesses, and tigers — not lions — are actually the largest cats. In scripture, lions cut both ways: - **Daniel in the lions' den** (Daniel 6) — the king's decree, Daniel's open-windowed prayers three times a day, the angel who shut the lions' mouths, and the king's new proclamation to honor Daniel's God - **Samson's** encounter with a lion (Judges 14) - Warriors and the righteous described as having the **fearless heart of a lion** - Jesus as the lion — king, strong, righteous, a leader to follow ([[Revelation 5#5]], the Lion of Judah) - But sin and Satan also prowl **like a lion seeking to devour** ([[1 Peter 5#8]]) Takeaway: "Be like a lion — strong, courageous, righteous like Christ. But watch out for those that will devour you, also like a lion." ### Sermon **Preacher:** Rev. Caroline E. Saxton **Series:** *Sabbath: God Rested* (week 2 — last week: the all-encompassing nature of Sabbath, extending to neighbors, strangers, and animals) #### Sermon Notes ##### Introduction Opens with Tricia Hersey — the "Nap Bishop," founder of The Nap Ministry — from *Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto*: you were not born to center your entire existence on work and labor; you were born to heal, grow, serve yourself and community, practice, experiment, create, have space, dream, and connect. Rest is not preparation for productivity; it is a divine right. And how do we know? It's not only one of the Ten Commandments — it's what God did. **God rested.** ##### Main Points ###### Point 1: God models rest — Sabbath is demonstrated before it is commanded God doesn't merely tell creation "you all rest" as a creaturely habit. God rests. Citing a commentator *(name unclear in recording)*: God gives three blessings at creation — the creatures ([[Genesis 1#22]]), the humans ([[Genesis 1#28]]), and the rest itself ([[Genesis 2#3]]). God stops working and *enjoys* what God has made. The first creation story is not just about what is brought forth; it is also about rest — God stopping to enjoy, relate, and connect, delighting in us as we simply *be* in God's presence. ###### Point 2: We have unlearned rest — days off become productivity in disguise We take Sabbath for granted, spending days off catching up on laundry, mowing, email. We frame time off apologetically ("I'm having a lazy day") as if rest requires explanation or justification. Cultural scripts — early to bed, early to rise; don't waste your 24 hours; sleeping in is a luxury — teach us that time must be *used wisely*, which really means *productively*. Her father, also a pastor, used to say: **"Let the work for today be enough for today."** There will always be more to do; you have to allow yourself to be done. God could have paused an hour and moved on — instead God took an entire day. Rest is *built into creation*; it's not a throwaway part of the story. ###### Point 3: Rest must be relearned as a lifelong practice Robert Fulghum's *All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten* (1986) — kindergarten had designated nap time; we teach children the importance of rest, then lose the practice as adults. Rodgers & Hammerstein's "You've Got to Be Carefully Taught" (*South Pacific*, sung by Lt. Cable about racism being taught, not born): what we absorb as children has far-reaching, long-lasting consequences — and many in the congregation are deconstructing what they were taught, discovering what still holds meaning and constructing a life-giving, life-affirming faith. When Sabbath isn't practiced in childhood, it's harder — but not impossible — to learn later. It takes time and intention for a new practice to become a habit. **God rested, and so can we.** ##### Illustrations/Stories - **Tricia Hersey / The Nap Ministry** — *Rest Is Resistance*; rest as divine right, not productivity fuel (a Black womanist voice grounding the sermon) - **Her father's saying** — "Let the work for today be enough for today" (a pastor who knew there would always be more to do) - **Kindergarten nap time** — via Fulghum's essays on profound lessons in everyday experiences - **"You've Got to Be Carefully Taught"** — Rodgers & Hammerstein risked the whole *South Pacific* venture to keep the song in; what is drummed into "your dear little ear" shapes a life - **Guided breath prayer** — congregation invited to close eyes, release tension, and pray: inhale, *"I enter your rhythm of work and action"* — exhale, *"and the discipline of rest and surrender"* ##### Scripture Connections - [[Genesis 2#1]]–[[Genesis 2#3]] — the sermon text: God completes, rests, blesses, hallows the seventh day - [[Genesis 1#22]], [[Genesis 1#28]] — the three blessings of creation (creatures, humans, rest) - [[Exodus 20#8]]–[[Exodus 20#11]] — Sabbath as commandment, grounded in God's own rest (referenced via "one of the ten commandments") - [[John 15#9]]–[[John 15#15]] — the day's Gospel reading; abiding in love as the relational shape of rest (read but not directly expounded in the sermon) - Last week's theme — Sabbath for all: neighbor, stranger, and animal (cf. [[Deuteronomy 5#14]]) ##### Key Quotes > "You were not just born to center your entire existence on work and labor. You were born to heal, to grow, to be of service to yourself and community, to practice, to experiment, to create, to have space, to dream, and to connect." — Tricia Hersey, *Rest Is Resistance* > "We are not resting so that we can later be productive. We are resting simply because it is our divine right to do so." — Hersey, paraphrased by Rev. Saxton > "Let the work for today be enough for today." — Rev. Saxton's father > "Rest is built into creation. It's not a throwaway part of the story. It's built into how it's told and how life is to be practiced. God rested." > "As a beloved child of God, you have divine permission to rest." > "God rested and we can too." — the sermon's refrain and closing prayer #### Comprehensive Sermon Analysis ##### Sermon Summary - **Central Message:** Rest is not laziness or a productivity strategy — it is a divine right and practice modeled by God at creation. Both personal transformation (permission to rest) and communal responsibility (teaching and practicing rest across generations). - **Liturgical/Thematic Focus:** Week 2 of the summer *Sabbath* series; tightly integrated with Genesis 2:1-3, the confession ("preoccupations with busyness and status"), the call to worship ("knowing that we are enough"), and Communion as embodied rest and feeding. - **Score: 5/5** — the whole liturgy was built around the theme; even the offertory invitation echoed it. ##### Preaching Style Assessment - **Primary styles:** Topical/thematic with strong contemplative-mystagogical elements (the closing breath prayer moves from proclamation into guided practice), supported by narrative illustration. Deductive overall — thesis ("God rested") stated early and reinforced as refrain. - Fits the text well: Genesis 2:1-3 is brief and declarative, suiting a thematic treatment rather than verse-by-verse exposition. - **Score: 4/5** — clear and well-suited; not exegetically deep, by design. ##### Storytelling and Illustration - Hersey (Black womanist theology of rest), Fulghum (popular wisdom), *South Pacific* (musical theater, with its anti-racism context honored), her father (personal/family). Good range across culture, age, and register; the Hersey grounding brings a marginalized voice to the center and connects rest to resistance. - Balanced — stories served the text rather than replacing it. - **Score: 4/5** ##### Intonation and Delivery - Measured, warm, meditative pacing appropriate to the theme; the guided breath prayer created an actual experience of rest rather than just talk about it. Congregational tone throughout the service was participatory and unhurried. - *(Assessed from transcript/recording; vocal nuance only partially observable.)* - **Score: 3/5** — adequate-to-good on available evidence. ##### Content Structure - Clear arc: Hersey hook → God models rest (Genesis) → how we unlearned rest → how we relearn it → embodied practice → refrain. The repeated "God rested" functioned as an effective retention device; transitions were smooth. - **Score: 4/5** ##### Engagement and Application - The breath prayer was a genuinely interactive, kinesthetic application — rare and effective. Deconstruction was named pastorally ("some of you may be doing that work right now"), meeting people where they are. Application leaned personal (practice rest) more than systemic (who *cannot* rest and why — labor justice, caregiving inequity), though Hersey's framework gestures there. - **Score: 4/5** ##### Scripture Handling - Scriptures referenced: Genesis 2:1-3 (text), Genesis 1:22, 1:28, 2:3 (three blessings), the Sabbath commandment, last week's Sabbath-for-all material. Text-driven at the core with responsible, if light, exegesis; no original-language or historical-critical work. John 15, read moments earlier, was an unclaimed connection — "abide in my love" is practically a Johannine theology of rest. - **Score: 3/5** ##### Logical Reasoning - **Strong:** the central argument is a clean imitatio Dei syllogism — God rested; we are made in God's image and invited into God's pattern; therefore we may (and should) rest. The "carefully taught" analogy soundly supports the claim that habits of rest (or restlessness) are formed, not innate. - **Watch points:** the *South Pacific* analogy borrows a song about racism to discuss rest — used carefully here (the point is childhood formation generally), but pressed further it would risk false equivalence between learned hatred and learned busyness. Mild appeal to authority in stacking Hersey/Fulghum, though both function as illustration rather than proof. "We lose this practice as we get older" is a rhetorical generalization, broadly true but unargued. - No significant fallacies; reasoning consistent. - **Score: 4/5** ##### References - Tricia Hersey (*Rest Is Resistance*) — contemporary Black womanist voice, named and quoted at length; Robert Fulghum; Rodgers & Hammerstein; one unnamed biblical commentator (three blessings of creation). Diverse in register; one more scholarly or Jewish voice on Shabbat (Heschel's *The Sabbath* is the obvious companion) would have deepened it. - **Score: 4/5** ##### Quotes and Illustrative Stories - "Divine right to rest," "let the work for today be enough for today," and the breath prayer are all memorable and tightly tied to the text and to lived experience. The refrain "God rested and we can too" is built to be carried home. - **Score: 4/5** ##### Calls to Action - Take an actual day; stop apologizing for rest ("lazy day" reframing); practice the breath prayer; treat Sabbath as a habit built by repetition and intention. Spoken and experiential modalities both used. Personal and habitual rather than communal/systemic — no invitation to, say, protect others' rest. - **Score: 3/5** ##### Style Effectiveness Analysis - The topical-contemplative blend fit both text and congregation; ending in practiced silence rather than exhortation *performed* the sermon's thesis. - **Fully expository:** would slow into the Hebrew (*shabat* — to cease; *vayekhulu* — completion) and the seventh-day structure of Genesis 1–2; gains depth, loses the embodied immediacy. - **Prophetic:** would foreground Hersey's actual argument — rest as resistance to grind culture and white supremacy's productivity metrics — naming who is denied rest; higher risk, higher justice payoff. - **Inductive-contemplative:** could open with the breath prayer and let the congregation discover the thesis; would suit this congregation well. - **Learning styles served:** auditory (refrain), intrapersonal (reflection), kinesthetic (breath prayer); visual learners least served — no imagery or visual anchor beyond the cover art. - **Score: 4/5** ##### Scoring Summary | Section | Score | | ------- | ----- | | Sermon Summary | 5 | | Preaching Style | 4 | | Storytelling & Illustration | 4 | | Intonation & Delivery | 3 | | Content Structure | 4 | | Engagement & Application | 4 | | Scripture Handling | 3 | | Logical Reasoning | 4 | | References | 4 | | Quotes & Stories | 4 | | Calls to Action | 3 | | Style Effectiveness | 4 | **Total score: 46/60** — a warm, well-constructed thematic sermon whose embodied practice was its distinctive strength; deeper scripture work and a more systemic edge are the growth areas. ##### Side-by-Side Comparison: This Sermon vs. Fully Exegetical | Aspect | This Sermon's Style | Fully Exegetical Version | | ------ | ------------------- | ------------------------ | | Primary Style | Topical-contemplative, deductive, refrain-driven | Verse-by-verse through Genesis 2:1-3 in its Genesis 1 context | | Stories | Hersey, Fulghum, *South Pacific*, family memory | Fewer; ancient Near Eastern context (divine rest in creation narratives, temple imagery) as the "story" | | Scripture Depth | Three-blessings observation; commandment reference | *Shabat*/*menuchah* word study; seventh-day structure; Exodus 20 vs. Deuteronomy 5 rationales; Heschel's "palace in time" | | Application | Personal permission and practice (breath prayer) | Sabbath economics — who is commanded to rest in the texts (servants, immigrants, animals) and what that demands systemically today | #### Personal Reflections ##### What spoke to me: ##### Questions raised: ##### Challenges/Convictions: ##### Liturgical Context Reflections: *How does this Sabbath message land differently in Ordinary Time, on a Communion Sunday, in the same week Jewish tradition reads "man does not live by bread alone" (Parashat Eikev)?* #### Applications ##### This week I will: - [ ] - [ ] - [ ] ##### People to pray for: - Dad — consult at Temple tomorrow (Monday, Aug 3) re: lung transplant; long-COVID complications at 77 - My sister, brother-in-law, and niece (3) — safe, healthy travel from Chile Friday; family beach time together - Henry & Allison Hopper — Henry back in the hospital with an infection - Maggie (Virginia's friend) — surgery complications, MRSA, four kids at home - Virginia's friend living with depression, grieving his 15-year-old cat - Kevin & Rachel — rest after eight days with their 11-year-old grandson - Daryl & Liz Nutter — third hip surgery Tuesday at Hershey - Sandy Lewis — fractured sacrum, rehab at Meadow Haven - The family of Dolores St. Clair — Greg & Cindy and their families; service Thursday - Caregivers, home health, and medical workers — that they too remember to rest ##### Follow-up study: - [ ] Genesis 2:1-3 and the theology of Sabbath rest (possible deep study with the Bible Study Template) - [ ] John 15 — abiding, friendship with Christ, and rest - [ ] Tricia Hersey, *Rest Is Resistance* — read alongside Abraham Joshua Heschel, *The Sabbath* - [ ] #### Connections - Sermon series: *Sabbath: God Rested* - Previous Sunday: [[2026-07-26]] (Sabbath for all — neighbors, strangers, animals) - Next Sunday: [[2026-08-09]] (Blessing of the Animals) - Sunday evening Bible study: Ecclesiastes chapter 2 (tonight, 8:00 pm via Zoom) — *Ecclesiastes 2 ends at rest too: "There is nothing better than to eat, drink, and find enjoyment in toil" (2:24)* - Monday Book Study: Barbara Brown Taylor, *Learning to Walk in the Dark* — companion themes of surrender and unproductive holiness ## Joys and Concerns — As Shared in Worship *Recorded for personal prayer use.* - **Henry Hopper** is back in the hospital with an infection; prayers for him and **Allison**. Both of their kids were able to visit this weekend. Henry had been looking forward to resuming leading Monday meditation. "You can't keep a good man down." - **Maggie** (Virginia's friend) — recovering from a surgery with serious complications (severed ureter); just out of Hershey Medical Center with MRSA, on antibiotics at home; likely months away from returning to work; a mom of four kids, some with special needs; complicated family paperwork situation adds strain. - **Virginia's friend** who is living with depression and just lost his 15-year-old cat — the loss of that companion weighs heavily. - **Caregivers, home care, and medical workers** — those who care for others often forget to rest. - **Courtney's dad** — needs a lung transplant due to long-COVID complications; very active (skiing, hiking, golfing) but declined at Hershey due to age (77); consult at Temple tomorrow, which is itself remarkable. Prayers for relief or a miraculous path forward. - **Courtney's sister, brother-in-law, and 3-year-old niece** — traveling from Chile, arriving Friday; prayers for safe travels and for her niece to stay healthy and uninjured; extended family beach time together, especially meaningful given her dad's health. - **Kevin and Rachel** — recovering after eight days caring for their 11-year-old grandson ("to say it has been stressful is an understatement"); prayers for their rest and for his continued growth. - **Daryl and Liz Nutter** — Daryl's third hip surgery on Tuesday at Hershey; "may the third time truly be the charm." - **Sandy Lewis** — recovering from a fractured sacrum after a fall; at Meadow Haven Rehab for a week or two; relentlessly positive, with a good family that keeps her laughing. - **Dolores St. Clair** — Greg St. Clair's mom, one of the saints of the church, died Friday morning and is now with her husband and with God. Service here **Thursday**: visitation 10:00 am, service 11:00 am, reception to follow. Prayers for Greg, Cindy, and their families. **Pastoral prayer:** "Help us to walk alongside one another, to support each other in celebration and in grief, in pain and loss and joy. Help us to rest, O God. And help us to love." ## Hymns ### Hymn: For the Beauty of the Earth (No. 341) **Words:** Folliott S. Pierpoint, 1864, alt. **Music:** Conrad Kocher, 1838; adapt. William Henry Monk, 1861 **Tune:** DIX (7.7.7.7 with refrain) **Status:** Public domain 1. For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies, for the love which from our birth over and around us lies: 2. For the wonder of each hour of the day and of the night, hill and vale, and tree and flower, sun and moon, and stars of light: 3. For the joy of human love, brother, sister, parent, child, friends on earth, and friends above, for all gentle thoughts and mild: 4. For the church that evermore lifteth holy hands above, offering up on every shore her pure sacrifice of love: 5. For the joy of ear and eye, for the heart and mind's delight, for the mystic harmony linking sense to sound and sight: 6. For Thyself, best Gift Divine! to our world so freely given; for that great, great love of Thine, peace on earth, and joy in heaven: **Refrain:** Lord of all, to Thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise. ### Hymn: For the Fruit of All Creation (No. 376) **Words:** Fred Pratt Green, 1970 **Music:** Traditional Welsh melody; harm. Luther O. Emerson, 1906 **Tune:** AR HYD Y NOS (8.4.8.4.8.8.8.4) **Copyright:** Words © 1970 Hope Publishing Company *(lyrics recorded here for personal devotional use only)* 1. For the fruit of all creation, thanks be to God. For His gifts to every nation, thanks be to God. For the plowing, sowing, reaping, silent growth while we are sleeping, future needs in earth's safekeeping, thanks be to God. 2. In the just reward of labor, God's will is done. In the help we give our neighbor, God's will is done. In our worldwide task of caring for the hungry and despairing, in the harvests we are sharing, God's will is done. 3. For the harvests of the Spirit, thanks be to God. For the good we all inherit, thanks be to God. For the wonders that astound us, for the truths that still confound us, most of all, that love has found us, thanks be to God. ### Service Music - **Gathering Song:** "This is the Day" - **Special Music:** "Here I Am to Worship" — Tim Hughes - **Gloria Patri:** #704 "Glory Be to the Father" - **Doxology:** #706 "Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow" - **Kyrie:** Hymnal Companion C-4 - **Sanctus (Communion):** "Holy is the Lord God Almighty, the earth is filled with his glory" ## UCC Statement of Faith *Hymnal Companion C-12/C-13 — United Church of Christ Statement of Faith in the form of a doxology* > We believe in You, O God, Eternal Spirit, > God of our Savior Jesus Christ and our God, > and to Your deeds we testify: > > You call the worlds into being, > create persons in Your own image, > and set before each one the ways of life and death. > You seek in holy love to save all people from aimlessness and sin. > You judge people and nations by Your righteous will > declared through prophets and apostles. > > In Jesus Christ, the man of Nazareth, our crucified and risen Savior, > You have come to us > and shared our common lot, > conquering sin and death > and reconciling the world to Yourself. > > You bestow upon us Your Holy Spirit, > creating and renewing the church of Jesus Christ, > binding in covenant faithful people of all ages, > tongues, and races. > > You call us into Your Church > to accept the cost and joy of discipleship, > to be Your servants in the service of others, > to proclaim the gospel to all the world > and resist the powers of evil, > to share in Christ's baptism and eat at His table, > to join Him in His passion and victory. > > You promise to all who trust You > forgiveness of sins and fullness of grace, > courage in the struggle for justice and peace, > Your presence in trial and rejoicing, > and eternal life in Your realm which has no end. > > Blessing and honor, glory and power, be unto You. Amen. > "In essentials unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things charity." > — Attributed to Rupertus Meldenius ## Worship Leadership | Role | Person | | ---- | ------ | | Pastor | Rev. Caroline E. Saxton | | Organist | Barbara Motichka | | Choir Director | Gary Crum | | Worship Team | Roxanne Davenport, Diana Kongkeattikul, Swann Kongkeattikul, Barb Motichka, Courtney Robertson, Chris Willman-Bunge | | Deacon in Charge | Cathy Kinton | | Lector | Jayla Wheeler | | Children's Corner | Chani Wolfe | | Media Coordinators | Calvin Frantz and Neath Ham | | Bulletin cover | Edd Scheer | **Staff & Contacts:** - The Rev. Caroline E. Saxton, Pastor — [email protected] — (641) 260-1868 (cell) - Tonya Schwartz, Office Administrator — [email protected] — (717) 263-8593 (office) - Gary Crum, Music Director | Barbara Motichka, Organist - Roxanne Davenport, Director of Children & Youth - The Rev. Stephen W. Hoffman, Pastor Emeritus **Worship Resources:** - Call to Worship and Prayer of Confession written by Rev. Caroline E. Saxton - "The Most Basic Blessing" by Julia Seymour, included in *The Words of Her Mouth: Psalms for the Struggle*, edited by Martha Spong - Thom Shuman's Lectionary Liturgies blog - Communion liturgy: "He was always the guest" — Iona Community (as prayed in the service) ## Church News & Announcements ### Memorials & Celebrations - **The Flowers at the Foot of the Cross** are given in loving memory of Maurice L. Marotte Jr. by the Marotte family. - **Birthdays this week:** 08/06 N. Erin Hartman; 08/07 Sean Collier, Jean Cook, and Lynann Funk; 08/08 John H. McGinley; 08/09 Sadie Boyer. ### Announcements - **Blessing of the Animals** — held outside on Sunday, August 9, weather permitting. Pets are invited to come in person (if well behaved!) or via photo as we bless and give thanks for our animal companions. - **Summer Special Music** — sign-up posted on the choir room door for singing or playing an instrument in worship this summer. Contact Gary Crum to learn more. - **Share The Harvest** — donations of homegrown produce may be brought to the Welcome Center in the front lobby; helps provide fresh, healthy food to those who can use it. - **Sweet Treats: Ice Cream Social** — Sunday, August 16 after worship. Sign up at the Welcome Center to bring homemade ice cream or baked goods. - **Meditation Mondays** — every Monday at 10 am in the Parlor Room with Henry Hopper ([email protected]). Chi Gong/Zazen silent body energy and soulful meditation. *(On hold pending Henry's recovery — he is in the hospital with an infection.)* - **Bible and a Beer** — 3rd Monday of the month at the Trojan Diner, 6:30 pm. Next gathering: August 17. - **Camp Breakfast and Summer Prayer Gatherings** — final summer prayer gathering at St. John's Camp, Saturday, August 22 at 9:30 am. Sign-up sheet at the Welcome Center. - **Youth Pickle Ball Clinic** — Sunday, August 23. Lunch in Fellowship Hall at 11:30 am; clinic 12–1:30 pm. RSVP to Roxanne Davenport ([email protected]) or Diana Kongkeattikul ([email protected]). - **Gratitude Sunday** — Sunday, August 30: a celebration of "This is Us." Share photos in advance or bring them. Pancake breakfast at 8:45 in Fellowship Hall; worship at 10 am. - **Antietam Battlefield Walking Tour** — Tuesday, August 4, 2026, starting 9 am; 3 hours; $20 per person plus park entrance fee unless you have a park pass; cash gratuities optional. Wear comfortable shoes; bring bug repellent and water. Sign up with Harold Collier ([email protected]). - **Monday Afternoon Book Study** — Introduction to Barbara Brown Taylor's *Learning to Walk in the Dark*, Monday, August 3, 1:30 pm, Conference Room 111. - **Summer Snacks for NETwork Ministry** — collection boxes for non-perishable snacks in the front lobby; suggested items posted on bulletin boards and in the July/August Spirit. - **Fall Quarter First Fruits** — August, September, and October offerings support Franklin Together (Franklin County Reentry Coalition), Homeless Matters of Franklin County, and the Fayetteville Fire Department. - **Sunday Night Bible Study** — tonight, Sunday, August 2 at 8 pm via Zoom with Pastor Caroline: Ecclesiastes chapter 2. Meeting ID: 836 0593 5961, Passcode: 277938 (hyperlink in the weekly e-blast). - **July/August Upper Room devotionals** — available at the Welcome Center. Suggested donation: $1 small print / $2 large print. Contact the church office to have a copy mailed. - **Want to Stay in Touch?** — contact the Church Office to join the email list, receive Diana's Devotionals, and/or join the Prayer Chain. - **Funeral for Dolores St. Clair** — Thursday, August 6 at St. John's: visitation 10:00 am, service 11:00 am, reception to follow. ## Vision & Mission ### St. John's Vision > We are called to love, to learn, to worship and to witness in Christ as a congregation that welcomes everyone, and seeks service that will advance God's realm on earth. ### St. John's Mission > To grow in love of God and neighbor ## Calendar & Upcoming Events ### This Week at St. John's - **Today (Sunday, August 2):** 8:00 pm — Bible Study on the Book of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 2, via Zoom (link in Friday e-blast) - **Monday, August 3:** 10:00 am — Chi Gong/Zazen silent body energy and soulful meditation, Parlor Room 104; 1:30 pm — Book Study (*Learning to Walk in the Dark* — Introduction), Conference Room 111 - **Tuesday, August 4:** 5:30 pm — Yoga, Room 202; 9:00 am — Antietam Battlefield Walking Tour - **Thursday, August 6:** 7:00 am — Men's Breakfast at Texas Lunch; 10:00 am visitation & 11:00 am funeral service for Dolores St. Clair - **Sunday, August 9:** 8:45 am — K-12 Faith and Fellowship, Youth Room 206; 8:45 am — Wired Word Church School Class, Room 116; 8:45 am — Upper Room Church School Class, Conference Room 111; 10:00 am — Sunday Worship: Blessing of the Animals, Outside/Church Grounds ### Looking Ahead - **Sunday, August 16:** Ice Cream Social after worship - **Monday, August 17:** Bible and a Beer, Trojan Diner, 6:30 pm - **Saturday, August 22:** Camp Breakfast & Prayer Gathering, St. John's Camp, 9:30 am - **Sunday, August 23:** Youth Pickle Ball Clinic, 11:30 am lunch, 12–1:30 pm clinic - **Sunday, August 30:** Gratitude Sunday — pancake breakfast 8:45 am, worship 10:00 am