Worship -- September 13, 2020

First Congregational Church, UCC

Wolfeboro, NH

Worship

Sunday, September 13, 2020

Click here for a link to today's worship on YouTube

Luke 19: 1-10

He entered Jericho and was passing through it. ²A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax-collector and was rich. ³He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. ⁴So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way.

⁵When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.’ ⁶So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. ⁷All who saw it began to grumble and said, ‘He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.’ ⁸Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.’ ⁹Then Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.’

Feature Heading

We joined quilters from UCC churches around NH to participate in making quilts about the last words of George Floyd as an act of love, witness and ally-ship.

Our quilt is pictured to the left. For photos of the others, and more information see the link below.

Sacred Ally Quilt Project Album

Sacred Ally Quilt Project

Dedication & Blessing

LEADER: We gather today in the name of our compassionate Savior, to give thanks. We give thanks for the power of art— of all mediums. Today especially, we give thanks for fabric arts. That offer invitation to step into the traditions of story-telling and justice-seeking through quilts. In this case, women like the biblical Dorcas who use their willing hands to give comfort, stir emotion, and spark action for a more beloved nation.

ALL: We thank You, God, for Dorcas of old, and for those who follow in her footsteps, using their talents with needles and thread.

LEADER: To You, merciful Lord, we give thanks for all the faithful ones who, alone in their homes or in small groups, cut and sew together the colorful scraps of fabric to form tops of spectacular patterns and hues. Who allow the violence of tragedy of injustice, to inspire goodness and love, creativity and knowledge.

ALL: Lord, we ask Your blessings for all of these artists as they create their labors of love.

LEADER: Lord, Source of all Comfort, we express our gratitude for the caring ones who set aside time to quilt, tie, and bind the “comforters.”

ALL: We thank You for the quilters and ask You to bind our hearts in love for the people these quilts will comfort in times of stress.

LEADER: Holy God, we now dedicate this bright, glorious quilt to your glory. We ask that You shower blessings upon the people of many colors who will see it, study it, be moved by it, and inspired to take up the cause of Love and the work of Justice. May it join with others to be of glorious honor and memory of George Floyd, needlessly killed for who he was, a child of God. Let this quilt carry into the world the message, that your faithful people see the sacredness of life in one another. We understand that one another matters— not in spite of our differences, but because of them. We are created in your holy image. All of us.

ALL: Lord, teach us, also, to use our talents to reach out to the world’s oppressed, to give voice to their struggles, and to melt the hearts of those unmoved. Allow us to see that the gifts you have given us multiple the ways that we can show your love, and work for your goodness.

LEADER: Jesus, we ask that You continue to bless the work of those who stitch and sew, cut and design at First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, Wolfeboro. And all the other quilts of beauty and imagination that this one will join, to be part of a whole blessing and testimony.

ALL: Bless our work, O Lord, and may it draw people to You.

LEADER: For to You, O Lord, is the glory forever and ever.

ALL: Amen.

Please remember to send in your offering, as you are able.

We are still checking mail at the post office, and our counters are still making deposits. Many of our expenses continue.