Grace and peace to you, from God our Creator and the Lord Jesus Christ! This Sunday may seem like just one among many of the “Ordinary Sundays” between major holidays and “fast” periods. In the quiet aftermath of our celebratory worship on the 2nd and before we get to the next significant focal point in the liturgical year with All Saints’ Day (We will have a special service, perhaps outdoors at the fire pit as we did last year, to begin our late fall gatherings behind the church.), we may feel some lack of momentum. On the contrary! This is the season of reawakening and rededication, as I was reminded this morning at the online Annual Meeting of the Maine Conference of the UCC. Doing the work of the church with over a hundred dedicated church members around the state was a blessing, and I was especially pleased that we voted in favor of the resolution to support tribal sovereignty here in Maine. I hope that interested individuals will ask me or Catherine Moore for more information about this important work, to know how we can lend our collective voices to move our state legislature.
On a more personal level, I am also marking the 15th anniversary of my ordination this week, with deep gratitude for having been recalled to ministry here among you. In our worship tomorrow, we will reflect on the elements of life and literature to which we commit, and which we carry with us in different ways. What do we have “written on our hearts” as touchstones of our faith, our morality, and our practices? Come rejoice and sing together, as well, as we steer ourselves toward deeper commitment!
Blessings and peace, Lisa
Worship at Home Materials: We will be offering worship in-person as well as on Zoom this coming Sunday and are returning to the sanctuary. The choice of whether or not to wear a mask is personal, but we recommend that you bring one if there is a possibility of your having been exposed to the Covid-19 virus. Likewise, we ask that if you have not yet been vaccinated that you attend worship via Zoom.
Below you will find materials to accompany this week’s Sunday Morning Worship via Zoom. An order of service with scripture readings, to accompany the service, are available by clicking the following links.
A Reading from The Hebrew Bible Jeremiah 31:27-34
A Reading from the Gospels Luke 18:1-14
Sermon “Written on Our Heart” Pastor Lisa
Helpful Hint: If you are planning to join the Sunday morning worship Zoom call, you might wish to print the following documents prior to joining the call, if you have that capability.
*A link to the sermon will be shared on our website during the week following the service.
Worship Bulletin:
October 16, 2022
Service of Worship for Home
To join Rev. Lisa Durkee for worship via Zoom, please use the following information.
Whether or not you choose to set up an account, when it’s time for the meeting, click the following link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84421777382
Meeting ID: 844 2177 7382
Passcode: 572928