CHRIST CONGREGATIONAL
UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
August 16, 2026 – 11:00 a.m.
Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
Harm reduction justice Sunday
Preparation for worship
“A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity. It dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.” –Agatha Christie, “The Last Séance”
🌸 Today’s flowers are given by Barbie and Abigail Pavon-Factor.
The Rev. Candace Thomas, Pastor
Jay Harragin, Director of Music
Graham Bryan, Church Moderator/ Musician
Mike Garcia, Liturgist
Joan Campagna, Usher
Kevin Salas, Audio/ Visual Technical director
14920 Southwest 67th Avenue, Palmetto Bay, Florida 33158
www.christcongregationalucc.org
office@christcongregationalucc.org | 305.235.9381
*Indicates please stand if comfortably able
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRELUDE
*LIGHTING OF THE PEACE CANDLE
Leader: The Light shines in the Darkness
All: And the darkness cannot put out the light!
*WORLD PEACE PRAYER (Unison)
Lead us from death to life, from falsehood to truth,
Lead us from despair to hope, from fear to trust.
Lead us from hate to love, from war to peace.
Let peace fill our heart, our world, our universe. Amen.
* CALL TO WORSHIP (Responsive) (Inspired by Psalm 133)
One: How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!
Many: We gather together to worship the Holy One in unity!
One: How very good and powerful it is when we commit to the kingdom of God!
Many: We gather together to discern God’s will and declare God’s reign!
One: How very good and hopeful it is when we reconcile and repair our brokenness and bless one another!
All: We gather together to love and to serve! Praise the Holy One!
*HYMN “For the Beauty of the Earth” (No. 28, NCH)
*PRAYER OF INVOCATION (Unison)
Gracious and Healing God, in your presence, we find the fullness of joy, love, and life. Expand our vision and write a new way forward upon our hearts. We seek your wisdom and guidance. We need your comfort and conviction. We trust your provision and power. As we come near to you, we affirm your goodness and the goodness within us. Receive our presence and our dreams of the world you help us make possible. Amen.
THE COMMANDMENT OF JESUS (John 15:5, 12)
I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
SCRIPTURE LESSON: Psalm 67 NRSV
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us. May God continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him.
Matthew 15:21-28
Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.
SPECIAL MUSIC “Gift of Love” Hal Hobson
PRAYER FOR TRANSFORMATION AND NEW LIFE (Unison)
God of abundance, forgive us for living as if scarcity is an unavoidable reality. Forgive us for allowing siblings in our neighborhoods, communities, and world to live in poverty as an unending condition. Forgive us for not trusting in your abundance, and propel us to defy the temptation to adopt a scarcity mindset due to challenging economic conditions. Empower us to participate in mutual sharing of resources, as well as to demand and create equitable systems that eliminate poverty for all your creation. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF GRACE- Pastor Candy
Beloved, Our Creator has crafted a world full of all we need. Embrace abundance as an act of faith and trust in the God who provides, who redeems, and who repairs. The kingdom will come as we insist upon it, and the Holy One meets us in our commitments.
SHARING OUR JOYS AND CONCERNS
PRAYER SONG “Spirit of the Living God” Verse 1 (No. 283, NCH)
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me;
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
TIME OF SILENT MEDITATION
(You are invited to open your heart to the movement of the Holy Spirit.)
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
THE PRAYER OF JESUS (Unison)
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, now and forever. Amen.
INVITATION TO GENEROSITY – Pastor Candy
Knowing that every good and perfect gift has the Holy One as its original source, let us share the blessings that God has trusted with us. Give generously and lovingly in the name of the Holy One.
MUSICAL OFFERING “Rock of Ages”
PRAYER OF DEDICATION AND THANKSGIVING (Unison)
Generous God, receive these gifts as a deposit into the kingdom and an act of trust and gratitude. May these offerings provide for the needs of our neighbors and enable this faith community to offer ministry in your name and your honor. Amen.
*HYMN “She Came to Jesus” Carolyn Winfrey
(To the tune of “Be Thou My Vision”)
She came to Jesus from outside the fold —
Canaanite woman! Persistent and bold!
Looking to Jesus, she wanted to see
One who would help her and set her child free.
Claiming a blessing, a touch of God’s grace,
She knew God’s love was not bounded by place.
Jesus, you listened, debated — then healed —
For in her asking, her faith was revealed.
God, you still bless those who seek you in prayer.
You welcome dreamers who faithfully dare.
In Christ, now risen, your mercy extends:
Those on the outside are welcomed as friends
MESSAGE: “Dogging Jesus”
*HYMN “God of Grace and God of Glory” (No. 436, NCH)
COMMISSION- Pastor Candy
As you go
With the assurance that God goes with you
Invite others near
To share the blessings of God
Through abundance, reconciliation, and hope.
*BENEDICTION
*POSTLUDE
Welcome to Everyone!
Whoever or whatever brought you to our Sanctuary or our Facebook or YouTube on-line worship service this morning, we believe that the Spirit of God had a hand in you joining us. We hope that you feel the Holy Spirit in our service of prayer and praise.
At Christ Congregational Church we strive to love one another as God has loved us and welcome one another as Christ has welcomed us. Therefore, we are an Open and Affirming church, loving, and welcoming all people in all of God’s variety, including racial, ethnic, and economic diversity, gender diversity and expression, sexual orientation, and physical and mental abilities.
JOYS AND CONCERNS Do you have joys or concerns you would like lifted in worship? Please call or text Pastor Candy at 925.640.9289 or email her at cccpastor@att.net by 10 am Sunday morning.
For Pastoral Care Needs, please call Pastor Candy at 925-640-9289 or you may call and leave a message with the Church Office, 305-235-9381.
ARE YOU CURIOUS ABOUT CCC? About the United Church of Christ? Pastor Candy would be happy to meet with you to talk about our Christian faith, your spiritual journey, and to discuss what church membership means. Please let her know if you’re interested!
REMEMBERED IN OUR CONTINUING PRAYERS
- Mathews, C.M. Chandler, Ariel Ward, Everlyn Baker, Janet Smith, and Sheryl Chambers and Family.
To keep our prayer list current please let Tracy Williams, Administrative Assistant at <office @christcongregationalucc.org> or Pastor Candy at <cccpastor@att.net> know if you’d like a name included on our Prayer List. It is a blessing to remember that others are praying for us and a blessing to pray for others.
ONLINE GIVING: We invite you to use our online giving option as a quick, simple, and secure method to make your pledges and any ancillary contributions. Clicking on the “Give Online Today” button at the bottom of our weekly newsletter or by going to our website at https://christcongregationalucc.org and clicking “Online giving.” You will be redirected to the secured Moon Clerk site which will allow you to enter your credit card information.
***Elections are fast approaching, if you would like to check your voter registration, please see Bianca on Sundays after worship. If you would like to check on your own please visit www.RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov
You may donate to Venezuela earthquakes relief by sending a check to:
UCC
P.O. Box 71957
Cleveland, OH 44194
*Please note “Venezuela Earthquakes Relief 2026” in the memo line of your check.
Roll the dice and come hang out with us at DnD *Lite* Night! 🎲
We’re planning a casual evening of DnD (Dungeons and Dragons), snacks, laughs, and probably at least a little chaos. (And maybe a round or two of Magic the Gathering.) We’re creating this as a space for folks in and around their 30s and 40s to connect, make new friends, and get to know each other outside of Sunday mornings ….although we’re certainly not checking IDs at the door! 😉
Whether you’ve played Dungeons & Dragons for years or have absolutely no idea what a D20 is, come join the fun! We’ll keep things casual with a beginner-friendly adventure, and who knows where the night will take us? No experience necessary, no epic quest commitment required, just come ready to roll some dice and have some fun!
🎲 DnD *Lite* Night
📅 Friday, August 21
⏰ 6:00 PM – around 8:00 PM
📍 Kelsey Hall at CCC
🎶 A Night of Joy and You’re Invited! 🎶
The Caring Place has invited the CCC community to join them for their Night of Joy Charity Concert, an evening of music, worship, fellowship, and making a difference together!
Proceeds from the event will support The Caring Place Emergency Shelter, which provides safe temporary shelter, meals, and compassionate care for individuals and families experiencing homelessness during hurricanes, extreme heat, and other weather emergencies.
Come enjoy a joyful evening while helping provide a safe place for our neighbors when they need it most!
📅 Saturday, August 29
⏰ 6:00–8:00 PM
📍 2031 NW 1st Court, Miami
🎟️ $15 per person
Bring a friend, bring the family, and come enjoy a Night of Joy for a great cause! ❤️
Please visit the website below to create your free will. https://partner.freewill.com/ucc
INVITATION TO JOIN IS IN FAITH 250
Faith250 is a national initiative that invites faith leaders and communities to come together for meaningful conversations about our shared values, hopes, and responsibilities as neighbors and citizens. Through gatherings across the country, congregations are creating sacred spaces for listening, learning, and building deeper understanding across differences.
Here in South Florida, this interfaith effort is being led by our friend and colleague, Iqbal, who has invited communities from across our region to participate. Pastor Candy and Bianca are grateful to be part of this work and are excited to help bring these conversations to Christ Congregational Church. We hope many in our congregation will join us in creating spaces where people of all faith traditions and backgrounds can share their stories, strengthen connections, and imagine the future we hope to build together.
If you are interested in participating or learning more, please speak with Pastor Candy or Bianca, and fill out this form: Faith250 Form
To learn more about Faith250 visit: https://faith250.org/