CHRIST CONGREGATIONAL

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

 

June 7, 2026 – 11:00 a.m.

SECOND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

 

Preparation for worship

“For me, becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self. The journey doesn’t end.”

― Michelle Obama

 

🌷Today’s flowers are in celebration of Lauren & Annie’s 4^th Anniversary

Love, Karen and Dan Kett

 

The Rev. Candace Thomas, Pastor

Jay Harragin, Director of Music

Graham Bryan, Church Moderator/ Musician

Joan Chandler, Liturgist

Jack Smith, Usher

Kevin Salas, Audio/ Visual Technical director

 

 

14920 Southwest 67^th 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)

One: God calls us out of places known and secure. God invites us into a living, trusting relationship.

 

Many: Happy are those whom God chooses as a heritage. God’s counsel to every generation comes to us.

 

One: God continues to bring new worlds into being. God is constantly offering new opportunities to us.

 

Many: We are called away from empty pursuits. God wants to use our talents for the common good.

 

One: Let us worship God with our whole being.

 

Many: Let us use all our talents to praise our Creator.

 

ALL: Praise God with instruments. Sing praises with the voices God has given us.

Praise God!

 

 

*HYMN     “O God, Our Help in Ages Past”     (No. 25, NCH)

 

Verse 1

O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, Our shelter rom the stormy blast, and our eternal home:

 

Verse 2

Under the shadow of your throne, your saints have dwelt secure; Sufficient is your arm alone, and our defense is sure.

 

Verse 3

Before the hills in order stood, or earth received its frame, From everlasting you are God, to endless years the same.

 

Verse 4

A thousand ages in your sight, are like an evening gone, Short as the watch that ends the night before the rising sun.

 

 

*PRAYER OF INVOCATION  (Unison)

Wonderful God, we delight in your presence. We find shelter in your abiding and enduring love. You humble us, Holy Love, by gathering us as a people. Thank you for being our Companion and Guide on this journey. Receive our songs, prayers, and openness. Nourish us from the fountain of your word and the hospitality of your table. May we find hope and inspiration, courage and direction, community and resolve as we worship you. 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:              Genesis 12: 1-9      NRSV

 

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

 

So, Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother’s son Lot and all the possessions that they had gathered and the persons whom they had acquired in Haran, and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So, he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. From there he moved on to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east, and there he built an altar to the Lord and invoked the name of the Lord. And Abram journeyed on by stages toward the Negeb.

 

 

SPECIAL MUSIC      “Come on Up to the House”          Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan

 

 

PRAYER FOR TRANSFORMATION AND NEW LIFE (Unison)

God Most High, it is hard to hear you calling us, for there are many competing voices vying for our attention. Holy One, through the Prophet Hosea, you declared, “I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” We confess that, at times, we offer the ritual and routine of religious practices rather than a discerning heart that breaks with compassion and beats for justice. Strengthen us to the tenderness of knowing you, O God, more deeply, loving our neighbors more justly, and embracing our lives more fully.

 

 

WORDS OF GRACE-Pastor

Community of Faith, rest assured that renewal and revival is possible and available to us. Let us embrace our rituals to sing even old songs as if they are new, pray routine prayers as if they have been written in our hearts, and join in worship as if this were the first or last time. The Holy One makes all things new, and that may be so in us this day and every day. Amen.

 

 

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

Let us share the gifts of life and love given to sustain us on the journey. Our generosity strengthens communities and witnesses to the love of God in the world. May our time, talent, and treasure testify to the goodness and abundance of God’s creation.

 

 

MUSICAL OFFERING        “O Bread of Life”              Yin-Lan Su

 

 

PRAYER OF DEDICATION AND THANKSGIVING (Unison)

Holy One, as we worship you through our giving, we dedicate these gifts to the work of your kingdom come and our hope that your will be done in our community and world. Amen.

 

 

MESSAGE     “Life is a Journey”

 

 

*COMMUNION HYMN      “As We Gather at Your Table“   (No. 332, NCH)

 

Verse 1

As we gather at your table, as we listen to your word, help us know, O God, your presence; let our hearts and minds be stirred. Nourish us with sacred story till we claim it as our own; teach us through this holy banquet how to make Love’s victory known.

 

Verse 2

Turn our worship into witness, in the sacrament of life; send us forth to love and serve you, bringing peace where there is strife. Give us, Christ, your great compassion to forgive as you forgave; may we still behold your image in the world you died to save.

 

Verse 3

Gracious Spirit, help us summon, other guests to share that feast where triumphant Love will welcome those who had been last and least. There no more will envy bind us nor will pride our peace destroy, as we join with saints and angels to repeat the sounding joy.

 

 

THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION

INVITATION

COMMUNION PRAYER

CONSECRATION OF THE ELEMENTS

BREAKING BREAD AND POURING WINE

SHARING THE ELEMENTS

 

 

*PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING (Unison)

Almighty God, we give you thanks for the gift of our Savior’s presence in the simplicity and splendor of this holy meal. United us with all that are fed by Christ’s body and blood that we may faithfully proclaim the good news of your love and that your universal church may be a rainbow of hope in an uncertain world; through Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. Amen.

 

*HYMN      “Won’t You Let Me be Your Servant”     (No. 539, NCH)

 

Verse 1

Won’t you let me be your servant, let me be as Christ to you? Pray that I may have the grace to let you be my servant, too.

 

Verse 2

We are pilgrims on a journey; we are travelers on the road; We are here to help each other go the mile and bear the load.

 

Verse 3

I will hold the Christ light for you, in the shadow of your fear; I will hold my hand out to you, speak the peace you long to hear.

 

Verse 4

I will weep when you are weeping; when you laugh, I’ll laugh with you. I will share your joy and sorrow till we’ve seen this journey through.

 

Verse 5

When we sing to God in heaven, we shall find such harmony, Born of all we’ve known together of Christ’s love and agony.

 

Verse 6

Won’t you let me be your servant, let me be as Christ to you? Pray that I may have the grace to let you be my servant, too.

 

COMMISSION- Pastor Candy

As you go from this gathering,

Find hope in the journey

Cultivate joy in the journey

Give love in the journey

Share peace in the journey

And trust that the God of the journey

Will be with you now and always.

 

*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

Ariel Ward, the Ground Family, the family of John Burger, Everlyn Baker, Janet Smith.

 

 

OUR PRAYER LIST HAS BEEN UPDATED.  To keep it 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.

 

Bible Study is on hiatus for the summer.

 

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

June 7  to June 14, 2026

Today	10:00 am	Choir Practice
Today	11:00 am	Worship in the Sanctuary with Holy Communion, also on Facebook Live & YouTube.
Wed. Jun. 10	6:30 pm	Chair Yoga in Kelsey Hall
Sun. Jun. 14	10:00 am	Choir Practice
Sun. Jun. 14	11:00 am	Worship in the Sanctuary, also on Facebook Live & YouTube.