How to Experience God After the Election

The theme for worship today is – How to experience God after the election. Yesterday we discovered that the United States has voted in a new President and Vice President elect. Emotions run high after an election. What do we do with them? And how do we discover God in this moment in our lives and in our culture? Join us for worship as we sing, pray, and reflect on these questions.

Prelude – Fanfare, played by Jean Herrera

Adam: God be with you.
All: And also with you.

Welcome and Announcements – Adam Ericksen

Lighting of the Peace Candle – Lita and Jeff Pratt and Adam
 
Adam: Our tradition at CUCC is to light a peace candle at the beginning of each worship service to center ourselves around the Peace of God. Lita and Jeff will lead us in the liturgy as Gavin lights the candle…
 
Lita: I invite you to join us in lighting the peace candle…
Jeff: We pray for peace in our hearts,
in our homes, in our communities,
in our nations, and in our worlds.

Scripture Readings - Matthew 25:1-13

*Call to Worship – Lita and Jeff
Lita: Please join us in the call to worship…
Jeff: We come to worship asking for wisdom.
All: We seek the Wisdom from above.
Lita: For it feels like there is so much foolishness in our world.
All: We desire the Wisdom from above.
Jeff: The Wisdom from above leads us to share of what we have so that all people may live in God’s abundance.
All: We pray for the Wisdom from above to lead us to share. Amen.

Children’s Moment

*Passing of the Peace – Lita and Jeff
Lita: Friends, although we are physically separated as we practice social distance, in reality we are all connected. And so we come to the point in our service where we pass the peace with one another. I invite you to open your palms up like this and imagine yourself connected to everyone watching this livestream as we pass the peace to one another.
Jeff: Beloved of God, may the peace of Christ be with you.
All: And also with you.

Invitation to the Offering Adam Ericksen

Song – Dwelling in Beulah Land, Sung by Rhonda, Dave, and Jeff

Prayers of the People – Adam
(After each prayer, Adam will say, “God in your love” and you are invited to respond with “hear our prayers.”)

Community Prayer and Lord’s Prayer – Lita and Jeff
Our God, Who art in Heaven, Hallowed by 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen.

Sermon – How to Experience God After the Election

*Unison Benediction – Lita
Lita: I invite you to join me in the Unison Benediction
May God bless you and keep you.
May God’s face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
May God look upon you with kindness and bring you peace.
This day and forever more. Amen
-Numbers 6:24-26