Gathering Music
Welcome and Announcements
Centering
Prelude
“Rhythm in Bb” from 12 Jazz Duets by Jack Gale
Andy Caruk, Trumpet
Chalice Lighting and Opening Words
“This House”
by Kenneth Patton
Opening Hymn
#126 “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing”
Words by Robert Robinson and Eugene Navias
Music by John Wyeth
Dorothy Bognar, piano
Come, thou fount of ev’ry blessing, tune our ears to sing thy grace.
Streams of mercy never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise.
While the hope of life’s perfection fills our hearts with joy and love,
teach us ever to be faithful, may we still thy goodness prove.
Come, thou fount of ev’ry vision, lift our eyes to what may come.
See the lion and the young lamb dwell together in thy home.
Hear the cries of war fall silent, feel our love glow like the sun.
When we all serve one another, then our heaven has begun.
Come, thou fount of inspiration, turn our lives to higher ways.
Lif our gloom and desperation, show the promise of this day.
Help us bind ourselves in union, help our hands tell of our love.
With thine aid, O fount of justice, earth be fair as heav’n above.
New Member Welcome
Introductions (Membership Committee co-chairs)
Noah Lisewski and Jennifer Bergeron (9:00)
Pam Maccabee, Yakhonda Mwenelupembe, and Eric and Jane Rosenberg (11:00)
The Charge (Minister)
As you take up membership in the Unitarian Universalist Society: East, I charge you to share with us who you are. Share your creativity, your experiences, your questions, your doubts, your beliefs, and all your discoveries of life’s meaning. I charge you to shake us up with your ideas, to stir us up with your conscience, to inspire us with your actions, and to stimulate our hopes with your dreams of what life can be.
Congregational Welcome (Congregation)
We welcome you as companions in the search for truth and meaning. We invite you to share in our mission of caring for one another, encouraging each other in spiritual growth, working for justice and peace in the wider community, and living in harmony with the earth. We join our gifts with yours, trusting in the power of community to bring freedom, healing, and love.
New Member Affirmation (New Members)
We join the Unitarian Universalist Society: East out of a desire and willingness to participate in a liberal religious congregation. We pledge to share our time, energy and gifts; to diligently seek our spiritual truths; and to do what is within our power to strengthen the bonds of community.
Responsive Hymn
“What is this Church?
words adapted from Eugene Sander
Music by Jean Sibelius
Dorothy Bognar, piano
What is this church?
A place of love and gladness.
Where all may meet, to seek the common good.
A source of strength, to face each doubt and sadness.
Where every dream is known and understood.
What is this church? Ask those who came before,
And found themselves, by crossing through its door.
Joys and Concerns
Musical Meditation
Offering
The recipient of our March community outreach offering is Moral Monday CT, a statewide coalition of individuals and organizations, rooted in the social justice and civil rights movements. Based in Hartford, Moral Monday CT gathers voices in the struggle for freedom and justice for black and brown people. Their areas of focus, activism and social change work include police accountability, voting rights, and workers’ rights. Moral Monday CT was founded by Bishop John Selders and Lady Pamela Selders.
Offering Music
“All of Me”
by Gerald Marks and Seymour Simons
Andy Caruk, Trumpet
Sermon
“Investing in Our Future: An Annual Appeal Sermon”
Rev. Josh Pawelek
Closing Hymn
#123 “Spirit of Life”
by Carolyn McDade
Dorothy Bognar, piano
Spirit of Life, come unto me.
Sing in my heart all the stirrings of compassion.
Blow in the wind, rise in the sea;
move in the hand, giving life the shape of justice.
Roots hold me close; wings set me free;
Spirit of Life, come to me, come to me.
Extinguishing the Chalice
Closing Circle
May faith in the spirit of life
And hope for the community of earth
And love of the light in each other
Be ours now, and in all the days to come.
