WELCOME and ANNOUNCEMENTS
LIGHTING THE PEACE CANDLE Sally Purvis, liturgist
Arise, all women who have hearts, whether your baptism be that of water or of tears! Say firmly: “We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies, our husbands shall not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause.
“Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience. We women of one country will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.”
From the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with our own. It says, “Disarm, disarm! The sword is not the balance of justice.” Blood does not wipe out dishonor nor violence indicate possession.
The original Mother’s Day Proclamation, 1870
Julia Ward Howe, 1819-1910
PRELUDE Mary, Did You Know Lowry & Greene
*OPENING READING Mary Oliver, 1935-2019 from “Mornings at Blackwater”
What I want to say is
that the past is the past,
and the present is what your life is,
and you are capable
of choosing what that will be,
darling citizen.
So come to the pond,
or the river of your imagination,
or the harbor of your longing,
and put your lips to the world.
And live
your life.
*HYMN Bring Many Names 11
NAMING OF MOTHERS
One: On this Mother’s Day, let us lift up the names of women in our own lives who have mothered us and made manifest to us the power of Divine Love.
Naming of Mothers
ALL: May daughters prophesy justice and sons dream peace!
*HYMN God Made from One Blood 427
CONTEMPORARY READING- “Who Is Mary?” Chung Hyun Kyung, b. 1956
MUSIC Minuet Boccherini
SCRIPTURE LESSON
Let us prepare ourselves for the word of God as it comes to us in the reading of Holy Scripture. Our hearts and minds are open.
Acts 9:36-43
For the word of God in scripture, for the word of God among us, for the word of God within us. Thanks be to God.
SERMON The Mothering Love of Jesus Rev. Kim P. Wells
*HYMN Just as a Nursing Mother HKJ, see insert
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of Lakewood United Church of Christ, as part of the Church Universal is to:
- Celebrate the presence and power of God in our lives & in our world.
- Offer the hospitality and inclusive love of Christ to all people.
- Work for God’s peace and justice throughout creation.
MORNING OFFERING
Morning offerings may be brought forward and placed in the plates on the altar. You are invited to write your prayer requests on the sheets provided in the bulletin and bring them forward and place them in the basket on the altar. If you would like assistance, please turn to someone seated near you.
Offertory Mama Liked the Roses Elvis
*Time of Dedication Hildegard of Bingen, 1098-1179
Be not lax
In celebrating,
Be not lazy
in the festive service of God.
Be ablaze with enthusiasm
Let us be an alive,
burning offering
before the altar of God!
*PREPARATION FOR PRAYER Guide My Feet 497
MORNING PRAYERS- SAVIOR’S PRAYER
Our Father-Mother, who is in the heavens, may your name be made holy. May your dominion come, may your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us today, the bread we need; and forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors; and do not put us to the test, but rescue us from evil. For yours is the dominion, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
* BENEDICTION Julian of Norwich, around 1343-after 1416
Never does love’s compassionate eye turn from us. Amen.
*SUNG RESPONSE (please form a circle)
Weave, weave, weave us together;
Weave us together in unity and love.
Weave, weave, weave us together,
Weave us together, together in love.
*POSTLUDE Baby Elephant Walk Mancini
For the safety and comfort of all, please wear a mask. Thank you!
Circle of Concern: Joyce Lee, Michelle Cloutier, Christopher and Dana, Ann Quinn who is under Hospice Care, William Owen-Cowan, Jen Degroot, Carolyn Moore, Maggie Brizendine, Janet Hall, Yoko Nogami walking the Appalachian Trail, All those suffering from COVID-19 and all healthcare workers, Schools: Students, families, teachers, and staff.
Announcements
Facebook Live The 10:30 a.m. service is being streamed on Facebook Live.
Support for Ukraine To find more ways to support Ukraine please visit our website and look at the Weekly update for 5/4/2022.
Water Petitions Petitions are available to sign to get the Right to Clean and Healthy Waters on the ballot as a proposed amendment to the Florida Constitution. You are welcome to get others to fill out these petitions and then bring them back to church to be sent in.
Sunflowers If you would like to bring sunflowers for the altar, please inform Rev. Wells or the Church Office.
Advisors Meet Today There will be an advisors meeting after church today. All are welcome. Please let an advisor know if there is something you would like on the agenda: Malcolm Wells, Barbara Donohue, Lucille Ruga, and Christy Martin.
Book Talk Ahead This month’s Book Talk will be on Thursday May 12 from 6:30- 7:30 on Zoom. The link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2700683648 . All are welcome to this engaging conversation about what you are reading.
Congratulations, Graduate! Many congratulations to Zach Blair-Andrews who graduated from USF yesterday. There is a card to sign for Zach this morning.
Operation Attack OA needs donations of cereal/oatmeal, mac and cheese, pasta sauce, peanut butter, canned meat, fruit, soup, and vegetables. Donations may be placed on the shelf in the hallway at church.
Toiletries for Celebrate Outreach Celebration Outreach has an ongoing need for men’s and women’s underwear. (Men sizes 30, 32,34 and Women’s sizes 5,6, 7,8.) Also in high demand are socks of all kinds /sizes for both men & women. Other needed items are Deodorant & disposable razors.
CHURCH STAFF
Pastor- Kim Wells
Music Director- Hilton Jones
Nursery Attendant-Claudia Rodriguez
Lakewood United Church of Christ 2601 54th Ave. S. St. Petersburg, FL 33712
727-867-7961 lakewooducc@gmail.com Lakewooducc.org
On land originally inhabited by the Tocabaga
Lakewood United Church of Christ 