WELCOME and ANNOUNCEMENTS
LIGHTING THE PEACE CANDLE Christy Martin, liturgist
Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And, if you cannot help them, at least don’t hurt them.
Dalai Lama, b. 1935, Buddhist
PRELUDE Sheep May Safely Graze J.S. Bach
*OPENING READING Leslie Brandt, adapted
God is our constant companion.
There is no need that God cannot fulfill.
Whether our course points
to the mountaintops of glorious ecstasy
or to the valleys of human suffering,
God is by our side,
Ever present,
Never letting us go.
*HYMN Great Is Your Faithfulness 423
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.
Psalm 23 page 633-634
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 Lord Is My _________ Rev. Kim P. Wells
RESPONSIVE READING — The 23rd Psalm
Bobby McFerrin, b. 1950
Dedicated to my Mother
The Lord is my Shepherd, I have all I need,
She makes me lie down in green meadows,
Beside the still waters, She will lead.
She restores my soul, She rights my wrongs,
She leads me in a path of good things,
And fills my heart with songs.
Even though I walk, through a dark and dreary land,
There is nothing that can shake me,
She has said she won’t forsake me,
I’m in her hand.
She sets a table before me, in the presence of my foes,
She anoints my head with oil,
And my cup overflows.
Surely, surely goodness and kindness will follow me,
All the days of my life,
And I will live in her house,
forever, forever and ever.
Glory be to our Mother, and Daughter
And to the Holy of Holies,
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be
World, without end. Amen.
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 and SPECIAL OFFERING FOR BOOKS
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 He Shall Feed His Flock Handel
*Time of Dedication Nan C. Merrill, 1931-2010, adapted
O my Beloved, You are my shepherd,
You lead me in the path of goodness
to follow Love’s way.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of all my fears;
you bless me and my cup overflows.
I shall dwell in the heart of the Beloved forever. Amen.
*PREPARATION FOR PRAYER My Shepherd Is the Living God 247
MORNING PRAYERS- SAVIOR’S PRAYER
Fathering and Mothering God, lover of us all, most holy one.
Help us to respond to you
To create what you want for us here on earth.
Give us today enough for our needs.
Forgive our weak and deliberate offenses,
Just as we must forgive others when they hurt us.
Help us to resist evil and to do what is good.
For we are yours, endowed with your power to make the world whole. Amen.
*HYMN God Is My Shepherd 479
* BENEDICTION Jim Cotter, 1942-2014
Dwell in me that I may dwell in you.
*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 All We Like Sheep Handel
For the safety and comfort of all, please wear a mask. Thank you!
Circle of Concern: Joyce Lee, 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.
See Weekly Update at the church website for information about: a Sierra Club program about how to talk about climate change, Sabbatical plans for Rev. Wells.
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. Please put petitions in the envelope on the bulletin board.
New Time for Weekly Labyrinth Walk For June and July, the weekly guided labyrinth walk will be on Fridays instead of Wednesdays. All are welcome!
Sunflowers If you would like to bring sunflowers for the altar, please inform Rev. Wells or the Church Office.
Special Offering TODAY This morning there will be a special offering for funds to be used to purchase anti racism books for children and youth for the South Branch Library. This is an extension of the project purchasing books for Maximo and Fairmount Park Elementary Schools. The cost of purchasing a set of books for the library is $1,000.
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 