Clackamas United Church of Christ

Is “total depravity” even Christian? When Jesus picks his disciples, he chooses fishermen. In Luke 5, Jesus picks Simon Peter, but Simon Peter tells Jesus to go away because he is a sinful man. Notice how Jesus *doesn’t* respond. Jesus doesn’t say, “Yes, Peter. You are worthless and totally depraved and stained with original sin.” Actually, Jesus never uses the phrase “total depravity” or “original sin.” Instead, Jesus says, “Do not be afraid. I have a mission for you.” Have you ever felt unworthy? Maybe you’ve done things in the past that you are ashamed of. Guess what. You are not alone. Welcome to being human. In the same way that Jesus believed in Simon Peter, Jesus also believes in you.

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Prelude – Jean Herrera

Welcome – Adam Ericksen

Lighting of the Peace Candle - Larry Kirk

All: We pray for peace

in our hearts,

in our homes,

in our communities,

in our nations,

and in our worlds.

Corey McCadden Day - Larry

Scripture Readings – Isaiah 6:1-8 and Luke 5:1-11

Call to Worship

Larry: Gentle and patient

Adam: God is calling.

Larry: Careful and persistent

Adam: God is calling.

Larry: In grief and in joy

Adam: God is calling.

Larry: Excited or reluctant

Adam: God is calling. May we follow. Amen.

Children’s Moment - Adam

Passing of the Peace -

One: Beloved of God, may the peace of Christ be with you.

All: And also with you.

Song: You Came Down to the Lakeshore

Offering

Community Prayer and Lord’s Prayer

Sermon – Why "Total Depravity" Is Not Christian

Communion

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

The post Why “Total Depravity” Is Not Christian  appeared first on Clackamas United Church of Christ.

Jesus reveals that the day of the Lord’s coming is not one of vengeance, but love and transformation.

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Adam: God be with you.

All: And also with you.

Welcome and Announcements – Adam Ericksen

Prelude – My Shepherd Will Supply My Every Need - Jean Herrera

Lighting of the Peace Candle – Micheal Garcia

All: We pray for peace

in our hearts,

in our homes,

in our communities,

in our nations,

and in our worlds.

Scripture Readings – Luke 4:21-30

Call to Worship – David and Ellery Palanuk

One: Please join us in the call to worship…

One: We come from many different places to gather today…

All: For wide is God’s welcome, and you are welcome here.

One: If you are young or old or in the middle, you are welcome here.

All: No matter the shade of your skin, you are welcome here.

One: If you are married, never married, widowed, or divorced, you are welcome here.

All: If you are gay or straight, you are welcome here.

One: If you are happy or sad, healthy or ailing, you are welcome here.

All: If you are poor or rich, strong or weak, you are welcome here.

One: If you need accomodations to participate in worship, you are welcome here.

All: If you are transgender or cisgender, you are welcome here.

One: If you believe in God some of the time, all of the time, or none of the time, you are welcome here.

All: So come, let us worship our welcoming God.

Children’s Moment -

Passing of the Peace – Jean Herrera

One: Friends, we come to the moment where we pass the peace. I invite you to open your palms up as we pass the peace to one another.

One: Beloved of God, may the peace of Christ be with you.

All: And also with you.

Song: Love Divine, All Loves Excelling – Rhonda and Dave Frick-Wright, Debbie Meyer, and Jeff Pratt

Invitation to the Offering

Community Prayer and Lord’s Prayer - Emily Benfit and Raleen Hungate

Our God,

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 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 – The Day of NonVengeance of Our God

Unison Benediction - Judy Boncaro

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

The post The Day of NonVengeance of Our Lord appeared first on Clackamas United Church of Christ.

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Prelude – Jean Herrera

Welcome – Adam Ericksen

Lighting of the Peace Candle - Amy Brinkley and Charlie Hinkle

All: We pray for peace

in our hearts,

in our homes,

in our communities,

in our nations,

and in our worlds.

Scripture Readings – Nehemiah 8 and Luke 4

Call to Worship

Children’s Moment - Adam

Passing of the Peace -

One: Beloved of God, may the peace of Christ be with you.

All: And also with you.

Song: I Saw the Light

Offering

Community Prayer and Lord’s Prayer

Sermon – Jesus Nonviolent God of Social Justice

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

The post Jesus’ Nonviolent God of Social Justice appeared first on Clackamas United Church of Christ.

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Prelude – Jean Herrera

Welcome – Adam Ericksen

Lighting of the Peace Candle – Sharon Dobbs

All: We pray for peace

in our hearts,

in our homes,

in our communities,

in our nations,

and in our worlds.

Scripture Readings – John 2:1-11

Call to Worship – Sharon and Joel

One: Our Divine Parent has made us to be One Body with many parts.

All: United and uniting. This is our calling.

One: God calls us to share our diverse gifts, activated by the one and same Spirit.

All: United and uniting. This is our redemption.

One: God longs for us to be united in love and to manifest the Spirit in our different ways.

All: United and uniting. May we be united in the Beloved Community. Amen.

Children’s Moment - Adam

Passing of the Peace -

Joel: Beloved of God, may the peace of Christ be with you.

All: And also with you.

Song: Blessed Be the Tie that Binds

Offering

Community Prayer and Lord’s Prayer – Joel and Sharon

Sermon – Gods of Wine

Unison Benediction – Joel and Sharon

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

The post Gods of Wine appeared first on Clackamas United Church of Christ.

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Welcome - Adam

Prelude – Peaceful Prelude – Jean Herrera

Adam: God be with you.

All: And also with you.

Welcome and Announcements – Adam Ericksen

Lighting of the Peace Candle – Rachel Robinson

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. I invite you to join us in lighting the peace candle…

All: We pray for peace

in our hearts,

in our homes,

in our communities,

in our nations,

and in our worlds.

Scripture Readings – George Converse

Isaiah 60:1-6

Matthew 2:1-12

Call to Worship - Rachel

One: Please join us in the call to worship…

One: Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen among you.

All: We have seen the star in the sky and have come to worship the Christ Child.

One: Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

All: Let us bring the gift of our hearts and the gift of our lives to worship our God of light and everlasting love. Amen.

Children’s Moment - Adam

Passing of the Peace - George

One: Friends, we come to the moment where we pass the peace. I invite you to open your palms up as we pass the peace to one another.

One: Beloved of God, may the peace of Christ be with you.

All: And also with you.

Song: We Three Kings

Invitation to the Offering - Adam

Community Prayer and Lord’s Prayer – Rachel

Our God,

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 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 – The Magi and Nonviolent Civil Disobedience

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

The post The Magi & Nonviolent Civil Disobedience appeared first on Clackamas United Church of Christ.

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Prelude – Jean Herrera - "Precious Lord, Take My Hand"

Adam: God be with you.

All: And also with you.

Welcome and Announcements – Adam Ericksen

Lighting of the Peace Candle – Raleen Hungate

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. I invite you to join us in lighting the peace candle…

All: We pray for peace

in our hearts,

in our homes,

in our communities,

in our nations,

and in our worlds.

Scripture Readings

Jeremiah 31:7-9, 13

John 1:1-5, 14, 16

Call to Worship – Raleen Hungate

One: Please join us in the call to worship…

One: Because God is love, God takes on flesh and dwells among us.

All: Praise be to God!

One: Because God is love, God did not turn back in the face of evil and death, but continued to love.

All: Praise be to God!

One: Because God is love, God dances through our lives even now.

All: May we participate in God’s dance of love for all creation now and forevermore. Amen.

Children’s Moment

Passing of the Peace – Raleen Hungate

One: Friends, we come to the moment where we pass the peace. I invite you to open your palms up as we pass the peace to one another.

One: Beloved of God, may the peace of Christ be with you.

All: And also with you.

Song: “The Church is the People” – Jeff, Debbie, Dave and Rhonda

Invitation to the Offering

Prayers of the People, Community Prayer and Lord’s Prayer – Adam and Raleen

Our God,

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 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 – The Divine Dance

Communion – Adam and Raleen

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

The post The Divine Dance appeared first on Clackamas United Church of Christ.

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Prelude – Jean Herrera

Announcements - Adam Ericksen

Lighting of the Peace Candle – Joel Eckdahl

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. I invite you to join us in lighting the peace candle…

Joel: We pray for peace

in our hearts,

in our homes,

in our communities,

in our nations,

and in our worlds. Amen.

Scripture Reading #1 – Mark 10:17-27 - Jessica Gonzalez

Call to Worship – Jessica Gonzalez and Melanie Horbert

Jessica: Please join us in the call to worship…

Jessica: We wonder, “What must we do to inherit eternal life?” The world tells us to:

Melanie: Work harder.

Jessica: Gain more wealth.

Melanie: Get more likes.

Jessica: Strive for more power.

Melanie: Become more popular.

Jessica: But these do not lead to eternal life. So what does?

Melanie: Love. May we receive God’s love and share it with one another.

Children’s Moment – Joel Ekdahl

Passing of the Peace – Erika Beseda

Erika: Friends, I invite you to join me in the passing of the peace…Close your eyes…breathe…breathe again. Put your hands on your heart. In your mind’s eye, imagine the light that is in all of us. Some might call it the Soul or Conscience or Essence or maybe you call it God. Take a piece of that light and hold it close. Now hold out your hands, imagine the light, your light, traveling from your fingers out across the world, like a sun ray. As the rays travel, accept the light that is offered to you, as you offer light, as the light returns to you… Breathe. Breathe again. Hold the light close. May the Peace of Christ be with you…

All: And also with you.

Song: How Far Is It to Bethlehem?

Scripture Reading #2- Luke 15:11-14; 20-32 - Read by Heather Heath

Invitation to the Offering

Sermon – Heaven Isn’t a Meritocracy - by Joel Ekdahl

Community Prayer and Lord’s Prayer – Jeff and Lita Pratt

Unison Benediction – Sung by Judy Boncaro

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

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The post The Christmas Decision that Matters Most – Pastor Adam’s Christmas Message appeared first on Clackamas United Church of Christ.

Print Bulletin* We apologize for technical issues in this video (audio ends at 25.31 minutes). For Pastor Adam’s Christmas Message, please click here. Merry Christmas!

Welcome - Adam

Prelude – Go Tell It on the Mountain – Jean Herrera

Invocation Prayer

Reading Matthew 1:18-25

Song – O Come All Ye Faithful

Reading – Luke 2:1-7

Song – Away in a Manger

Reading: Luke 2:8-14

Song – Angels We Have Heard on High

Reading – Matthew 2:1-12

Song – We Three Kings

Offering/Offering Prayer - Adam

Christmas Prayer

Song – O Holy Night – by Christine Fogh

Homily – The Christmas Decision that Matters Most

Song – Joy to the World Benediction

The post The Christmas Decision that Matters Most – Christmas Eve Service appeared first on Clackamas United Church of Christ.

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Adam: God be with you.

All: And also with you.

Prelude – Jean Herrera

Welcome and Announcements – Adam Ericksen

Lighting of the Peace Candle – Lynn Galliano

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. I invite you to join us in lighting the peace candle…

All: We pray for peace

in our hearts,

in our homes,

in our communities,

in our nations,

and in our worlds.

Scripture Readings – Adam

Micah 3:1-4

Luke 3:1-6

Call to Worship – Lynn Galliano

Lynn: Today we gather for the second Sunday of Advent, the Sunday of Peace.

All: We seek God’s peace as we prepare our hearts to be transformed by God’s love.

Lynn: The prophets of old announced God’s peace will come.

All: The lion, the wolf, the lamb, and all of us will dwell in harmony and peace.

Lynn: Jesus comes to us as the Prince of Peace.

All: May we live in God’s peace now and forever more. Amen.

Children’s Moment - Adam

Passing of the Peace - Lynn

One: Friends, we come to the moment where we pass the peace. I invite you to open your palms up as we pass the peace to one another.

One: Beloved of God, may the peace of Christ be with you.

All: And also with you.

Song: Ready the Way

Invitation to the Offering - Adam

Prayers of the People – Lynn and Adam

Community Prayer and Lord’s Prayer – Lynn and Adam

Our God,

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 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 – Prepare the Way

Communion – Lynn and Adam

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

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