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"For the Love of ... Place" - UUSE Virtual Worship, February 25, 2024

Updated: Feb 25


"We will only save what we love."

--Sisters of the Earth


Gathering Music


Welcome & Announcements


Centering


Prelude

"For the Love of Place"

Created by Dan Thompson for UUSE

Dan Thompson guitar, bass, drums, keys, manipulated vocal samples (video)


Introduction of Service


Chalice Lighting & Opening Words (in unison)

We light this chalice

To abet creation and to witness to it

To notice each other's beautiful face and complex nature

So that creation need not play to an empty house

--(Annie Dillard)


Opening Hymn

#21 "For the Beauty of the Earth"

Words: Folliott Sandford Pierpoint; Music: Conrad Kocher


For the beauty of the earth, for the splendor of the skies,

for the love which from our birth over and around us lies

Source of all, to thee we raise this, our hymn of grateful praise.


For the joy of ear and eye, for the heart and mind's delight,

for the mystic harmony linking sense to sound and sight:

Source of all, to thee we raise this, our hymn of grateful praise.


For the wonder of each hour of the day and of the night,

hill and vale and tree and flower, sun and moon and stars of light:

Source of all, to thee we raise this, our hymn of grateful praise.


For the joy of human care, sister, brother, parent, child,

for the kinship we all share, for all gentle thoughts and mild:

Source of all, to thee we raise this, our hymn of grateful praise.


Joys and Concerns


Musical Response


Words of Meditation and Prayer


Musical Response


Story: "The Agreement" (Attr. Barry Lopez)


Offering

Continuing our practice of sharing our gifts with the community beyond our walls, fifty percent of the unspecified Sunday plate collections for the month of February will go to Manchester's African American and Black Affairs Council.


Offering Music

"Somewhere Over the Rainbow"

Music: Harold Arlen; Lyrics: Yip Harburg

Performed by Sandy Johnson, vocals & Dan Thompson, guitar & vocals


Sermon: "For the Love of ... Place" (Rev. Alison Cornish)


Closing Hymn

#1064 "Blue Boat Home"

Words: © 2002 Peter Mayer; Music: Roland Hugh Prichard


Though below me, I feel no motion standing on these mountains and plains,

Far away from the rolling ocean still my dry land heart can say:

I've been sailing all my life now, never harbor or port have I known.

The wide universe is the ocean I travel, and the earth is my blue boat home.


Sun my sail and moon my rudder as I ply the starry sea,

leaning over the edge in wonder, casting questions into the deep.

Drifting here with my ship's companions, all we kindred pilgrim souls,

making our way by the lights of the heavens in our beautiful blue boat home.


I give thanks to the waves upholding me, hail the great winds urging me on,

greet the infinite sea before me, sing the sky my sailor's song:

I was born up on the fathoms, never harbor or port have I known.

The wide universe is the ocean I travel, and the earth is my blue boat home.


Closing Words & Extinguishing the Chalice (in unison)

We extinguish the chalice here that it might glow gently in our hearts.

May it light our paths as we leave this place.

(Adapted -- Martha Musson)


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.

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