Gathering Music (Chris Crossgrove)
Welcome and Announcements (Anne Vogel)
Centering (Stacey Musulin)
Mini Body-Scan Meditation
By Lore Stevens
Prelude
Introduction to the Service
Chalice Lighting
Look to This Day
By Kalidasa
Look to this day:
For it is life, the very life of life.
In its brief course
Lie all the verities and realities of your existence.
The bliss of growth,
The glory of action,
The splendor of achievement
Are but experiences of time.
For yesterday is but a dream
And tomorrow is only a vision;
And today well-lived, makes
Yesterday a dream of happiness
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well therefore to this day;
Such is the salutation to the ever-new dawn!
Opening Hymn
#16 "‘Tis a Gift to Be Simple"
Words: Joseph Bracket
Music: American Shaker tune
Chris Crossgrove, piano
with Sandy Johnson, vocals (11:00 A.M.)
‘Tis a gift to be simple, ‘tis a gift to be free,
‘tis a gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
‘twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gained,
To bow and to bend we shan’t be ashamed.
To turn, turn will be our delight
‘til by turning, turning we come ‘round right.
Time for All Ages / Reading 1
Excerpts from All Creation Waits (Children’s Edition)
(Wood Frog, Painted Turtle, Striped Skunk)
By Gayle Boss
Illustrated by Sharon Spitz
Welcoming Visitors and Joys & Concerns
Musical Response
Reading 2
Excerpts from All Creation Waits
(Wood Frog, Painted Turtle, Striped Skunk)
By Gayle Boss
Illustrated by David G. Klein
Offering
The charitable giving offering for the month of December will be shared between three area shelters: McKinney Men's Shelter in Hartford, the East Hartford Shelter, and the Cornerstone Shelter in Rockville.
Offering Music
Sermon: "Reflections on the Present of Presence" (Anne Vogel)
Closing Hymn
Winds Be Still, #83
Words: Richard S. Kimball
Music: Samuel Sebastian Wesley
Chris Crossgrove, piano; Sandy Johnson, vocals (11:00 A.M.)
Winds be still.
Storm clouds pass and silence come.
Peace grace this time with harmony.
Fly, bird of hope,
and shine, light of love,
and in calm let all find tranquility.
Bird fly high.
Lift our gaze toward distant view.
Help us to sense life’s mystery.
Fly high and far,
and lead us each to see
how we move through the winds of eternity.
Light shine in.
Luminate our inward view.
Help us to see with clarity.
Shine bright and true
so we may join our songs
in new sounds that become full symphony.
Extinguishing the Chalice (Quote from Pico Iyer)
In an age of speed, I began to think, nothing could be more invigorating than going slow.
In an age of distraction, nothing can feel more luxurious than paying attention.
And in an age of constant movement, nothing is more urgent than sitting still.
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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