Order of Worship

GATHERING MUSIC - Come Away with Me by Norah Jones

Keanon Kyles, baritone

WELCOME

* OPENING SONG - I Sing the Mighty Power of God #12

I sing the mighty power of God
that made the mountains rise,
that spread the flowing seas abroad
and built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained
the sun to rule the day;
the moon shines full at God’s command,
and all the stars obey.

I sing the goodness of our God
that filled the earth with food;
God formed the creatures with a word
and then pronounced them good.
Oh how your wonders are displayed,
where'er I turn my eye,
if I survey the ground I tread
or gaze upon the sky.

On earth there’s not a plant or flower
but makes your glory known,
The clouds arise and spread their showers
by order from your throne;
All life is but a gift from you
and ever in your care,
Wherever people gather you,
O God, are present there.

CHILDREN’S TIME

PASSING OF THE PEACE

Peace be with you… ...and also with you

* SONG - The Peace of the Earth Be with You by John Bell

The peace of the earth be with you,
the peace of the heavens, too.
The peace of the rivers be with you,
the peace of the oceans, too:
deep peace falling over you,
God’s peace growing in you.

SCRIPTURE - Matthew 4:1-11

READING - “The Peace of Wild Things” by Wendell Berry

SONG OF PREPARATION - Put Your Roots Down by Molly Hartwell

Put your roots down; put your feet on the ground
You can hear the earth sing if you listen. (Repeat)

'Cause the sound of the river, as it moves across the stones
is the same sound as the blood in your body, as it moves across your bones.
Are you listening?

SERMON Rev. Vince Amlin

MUSIC FOR REFLECTION - Save the People by Stephen Schwartz from Godspell

Keanon Kyles, baritone

SHARING OF JOYS AND CONCERNS

When in the past week did you see God at work?
What concerns would you like to turn over to God’s care?

PASTORAL PRAYER & LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father/Creator/Parent, 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 sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen

GIVE, SERVE, SHARE: Announcements

OFFERTORY

* DOXOLOGY

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Praise God, all creatures here below.
Praise God above ye heavenly host,
Creator, Christ, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

* CLOSING SONG - You Shall Go Out by Mark Miller

You shall go out, go out in joy
and be led back, led back in peace.
The mountains, hills, shall burst in song,
and all the trees shall clap their hands. (Repeat)

You shall go out in joy
and be led back in peace.
The mountains shall burst in song
and all the trees shall clap their hands. (Repeat)

You shall go out and be led back.
Sing for joy, and CLAP. YOUR. HANDS.
You shall go out and be led back.
Sing for joy, and CLAP. YOUR. HANDS.

* BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE

* * *

Announcements

Pathways to Creativity Small Group - Feb. 24th

If you were lucky enough to hear Rebecca’s Christmas reflection then you know that God is the ultimate creator. And if we’re all created in God’s image, we were all born to be creators. For the early part of our lives, if you were anything like me (hello – this is Ron), you probably did all sorts of creative things like finger paint, or play with puppets, or make friendship bracelets. Unfortunately, as we grow older, many of us stop being creators, convincing ourselves that creativity is the realm for other people, and certainly not for me.

If you’ve always wanted to be creative (painter, writer, poet, singer) but unsure how to proceed, I invite you to discover and recover your creative self. Over 6 weeks we’ll go through Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity. We’ll explore why you may have stopped being creative and through weekly discussions and exercises I hope to re-ignite your creative self. We’ll do this primarily through process-oriented art, emphasizing materials exploration (all materials included) and mark-making (no technical skills needed - I can’t draw to save my life). For the last three weeks we’ll try our hand at making palimpsests as a way to explore our very many layered selves. Don’t know what a palimpsest is? Take a listen to Vince’s sermon from 07/25/2023 and how God gives us all the second chances we need!

Join me for one, any, or all sessions:

Tuesday, Feb. 17th
Tuesday, Feb. 24th
Tuesday, March 3rd
Tuesday, March 10th
Thursday, March 19th
Tuesday, March 24th

Kid’s Sunday School Returns - March 1st

Sunday school resumes for Bethany kids on March 1st! During worship, kids 4 & up are invited to go to Sunday school after we pass the peace. Our teachers are professional educators and parents, creating an inclusive experiential learning environment. This 3 week unit will be taught by Kezia and Tristan!

Adult Sunday School - March 1st

This March, Jamison Weaver and Virginia Gilbert are putting together a two-part Adult Sunday School session. Mark your calendars for March 1st and 29th, when we’ll meet to discuss: The Lord’s Supper, The Last Supper, Communion, The Eucharist…what do you call it? Does it matter? We hope you’ll plan to join us

Book Group Reads The Pole - March 4th

Join us for our next Book Group on March 4th. We’ll be reading “The Pole” by J.M. Coetzee:

This concise, meditative novel details the unlikely and awkward relationship between Beatriz, a pragmatic, Catalan woman in her late 40s, and Witold Walczykiewicz, a 70-yearold Polish pianist. After they meet in Barcelona, Witold becomes infatuated, pursuing her across Europe, leading to a profound, often one-sided, exploration of love, aging, and emotional restraint.

Back Bay Info Session - March 8th

We’re headed back to Biloxi, MS, for a service trip, Oct 3 - 9. Travel with us to “strengthen neighborhoods, seek justice, and transform lives.” We drive south by way of Memphis and the National Civil Rights Museum and fly back at week’s end. You can participate in a supplies drive in the fall or (maybe 🤞) a summer shrimp boil fundraiser! Interested in traveling with us? Wanna know more? Join us on March 8th to hear all about it and get your questions answered from others who’ve gone.

Monday Morning Prayer - March 9th- 30th

Pray with silence, candles, and the morning liturgy from the daily office. Join Rebecca in the sanctuary on the way to work (or on your school or coffee run before working from home). We’ll remember prayers raised in worship the day before and the ones we bring to one another. Gather in quiet starting at 7:15am and begin the liturgy around 7:35am. Arrive when you can, on the weeks that work for you. No sign up needed.

Chili Cook-Off - March 14th

It’s chili cookoff time again! This is how we raise money to support refugees and immigrants in our area. So dust off your crockpots, fine tune your best chili recipe and get ready for some good belly- filling competition. Our annual cookoff and bake-off (yummy desserts of all kinds) is scheduled for Saturday, March 14.

Jesus Christ Super Star - March 20th

We invite you to come Rock Out with us to the songs of Jesus Christ Superstar LIVE on March 20th at 7:30pm Bethany United Church of Christ.

ONE NIGHT ONLY

Come see local performers and Bethany members stage a FREE LIVE CONCERT featuring the music of the famous rock opera and 1970 concept album written by Andrew Loyd Webber and Tim Rice, right here in Bethany’s sanctuary.

Address: 4250 N Paulina St, Chicago, IL 60613

The event will be BYOB

**Please be advised this performance will include some scenes of staged violence.

Bethany will provide soft drinks, but please feel free to bring whatever beverage you would like to sip on as you listen and rock out!

Doors Open at 7:00pm
Show Starts at 7:30pm

Help Make Worship Happen

For the next couple months, our pastors will be flying solo, which means we could use your help now more than ever! Please sign up here if you’re able to help.

Give and Get Help

Throughout the holiday season, we will continue to collect canned goods and other non-perishable food items to be delivered to Nourishing Hope. Contact us anytime at bethany.ucc.assistance@gmail.com if you, your family or those close to you have needs that are not being met. We will try to help, or at least point you in the direction of help.

Subscribe to Bethany’s Google Calendar (a work in progress!)

Sunday, Feb. 22nd

Order of Worship

Announcements

Bethany United Church of Christ