Welcome to this online worship service. We may be apart and distant, yet we are home to each other as we gather in this way.

 

Prelude – “Butterfly” – Frederick Bernard

 

Chalice Lighting
On this beautiful day, crisp with promise,
we gather… even online, we gather…
with our hands reaching out in hope,
with our hearts beating with compassion,
with our voices praying for peace.

We come together in faith…
for support, for comfort, for strength.

And we kindle this flame,
to illuminate our path –
to show us each other’s beautiful faces,
to remind us that out of many, we are one.

Come, let us worship together.

 

Hymn #346 – Come, Sing a Song With Me

 

Gesture of Friendship

 

Message For All Ages

 

Children’s Blessing

 

Meditation – Dandelion Kindness, by Fiona Heath (adapted)

 

Offering
The Olympia Brown Unitarian Universalist Church is a community of generosity and abundance.

Especially now, in this challenging time, your generosity is what keeps this community as vital as it is, a beacon of respectful engagement and faith in the power of love.

Each month we share the generosity of our collection with a local partner. This month’s partner is BeLEAF Survivors.

BeLEAF Survivors seeks to provide a safe and compassionate environment to promote hope and healing after sexual assault by lifting, empowering, advocating, and fighting for survivors and their allies and, therefore the community as a whole. While they have operated in the community as Sexual Assault Services since 1999, they recently achieved nonprofit status, and as of July 1, 2021, are operating independently as BeLEAF Survivors. Any funds received will support the financial stability of their new agency and allow them to continue to provide services (all free of charge), including a 24-hour crisis line, 24-hour hospital response, advocacy, therapy, and support groups. Here’s a video to tell us more:

Please join me in being as generous as you can. Together, our support will mean a brighter, healthier future for all.

 

Reading – “Hope” by Craig Schwalenberg
Hope is quiet.
She is easily overlooked.
And while she goes to all the parties,
loves crowds and gatherings, she is rarely seen.

People often forget to invite her,
and just as often forget she was present.
But Hope doesn’t mind.
She likes the hustle and the bustle.
She likes doing small things while people aren’t looking.
Straightening pictures on the wall.
Carrying empty dishes to the kitchen.
A helping hand here and there, rarely noticed.

When she was a child,
Hope had an unfortunate experience
with a game of Hide and Seek.
When her cousin Fear had been found,
the kids they were playing with
stopped looking for Hope.

As a young adult, Hope had numerous relationships.
But they rarely lasted— her lovers held her too tight.
They were really in love with her cousin,
but were too afraid to say so.

Hope and Fear are both best friends with Change,
and they often go traveling together.

(Here ends our reading.)

 

Sermon – “Tending the Rose” Rev. Lori Hlaban

 

Hymn #95 – There is More Love Somewhere

 

Benediction/Extinguishing the Chalice

 

Postlude – “A Little Flower” – Gurlitt