Belonging to a community can offer support and inspiration, vision and comfort. There is a yearning to belong, to feel connected, and understood by the people around us. What does it mean to belong?

We anticipate that this service will be both in-person and on Zoom. Click right here Sunday shortly before 10:00 a.m. to join via Zoom. Click here to read our protocols for in-person attendance.When attending in person, please completely power off your cell phone during the service to preserve the Church’s WiFi bandwidth for our Zoom attendees.

“What Does It Mean To Belong”
with Rev. Telos Whitfield

Order of Service
Sunday, September 25, 2022

Greeting                                                                       Rev. Telos

Board Welcome & Announcements                         Ron Niswander

Prelude: Ave Maris Stella     medieval chant; music by Edvard Grieg
Hail, star of the sea, make safe our journey.
Establish us in peace, that we may rejoice.
                     Eva Greene, piano

Chalice Lighting                                                         Maisie Crowther
We kindle our flame in honor of belonging – belonging to each other, to this community and to the world. Each of us has a unique place within the fabric of light and sound, creativity and healing that we create and make whole, together.

Lighting Our Children’s Chalice
We light this chalice to celebrate Unitarian Universalism. We are the church of the open minds. We are the church of the helping hands.  We are the church of the loving hearts.

Call to Worship                                                          Rev. Telos                                                     

Opening Hymn #131:  “Love Will Guide Us”

Story For All of Us:       “Be You” by Peter H. Reynolds                                  

Sharing Our Covenant
“We build our church on a foundation of love,
and covenant with one another:
to freely explore our values and honor our diversity
as a source of communal strength,
to accept responsibility for our individual acts
and promote justice and peace,
to celebrate the joys of discovery,
embracing the fullest measure of our humanity,
to communicate with kindness and support,
to serve with compassion and commitment,
to openly share our laughter and tears, and
to show reverence for the divine in all that is.”
(Covenant adopted on April 17, 2001)  

Anthem: “Hallelujah”
Words and Music by Leonard Cohen, arr. by Mac Huff
All Souls Choir, Tom Baehr, Director

Sharing a Reading: Ed Burke

Hymn #4: “I Brought My Spirit to the Sea”

Sermon: “What Does It Mean To Belong?”                              Rev. Telos

Offering shared with Edible Brattleboro

Offertory:  Arietta, from Lyric Pieces, Op. 12 Edvard Grieg
                                 Eva Greene, piano

Blessing Our Candles of Joys and Sorrows
                             
Closing Hymn #1057:   “Go Lifted Up”

Chalice Extinguishing                                             Maisie Crowther
It is our work, shared with each other in covenant,
That creates and sustains this beloved community.
We extinguish this chalice, but its light lives on
in the directions we have chosen today.
The light of this faith lives on in us, together,
in our hearts, minds, bodies and spirits.
Amen and Blessed Be.

*Closing Circle: “Carry the Flame of Peace and Love” (sung two times)

*Please join in standing as you are able.

Benediction                                                                   Rev. Telos