Worshipping with Hummelstown UCCWorship online: Streamed weekly on YouTube Worship in person: Settle in and engage the spirit. Here is some helpful information: Large Print Bulletins are available from an usher if you prefer. Bold Type indicates you are invited to read, in unison aloud. Hymns are included at the end of the bulletin, and in the hymnals in the pews. Offerings & Gifts are always welcome, for your use a plate is placed at either entrance to the sanctuary. A link is included here if you prefer to give online. Prayer requests and communication cards are available on the clipboards in the pews. Please place in the offering plates. If you would like your prayer spoken in service, please give to the pastor before worship begins. Children & Youth Jesus loved kids and loves yours, so we invite kids to be kids, whether they are wiggly, giggly or quiet. A rocking chair and changing table are available for your use at the back of the sanctuary to the left. Activity bags, crayons and paper are located at the back of the sanctuary. Move, groove and be part of the spirit! Communion is ALWAYS open to all. Bread is gluten and main allergen free, and cups are grape juice. If you have allergy concerns please speak with the pastor or ushers. Individually sealed packages are available upon request.  22nd Sunday after Pentecost 11/9/25 Question of the day: I’ve Been Meaning to Ask… What do you need? Creating Community WELCOME OPENING MEDITATION Philip Pullman “After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.” PRELUDE CALL TO WORSHIP One: Family of faith, this must be the place. This is the place for connection and growth, for community and hope. This must be the place for questions like: Many: “Where are you from?” and, “What do you need?” For whispers of: “I’ve been thinking of you,” and, “I’ve been meaning to ask. . .” One: This must be the place, because all belong here. All are welcome here. All hurt and joy, needs and prayers, dreams and love, are welcome here. So for our call to worship today, we are going to lean into invitation for connection. I invite you to take two minutes to introduce yourself to someone around you and to share one thing that has brought you deep joy this week so that we might begin our service with joy, gratitude, and connection. God is near. Let us worship Holy God. HYMN “A Covenant of Grace” v.3 We all need people who will be with us in solidarity No explanation, no defense Just ministry of their presence PRAYER OF TRANSFORMATION & NEW LIFE One: How many of you have ever had a bad day and found someone offering you unsolicited advice? How many of you have ever had a bad week and had someone rush in with dozens of suggestions for how you might fix things, as if you hadn’t thought of that before? We have all been there, and we have all done that. It is part of our humanity. Our scripture reminds us today that often in the face of hurt, what people really need is not a list of advice or solutions, but the simple presence of love. So let us pray to God today, acknowledging that we are works in progress, and that relationships always come with mistakes and confession. Let us pray: Many: Gracious God, sometimes life feels like cooking with flour— it looks like it should be easy, but we always make a mess. This is particularly true when it comes to our relationships. We so desperately long to say the right thing, to be the right thing, to find the right solution, that we overstep the line. Forgive us for assuming the place you fill. Forgive us for imagining that we, in all our humanity, could possibly fix all the hurt in this world. Instead, give us the grace and the strength to stand by our loved ones in their moments of need to witness their hurt without trying to fix it. You are God. We are not. Teach us how to be a friend. Teach us how to ask, “What do you need?” Teach us how to point to you. Gratefully we pray. Amen PASSING OF THE PEACE HYMN “Gather Us O God” Sing! Prayer and Praise #45 Gather us, O God, Body, Spirit, Soul and Mind Gather us, O God One in union now with you MESSAGE FOR YOUNGER DISCIPLES All families, kids or those young at heart are welcome to come forward for a moment of connection at the altar. Celebrating Baptism Baptism of Myles Malachi Ramirez Parents: Joshua & Nicole Ramirez Myles’ village is with us today, including his grandparents, aunts & uncles, great aunts & uncles, cousins, and family friends, coming from locally and afar. In gratitude we gather & celebrate this day! HYMN “Child of Blessing” #325 Responding to the Spirit’s call PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE God of long winters and longer summers, in the words of Paul, do your best to come to us quickly. Come to us with loud praise and joy, or appear to us in a still, small voice. Come to us through friends, or come to us through strangers. HYMN “There’s a Spirit of Love in this Place” v.1 SPP #33 There’s a spirit of love in this place There’s a spirit of love in this place You can’t see it but it’s there, just as precious as the air There’s a spirit of love in this place Come to us in this space of worship, and come to us quickly if you can. We are seeking you. We are always seeking you. With grateful hearts cracked open by love, we pray. God of the here and now, My, oh my, how we need you. This world seems to turn upside down all the time. Our center of gravity feels off. HYMN “There’s a Spirit of Love in this Place” v.2 SPP #33 There’s a presence of peace in this room There’s a presence of peace in this room In God’s tenderness is found, peace that passes human bounds There’s a presence of peace in this room In moments like these, we are particularly grateful for the care you offer and the stability of friends. So today we say a prayer of thanks for the people in our life who take the time to ask: “What do you need?” Gracious God, help us to be those people for others. Give us the eyes to see when our neighbors are in need, and the wisdom to ask, “What do you need?” Stop our assumptions cold in their tracks, and instead, carve out space in us to listen. We are practicing breathing deeply. We are practicing being still. We are practicing opening ourselves up to you. We are practicing listening—slowly and intentionally. We are practicing sitting with our pain and honoring it. We are practicing saying what we need and not being afraid to ask for help. And in all of this, we need you. Oh how we need you. HYMN “There’s a Spirit of Love in this Place" v.2 & alleluia SPP #33 There’s a presence of peace in this room There’s a presence of peace in this room In God’s tenderness is found, peace that passes human bounds There’s a presence of peace in this room O alleluia, sing alleluia. We bless your holy name O alleluia, sing alleluia. There’s a spirit of love in this place. We seek health and healing with… Country-recovery from surgery; Jenn K- hip surgery went well; Chuck K-hydrocephalus; Deanna, husband and their baby to be born, John Hoover; Linda Lutz-recovery from fall; Joanie Gwirtz-healing after auto accident; Sherry (daughter of Mary Lohr)-in rehab; Hunter; Nancy Bingaman-had surgery; We continue to pray with…Yvonne-medical; Mary Lohr-medical; Bob Brandis-recovery from surgery; Bryce and family-emotional support; Debbie Husser-kidney failure; Those with cancer: Carol Ann Simpson; Jan Mindish; Peggy Anderson; Tom Ordille; Sue Mannello; Bruce and Cindy; Dan Brouse; Becki; Pam; Deb; Kate H.; Vicki D.; Ana ; Gary Wert; Linda Gemberling; We pray for…all who serve in our armed forces and all first responders, those who are hungry due to loss of benefits, the unhoused and those facing eviction So gather us in and hold us close. Be with us in our waiting and in our praying. Be with us in our grief and our sorrow. Be in our relationships, that we might be blessed with friends who support us and that we might be the friends who can bless others. With deep gratitude and with true humility, we pray the words your beloved child taught us to pray, saying together… LORD'S PRAYER Many: Our Creator/Mother/Father, 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. HYMN “There’s a Spirit of Love in this Place” alleluia SPP #33 O alleluia, sing alleluia. We bless your holy name O alleluia, sing alleluia. There’s a spirit of love in this place. ANNOUNCING MISSIONS & MINISTRY CENTERING ON OUR GENEROSITY When we love someone in need, it is easy to give. We show up with casseroles and prayer blankets. We send cards and make phone calls. We babysit the kids and drop off flowers. We don’t think twice about it, because when we love someone in need, it is easy to give. In worship, when we give to the offering, what we are also declaring is that not just those we love are worthy of our gifts, but God is worthy of our gifts, and strangers whom we have never met are worthy of our gifts. In worship, when we give to needs of the church, we are declaring that all of creation deserves love and care, which is a radical notion in this hurting world. So today, as a way to practice being in relationship and drawing closer to one another, I invite you to envision your gifts to the mission and ministry of this church as your body of love reaching out. For when we love, it is always easy to give. MUSICAL REFLECTION ON OUR GIFTS SUNG RESPONSE (Tune #780) Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise God, all creatures here below; Praise God for all that Love has done; Creator, Christ and Spirit, One. PRAYER OF DEDICATION Many: We believe in relationships. We believe in asking hard questions, in showing up for one another, and in sitting together through the pain. We believe in listening with grace, learning with curiosity, and apologizing with sincerity. We believe in asking for help, saying what we need, and trusting that no degree of vulnerability could strip us of God’s love. We believe in trying our best and offering grace when our best is not enough. And we believe that God is in all relationships— modeling for us the value of community through the relationships of the Trinity. So we love today, and we strive to love even more tomorrow. Let it be so. Amen. HYMN “I Come with Joy” v. 1,4 &5 #349 Welcoming Wisdom HEBREW SCRIPTURE Job 2:11-13 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all these troubles that had come upon him, each of them set out from his home—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They met together to go and console and comfort him. When they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him, and they raised their voices and wept aloud; they tore their robes and threw dust in the air upon their heads. They sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great. EPISTLE 2 Timothy 4:9-18 Do your best to come to me soon, for Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me in ministry. I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will pay him back for his deeds. You also must beware of him, for he strongly opposed our message. At my first defense no one came to my support, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them! But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and all the gentiles might hear it. So, I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. SERMON What do you need? Pastor Beth Rogers Uniting in Ritual One of the things I love most about this church is that we are never alone. When someone is hurting in this community, you show up with food and a ride. When life forces us out of the sanctuary, you show up online and in other places. One of the things I love most about the Church is that on our hardest days and our longest nights, we are never alone. Job needed his friends. Paul needed Timothy. Jesus needed the disciples. We need each other. So today you are invited to the Table but know that you are not invited alone. You, your neighbor, your family, your friends, and those you haven’t met are all invited. Look around. There is something special here. We need each other, and we are all invited—together. So come to the Table. You are not alone. HYMN “I Come with Joy” v. 2 & 3 #349 WORDS OF INSTITUTION SHARING OF THE ELEMENTS The Bread of Unity, The Cup of Community PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING Many: Fulfilling God, be with us in this meal, that it might remind us that we are never alone, that you are always coming quickly to our side, sitting with us in the pain, and drawing us together as a community. Amen Going Forth in Love! CLOSING HYMN “Many and Great, O God, Are Your Works” #3 BENEDICTION Family of faith, as you leave this place, may God grant you the curiosity to counter assumptions, the vulnerability to befriend, the bravery to speak your truth, the wisdom to listen, the strength to ask for help, the resiliency to choose love, even when it’s hard, and the awareness of the Holy Spirit always beside you. In the name of the Great Connector—Love itself, go in peace. POSTLUDE Today in worship: Liturgist: Joan Spire Tech: Hannah Landvater Acolyte: Tylah Peterson Greeters/Ushers: Thelma Shumway, Rich Hebel Musician: Kristen Miller Drag Bingo this Saturday!! Contact Jim Anderson-Greenover for baked goods pick-up if needed. Treats can also be dropped off at church Tuesday-Thursday. Help set up tables, Wednesday after 12:30 pm. Want to help prepare our rooms for the hundreds of people who will come to play? Contact Pastor Beth with questions… or come to play or help with concession sales on Saturday. Volunteers, please arrive at 5:30. Thanks!! Help us support our ministry - Give here   
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