Sunday e-Bulletin for Blessing of the Animals and Baptism Worship Service, SUNDAY, 11 October 2026, 5 pm

Written By Rev. Sonya Gravlee

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CHIMING OF THE HOUR Vincent Perry

COMMUNITY NEWS

INVOCATION

PRELUDE

WELCOME 

BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS LITANY
One:    Ask the animals, and they will teach you;
All:      The birds of the air, and they will tell you.
One:    Let the fish of the sea declare it;
All:      In God’s hand is the life of every living thing.
One: For fur and feather, scale and fin, for wild creatures and loyal household companions who grace our lives with joy...
All: We give you thanks, O God.
One: For the lessons they teach us about presence, grace, play, and unconditional love...
All: May we honor them as part of your good creation and give thanks for humans who work for the ethical treatment of animals, for veterinarians and biologists, for shelter staff and pet owners. Amen.

 SONG Unity AAHH #338

Behold how good and how pleasant it is
For kindred to dwell together in unity
Behold how good and how pleasant it is 
For kindred to dwell together in unity

Behold how good and how pleasant it is 
For kindred to dwell together in unity
Behold how good and how pleasant it is 
For kindred to dwell together in unity

Unity, unity, Lord, we pray for unity
Unity, unity, Lord, we pray for unity

Unity, unity, Lord, we pray for unity
Unity, unity, Lord, we pray for unity.

PEACE AND GREETINGS 

OFFERING Your offerings sustain the work of the church. If you are able, please make a contribution online. You can also mail a check to the church. Thank you. ‍

SONG OF PREPARATION Rev Dr Dollie Howell Pankey

SCRIPTURE NRSVUE Philippians 4:1-9
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved. I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my coworkers, whose names are in the book of life. 

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. As for the things that you have learned and received and heard and noticed in me, do them, and the God of peace will be with you.

May we be blessed by the reading of this word. Amen.

MESSAGE Rev Sally Harris

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE  We share prayers of joy and gratitude; prayers of concern or sorrow; and prayers for the world and its people. We end each prayer by saying “This is my prayer,” and then together we affirm, “This is our prayer.” If you are worshiping via Zoom, you may type your prayer request in the chat or indicate you wish to say it aloud, and someone will bring the mic to the tablet for you.

BAPTISM OF MISTY LEE DELAHAY

CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE
With God’s help, we will proclaim and practice the good news that liberates.

We will surround Misty Lee Delahay with love and forgiveness, caring for her and each other, as a community of faith that makes mistakes, learns, grows, and nurtures joy.

We will encourage Misty in service to the flourishing of her communities, of the earth and all its creatures, and of all who seek solidarity, near and globally.

We will pray for Misty that she may be a disciple of Jesus and his radical love all the days of her life. Amen.

SONG                  Leaning on the Everlasting Arms AAHH #371

What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Refrain:
Leaning, leaning,
Safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
O how bright the path grows from day to day,
Leaning on the everlasting arms. [Refrain]

What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the everlasting arms?
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the everlasting arms. [Refrain]

BENEDICTION Beloved Community UCC Covenant 

With the help of God
We will walk together in the ways of Jesus, 
creating a community and striving for a world 
where no one is an outcast and no one is a stranger, 
Where all people are celebrated 
as precious children of God,
Where we joyfully share with one another
Hope for the living, comfort for the dying,
Dignity for those in struggle,
And freedom to ask and to seek and to grow more fully
into the persons we were created to be.

 POSTLUDE


Songs from the AAHH: African American Heritage Hymnal and other sources. Liturgy adapted from UCC Worship Ways, the UCC Book of Worship, enfleshed.com, and other sources. Scripture reading from The New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition Bible.

Rev. Sonya Gravlee