| As the weather begins to turn to fall, we gather. We gather to remember that we belong to something greater than ourselves. While we can’t gather together to mingle our waters together as is our tradition, this year you are invited to send along a picture of you pouring water into one of the many bodies of water that we live among. Send your picture to Rev. Samaya at minister@surreyunitarians.ca by Saturday, September 12th. For the service, you’ll want to have a small bowl of water with you. |
Pre-Prelude “The River” Leslie Chen
by Garth Brooks and Victoria Shaw, arr. Marty Gold
Welcome Rev. Samaya Oakley
Announcements Gwen Mackinnon
Prelude “River Flows in You” by Yiruma Leslie Chen
Call to Worship Rev. Samaya Oakley
Chalice Lighting Gwen Mackinnon
Chalice Lighting Response Sylvia Zeelenberg
May we shine a light of love,
May we shine a light of love,
With every thought, with every step we take,
May we shine a light of love.
Opening Hymn 1007 There’s a River Flowin’ in My Soul (video) Gwen Mackinnon
First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco
There’s a river flowin’ in my soul. There’s a river flowin’ in my soul. And it’s tellin’ me that I’m somebody. There’s a river flowin’ in my soul.
There’s a river flowin’ in my heart. There’s a river flowin’ in my heart. And it’s tellin’ me that I’m somebody. There’s a river flowin’ in my heart.
There’s a river flowin’ in my mind. There’s a river flowin’ in my mind. And it’s tellin’ me that I’m somebody. There’s a river flowin’ in my mind.
Story for all Ages – Rivers, Christopher Buice Rev. Samaya Oakley
Joys and Concerns Gwen Mackinnon
Offering Gwen Mackinnon
Offertory “Like a River to the Sea” by Steve Wariner Leslie Chen
Meditation Rev. Samaya Oakley
Silence
Hymn 1011 Return Again (video)
www.otherworldmusic.com
Return again, Return again, Return to the land* of your soul.
Return to who you are, Return to what you are,
Return to where you are born and reborn a gain.
Rivers in a Sea of Belonging Part I Rev. Samaya Oakley
Mingling of the Waters Rev. Samaya Oakley
Musical Accompaniment “River”” Leslie Chen
by Josh Groban, Toby Gad, and Bernie Herms
Rivers in a Sea of Belonging Part II Rev. Samaya Oakley
Musical Interlude – River of Love (video) Rev. Samaya Oakley
Benediction Rev. Samaya Oakley
Closing Hymn 1064 Blue Boat Home (video) Rev. Samaya Oakley
Created by Paul Thompson (Music Director at the UU Church of the Palouse, Moscow ID).
Though below me, I feel no motion standing on these mountains and plains.
Far away from the rolling ocean still my dry land heart can say: I’ve been sailing all my life now, never harbor or port have I known. The wide universe is the ocean I travel and the earth is my blue boat home.
Sun my sail and moon my rudder as I ply the starry sea, leaning over the edge in wonder, casting questions into the deep. Drifting here with my ship’s companions, all we kindred pilgrim souls, making our way by the lights of the heavens in our beautiful blue boat home.
I give thanks to the waves up holding me, hail the great winds urging me on, greet the infinite sea before me, sing the sky my sailor’s song: I was born up on the fathoms, never harbor or port have I known. The wide universe is the ocean I travel, and the earth is my blue boat home.
Extinguish the Chalice Gwen Mackinnon
We extinguish this flame, but not the light of truth,Postlude “Swanee River Rock” by Ray Charles Leslie Chen
The warmth of community, or the fire of commitment
These we carry in our hearts until we are together again
Carry the Flame Gwen Mackinnon
Carry the flame of peace and love
Until we meet again. (twice through)
Find us on Facebook by searching for our public page or our closed group. Simply type in “South Fraser Unitarians” in the search bar on Facebook.
Please stay after the Postlude to enjoy conversation in small groups of five people. Stay as long or as short as you’d like. Consider discussing either one of these two questions:
• How would your days and heart change if you told yourself (and really believed): “I’m already home. I’ve already arrived”?
• Who is sitting just outside your circle and needs welcomed in?
Photo by Ethan Sykes on Unsplash