United Parish

October 30th Worship

This Week at UPA

October 30th Worship

Lessons: Luke 19:1-10

Message: A Saving Grace

I’m BACK from Assisi, Italy and feeling entirely renewed by the beautiful touring, meaning making, deep and thoughtful conversations with colleagues, and moments of profound transformation. I took a million pictures and look forward to putting them together into a presentation for you all so you can experience just a little bit of what I did among the extensive history, legends, and, of course, food!

In the meantime, November begins on Monday and UPA will spend all of November thinking about (and acting on!) our stewardship for our faith-filled vision for this church. Expect a letter with more detailed thoughts next week, however, I can hint that we are wondering about your dreams for this church. Having just come out of (survived?) the COVID pandemic, including the fear, death, and chaos it created, we find our perspective on life and hope shifted. There is a new urgency to what we do as people of Love. The world is calling out for something new. How shall we participate in this need? What do we want this church to be to this community? This nation? This world? Keep an eye on your mailboxes and inboxes for more information and some opportunities for participation in brainstorming!

This Sunday we get to hear the story of the “Tax Collector” Zaccheaus and his brief – and heavily judged – conversation with Jesus. This is a story that has been commonly understood as a conversion story – Zaccheaus’s conversion from a sinner to a “Son of Abraham.” But there’s one tiny word in this scripture that can be -and is!- translated differently subsequently flipping the entire meaning on its head. Join me on Sunday (and feel free to dress up for Halloween!) to experience this meaning flip letting it open your mind to new possibilities!

See you then!
Peace,
Cheryl

Music:
Prelude: “Dialogue on the Fifth Tone on the Grand Jeux”  Gilles Jullien
Anthem: “Give Thanks for Life”  Nancy René
Meditation: “God is My Shepherd”   Antonín Dvořák         Sung by Chihiro Asano, mezzo soprano
Postlude:  “Fugue on Tone V” Johann Pachelbel

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