Worship
Coming together for worship at United is like finding water in a dry and thirsty land. That’s why we do so, not only on Sunday mornings but midweek, too!
Like a stream in the desert, worship can refresh and renew us. Each week it offers us God’s new life and hope, for ourselves and for this world. At United, worship is the center of our life together, from which everything else flows: outreach, education, care, among others.
Whether on Sunday mornings, midweek, or other times, worship at United offers that new life in different ways. Sometimes – especially in the Sunday 8:30 AM service and the midweek contemplative services – worship is like the deep, still waters that God promises in the 23rd Psalm. In the later Sunday service, worship can be like a living stream, offering life in all kinds of ways. Similarly, like on Mardi Gras and Fiesta Sundays, worship is a river, full of life and surprises.
At United, we believe all of us – regardless of age – need the living waters of worship. That’s why children and younger youth join in the first part of the late service each Sunday and why Children’s Ministry always begins with prayer and song. It’s also why we offer a number of “intergenerational” services for all ages throughout the year.
We hope you’ll join us in worship at United. Together may we be renewed by the waters of life God offers us each week.
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Worship This Month
All God's Creatures - St. Francis Sunday and Pet Blessing
8:30am (Outdoor Contemplative Service)
10:00am (Outdoor)
October 1
When the Hebrews cry out for water, they include their animals in that cry. (Exodus 17:1-7) Later in Leviticus, food for both the livestock and wild animals is included in the covenant commands, along with caring for the earth. Great stories for St. Francis Sunday. Bring your pets (on a leash or in a carrier) or a picture of your pets for a blessing at the end of the service. Invite your friends and their pets, too!
No Other Gods
October 8
8:30am (Outdoor Contemplative Service)
10:00am (Sanctuary)
We call the “thou shalls and thou shall nots” of the 20th chapter of Exodus the 10 Commandments. Yet if the Hebrews had actually followed the first commandment about having “no other gods” than the one true God, they wouldn’t have needed the other nine, much less the 612 found in the rest of the Torah. The same is true for us, a few thousand years later. We welcome Rev. Ben Larzelere as guest preacher and share Communion in both services.
Who Do We Belong To?
October 15
8:30am (Outdoor Contemplative Service)
10:00am (Sanctuary)
While Moses is on Mt. Sinai establishing his people’s covenant with God, his brother Aaron is down below getting those same people to make a golden calf. (Exodus 32:1-14) When God sees what they’re doing, they become Moses’ people. But then Moses reminds the Almighty that it was God’s idea to bring them out of slavery. Whose people are they? Whose are we? What difference does it make?
Show Your Ways, Show Your Face
October 22
8:30am (Outdoor Contemplative Service)
10:00am (Sanctuary)
On Mt. Sinai, Moses asks for a two-way relationship with the Almighty. (Exodus 33:12-23) He wants to know God’s ways and he wants to see God’s face. He won’t settle for a transcendent abstraction. What do we need to see?
Then We See Face to Face
October 29
8:30am (Outdoor Contemplative Service)
10:00am (Sanctuary)
When Moses comes down from Sinai, his face glows from having seen the glory of God. (Exodus 34:29-35). His face is so bright that he must cover it with a veil whenever he is with the people. A story about masks (aka veils) is perfect for Reformation Sunday and for Halloween, two days later.
Then We See Face to Face
October 29
8:30am (Outdoor Contemplative Service)
10:00am (Sanctuary)
When Moses comes down from Sinai, his face glows from having seen the glory of God. (Exodus 34:29-35). His face is so bright that he must cover it with a veil whenever he is with the people. A story about masks (aka veils) is perfect for Reformation Sunday and for Halloween, two days later.
Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying - All Saints Day
November 5
8:30am (Outdoor Contemplative Service)
10:00am (Sanctuary)
We welcome composer, pianist, singer Ken Medema as our guest in worship for All Saints Day. Ken’s music inspires people of all ages, and we’ve sung many of his songs at United. On a day we remember all the saints—the well-known ones and the ones known only in our hearts—it’s a joy to welcome someone who has blessed this world with music for generations. Save the Date!