Wake now, my vision of ministry clear;
brighten my pathway with radiance here;
mingle my calling with all who will share;
work toward a planet transformed by our care.
— "Wake Now My Senses"
from the "Singing the Living Tradition" hymnal
| Gather In Drumming | LuAnn Hall | |
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| Processional Hymn | Rank by Rank Again We Stand | No. 358 |
| Verse 1 | ||
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Rank by rank again we stand, from the four winds gathered hither, Loud the hallowed walls demand whence we come and how, and whither. From their stillness breaking clear, echoes wake to warn or cheer; higher truth from saint and seer call to us assembled here. |
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| Verse 2 | ||
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Ours the years' memorial store, honored days and names we reckon, days of comrades gone before, lives that speak and deeds that beckon. From the dreaming of the night to the labors of the day, shines their ever-lasting light, guiding us upon our way. |
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| Verse 3 | ||
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Though the path be hard and long, still we strive in expectation; join we now their ageless song one with them in aspiration. One in name, in honor one, guard we well the crown they won; what they dreamed be ours to do, hope their hopes, and seal them true. |
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| Words of Welcome | Glenn Rogers, President, Executive Board, UUFHC | |
| Greetings | ||
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Unitarian Universalist Association—Charles Wooldridge Joseph Priestley District—Patricia Hall Infante Community Greetings—Leonard Wheeler |
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| Chalice Lighting | Rev. Anya Sammler-Michael | |
| Anthem |
Love is the Spirit of This Church words by James Vila Blake, music by Betty Jo Angebranndt |
UUS and UUFHC Choirs C. Nelson Fritts, Conductor |
| Sermon | Servants of Life | The Rev. David Bumbaugh |
| Time of Silence | ||
| Words for the Offering | Today's offering benefits the Living Tradition Fund | The Rev. Paige Getty |
| Offertory | I Know My Place Is Here | Daniel N. Michael |
| Act of Ordination | Glenn Rogers, President UUFHC Board | |
| Glenn | ||
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In our free church tradition, congregations have the authority and the privilege to ordain a person to the ministry. Ordination is for a lifetime. It is a meaningful and joyous occasion when we come together to recognize one who has chosen ministry as his or her life’s work, and we intentionally affirm such choice with open hearts. It is a special privilege for our congregation to exercise our authority to ordain Scott Sammler-Michael, who has worshipped with us, given countless hours of volunteer support and shared with us his journey of theological formation in Seminary. In February 2008, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Harford County voted to ordain Scott Sammler- Michael to the Unitarian Universalist ministry. Scott is the first person this congregation has ordained in its fifty-three year history. It is with great pride that we gather for this sacred purpose today. Scott, would you please come forward. Would members of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Harford County please rise as you are able. Scott, are you ready and willing to undertake the commitments of Unitarian Universalist Ministry? |
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| Scott | ||
Yes, I stand ready and willing. |
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| Members of the Congregation | ||
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We, the members of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Harford County affirm your calling to the Unitarian Universalist Ministry. We pledge ourselves to walk beside you in a spirit of mutuality, for we recognize that each of us contributes to the fullness and meaning of our faith. We ask you to dedicate yourself to embody the principles of our shared faith with mindfulness and joy, and to continue celebrating the wonder and mystery of life. May you inspire others to live the ways of truth, justice and love both by your words and your example. May you answer this call by challenging others to usher their best gifts into being. May you carry on to help shape this liberal religious tradition. We do hereby ordain you, Scott Sammler- Michael, to the Unitarian Universalist Ministry. |
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| Scott | ||
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With abiding hope and a deep sense of faith I humbly accept this ministry into which you ordain me. I pledge to minister with the full outstretching of my spirit ~ to serve humbly, to live with integrity, and to always honor this place where I was first called minister. As but one traveler in our common search for truth I pledge to cultivate the curiosity and doubt that composes true faith. I pledge to court mystery, speak the truth with love, and nurture the interdependence connecting all life. As such I promise to fulfill the duties and uphold the honor of our Unitarian Universalist Ministry. With gratitude, grace, and within community I shall live this call throughout my days. |
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| Glenn | ||
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Will all who have gathered here today please rise as you are able. |
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| All | ||
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We, the gathered congregation, family and friends, recognize and affirm you Scott Sammler-Michael as an ordained minister. Go forth with our blessing. |
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| Greetings from Accotink Unitarian Universalist Church | ||
| Jim Girard and Dick Robison | ||
| Presentation of Gift | The Rev. Lisa Ward and Marcie Tabone | |
| Hymn | Bring Many Names | No. 23 |
| Verse 1 | ||
| Bring many names, beautiful and good; celebrate in parable and story, holiness in glory, living, loving God; hail and hosanna, bring many names. | ||
| Verse 2 | ||
| Strong mother God, working night and day, planning all the wonders of creation, setting each equation, genius at play; hail and hosanna, strong mother God! | ||
| Verse 3 | ||
| Warm father God, hugging every child, feeling all the strains of human living, caring and forgiving till we’re reconciled; hail and hosanna, warm father God! | ||
| Verse 4 | ||
| Old, aching God, grey with endless care, calmly piercing evil’s new disguises, glad of new surprises, wiser than despair; hail and hosanna, old, aching God! | ||
| Verse 5 | ||
| Young, growing God, eager still to know, willing to be changed by what you’ve started, quick to be delighted, singing as you go; hail and hosanna, young, growing God! | ||
| Verse 6 | ||
| Great, living God, never fully known, joyful darkness far beyond our seeing, closer yet than breathing, everlasting home: hail and hosanna, great, living God! | ||
| Charge to the Congregation | Patricia Infante | |
| Anthem | All Things are Connected | UUS and UUFHC Choirs |
| Charge to the Minister | The Rev. Sarah Lammert | |
| Right Hand of Fellowship | The Rev. Lisa Ward | |
| Song | By My Side | |
| Laying on of Hands | ||
| Prayer | The Rev. Nina Grey | |
| Recessional Hymn | Wake Now My Senses | No. 298 |
| Verse 1 | ||
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Wake, now, my senses, and hear the earth call; feel the deep power of being in all; keep, with the web of creation your vow, giving, receiving as love shows us how. |
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| Verse 2 | ||
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Wake, now, my reason, reach out to the new; join with each pilgrim who quests for the true; honor the beauty and wisdom of time; suffer thy limit, and praise the sublime. |
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| Verse 3 | ||
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Wake, now, compassion, give heed to the cry; voices of suffering fill the wide sky; take as your neighbor both stranger and friend, praying the striving their hardship to end. |
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| Verse 4 | ||
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Wake, now, my conscience, with justice thy guide; join with all people whose rights are denied; take not for granted a privileged place; God's love embraces the whole human race. |
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| Verse 5 | ||
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Wake, now, my vision of ministry clear; brighten my pathway with radiance here; mingle my calling with all who will share; work toward a planet transformed by our care. |
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| Benediction | The Rev. Scott Sammler-Michael | |
| Postlude | Ragtime Piano | Richard Schroeder |
| Everyone is cordially invited to a reception immediately following the service. | ||
| Full Hearted Thanks to Today's Participants (in order of appearance): | ||
| LuAnn Hall | Drummer, Member of UUFHC | |
| Glenn Rogers | President, Executive Board, UUFHC | |
| Charles (Chuck) Wooldridge | UUA Trustee for the Joseph Priestley District | |
| Patricia Hall Infante | Director for Growth and Extension for the Joseph Priestley District | |
| Leonard Wheeler | Serving the Maryland Governor's Judicial Nominating Committee and the Harford County Board of Elections | |
| The Rev. Anya Sammler-Michael | Minister, Unitarian Universalists of Sterling, VA | |
| The UUS and UUFHC Choirs | is a combined choir of the Unitarian Universalists of Sterling and the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Harford County | |
| C. Nelson Fritts | Conductor, Member of UUFHC | |
| The Rev. David Bumbaugh | Professor of Ministry, Meadville Lombard Theological School, IL | |
| The Rev. Paige Getty | Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbia, MD | |
| Daniel N. Michael | singer/songwriter and brother of |
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| Jim Girard and Dick Robison | members of the Ministerial Search Task Force for the Accotink Unitarian Universalist Church, VA | |
| Marcie Tabone | Volunteer Coordinator and member of UUFHC | |
| The Rev. Sarah Lammert | Senior Minister, The Unitarian Society of Ridgewood, NJ | |
| The Rev. Lisa Ward | Minister, UUFHC | |
| Katie Hutchinson | Member, UUFHC | |
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Co-Ministers, Unitarian Universalist Church in Reston, VA | |
| The Rev. Nina Grey | Senior Minister, First Unitarian Church of Chicago, IL | |
| The UUFHC Ordination Committee |
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