Today’s service will be held indoors in the sanctuary as an in-person service and also live streamed at this link. Click on “live” for live stream. Join us!
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Gathering Music Polly Dunford
Welcome and Announcements Joanne Batten
Special Music “Mambo Number 5”
by Damaso Perez Prado; Arranged by David Johnson
Marimba - Kyle Bruenning Trumpet - David Johnson Flute - Laurie Gentry Piano - Polly Dunford
Call to Worship (from Psalm 136)
O give thanks to the Lord, for God is good! God’s steadfast love endures forever.
O give thanks to the Lord of lords! God’s steadfast love endures forever.
It is God alone who does great wonders; God’s steadfast love endures forever.
It is God who spread the waters on the earth; God’s steadfast love endures forever.
It is God who spread the stars across the heavens. God’s steadfast love endures forever.
It is God who held us in our trials and challenges; God’s steadfast love endures forever.
O give thanks to the God of heaven, God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Let’s worship the Lord together!
Opening Hymn “Here in This Place-Gather Us In” Hymnal #401
1) Here in this place the new light is streaming; now is the darkness vanished away;
see in this space our fears and our dreamings brought here to you in the light of this day.
Gather us in, the lost and forsaken; gather us in, the blind and the lame;
call to us now, and we shall awaken; we shall arise at the sound of our name.
2) We are the young, our lives are a mystery. We are the old who yearn for your face.
We have been sung throughout all of history, called to be light to the whole human race.
Gather us in, the rich and the haughty; gather us in, the proud and the strong;
give us a heart, so meek and so lowly; give us the courage to enter the song.
3) Here we will take the wine and the water; here we will take the bread of new birth.
Here you shall call your sons and your daughters, call us anew to be salt for the earth.
Give us to drink the wine of compassion; give us to eat the bread that is you;
nourish us well, and teach us to fashion lives that are holy and hearts that are true.
4) Not in the dark of buildings confining, not in some heaven, light years away:
here in this place the new light is shining; now is the kingdom, and now is the day.
Gather us in and hold us forever; gather us in and make us your own;
gather us in, all peoples together, fire of love in our flesh and our bone.
Scripture Reading John 3:11-16
Sermon “Love: The Essence of God in Motion” Rev. Laura Beth Buchleiter
Prayerful Circle of Care
Closing Hymn and Offertory “Testify to Love” In Bulletin Written by Hank Pool, Paul Field (UK), Ralph Van Manen, Robert Riekerk, Lyrics by Douglas McKelvey
1) All the colors of the rainbow, all the voices of the wind,
Every dream that reaches out, that reaches out to find where love began,
Every word of every story, every star in every sky,
Every corner of creation, lives to testify.
Chorus: For as long as I shall live, I will always testify to love,
I’ll be a witness to the silences, when words are not enough,
And with every breath I take, I will give thanks to god above,
For as long as I shall live, I will testify to love.
2) From the mountains to the valleys, from the rivers to the sea,
Every Hand that reaches out, every hand that reaches out to offer peace,
Every simple act of mercy, every step the kingdom come,
Every hope in every heart will, speak what love has done.Chorus
Benediction
Discussion
Shalom (“May you be well and whole and in communion with all creation.”)
Shalom, my friends, Shalom, my friends, Shalom, Shalom.
Till we meet again, Till we meet again, Shalom, Shalom. ******************************
Reprinted with permission under One License #A-625711. All rights reserved.
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Please join us for our Potluck Meal following worship service.
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Calendar of Service -
August 9 - Rev. Laura Beth Buchleiter
August 16 - Dave Johnson
August 23 - Rev. Laura Beth Buchleiter
August 30 - Rev. Laura Beth Buchleiter
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Welcome to our new minister, Rev. Laura Beth Buchleiter! She will begin leading worship services on August 2, 2026. Since this is our usual Sunday potluck meal, we will have an extra celebration during our meal. Folks are asked to bring in any beautiful flowers you have in your yards and decorate the sanctuary. Many thanks to the Search Committee: Joanne Batten, Sarah Shumpert, Karen Manley, David Sanders and Ed Yokley.
Rev. Laura Bethany Buchleiter (LB) is a pastor, speaker, writer, and musician with over 35 years of experience in various Christian ministry settings - from music to missions!
When traveling, she speaks on topics ranging from gender and sexuality to spiritual/religious trauma and faith formation. After years of serving in churches, she finally started seminary in Indianapolis, IN, in 2017, graduating in 2021. During that time she has been an active advocate and speaker, launched a non-profit focused on healing spiritual wounds through creative expression, and been active with the 1001 New Worshipping Communities of the PC(USA).
For a while now, it's been a goal in life to “settle down without holding still.” While not “home” - LB has lived in 11 states and 1 territory - Indianapolis has been “home-base” for nearly a decade. She is looking forward to shifting that base to Anderson, adding state #12, and settling in, so long as the Lord wills it!
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Meet and Eat group will gather next time on Wednesday, August 5, at Fruit Punch Sandwich Shop on Hwy 24. Everyone is welcome!
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Anderson Forum on Progressive Theology (AFPT) will present Kieran Fox, MD PhD on August 9, 2026, at 3 pm at North Anderson Community Church Presbyterian. Dr. Fox will speak about his book, I Am a Part of Infinity: The Spiritual Journey of Albert Einstein. His talk will be both live and available via Zoom.
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Shower Update: The shower is under construction. Please excuse the happy mess!
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Keep up with the latest news from Foothills Presbytery here.
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Bible Study meets on Mondays at 6:30 pm through Zoom. The topic is Apocalyptic Eschatology along with the Book of Revelation. Dave says he will try to make sense of it! If you’d like to be added to the Zoom invite list, contact Cynthia at cynthiakwarner@mac.com.
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Please remember to donate non-perishable food items to AIM (Anderson Interfaith Ministries). An extra item when you shop is a great help to others in our community.
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