Just as God is our Father, so God is also our Mother.

  TAIZÉ O Lord, Hear My Prayer FWS 2200 it consumes their oracle-priests,


and devours because of their schemes.

And God showed me this truth in all things, but especially OPENING TO GOD Rainer Maria Rilke My people are bent on turning away from me.

in those sweet words when God says: “It is I”. As if to say,   To the Most High they call,

I believe in all that has never yet been spoken.

“I am the power and the Goodness of the Father, I want to free what waits within me
 but God does not raise them up at all.
I am the Wisdom of the Mother, so that what no one has dared to wish for
I am the Light and the Grace which is blessed love, God the Compassionate Mother
I am the Trinity, I am the Unity, may for once spring clear
 How can I give you up, Ephraim?

I am the supreme Goodness of all kind of things, without my contriving. How can I hand you over, O Israel?

I am the One who makes you love, If this is arrogant, God, forgive me,
 How can I make you like Admah?

I am the One who makes you desire, How can I treat you like Zeboiim?

but this is what I need to say.

I am the never-ending fulfillment of all true desires.” My heart recoils within me;

May what I do flow from me like a river,

Saint Julian of Norwich c. 1400 no forcing and no holding back,
 my compassion grows warm and tender.

the way it is with children. I will not execute my fierce anger;

I will not again destroy Ephraim;

We Gather as God’s People Then in these swelling and ebbing currents,

these deepening tides moving out, returning,

for I am God and no mortal,

the Holy One in your midst,

HYMN Come Away with Me FWS 2202 I will sing you as no one ever has, and I will not come in wrath.
streaming through widening channels

CALL TO WORSHIP into the open sea. God the Calling Mother
The God who spoke Creation into being They shall go after the Lord,

who will roar like a lion;

Also calls us to gather in worship.
for she will roar,

We come together in voice and in silence
We come together to sing, to pray, to speak, to hear.
We Listen for God’s Word and the children will come
trembling from the west.

We gather in God's presence and peace. HEBREW SCRIPTURES Hosea 11 They will come trembling like birds from Egypt,

We greet each other with the Peace of Christ. God the Loving Mother and like doves from the land of Assyria;

When Israel was a child, I loved them,
 and I will resettle them in their own homes,
HYMN Lord of All Hopefulness FWS 2196 and out of Egypt I called my son.
 says the Lord.
The more I called them,

GATHERING PRAYER the more they went from me;

God who calls us all Beloved Children,
we come into your presence,
they kept sacrificing to the Baals,

and offering incense to idols.
We Respond to God’s Word
we come to be embraced by your loving arms. REFLECTION Relationship Status: It’s Complicated
In this time of worship, God the Tender Mother
remind us of the love which holds us fast. Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk,

HYMN Depths of Mercy UMH 355
I took them up in my arms;

In this time of worship,
but they did not know that I healed them.
 PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & THE LORD’S PRAYER
restore in us the desire to love and serve. I led them with cords of human kindness,

In this time of worship, with bands of love.

prepare us to go back out into the world to live as your I was to them like those
 OFFERTORY & DOXOLOGY
children, to love your children, to serve your children. who lift infants to their cheeks.

Amen. I bent down to them and nursed them.
We Are Sent Into God’s World
HYMN All My Days W&S 3011 God the Mother Who Knows Anger ANNOUNCEMENTS
They shall return to the land of Egypt,

PASSING THE PEACE and Assyria shall be their king,

BENEDICTION
because they have refused to return to me.

The sword rages in their cities,
 RESPONSE Let There Be Peace on Earth UMH 431
YOUNG PEOPLE’S MESSAGE
 Birthdays and Anniversaries Below are people, places, & concerns that folk have lifted up.
Please keep them in your prayers at home.
Nov 10: Heidi Evans, Owen Duff Please call or email the church office to add to the prayer list.
Nov 13: Laurie Klinedinst Nov 15: Larry Holmes

Office Hours
Ongoing Prayers
Arlitha
Ongoing Prayers, cont.
Don Canady Hosea 11
Relationship Status:
Callie Harley
Tuesdays: Pastor Is In @ Nest Coffee Shop 10 am - 11:30 am
Thursdays: Church Office 1:00 pm- 3:00 pm Anne Kennison Michael Parker
Mary Willard Joyce Moore
Calendar
Tue, 12 Nov: Essex/Jericho/Underhill Clergy Mtg, 11:30
Norma Strickland
Judy & Diezel
Dorothy & Alex
“It’s Complicated”
Lifted Up Last Sunday
Matthew C.
Mt Mansfield Bible Study, 2:00 pm “Wild Elissa & Leif Jody - MaryAnn’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis,
Women of the Bible” pt 5: Miriams in NT living in Birchwood
Greg
Paula DeMichele Narda - all working to help recover from
Administrative Board, 7 pm storm
Don Strickland
Ellie Uckele Dawn - Judy H’s surgery and recovery
Wed, 13 Nov: The Bible Project We begin the Luke-Acts
miniseries. 7 pm. Read Luke 1-2, Matthew 1-2. Cole Kathryn - celebration of father’s 88th
Gordon Mitchinson birthday
Thu, 14 Nov: Thursday Companions in Parlor, 2:00 pm Susan Mitch - Judy McD, and the many changes
Tim she is experiencing
Young Life Dessert Banquet at New Moon Cafe
in Burlington. Come and enjoy dessert & coffee &
learning about this ministry impacting youth in our
community, and ways that you can help! RSVP to

j
Kristine Ericksen or www.chittco.younglife.org

Sat, 16 Nov: Food Shelf at GSLC, 9 am

Church Decorating for Thanksgiving 9 am

Sun, 17 Nov: Stewardship Sunday & After-worship Potluck Essex Center United Methodist Church
essex_umc@comcast.net tel. 878-8304
Mon, 18 Nov: Monday Companions at Eve’s, 7 pm Final www.essexumc.com
discussion of Dear Church
Ministers: the entire congregation Lay Leader: Joshua Knox
Equipping Pastor: Rev. V. Mitchell Hay
Tue, 19 Nov: Nominations Team 7 pm
cell/text: 881-3268 (feel free to call) mitchellhay@comcast.net
Thu, 21 Nov: District Committee on Ministry, Barre, 9-3
Office Manager: Elissa Johnsen
Sunday School Coordinator: Krista Rochefort
Sun, 1 Dec: Advent Begins; Ponsettia Orders due to Kathy D. Organ: Kathryn Parker Piano: June Packard

Essex Center
Song Leader: Dana LaClair Projection: Bob McLane
Mon, 2 Dec: Annual Church Conference, 7pm (PPR, 6:30 pm)
Nursery Helper Gail G next week: Barb L
Sun, 8 Dec: New Member Sunday Parent Helper: Elissa J next week: Liz R Un-Tied Methodist Church
Greeters: Pat M next week:
Reconciling Congregations Vote Ushers: Donna P, Claire N next week: 10 November 2019 22nd Sunday after Pentecost
 From the Missions Team
Many exciting things happening over the next
couple of months that you may want to be part of:
1. Christmas Caroling at Memory Care and
Respite House: we are asking anyone
interested to contact Marilyn at
marilyn_almeida@comcast.net or Sally at
sallyjablonski317@gmail.com. Be part of
making a joyful noise and perhaps lifting up
some spirits at the same time!
2. CASAN (Chittenden Asylum Seekers
Assistance Network) is trying to help a mother
and child seeking asylum in Burlington with
long-term housing and gift cards for Price
Chopper or Walmart. They are from an African
country, identities are being kept confidential for
their safety. Contributions/gift cards can be given
to Mark or Paula.
3. Prison fellowship ministries has given our
church seven children for our Angel Tree. This
ministry allows incarcerated parents to send a
message with a gift that we purchase and deliver
for their child. We are in the process of
contacting the caregivers and will be placing an
Angel Tree in fellowship hall in a couple of
weeks with name tags for each child with their
ages and gifts requested.
Wishing you all a blessed week,
Paula Pickering
From the Open Spirit Task Force
Hello All!
I wanted to let you know that this opportunity for lay folks is
coming to Vermont. Since we will have limited openings for
groups, I wanted to make you aware of the organization of
these focus groups. Space is limited, and we want to be able
to get at least 1 or 2 people from each church.
The Open Spirit Task Force is holding 4 focus groups for laity
only, in Vermont
The purpose is fourfold:
1. to gain an understanding of the core values that define
who we are and how we do ministry as United Methodists
2. to determine which church characteristics are most
important for creating a new way forward
3. to ascertain some of our hopes and dreams for the future of
the church
4. to provide insight to the Open Spirit Task Force that may be
used for making recommendations to the New England
Annual Conference.
Each group will have 5-10 participants. That means we are
looking for 20 to 40 people total to participate in the focus
groups. NO CLERGY.
People from all over Vermont are invited. However, we must
have names to assign to each group on the dates and times
we have set aside:
Friday, Nov. 15 6 PM
Saturday, Nov. 16 9 AM, 10:30 AM
Sunday Nov. 17 2 PM
Please contact Faith United Methodist Church so we can
assign and confirm a time people will be able to participate.
Thanks,
Rev. Leigh Goodrich
she, her, hers
Faith United Methodist Church
899 Dorset Street
South Burlington, VT 05403
802-863-6764