Welcoming, Belonging, and New Member Sunday

Led by the First UU Membership Committee

January 25, 2026

This Sunday we will explore what it means to be a member of our church community. Join us as we welcome amazing new members to our community! After service, join us at our New Member Reception in the Fellowship Hall to meet and get to know our new members. 

Sounding of the Bowl – Claudia Glass                                  

Prelude – Jaime Ramirez                                                         

Welcome and Greeting                                               

Opening Words – Shammi Anholt

Chalice Lighting                                                     

Opening Hymn – #1064 Blue Boat Home 

Though below me, I feel no motion standing on these mountains and plains.
Far away from the rolling ocean still my dry land heart can say:
I’ve been sailing all my life now, never harbor or port have I known.
The wide universe is the ocean I travel and the earth is my blue boat home.

Sun my sail and moon my rudder as I ply the starry sea,
leaning over the edge in wonder, casting questions into the deep.
Drifting here with my ship’s companions, all we kindred pilgrim souls,
making our way by the lights of the heavens in our beautiful blue boat home.

I give thanks to the waves up holding me, hail the great winds urging me on,
greet the infinite sea before me, sing the sky my sailor’s song:
I was born up on the fathoms, never harbor or port have I known.
The wide universe is the ocean I travel, and the earth is my blue boat home.                                           

Covenant                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Anthem – “Home” by Drew Pearson, performed by the First UU Choir                                 

New Member Ceremony & Welcome – Claudia Glass and Tim Versteeg

Stone Ceremony – Tracey Knouse

Reading the Community Book of Life               

Story Wisdom – “Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed” by Mo Willems    

Children’s Recessional                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Reading                                                                    

Homily – What Welcoming and Belonging Mean by Claudia Glass, David Feagins, Gary Evans, & Carol Collins

Invitation to Generosity                                     

Offertory Music                                                     

Closing Hymn – #121 We’ll Build a Land     

We’ll build a land where we bind up the broken.
We’ll build a land where the captives go free,
where the oil of gladness dissolves all mourning.
Oh, we’ll build a promised land that can be.

(Chorus)
Come build a land where sisters and brothers,
anointed by God, may then create peace:
where justice shall roll down like waters,
and peace like an ever flowing stream.

We’ll build a land where we bring the good tidings
to all the afflicted and all those who mourn.
And we’ll give them garlands instead of ashes.
Oh, we’ll build a land where peace is born.
(Chorus)

We’ll be a land building up ancient cities,
raising up devastations from old;
restoring ruins of generations.
Oh, we’ll build a land of people so bold.
(Chorus)

Come, build a land where the mantles of praises
resound from spirits once faint and once weak;
where like oaks of righteousness stand her people.
Oh, come build the land, my people we seek.
(Chorus)                                        

Extinguishing the Chalice/Benediction – Mary Potter and Claudia Glass                                                     

Postlude