For Your Meditation: “I really only love God as much as I love ...

For Your Meditation:

“I really only love God as much as I love the person I love the least.”Dorothy Day

Connecting Communityjudson.org/worship

Minister – Rev. Micah Bucey | Associate Minister – Rev. Dr. Valerie H. Holly | Transition Minister – Rev. Julie J. Staples, J.D.

Preacher: Reverend Micah Bucey Music Director: Henco EspagLiturgists: Rev. Dr. Valerie H. Holly, Rev. Julie Johnson Staples, J.D., Hannah Nutter

Greeter: Creative Contributors: Emma Foster, Geo McAllister, Judson ChoirBulletin Cover Art: Etching B in Blue by Rev. Holly Vincent Bean

Tech: Rhiannon Reilly

If you are not joining us for in-person worship,view the service with friends! Join Our 11AM Watch Party and Coffee Hour via Zoom

zoom.us/j/89409583117

Want to find out more about Judson? Sign up for our weekly newsletter at judson.org/contact*Thank you for joining us this morning! Please stay muted during service.

Conversations and announcements will occur during Coffee Hour andLife of the Community.

LIFE OF THE COMMUNITY/ANNOUNCEMENTS Rev. Julie Johnson Staples, J.D.Brevity is an art in our announcements. We are grateful to those who are brief. May ourwords bear the fruit of action and reflection.

PRELUDE “Belief” from Moment by Momentby Alexander Sage Oyen

Soloist: Emma Foster

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Rev. Micah Buceyremixing words by Octavia E. Butler

Judson’s physical space stands on the ancestral land of the Lenape people. Ourcommunity acknowledges the Lenape community, their elders both past and present, aswell as future generations, and we make this acknowledgement as only one part of ourwork to dismantle the ongoing legacies of Christian supremacy, settler colonialism, andwhite supremacy.

We also commit to change.Everything you touch you change.Everything you change changes you.The only lasting truth is change.God is change.

Therefore, if we refuse to change, we run the risk of being God-less.But if we commit to looking back at where we’ve been, looking honestly at who we are,and looking forward to who we can become, we might just touch God.We believe this truth and belief initiates and guides action — or it does nothing.

So:What does community look like in the face of this truth?What does joy look like in the face of this truth?What does the future look like in the face of this truth?

We not only acknowledge the past, but we commit to present action.Our futures await our willingness to change.

CALL TO WORSHIP Abigail Hastings

OPENING SONG Come, Thou Fount Of Every Blessing

ANCIENT TESTIMONY Rev. Dr. Valerie H. HollyThe Gospel According to Matthew 15:21-39 (NRSV)

Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then aCanaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me,Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” But he did not answer her atall. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shoutingafter us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But shecame and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” He answered, “It is not fair to take thechildren’s food and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat thecrumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great isyour faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

MODERN TESTIMONY Hannah Nutterfrom All About Love by bell hooks1

“Affection is only one ingredient of love. To truly love we must learn to mix variousingredients—care, affection, recognition, respect, commitment, and trust, as well ashonest and open communication. Learning faulty definitions of love when we are quiteyoung makes it difficult to be loving as we grow older. We start out committed to the right

path but go in the wrong direction. Most of us learn early on to think of love as a feeling.When we feel deeply drawn to someone, we cathect with them; that is, we invest feelings

or emotion in them. That process of investment wherein a loved one becomes importantto us is called ‘cathexis.’ In [The Road Less Traveled, M. Scott Peck] rightly emphasizes thatmost of us ‘confuse cathecting with loving.’ We all know how often individuals feelingconnected to someone through the process of cathecting insist that they love the otherperson even if they are hurting or neglecting them.

Since their feeling is that of cathexis, they insist that what they feel is love. When weunderstand love as the will to nurture our own and another’s spiritual growth, it becomesclear that we cannot claim to love if we are hurtful and abusive. Love and abuse cannotcoexist. Abuse and neglect are, by definition, the opposites of nurturance and care.”

SPECIAL MUSIC “Lost In Love”written and performed by Geo McAllister

INTERPRETING FOR OUR TIME "Tales of Crumb Trails" by Rev. Micah Bucey

RESPONSE IN SONG “Come Healing” by Leonard Cohen

OFFERTORY Rev. Julie Johnson Staples, J.D.

“Speak For Me”African-American Gospel Song, adpt. Bruce Thomas

arr. Joanne Hammil - 1999 JHO MusicLed by the Judson Choir

BENEDICTION

CLOSING SONG “Many Gifts, One Spirit”by Al Carmines

CELEBRATIONS AND CONCERNS Rev. Dr. Valerie H. Holly(With a moment of silence for Ukraine)

~ CELEBRATIONS & CONCERNS ~ nycwell.cityofnewyork.us/

Via Zoom, add to the prayers if you are so moved via the chat.===

Jen Lundberg asks for continued prayers of comfort and healing for her mother Barbara and brother Jeremy. They areboth doing better and are grateful for the prayers and good energy.

Jen also asks for healing prayers for her friend Linda who is dealing with a serious case of shingles and recovering fromCOVID. Linda urges everyone eligible to get their shingles vaccine.

~May prayers, positive energy, love and light continue to be lifted up~All of us at Judson send strength and energy to our friend, Jean Montrevil, and all in Haiti.

Let us pray for the 3 million-plus people who have fled Ukraine since Russia’s invasion began in February and for allinternally displaced people and all people in conflict zones around the world. Prayers for peace. The Judson Food Bank and the impact that they bring citywide in providing much-needed relief to underserved familiesacross our city. Many thanks to everyone for all the ways you continue to help us make an impact. May we all continue to pray and work on being safe as we enter the next phases of this pandemic and cold and fluseason. Prayers to all who are displaced by the changes of their natural environment as Nature does what is needed.

We lift prayers for the United States of America and the future we create as a Union.

We lift up those especially in need of good energy and prayers, those navigating mental and physical health, and weshoulder these needs together, knowing that burdens can be a bit lighter when they are carried together, that joys can bemore grounded when we celebrate them together.

We celebrate and hold in our hearts those on the front lines of this crisis, the healthcare professionals, the essentialworkers, the store clerks, the postal carriers, the MTA workers, all who serve and clean and make certain that we are fedand sheltered and healthy, especially as we enter new phases of reopening and enter into the next part of the learning inthis pandemic journey.

We continue to hold in our hearts all of the schools: administrators, teachers, support staff and aides, program facilitators,food services, custodial, and transportation. All of the individuals that make up the school community and provideeducation and social-emotional support to every child and family. To all students, parents and families, we send continuedstrength and light as we experience SY21-22.

We hold those who have lost work, who have lost income, who have lost a feeling of purpose, who have lost loved ones,who fear for their health and for their future.

We also continue to celebrate all of you, a congregation of beloved souls who continue to hold one another in astonishing,intimate, and life-giving ways, even while we are physically apart.

Liturgical Notes for Today’s Worship Service

1 hooks, bell. All About Love: New Visions. New York City, Harper, 2000. Used with permission.

THIS WEEK @ JUDSON

JUSTICE. ART. WORSHIP.www.judson.org/calendar

Sunday, March 27Live In-Person Church!If you can’t join in person:**11AM JMC VIRTUAL SundayServiceVideo Streaming available online atjudson.org/worship3pm “Hart Island” in the Gym,Tickets/Info: https://masonholdings.org/

Monday, March 285:30PM Living With IntentionEmail for location & detailsJennyjennette at gmail com6:00PM Through a Lens Darkly,Judson’s movie club on Zoom. See thelink and details elsewhere on this page.7PM Virtual Meditation & PrayerCircle Evening EditionDetails & ZoomLink:www.judson.org/meditation7PM Movement Research-FREE-Meeting Roommovementresearch.org/calendar

Tuesday, March 29No Public Events

Wednesday, March 308PM Bread and Puppet TheatreMeeting Room $10-$25 suggesteddonation at the door-breadandpuppet.org

Thursday, March 316PM Judson Bible Study8PM “Hart Island” in the Gym,Tickets/Info:https://masonholdings.org/

Friday, April 18PM“Hart Island” in the Gym,Tickets/Info: https://masonholdings.org/

Saturday, April 22PM & 8PM ”Hart Island” in the Gym,Tickets/Info: https://masonholdings.org/

Every Morning l@ 9am Virtual lllMeditation & llllPrayer Circle llll

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Judsonista Lulu Fogarty’s weekly art-makingactivity to supplement Judson MemorialChurch Virtual Sunday School lessons. AllAges Welcome! judson.org/kids

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Message from our Moderator“I am happy to hear from anyone about

Judson! We are a congregation-led church,which means that the congregation hasthe final say in governance. The Board

members are elected from thecongregation, so they are eager to listen to

everyone.”KEEN BERGER (Moderator, ‘23)

[email protected]

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Pastoral Care:Rev. Micah Bucey [email protected]

Rev. Dr. Valerie H. Holly [email protected]

Wellness Resources at Judson:https://www.judson.org/covid

Welcome To Judson!

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Through a Lens DarklyTomorrow, Monday, March 28, will be

the first meeting of Judson's movie clubThrough a Lens Darkly. Join us for an

exciting new Bible study where we willinterpret scripture through the lens of

modern popular cinema.Our first meeting will compare the

fourth chapter of Deuteronomy withReinaldo Marcus Green's Academy

Award-nominated film King Richard,the story of one father's desperate

struggle to help his two tennis prodigydaughters escape the violence of

Compton, Los Angeles.The film is available to rent and streamon Amazon Prime, Vudu, Google Play,

AppleTV, and YouTube.The meeting will be held online on

Zoom at 6:00pm.

Join Zoom Meetinghttps://us02web.zoom.us/j/86391053341?pwd=MG9XaUhHdkl4aER0bVEyZz

VSczNUdz09Meeting ID: 863 9105 3341

Passcode: judsonOne tap mobile

+19292056099,,86391053341# US(New York)

+13126266799,,86391053341# US(Chicago)

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