Fauntleroy Church, United Church of Christ

Sunday Worship - March 8, 2026

Welcome to worship at Fauntleroy Church, United Church of Christ! We are so glad to have you with us today. Here are a few helpful notes and asks as you prepare to worship:

If you have a name tag in the wooden rack by the entrance, please wear it so others might know you by name. If not, let us know if you’d like one!
Mask-only designated pews are available at the back of the sanctuary, on the entrance side. We ask that all who sit there do wear a mask to honor the needs and comfort of others in that section.
Please remember to silence your cell phone during worship.
Our Sanctuary features a hearing loop system designed to enhance audio clarity for individuals utilizing hearing aids or cochlear implants. To connect, please adjust your device to the T-coil (telecoil) setting. Wireless receivers are also available at the rear of the Sanctuary.
Please be aware that we livestream our worship on our Fauntleroy Church YouTube channel. For the care and safety of children, our camera focus will be blurred during the Time with Children that recurs weekly. Parents should know that children still might momentarily be shown on our recordings if they come forward for music, communion or a role in leading worship.
If desired, Sunday school is available for ages four through eighth grade after the Time with Children (parent pick-up is on the fourth floor after worship).
If desired, childcare is available for babies through three-year-olds from the start of worship. Ask an usher to direct you to the childcare room.

*Asterisks invite those who are comfortable to please stand.

PRELUDE Mayumi Tayake

WELCOME Rev. Leah Atkinson Bilinski

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT Katherine Steen

*PASSING THE PEACE OF CHRIST

You will be invited to turn to your neighbors and greet them with the peace of Christ. The traditional greeting, should you engage it, is “The peace of Christ be with you” with a response of “And also with you.”

*OPENING HYMN “Uyai Mose / Come, All You People”

A praise song from Zimbabwe by Alexander Gondo. Used with permission of OneLicense.net No. A-727720.

Come, all you people; come and praise your Maker

Come, now, and worship the Lord! (repeat until Zach cuts us off)

*CALL TO WORSHIP (responsive) Charlie Torres

Leader: Sometimes, it can feel a strange thing to praise our Maker in the midst of a world that seems like it’s being unmade.

RESPONSE: BUT WE PRAISE GOD ANYWAY. WE PRAISE GOD FOR CHRIST’S WAYS OF LOVE, THE POSSIBILITIES OF COMMUNITY, THE POWER OF DEFIANT HOPE AND JESUS’ VISION OF HEAVEN UNVEILED ON EARTH – AROUND US, AMONG US, IN US.

Leader: We come, and we worship. Overwhelmed, holding our frustration edged in hunger, we worship.

RESPONSE: WE LIFT OUR VOICES IN CHORUS TO FEEL GOD’S POWER AND OUR OWN.

Leader: Here, we come alive, stretching into renewal and resurrection,

RESPONSE: BUILDING MUSCLE MEMORY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST!

Leader: In this community of God’s people, in the presence of God’s Holy Spirit on-the-move, we may tumble into this space from a place of chaos,

RESPONSE: BUT WE’LL EMERGE A FORCE WITH WHICH THE CHAOS MUST RECKON!

*OPENING PRAYER (unison)

Holy One, we need you. We need to know you’re here. We need to know you’re present amid the suffering of the world. We need to know you cry with us, rejoice with us, and believe in us and this world yet.

In this hour, give us strength and assurance. Deepen our understandings of your movement in this world and draw us to hope…even when hope seems hopeless. You are our song in the night, and we are listening. Amen.

FAUNTLEROY CHURCH CHOIR “Our Song in The Night” Zach Fitzgerald, Director

By Joseph Penzak and Isaac Wardell, BiFrost Arts Music. Arr. by Zachary Fitzgerald. Permission given by artists for use.

In the darkness, can you hear us?
When the night comes, are we alone?
Have you forgotten all of your children?
When we remember you how we groan
But our hearts cannot be silent
God, be our song in the night
when the light is gone
God, be our joy, be our strength
Be our sheltering place
Our song in the night

We are broken-- are we forsaken?
Has your love gone down with the sun?
And your mercy through all history,
Is it abandoned and undone?
Oh our hearts cannot be silent

Your road, it led me down to the Red Sea
The waters trembled, and you made a way
You raised Your arm and led them to dry land
Lord, will You hear us when we say
That our hearts cannot be silent

A TIME FOR CHILDREN Rev. Karyn Frazier

SINGING THE CHILDREN OUT (children may leave for Sunday School if they’d like)

Go now in peace, go now in peace.

May the love of God surround you,

Everywhere, everywhere, you may go.

SCRIPTURE READING First Kings 18:41-19:4 - Charlie Torres

Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of rushing rain.” So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; there he bowed himself down upon the earth and put his face between his knees. He said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” He went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” Then he said, “Go again seven times.” At the seventh time he said, “Look, a little cloud no bigger than a person’s hand is rising out of the sea.” Then he said, “Go say to Ahab, ‘Harness your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’” In a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind; there was a heavy rain. Ahab rode off and went to Jezreel. But the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; he girded up his loins and ran in front of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” Then he was afraid; he got up and fled for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongs to Judah; he left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.”

SERMON “When Nothing We Do Seems to Make a Difference” Pastor Leah

HYMN No.517, v.1&4 “I Need You Every Hour” (using plural pronouns)

Words: Annie S. Hawks, 1872; alt. Refrain by Robert Lowry, 1872; alt. Music by Robert Lowry, 1872. Public Domain.

We need you every hour, O God of grace;

The peace your voice affords, we now embrace.

We need you, how we need you!

Every hour we need you;

O bless us now, our Savior; we come to you.

We need you every hour; teach us your will,

And your rich promises in us fulfill.

We need you, how we need you!

Every hour we need you;

O bless us now, our Savior; we come to you.

MOMENT FOR MISSION Adriana Cortés, WAISN

SHARING OUR PRAYERS OF JOY AND CONCERN Pastor Leah

PASTORAL PRAYER

THE LORD’S PRAYER (unison)

Our Father/Mother/Creator, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

And forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.

And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

INVITATION TO GENEROSITY Charlie Torres

100% of our cash plate offering in February and March will go to the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network (WAISN). If you do not have cash but would like to contribute to our church’s effort to support WAISN, you can write a check (make sure to write “WAISN” on the memo line) or donate online at www.fauntleroyucc.org, looking for the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network button.

Sometimes, people put cash inside envelopes before putting them in the plate. Please know that these also will be going to WAISN unless you clearly indicate that the gift is intended for the church operating budget on the envelope.

We will assume that checks with incomplete memo lines are intended for the church’s operating budget (but we’d rather you always state your intent clearly for us in that memo line). Thank you!

OFFERTORY “Life Is Gonna Change” Zach and Mayumi

Written by Sophia Louise Wackerman (James), Music used with permission of Christian Copyright Solutions WORSHIPCast license No. 12825.

*DOXOLOGY No. 778

Words: Thomas Ken, 1674; adapt. William B. Abernathy. Music: John Hatton (d.1793). Used with permission of OneLicense.net A-727720.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise God, all creatures here below;

Praise God for all that love has done;

Creator, Christ, and Spirit, One.

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION (unison) Charlie Torres

Way-making God, like the prophet Elijah and Jesus himself, we seek to stand up in our faith for a the right things: justice, love of neighbor, the dignity of all human beings, true peace and a world that shows forth your beauty and magnifies your goodness. Bless these gifts and the way-making work of the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network. Amen.

*CLOSING HYMN No. 461, v.1-2 “Let Us Hope When Hope Seems Hopeless”

Words: David Beebe, 1989. Pilgrim Press. Used with permission of OneLicense.net No. A-727720. Music: NETTLETON. John Wyeth’s Repository of Sacred Music, 1813. Public Domain.

*BENEDICTION Pastor Leah

*BENEDICTION RESPONSE “We Are Not an Insurrection”

By Bryan Sirchio. Used with permission of membership in the Convergence Music Project (CMP). CMP is an effort by progressive churches and progressive Christian musicians to together create, spotlight and build upon a collection of theologically-sound worship resources that well-express Jesus’ life: his teachings, mission and vision. In a sea of Christian music that focuses on Jesus’ death and personal aspects of faith alone (often failing to challenge white Christian nationalist worldviews), our church is proud to support this effort from our general operating budget.

This particular song was written by an artist who was instrumental in Pastor Leah’s faith formation as a high schooler, leading songs at various UCC youth events she attended. The song can be heard in chorus with the imagined voice of Jesus, who was crucified as an insurrectionist.

We are not an insurrection

We are non-violent Love

We see through Caesar’s deception

We see God in everyone

We are not an insurrection

We are love showing up

We believe in resurrection

When it’s all said and done

Love will overcome

Love will overcome (repeat from beginning)

POSTLUDE Mayumi Tayake

OFFERING: If you did not bring an offering with you today, we invite you to give at www.fauntleroyucc.org

Thank you for considering how you can support the work of this congregation.

As an open and affirming congregation, the members and staff of Fauntleroy Church are committed to fostering community among people of all races, cultures, gender identities, and sexual orientations.

Leah Atkinson Bilinski, Senior Pastor

Karyn Frazier, Associate Pastor

Zachary Fitzgerald, Music Director

Mayumi Tayake, Accompanist

Sarah Ackers, Volunteer & Engagement Coordinator

Allen Lambert, Caretaker

Aimee Pinckney, Financial Assistant

Pat Gedney, Financial Assistant

Carol Gilderoy, Lead Sunday School Teacher

Carol Smith, Nursery Supervisor

Sebastian Dwyer, Nursery Assistant

Kyle Lorenzen, Office Assistant & Worship Technician

Jackie Gould, Building Coordinator

Alfred Machacon, Event Coordinator

Thanks to the following volunteers, who make Sunday mornings happen:

Building Opener: Dean Tucker

Usher Team: Pam Goldfine- captain, Jane Leonard, Tim Richards, Darrick Wymer

Greeter: TBD

Sound Tech: Andy Seery

Liturgist: Charlie Torres

Nursery: Carol Smith and Sebastian Dwyer

Sunday School: Carol Gilderoy, Brian Larsen, Ryan Sales

Coffee Hour: Ana Del Claro

Opportunities for Engagement: Katherine Steen