July 26, 2026: To Stand in Awe
Rev. Forrest Gilmore
Father Greg Boyle tells us, "Here is what we seek: a compassion that can stand in awe at what the poor have to carry rather than stand in judgement at how they carry it." People experiencing homelessness are some of the most vulnerable people in our society yet frequently are judged, blamed, and even attacked for things they have little to no control over. Today we will explore themes of judgement, fear, and even disgust and how we can turn those feelings into compassion.
Rev. Forrest Gilmore is Executive Director of Beacon, Inc, a Bloomington-based nonprofit dedicated to aiding and empowering people experiencing extreme poverty. Forrest is a native New Yorker and a graduate of Cornell University and Starr King School for the Ministry. He lives in Bloomington with his dogs, Ted and Sam. He also likes to sing.
View the video archive of this service here:
Information about other happenings at UUCB each week is available here.
Ringing of the World Bell
Sarah Montgomery, Worship Associate
Greeting
Congregational Prelude
“Om Nama Shivaya” Hindu mantra
Sarah Flint, Angela Gabriel, Colleen Haas
Welcome & Announcements
Anabel Watson, Connections Coordinator
Land Acknowledgement
Lighting the Chalice Flame
Worship Associate
Kathy Sideli
Time for All Ages
The Old Man by Sarah V. and Claude K. Dubois
Dr. Stephanie Kimball, Director of Lifespan Religious Education
Musical Interlude
Ray Fellman, piano
Pastoral Prayer and Meditation
Rev. Forrest Gilmore
Hymn
#123 Spirit of Life
Dedication of Offering
This fiscal year, 25% of our non-pledge Sunday offerings will be donated to Farm to Family to support their SNAP matching program at the Bloomington Farm Stop Collective, which will expand access to local food by doubling SNAP benefits for eligible food items.
You can contribute to the basket online at this link, or pay your pledge online.
Offertory
Ray Fellman, piano
Reading
#519 by Rabindranath Tagore
Sarah Montgomery, Worship Associate
Gift of Music
“Rahde Govinda” Hindu mantra
Sarah Flint, Angela Gabriel, Colleen Haas
Sermon
To Stand in Awe
Rev. Forrest Gilmore
Closing Hymn
#121 We’ll Build a Land
Benediction
Choral Benediction
“Let Us Go Out” by Pam Blevins Hinkle
Upcoming Events and Classes!
To view our full calendar of upcoming events go to: uucb.churchcenter.com/calendar
Today
The Indigenous Studies Working Group will be tabling in Fellowship Hall today collecting donations for the Shawnee Seed Sanctuary’s corn planting project at Prophetstown State Park. Donations will help cover planting expenses, support Native American travel to Prophetstown for planting and harvest, and assist with expenses for the November harvest event. Cash or checks to UUCB with memo line for Shawnee Seed Sanctuary will be accepted.
The UU Freethinkers meet at 12 p.m. in Room 208.
This Week
The Indigenous Studies Working Group meets at 4 p.m. on Monday, July 27, at 4 p.m. in the Library.
The Refugee & Immigrant Support & Education Task Force meets on Tuesday, July 28, at 6:30 p.m. in the Library.
Tuusday Thing (a Young Adult Gathering) meets weekly on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. in Room 210.
Pastoral Conversations meets on Wednesdays at 12:15 p.m. in the Library.
A screening of the documentary, John Lewis: Good Trouble, will be shown on Friday, July 31, at 7 p.m. in the Meeting Room. A recap and discussion will follow in Fellowship Hall.
An All-Teacher Training Retreat will be held on Saturday, August 1, from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. in Fellowship Hall.
Next Sunday
The Homelessness Task Force meets at 9:30 a.m. in the Library.
The Green Sanctuary Task Force meets at 11:45 a.m. in Room 112.
New to UU is held at 12 p.m. in the UU Library. If you are new to our congregation, a very warm welcome to you! You are invited to join in a brief introduction to Unitarian Universalism and this congregation.
The UU Humanist Forum meets at 12 p.m. in Room 208 with an option to join online. The topic is “Why I Became a UU” by Richard.
