Saturday, January 24, 2026: Please Join us tomorrow for our Sunday Celebration with our community greeting at 1:45 followed by liturgy at 2:00PM and a potluck and conversation after the liturgy. Everyone Welcome!

In person at: Christ Church United Methodist

1717 Yulupa Avenue, Santa Rosa, California 95405

Or Join us on Zoom: Join Zoom Meeting using this link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5193158573?omn=83090356325

Passcode: 1234

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Meeting ID: 519 315 8573

Passcode: 1234

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Emmaus Intentional Eucharistic Community 

Liturgical Order of Service for Sunday, January 25, 2026 

Peter: Rings the singing bowl X 3 to gather everyone so that we may begin our liturgy. Welcomes all, introduces any new or visiting people. 

Victoria Introduces our theme, “Call” for tonight’s liturgy with a few words. 

All: Entrance Song: Here I Am (Dan Schutte) 

Peter: Opening Prayer:  Holy One, May the presence of your Spirit, which is everywhere, be especially here this day. Support all of us gathered here, and all those who live in our memories, and whose presence we hold deeply within us.

We come from distant as well as nearby places this day, knowing we are all called to manifest sacred light to a waiting world. And so, with arms outstretched, we ask you to surround us with the strength of your love, the gentleness of your kindness... the sureness of your courage...and, the expansive embrace of your compassion. 

Let us feel your presence here this day, as we offer you, our own presence. 

We are here, with hearts wide open, to receive you. Amen.

Cathy: First Reading: Taken from the book: Anam Cara “Soul  Friend” (excerpts taken from pages 83-85 by John O’Donohue) 

To be born is to be chosen. No one is here by accident. Each of us was sent here for a special destiny. When a fact is read in a spiritual way, its deeper meaning often emerges. When you consider the moment of conception, there are endless possibilities. Yet in most cases, only one child is conceived. This seems to suggest that a certain selectivity is already at work. This selectivity intimates a sheltering providence that dreamed you, created you, and always minds you. You were not consulted on the major factors that shaped your destiny; when you were to be born;  where you would be born; and to whom you would be born. 

There is a unique destiny for each person. Each one of us has something to do here  that can be done by no one else. If you can awaken this sense of destiny, you come into rhythm with your life. You fall out of rhythm when you renege on your potential and talent, when you settle for the mediocre as a refuge from the call. Rhythm is the secret key to balance and belonging. This sense of rhythm is ancient. All life came out of the ocean; each one of us comes out of the waters of the womb; the ebb and flow of the tides is alive in the ebb and flow of our breathing. When you are in rhythm with your nature, nothing destructive can touch you. Providence is at one with you; it minds you and brings you to your new horizons. 

Victoria: Responsorial Psalm: The Thread (by Denise Levertov)

Something is very gently, invisibly, silently, pulling at me-a thread or net of threads finer than cobweb and as elastic. I haven't tried the strength of it. No barbed hook pierced and tore me. Was it not long ago this thread began to draw me? Or way back? Was I born with its knot about my neck, a bridle? Not fear but a stirring of wonder makes me catch my breath when I feel the tug of it when I thought it had loosened itself and gone.

Victoria provides a bit of history regarding the following Gospel and asks the dialogue homily question prior to Peter’s Reading of the Gospel:

As you listen to today’s Gospel, what words or phrases capture your attention, or maybe even disturb you, and what might that mean to you, on your faith journey today? 

Peter: Gospel Reading: The Gospel of Matthew (4:12-23)

When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen. From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 

As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him. 

He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people. 

Shared Homily: Victoria starts our shared homily.

Following our shared homily: 

Peter: This night...What is it that we bring to the Table? 

As each person shares what they bring to the table, we use our silent hand motions of: opening our palms, then gathering these concerns up to our hearts, and then opening them out to be shared and held by our beloved community. 

(Peter, using hand motions): We now gather up these intentions; both those spoken, and those that remain silent in our hearts, and offer them up to the heart of God present in our midst. 

Peter will then speak briefly about our offerings; and pass the basket remembering John Poole. 

Eucharistic Prayer: 

Peter: May God be with us. 

All:  And with the whole world. 

Cathy: Let us lift up our hearts. 

All:  We lift them up to God. 

Peter: Let us give thanks to God. 

All:  It is right to give thanks and praise. 

Cathy: It is truly right to thank You, O Spirit of Light. You move among us as God’s breath, as natural and rhythmic as our own. We find you in the ten thousand things of creation. 

Peter: You nurture in us wise and understanding hearts. We know that your wisdom, which sees all things and is at work in all things, can be touched everywhere. And so, with all of creation we join this cosmic hymn of praise: 

Cathy:  Spirit of Light and Love, You are within us and light our way. We thank You for Y our presence and action in our world. We thank You for turning our hearts to peace in the midst of conflict. We thank You for opening our hearts to our enemies and joining our hands in friendship with those from whom we are estranged. 

Peter: Your Spirit evokes understanding, puts an end to strife, quenches hatred with compassion, and conquers vengeance with forgiveness. It is in the holiness of this gathering, and the gathering of our holiness, that we join our praise of You with that of all creation:

All: (As Cathy and Peter hold up the bread and wine, everyone consecrates the bread and wine together by saying:) 

ALL: Let us bless this bread that gives itself to us, with its tremendous weight, and its infinite grace. 

All: Let us bless this cup poured out for us with a love that makes us new. Let us gather around these gifts simply given and deeply blessed. And then let us go bearing the bread,  carrying the cup, laying the table  within a hungering world. 

All: For, it is “Through Him, With Him, In Him, In the Unity of the Holy Spirit,  all glory and honor is yours Forever and Ever. 

All: Song Acclamation: We remember how you loved us all your life. And we still celebrate for you are with us here. And we believe that we will see you. When you come,  when you come again! 

We remember! We celebrate! We Believe! 

Peter: Now together, as one community, we offer to you O God, our prayer, in the name of your beloved son and our brother, Jesus: 

O Cosmic Being, who gives birth to all radiance and vibration! Soften the ground of our being and carve out a space within us where your presence can abide. Fill us with your creativity so that we may be empowered to bear the fruit of your mission. Let each of our actions bear fruit in accordance with your desire. Endow us with the wisdom to produce and share what each being needs to grow and flourish. 

Untie the tangled threads of destiny that bind us, as we release others from the entanglement of past mistakes. Do not let us be seduced by that which would divert us from our true purpose, but illuminate the opportunities of the present moment. For you are the ground and fruitful vision, the birth, power and fulfillment, as all is gathered and made whole once again. 

Cathy: PEACE. 

It is not an EASY peace. 

It is not a HALF-HEARTED peace. 

It is the peace of God. We are called to share THIS peace with one another! 

The peace of God be with you! 

Let us now offer one another this blessing of peace. 

Peter: Everyone is welcome to this table. 

Our God, whom the universe cannot contain is present to us in this bread. 

Our God, who redeems us and calls us by name, now meets us in this cup. 

So, come, Beloved Friends, and take this bread, Drink this wine, 

In them, God comes to us, so that we may come to God.

 All: Communion 

(All): Communion Song: Gift of Finest Wheat 

(Denise): Announcements:

Victoria: Closing Prayer: (everyone is invited to place their right hand on their heart; and their left palm held upward and open to receive this blessing)    

Blessed be the longing that brought us here this day.

May it quicken our souls with wonder.

All: Amen

Blessed be the courage within us that listens to the voice of our desires; 

May it disturb us to restlessness, when we have settled for something safe. 

All: Amen

May the forms of our belonging--in love, creativity, and friendship 

Be equal to the grandeur and the call of our souls. 

All: Amen

May the one we long for, long for us. 

All: Amen

May a secret Providence guide our thoughts and nurture our feelings. 

All: Amen

And, may we all may know the urgency with which God longs for us. 

All: Amen

Our liturgy has ended, but our celebration continues. 

May the Spirit of all Love and Compassion, guide, protect and nourish each of us in the days ahead, and draw us together once again. 

All: Amen

And the people of this, our beloved Emmaus Community, say...

All: Amen!

(All): We Are Called (by David Haas)