 Fruitland United Methodist Church
May 31, 2026 *(Please stand if you are comfortably able.) Prelude: “All Things Bright and Beautiful” a traditional English folk melody arrang. Welcoming the Light of Christ and inviting the neighborhood to worship. Welcome and Announcements Pastor Jorge & Reece Call to Worship (based on Psalm 8 & Mathew 28) Liturgist O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! The heavens declare your glory, and creation sings your praise. From the beginning, God created the world in love. The Spirit moved over the waters, bringing life and hope. Christ calls us to go into all the world and make disciples. We come to worship the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Let us worship the Triune God together. Amen. *Opening Hymn: “Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty” UMH 64 *Opening Prayer: Triune God, Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit, we gather today in wonder and gratitude. You formed us in love, you redeem us through grace, and you sustain us by your Spirit. Teach us again how to live in community, how to love one another, and how to reflect your image in the world. Move among us today. Renew your church. And send us forth with hope and compassion. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. *Sharing the Peace of Christ Scripture Reading: Psalm 108 Pew Bible pg. 949 Liturgist Time With Young Christians: Pastor Jorge (Please write prayer concerns and celebrations on yellow notepads, to be collected.) Community Expressions Pastor Jorge & Reece Hymn: “Holy, Holy, Holy” TFWS 2007 Thanksgiving and Celebration. Prayers for healing and wholeness. Prayers for our community and the world. “...and now, we pray in the way that Jesus taught us to pray:” The Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed by thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven . . .” Scripture Reading: Genesis 1:1–2:4a Liturgist Hymn: “Morning Has Broken” UMH 145 Invitation to Generosity Pastor Jorge Offertory: “May you Run and not be Weary” by Paul Murakami *Doxology: Praise God, from whom all blessings flow . . . UMH 95 Scripture Reading: Matthew 28:16–20 Liturgist Hymn: “ Awesome God” TFWS 2040 Sermon: The God Who Creates in Community Rev. Jorge Rodriguez Trinity Sunday Genesis 1:1–2:4a · Matthew 28:16–20 There are Sundays when we wish we could explain everything clearly. And then there is Trinity Sunday. Because we speak about a God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And honestly, sometimes even theologians struggle to explain it well. The Trinity is not a mathematical formula. It is not a religious puzzle. It is not a doctrinal exam. It is, rather, an experience. The experience of a God who always acts in relationship, in community, in movement toward others. And perhaps that is why the Bible never says, “Let me explain the Trinity to you.” The Bible simply shows God at work. Creating. Loving. Sustaining. Sending. Restoring. Go back to the beginning. “The earth was formless and empty...” and the Spirit of God was moving over the waters. I love that image. The Spirit moving, trembling, stirring creation, like a mother who senses that something is about to be born. Because creating life always requires effort. It always requires love. It always requires surrender. And then God speaks: “Let there be light.” And light appears. God creates. The Spirit moves. And the Word gives life. From the very beginning, God works in community. Perhaps that is why loneliness damages the human soul so deeply. Because we were created by a relational God. We were made to live connected — with God, with one another, and with creation. And yet our world lives divided. Nations divided. Families divided. Churches divided. People profoundly alone. We live in a culture where many know people, but few truly know community. That is why Jesus, before ascending, does not simply leave a doctrine. He leaves a mission: “Go and make disciples.” He does not say, “Go and build empires.” He does not say, “Go and dominate.” He does not say, “Go and make everyone copies of yourselves.” He says, “Make disciples.” And making disciples takes time. It takes patience. It takes walking alongside others. It takes listening, accompanying, forgiving, and beginning again. Because the Gospel always happens within human relationships. And then Jesus speaks those words: “Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Not “in the names.” In the name. Unity. Diversity and unity at the same time. Like a family gathered around a table. Like a community learning to care for one another. Like a church where nobody has all the answers, but everyone needs grace. The problem is that many times we have tried to understand God without learning how to live in community. We want spirituality without commitment. We want faith without difficult relationships. We want church without carrying the burdens of others. But the Trinity reminds us of something important: we cannot follow a communal God while living isolated lives. And perhaps that is what the world most needs to hear today: that God is not indifferent. That God still moves over chaos. That the Spirit is still creating life in the middle of our ruins. That the Word is still saying, “Let there be light.” And perhaps some today arrived tired — with questions, with wounds, with uncertainty. Maybe they feel that their lives have once again become “formless and empty.” But the Spirit of God is still moving over the waters. Creation is still happening. There is still hope. And the Trinity also reminds us of this: faith is never only “me and God.” There is always a “we.” We pray together. We sing together. We cry together. We serve together. We carry one another’s burdens. Because we were created by a God who lives in communion. And perhaps the call of the Gospel today is to learn that again — to learn how to live together, to learn how to listen, to learn how to heal, and to learn how to love again. Because when the church lives this way, the world catches a glimpse of the face of God. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Prayer of Confession: God of life and communion, forgive us when we try to live only for ourselves... when fear closes our hearts, when pride divides us from one another, and when we forget that You created us for community. Renew us through Your Spirit. Teach us again to love, to listen, and to walk together as Your people. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. *Closing Hymn: “God of Grace and God of Glory” UMH 577 *Benediction: Pastor Jorge Go now in the love of the Father, walk in the grace of the Son, and live in the power of the Holy Spirit. May the Triune God strengthen you, guide you, and send you into the world to love and serve in Christ’s name. Amen. *Song of Blessing: “Bind Us Together” TFWS 2226 Postlude: “We Shall Overcome” Spiritual Pastor Jorge Rodriguez [email protected] 
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 Fruitland United Methodist Church May 24, 2026 *(Please stand if you are comfortably able.) Prelude: “Surely, the Presence of the Lord is in This Place,” by Larry Wolfe Welcoming the Light of Christ and inviting the neighborhood to worship. Welcome and Announcements Liturgist Call to Worship Liturgist O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all. Your send forth your Spirit, and they are created. And you renew the face of the earth. Today, we come seeking renewal. Come, Holy Spirit, fill your church! May the glory of the Lord endure forever. We will rejoice in the Lord. Allelulia! *Opening Hymn: “De Colores” Fiesta Jubilosa #2 “De Colores” is a Mexican folksong. It has also become a joyful greeting and theme symbolizing a life lived in God’s grace. It represents the vibrant, diverse joy of Christ’s love and the beauty of a Christian community. It is often sung during Walk to Emmaus. *Opening Prayer: God of Pentecost, today we remember that mighty wind which opened doors, broke through fear, and filled the church with life. Just as you renewed the disciples, and just as you touched the heart of John Wesley at Aldersgate, come upon us again today. Warm our hearts once more. Make us a living church, a courageous church, a grace-filled church. In the name of Christ. Amen. *Sharing the Peace of Christ Psalm Reading: Psalm 104: 24-35 Read responsively. UMH 827 Time With Young Christians: Pastor Jorge (Please write prayer concerns and celebrations on yellow notepads, to be collected.) Community Expressions Hymn: “Holy, Holy, Holy” TFWS 2007 Thanksgiving and Celebration. Prayers for healing and wholeness. Prayers for our community and the world. “...and now, we pray in the way that Jesus taught us to pray:” The Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed by thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven . . .” Hymn: “Sweet, Sweet Spirit” UMH 334 Scripture: Numbers 11: 24-30 Pew Bible 225 Invitation to Generosity Pastor Jorge Offertory: “Gather Us In,” by Marty Haugen *Doxology: Praise God, from whom all blessings flow . . . UMH 95 Scripture: Acts 2: 1-21 Pew Bible 1692 Hymn: “Spirit of the Living God, Fall Afresh on Me” UMH 393 Sermon: “IF ONLY ALL THE LORD’S PEOPLE . . .” Rev. Jorge Rodriguez Pentecost Sunday Numbers 11:24–30 · Acts 2:1–21 There are moments in life when we feel we simply cannot carry anymore. Moments when faith becomes routine. Moments when the heart grows cold. Moments when we keep walking, but inside, we are tired. That happened to Moses. And centuries later, it also happened to John Wesley. Wesley was a pastor. He preached. He knew the Scriptures. He had even traveled to America as a missionary. But something inside him still felt empty. Wesley, himself, admitted that he had religion, but not yet peace. And then came that evening, May 24, 1738, on Aldersgate Street in London. Wesley attended a small meeting. Nothing spectacular. No bright lights. No huge crowd. No emotional display. Someone was simply reading Martin Luther’s preface to the Letter to the Romans. And while he listened, something happenedwithin him. Wesley wrote: “I felt my heart strangely warmed.” Strangely warmed. It was not merely emotion. It was the Holy Spirit renewing him from within. It was God restoring hope to his soul. It was God reminding him that grace was also for him. And after Aldersgate, Wesley was never the same again. The Spirit re- launched him. It took him out of the church buildings and sent him into the streets. He began preaching among the poor, the workers, the forgotten, and the marginalized. Because when the Spirit touches a life, we cannot remain the same. That is what happened at Pentecost. The disciples were locked away in fear, and the Spirit pushed them into the world. Wesley was spiritually exhausted, and the Spirit rekindled the fire within him. Moses was weary, and the Spirit was shared with others to sustain the community. Pentecost is always about that: people being renewed so they can love again, serve again, and believe again. And perhaps today there are people here who need their own Aldersgate moment. Not necessarily a dramatic experience, but a moment when the Spirit touches the heart again. A moment when God reminds us: “You are not alone. I still have purpose for your life.” Because the Holy Spirit does not only comfort us. The Spirit also sends us. Re- launches us. Restores our passion for the Gospel. Restores our ability to dream. Restores our courage to serve. That is why Peter declares: “I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.” All flesh. Upon the weary. Upon the young. Upon the elderly. Upon those who doubt. Upon those who feel their spiritual fire has gone out. And perhaps today the prayer of Moses is still alive: “If only all the Lord’s people were prophets!” And Pentecost answers: “Yes. The Spirit is still being poured out.” May the Spirit warm our hearts again. May the Spirit renew the church again. And may we, like Wesley, leave this place re-launched into the world with more love, more compassion, and more hope. Amen. Prayer of Confession: Holy Spirit, forgive us when we live closed in by fear. Forgive us when we fail to listen for your voice, when we extinguish the fire of hope, and when we stop believing that you still renew lives today. Come upon us again. Fill us with your presence. Make us instruments of peace and truth. Amen. Words of Grace: The Spirit of the Lord is upon us. In Christ, we are forgiven, renewed, and sent forth. Thanks be to God. Amen. *Closing Hymn: “Holy, Holy” TFWS 2039 *Benediction: Go in peace. And remember: The Holy Spirit did not come only to be admired. The Spirit came to renew lives. May the fire of Pentecost burn once again in our hearts. In the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. *Song of Blessing: “Everything we do is for the glory of God, amen, amen!” Verse 2: “Todo se hace para Gloria de Dios, amen, amen!” Please be seated. Postlude: “Every Time I Feel the Spirit,” an African-American spiritual.  Fruitland United Methodist Church May 17, 2026 *(Please stand if you are comfortably able.) Prelude: “How Firm a Foundation” Early American melody arrang. by Edward B. Welcoming the Light of Christ and inviting the neighborhood to worship. Welcome and Announcements Jay W. & Jorge R. Call to Worship Jay W. Leader: The Lord is our strength and our joy. People: In God’s love we find hope and life. Leader: God has been faithful through every season. People: We gather to give thanks and praise. Leader: Christ calls us to live as one body. People: Teach us to walk together in grace and truth. All: Let us worship God with glad and thankful hearts. *Sharing the peace of Christ. *Opening Hymn: “Let’s Sing Unto the Lord” UMH 149 Psalm Reading: Psalm 21:1-7 Pew Bible 859 Jay W. Time With Young Christians: Jorge R. (Please write prayer concerns and celebrations on yellow notepads, to be collected.) Community Expressions Hymn: “Holy, Holy, Holy” TFWS 2007 Gratitude for mothers, grandmothers, and caregivers Prayer for those who grieve or feel absence Prayer for families and community “...and now, we pray in the way that Jesus taught us to pray:” The Lord’s Prayer “Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven....” Invitation to Generosity Pastor Jorge Offertory “Kum Ba Yah” African-American spiritual *Doxology: Praise God, from whom all blessings flow . . . UMH 95 Gospel Reading: John 17:1-7 Pew Bible 1679 Jay W. *Hymn: “They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love” TFWS 2223 Sermon: “That They May Be One” John 17:1–11 There are prayers that we hear and then forget, and there are others that seem to remain in the air long after they are spoken. The prayer of Jesus in John 17 is one of those prayers. It is not rushed, nor is it superficial. It is the prayer of someone who deeply loves those around Him and who knows He is about to leave them. Jesus looks toward the future, toward His disciples, toward the church, and ultimately toward us. Then He says, “Father... that they may be one.” What is striking is that Jesus does not first pray for success, power, or influence. He does not pray for large buildings or strong institutions. He prays for unity. Jesus understands something that we often forget: the way we live together is itself part of the Gospel. The church is not only called to preach about love; it is called to live it visibly before the world. Dietrich Bonhoeffer reflected deeply on this in his book Life Together. He wrote not from comfort but from suffering, in a world divided by hatred, fear, and distrust. In the middle of those dark times, Bonhoeffer wrote that “the physical presence of other Christians is a source of incomparable joy and strength for the believer.” Faith was never intended to be lived completely alone. Jesus never imagined isolated disciples. The church was born around a table, around bread, prayer, fellowship, and mutual care. Yet we know how easy it is to hurt one another and how quickly division can enter our relationships. Sometimes it comes through pride, politics, misunderstandings, or simply because we stop listening to each other. Jesus says in this prayer, “All mine are yours... and I have been glorified in them.” Those words remind us that Christ is revealed to the world through the way we live with one another. The way we speak, forgive, share, and care for others reflects not only ourselves but also Jesus. Most people may never read a theology book, but they will read our lives. They will notice whether there is grace among us, whether there is patience, compassion, and mercy, or whether there is only criticism and division. Bonhoeffer warned against what he called “the dream of a perfect community.” When we love our own idea of community more than the real people God has given us, we end up damaging the very community we hoped to build. True Christian community is not made up of perfect people. It is made up of wounded people, different people, imperfect people learning how to love one another through the grace of Christ. Unity does not mean uniformity. It does not mean we all think the same way or lose our individuality. The Trinity itself teaches us this truth. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct, yet perfectly united in love and purpose. In the same way, the church is made up of different stories, cultures, languages, and experiences, yet we are called to become one body in Christ. This may be one of the greatest challenges of our time because we live in a fragmented world. It is a world where everyone speaks but few truly listen, where differences often create suspicion, and where people are quickly divided from one another. Yet in the middle of such a world, Jesus still prays, “That they may be one.” Jesus does not ask the Father to remove His followers from the world. Instead, He prays, “Protect them. Sanctify them.” In other words, do not run away from the world, do not hide from it, and do not abandon others. Rather, live in this world as signs of God’s Kingdom. The church is called to become a kind of window through which people can catch a glimpse of the love of God. When we reconcile with one another, carry each other’s burdens, weep together, and celebrate together, Christ is glorified. Soon we will remember the Aldersgate experience of John Wesley, when he felt his heart “strangely warmed” and finally understood that the grace of Christ was also for him personally. But Wesley also understood that faith cannot be sustained alone. That is why he formed small groups, classes, and communities where people could grow together in grace. Grace needs places where it can be lived and breathed together. Perhaps today Jesus is reminding us of something both simple and profound: unity matters. It matters how we speak about one another, how we serve, how we welcome the stranger, and how we care for those who are weary. Our communal life also preaches. The world may not first need bigger churches; perhaps it needs churches that are more human, more humble, more compassionate, more reconciled, and more like Jesus. “Father... that they may be one.” That prayer is still alive, and perhaps the way we respond to it will become part of our witness to the world. Amen. Prayer of Confession: Loving God, we thank you for the gift of those who have nurtured us. Forgive us when we fail to honor them as we should. Heal our memories where there is pain and help us to reflect your love in our relationships. In Christ we pray, Amen. Words of Assurance Hear the good news: Christ prays for us, walks with us, and calls us into community. In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven and made one. People: Thanks be to God. Amen *Closing Hymn: “Amazing Grace” (verses 1 & 2) UMH 378 Benediction: Go into the world as signs of God’s Kingdom. Live in unity. Walk in grace. Carry one another’s burdens. And may the love of God, the grace of Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you always. Amen. *Song of Blessing: “You Are the Seed” UMH 583 Postlude: “I’ll Fly Away” African-American spiritual Pastor Jorge Rodriguez [email protected]  Fruitland United Methodist Church May 10, 2026 *(Please stand if you are comfortably able.) Prelude: “Joyful, Joyful we Adore Thee” by Ludwig van Beethoven Welcoming the Light of Christ and inviting the neighborhood to worship. Welcome and Announcements Letha & Jorge Good morning and welcome to worship. Today we gather to praise God and to give thanks for the gift of mothers-- for their love, their strength, and their witness in our lives. We also hold space for those whose hearts carry both gratitude and longing today. Call to Worship. (based on Psalm 128:1-3) Letha Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in His ways. We will eat the fruit of our labor; we will be blessed and it will be well with us. Your family will be a blessing, a place of life and hope. We come to worship the God who gives life, nurtures us, and sustains us. Let us worship God with grateful hearts. *Sharing the peace of Christ. “The peace of the risen Christ be with you... *Sing: “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee” UMH 89 Scripture Reading: Psalm 113:1-9 UMH 834 Time With Young Christians: Leslie Ward (Please write prayer concerns and celebrations on yellow notepads, to be collected.) Community Expressions Hymn: “Holy, Holy, Holy” TFWS 2007 Gratitude for mothers, grandmothers, and caregivers Prayer for those who grieve or feel absence Prayer for families and community “...and now, we pray in the way that Jesus taught us to pray:” The Lord’s Prayer “Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven....” Scripture Reading: Luke 1:46-49 Letha Pew Bible 1589 Music: “Open Our Eyes, Lord” TFWS 2086 Invitation to Generosity – Pastor Jorge Offertory “Ave Maria” by J.S. Bach *Doxology: Praise God, from whom all blessings flow . . . UMH 95 Scripture Reading: Proverbs 31:15-29 Pew Bible 1032 *Hymn: “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” UMH 140 Sermon: “The Love That Resembles God” Rev. Jorge Rodriguez Mother’s Day Proverbs 31:25-28 “Strength and dignity are her clothing... Her children rise up and call her blessed...” There are stories that are not written in books, yet they hold the world together. They are not found in headlines or broadcast across the news, but they are the kind of stories that sustain life, shape communities, and leave lasting marks on the hearts of those who live them. Today, on this Mother’s Day, I want to share one of those stories; the story of a mother, my mother. My mother was the only woman among four brothers. From a very young age, she learned how to make her own way in a world that was not always ready to make space for her. She did not wait for opportunities to come; she learned how to create them. When my parents separated, I was only eight years old, and from that point forward, I grew up with her. And when I say I grew up with her, I do not mean simply that we lived under the same roof. I mean that I was formed by her effort, shaped by her discipline, and sustained by her constant and faithful love. The words of Scripture say, “Strength and dignity are her clothing,” and for me, those words are not abstract or poetic alone; they are deeply personal. I saw them lived out in her life every day. My mother was a teacher, -a community- based teacher during the 1960s and 1970s, a time when there were not enough formally trained teachers in rural areas. Yet she taught with dedication and purpose. She embodied the truth that there are people who do not wait until they have everything in order to serve; instead, they serve faithfully with what they have. She was also a hardworking woman who managed to build her home and raise her four children with determination and resilience. But beyond her labor, she was also an artist with her hands. She became the florist of the community, bringing beauty into the lives of others in moments of celebration and remembrance. Where others saw simple flowers, she saw meaning, color, and possibility. Where others saw work, she saw purpose. Scripture also says, “She opens her mouth with wisdom,” yet I have come to understand that there are mothers who preach without speaking many words. They preach through their actions. They preach when they rise early to provide. They preach when they stretch limited resources to meet real needs. They preach when they refuse to give up, even when circumstances are difficult. My mother taught us an essential truth: that everyone in the household contributes. From an early age, we learned that love is not only about receiving; it is also about participating, about sharing responsibility, and about helping carry the weight of life together. She was a woman of faith, a faith she inherited from my grandmother, who served as a lay leader in the church during times when access to clergy was limited. It was a simple faith, but it was strong and enduring. It did not depend on favorable circumstances or institutional structures; it was rooted in conviction and trust in God. That faith sustained my mother, and through her, it sustained all of us. My mother also came from an indigenous background, from the Mayan culture, and in that heritage, there is a profound story of resilience, dignity, and identity. It is a story marked by struggle, yet also by perseverance, hope, and a deep capacity to love. That story lives in her, and through her, it lives in me. So when I read the words, “Her children rise up and call her blessed,” I do not hear mere poetry. I hear justice. I hear recognition. I hear gratitude for a life poured out in service and love. And it leads me to say something carefully, but truthfully: a mother’s love is the closest many of us have experienced to the love of God. It is a love that does not give up, a love that provides, a love that corrects, and a love that remains even when life is not easy. In many ways, God has loved us through them. That is why today is not just another day. I am convinced that this reflection and this testimony echo the feelings of many who are gathered here. Every day is important, but this day is unique. It is a day set apart to say to our mothers, to our daughters, to our grandmothers, and to our wives how deeply grateful we are. Thank you for your love. Thank you for your sacrifice. Thank you for your life. If your mother is with you today, take a moment to embrace her and let her know what she means to you. If she is no longer with you, give thanks to God for her life and the legacy she has left in you. And if your story is different, if there is pain or absence, remember this: the love of God reaches you today as well. In the end, all true love comes from Him. “Blessings to every mother on her day.” Amen. Prayer of Confession: Loving God, we thank you for the gift of those who have nurtured us. Forgive us when we fail to honor them as we should. Heal our memories where there is pain and help us to reflect your love in our relationships. In Christ we pray, Amen. Sing: “In His Time” TFWS # 2203 Pastoral Benediction: Go in peace, honoring the love that has shaped you, and sharing the love that comes from God. May you carry gratitude in your hearts, and may God’s grace surround you today and always. *Song of Blessing: “Halle, Halle, Hallelujah” TFWS 2026 Postlude: “Down to the River to Pray.” African-American spiritual Note: Next week, May 17, is United Methodist Student Sunday. A Special offering will be taken to support United Methodist Scholarships. Pastor Jorge Rodriguez [email protected] |