sunday service may 10, 2026

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]