Please join us for in-person worship on July 10 at 10:00 am worship. *Masks are optional. The bulletin for this Sunday is available for viewing HERE.
You can also worship online by going to our website “watsonville1stumc.org” and click YouTube or Facebook. It will be uploaded on Sunday afternoon for your viewing.
Celebration of Holy Communion
Sunday, July 10, 2022, 10 am
Special Music Sweeter As The Years Go By
Duet: Edgar & Solida Estioko (in English & Tagalog)
Words & Music: Lelia Morris (Based on Psalm 119:103)
Message “Breaking of the Vessel” Rev. John Song
Shevirat ha-kelim is the Hebrew words for “breaking of the vessel”: shevirat (breaking) ha-kelim (vessel). Without getting into the detail, the concept of “breaking of the vessel” comes from the Jewish esoteric mysticism known as “Kabbala”. In this tradition, the divine light of God was enclosed in finite “vessels”. And it is through the breaking of the vessels that the divine light is emitted to the world. In a sense, vessels are metaphors for us humans.
The Japanese art of Kintsugi is a philosophy of turning brokenness into something beautiful. Kintsugi is the Japanese art of putting broken pottery pieces back together with gold — a metaphor for embracing our flaws and imperfections as our unique beauty. We won’t realize our full human potential until we go through the adversity of bearing precious scars of life.
As we learn the meaning of the Hebrew word “shevirat ha-kelim” and the Japanese art form “Kintsugi”, we will explore how they might aid us in looking at our broken places with fresh eyes that might lead to a beautiful restoration and transformation.
“Broken Bell”
Ring the bells that still can ring!
Forget your perfect offering!
There is a crack in everything!
That’s how the light gets in!
~ Leonard Cohen
Breakdowns Come Before Breakthroughs
“Sometimes things have to fall apart before they can get better.
When you take a stand to create something new, expect a breakdown.
Remember, chaos is a prelude to creation.”
~ Katherine Woodward Thomas
