Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the

Church of Christ, Union

Palm Sunday

April 9, 2017    10:30 am 

Meditation
But everyone who lined the streets had a different reason for waving those palms. Some were political activists; they’d heard Jesus had supernatural power, and they wanted him to use it to free Israel from Roman rule. Others had loved ones who were sick or dying. They waved branches, hoping for physical healing. Some were onlookers merely looking for something to do, while others were genuine followers who wished Jesus would establish himself as an earthly king.
Jesus was the only one in the parade who knew why he was going to Jerusalem – to die. He had a mission, while everyone else had an agenda.
—Bill Hybels

From there to Here

Welcome & Announcements
Welcome to this service of worship!  During the service, you are invited to rise in body or in spirit, standing or sitting, at points in the service marked “ ” .”
Please sign in using the pew folder, passing it back down the row so all can greet one another by name, and place the sheet in an offering plate. We’re glad you’re here!
Gospel Lesson Matthew 21:1-11
The liturgy of the Palms is the story of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
¨  Palm Processional Hosanna Medley trad.
Everyone is invited to join in the Processional. When invited, please move to stand lining the aisles as the pastors, children, and adults process through “the crowd.”  Those processing will begin by the door under the Peace Bell.  All who would like to do so may gather in that hall, or join as the procession passes your pew.
¨  Call to Worship
One: Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
All: Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!
One: Let us worship the holy one of Israel, the one who comes to restore and rescue!
All: We worship God for sending the Christ of justice and joy!
¨   Opening Hymn #216 All Glory, Laud and Honor St. Theodulph
¨  Prayer of Approach and Confession 
¨  Words of Assurance
“Kyrie eleison” and “Christe eleison” is Greek for “Lord have mercy” and “Christ have mercy.” Through Lent we will sing these ancient Christian petitions as we immerse ourselves in the mercy of God, working for the healing of all.
¨  Passing the Peace of Jesus Christ
All who come to this sanctuary are welcome companions on this day! You are invited to turn to those nearest you and greet them with words of peace and joy. 

The Word in our Midst

Anthem      Who is He?        Bible, Schram
                     Union Church Choir; Adria Sutherland, clarinet; Pearl Marshall, percussion
Who is He? Who is He who comes in triumph? Who is He who comes to die, Comes in peace and comes in power, Hidden One now lifted high? See Him there in humble splendor, hear them shouting all around.
Joy explodes! Joy explodes in wild procession; praise is now the Victor’s crown! Jesus, Lord, Messiah, Mighty Master of the grave! See Him ride, the King of Glory. God Himself has come to save! Rise and join the glad procession! Hear them passing by again. All the ransomed, all His children, marching to Jerusalem!
Who is He? God Himself has come to save!
Hebrew Scripture  Lesson Isaiah 50:4-9a
Children’s Moment  as the children return to their seats we sing:
May God’s presence guard, protect and guide you. 
God bless you, God bless you.
Our savior’s loving arms be ever ’round you.
God bless you, God bless you.
Following the Children’s Moment, children kindergarten through 5th grade are invited to Children’s Church in Cowan Chapel, or are welcome return to their seats or visit the Children’s Worship Center, where there are toys, books, and drawing materials for children (or parents) who would like help staying present in the service. For children preschool age & under, care is available in the Nursery, downstairs off the Community Room.  
Sung Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 Carrie Jadud, cantor p. 700
The Psalms were originally musical compositions. During Lent we will pray the psalms in musical form with congregational responses. Please sing the response when invited.
Sermon Word Weary and World Wise Rev. Kent Gilbert

GIfts Given for Love to Flow

Our gifts help sustain this particular community of caring by sustaining the building, pastors and staff, and all the materials that make our ministry of healing, justice, and teaching available to all in need. In addition, a good portion of our contributions flows out to aid to those in need via many external agencies.
This can now be done online or by text to 859-448-3403 (Example: Text “$50.00 Offering” to contribute to the ongoing ministries, or add “youth,” or “missions” or designation of your choice to benefit one in particular.
Your contribution is love made visible. Thank you!
Offertory                    Prayer Song P. Taylor
¨  Doxology    

Praying it Forward

Ringing of the Peace Bell
The Union Church Peace Bell was created by Jeff Enge in honor of Union Church member Carl Eschbach (1904-1998).  A twin bell hangs in Berea’s sister province in Japan and is also rung in the hope of peace for all nations.
Silent Prayers and Prayers for the Community
Our Lord’s Prayer
One: Our Maker, our Mother, and …
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name;
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us;
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:                                 
  For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.  Amen.

From Here to There

 Introduction and Invitation to Membership
Union Church is a vital and growing family of faith, a home to those committed to the way of Christ’s sacrificial love and service. All who feel led to join will be received in joy, and are welcome to come forward. Thanks be to God for these ministers among us.
¨  Questions of the Congregation and New Members   
¨  Covenant of Welcome                       
And we, the members of this church, renewing our own covenant to God and to each other, do now heartily welcome you to our fellowship, promising to watch over you in love, and praying that  you, and we, may be true witnesses for Christ, a light in the world, and continue to increase in usefulness and joy in his service.
¨  Benediction & Sending Forth
¨  Closing Hymn #224 When I Survey the Wondrous Cross Hamburg
Especially in our prayers
Each week we join millions of Christians who pray for one another through the ecumenical prayer cycle and, locally, the Berea Ministerial Association’s prayer cycle.  Let us hold the people of Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania and our brothers and sisters at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in your hearts, and pray for them.      
Please also hold these concerns in your prayers, today and throughout the week. Prayer requests to be printed may be sent to the office anytime before 10:00 am Fridays.
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes, or who are homebound:  Ruth Butwell, Edith Hansen, Mary Miller, Alva Peloquin, Gloria VanWinkle.
¨ The family and loved ones of David Napier, and in thanksgiving for all who made his memorial service possible yesterday.
¨ Mary Miller, who is recovering from a major illness at The Terrace.
¨ Keila Thomas, recovering well after surgery.
¨ Les Small Stokes’ uncle Jeff Buechlein, who is in the ICU with MRSA and sepsis.
¨ Rachel Small Stokes’ family, who just lost a cousin, MaryAnne Small Cline, whose funeral is tomorrow.
¨ Jim Barrett, with hip trouble.
¨ John McWilliams, recovering from his automobile accident, now at home.
¨ Loretta Mountjoy, at Central Baptist Hospital.
¨ Dodie Murphy, at home.
¨ Hildred Hart, Larry Brandenburg’s aunt, who has had a stroke and is recovering at Berea Health Care Center.
¨ The many suffering from viruses and illness of all kind. May God speed recovery and prevent the spread.
Announcements
You Matter! Please Sign the Register, Check in on Facebook/Twitter and try a nametag! It’s hard to get to know people elsewhere, but we don’t want it that way at church.  Let’s all try to get to know each other better.
 Join the church today! Union Church is a vital and growing family of faith, a home to those committed to the way of Christ’s sacrificial love and service. All who feel led to join will be received in joy! New members are received every second Sunday of a month. YOU are welcome here!
Tonight, 6 pm, Cowan Chapel: Prayers for Healing for Donald Trump. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
All people, of any faith or of none, are welcome.  Help us send healing love and light to one who is truly in need of love and healing, for the good of all.
Stephen Ministers to be trained. Jeff From, Betty Hibler, and Mary Lou Wiese along with Rev. Kent will be leaving for St. Louis on April 23 to participate in the seven-day Leader’s Training Course for the Stephen Series. At the training course, they will learn to train people here at Union Church to be Stephen Ministers. Watch for further information about how you can become a Stephen Minister! If you are interested visit https://union-church.org/fd_ops/stephen-ministry or call the church office.
Kids’ activities and Easter Egg Hunt next week! Bring your little ones to Cowan Chapel at 9:30 for a special Easter celebration and egg hunt! 
Sing the Hallelujah Chorus Next Sunday:  Come join us on Easter Morning. Rehearsal is not necessary, but we will run through it at 9:45 Easter morning.  Need a copy? We’ll have one for you!
No Lunch Bunch this week. We’ll resume on the 27th.
Good Friday, April 14, 8 pm, Jesus Christ Superstar FREE CONCERT at Union Church Motherlodge Live Arts Exchange has been programming community-driven performance events in Kentucky and New York City since 2009. Local singers and musicians from the community will join the “Motherlodge House Band” to perform the music to Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s musical Jesus Christ Superstar. The event will be free and open to the public.
Members of the community of Union Church and Motherlodge are hosting a crowdfunding campaign to cover the costs of this event and make it free to the people of Berea, Kentucky: https://www.fundingworks.com/motherlodge/campaigns/71
Motherlodge is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions for the charitable purposes of Motherlodge must be made payable to “Fractured Atlas” only and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. 
Help Wanted.  We have an ongoing need for volunteers to help with Sunday services.  Can you be a worship reader, greeter, coffee angel, etc.?   For details go to the church website, union-church.org and click on “Volunteer” near the upper right corner (or talk to Doug Hindman).
Scam Alerts Available! Attorney General Andy Beshear met with Rev. Kent (as president of the Kentucky Council of Churches) to enlist the help of churches in fighting phone and computer scams that prey on Kentucky seniors and families. For free text alerts and help if you’ve been the victim of a scam go to: http://ag.ky.gov/scams/ or Text “KYOAG” Scam to GOV311 (468311). 7000 people have signed up for text alerts so far, and our goal is 20,000. We’ll be printing a list of known scams here in the bulletin too!
We Need YOUR PICTURE for a New Church Directory! If you’ve got a photo you’d like to use, please send it to the office. Also — if there’s a chance we don’t have your address, phone, email address, anniversary, or birthday(s)—please send that info on as well: office@union-church.org. There will soon be a draft available in the office for you to check and correct if needed. If we left you out — we don’t mean to!! Please add your info! Also, if you happen to know that someone has moved or attends church elsewhere, let us know that too.
 
Today, Palm Sunday. Our Worship Service recalls Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. In our worship service we include a procession of the faithful carrying palms, representing the cloaks and small branches of trees the celebrating people scattered in front of Jesus as he rode into Jerusalem. According to the Gospels, Jesus Christ rode a donkey into Jerusalem, and the people sang part of Psalm 118 … Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord…
Maundy Thursday, April 13, 7:30 pm service in the sanctuary. Our service will begin with hand and foot washing at 7:00 pm (for those who wish).“
Maundy” comes from the Latin “mandatum,” meaning “commandment.” On this night when Jesus met with his disciples for his last supper, he gave them a new commandment, “that you love one another.” During this special service we will share communion and recount the story of Jesus’ betrayal and arrest, and darken the sanctuary, as we retell the story of his crucifixion.
Good Friday, April 14, 12 noon for Gathering Music. Service at 12:15.  A service is offered by the Berea Ministerial Association. Gather in the Union Church sanctuary. This midday worship service recounts Jesus’ last hours.
Good Friday, 8 pm Concert and Community Sing of Jesus Christ Superstar, Sanctuary. Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice’s rock opera was originally created as a concept album during the social & political upheaval of the late 60s with themes that are still relevant today. Motherlodge Live Arts Exchange & Union Church will co-present the music of this influential work in an immersive format that expands the possibilities for musical participation.
Holy Saturday, April 15,  9 am Gather with Pastors Kent & Rachel as we clean and prepare the sanctuary for our Easter guests. We’ll dust the pews, and prepare the decorations, and spruce up the outside as we welcome a joyful Easter.
Easter Sunday, April 16, 6:45 am  Sunrise Service, White’s Memorial Presbyterian Church. The Ministerial Association hosts this all-church celebration of Easter Morning as the sun rises. Let’s share worship, song, and prayer with all our neighbors.
9:30 am Easter Activities for kids, beginning in the Chapel and moving on to the Easter Egg Hunt!
10:30 am Celebration of the Resurrection! Join to recall the joy and hope of that first Easter Morning, and to renew yourself by recalling that God’s love is not reserved in that long-ago time. This is a lovely time to invite guests, new neighbors, and any who’ve ever wondered what Union Church is about! Order lilies by April 12, at union-church.org/lilies or use the slip at the end of the bulletin.