Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the Church of Christ, Union

Third Sunday of Easter      April 15, 2018  10:30 am 

Meditation
What makes you vulnerable makes you beautiful.                 —Brene Brown

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!
Prelude     Gi os lyset tilbage       Trans. Jennifer Rose
                  Danish Singers
 The Earth has lots of different types; all must live and die. Be happy you’re here now, at least! The meaning is, after all, to sow your seeds on this inherited, star-domed isle.
Give us time back and let us use every moment. Open doors and worn smiles; that’s the land I’d like to call mine.
The happiness that you hold in your hands now is actually mine also. And the fact that you live, and bear burdens, and exist, makes it so I can defend what is yours; this most beautiful discipline.
Give us happiness back and let us draw life from that magic. Our bodies may be many, but our strength is one. That’s the land built on the wisest stone.
Do you see only darkness wherever you turn? The black protest waged by emptiness? Shadows only live where light exists. Remember that your sunny side is your best look!
This evening, just look to the west! Give us the light back. We’ll rise up from every defeat The closed will be opened and the noise will be stilled.
Now there shall be dancing and loving, where the darkness is made light! Everything that we came to give and receive:
Sharing and loving and fighting became for a year, our sustenance. Community is born when “we” become “us,” and we wander with Helios.
Give us the nation back Give us tolerance and a new culture where the heart is open and the mind is free. That’s the land I want to call mine.
 ¨  Call to Worship 
One:     When fear and doubts stroll through our doors:
All:      God stands beside us, whispering of peace.
One:     When we toss and turn late at night:
All:      God sits by our beds, singing lullabies of love.
One:     When we stumble through the shadows of sin:
All:      God illuminates the paths of goodness and joy.
—by Thom Shuman
¨  Opening Hymn #44 Black         Beautiful Jesus            Schonster Herr Jesu
¨  Prayer of Approach
One:     Mighty God, in whom we know the power of redemption and the light of new life, you stand among us in the shadows of our time.
All:      As we move through this hour, this day, this week, uphold us with the presence of your risen Son, and harbingers of resurrection. May we be redeemed and restored to the fullness of life and forever freed to serve you and your people with joy. Amen!
¨  Passing the Peace of 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 Living Word among us

Anthem    A Joyful Song  Robert Leaf
                  Union Church Choir
A joyful song we sing to the Lord, all glory and praise to the risen Lord. Let all who will serve rejoice and sing their praises to God: Alleluia, praise the Lord. Praise we sing to honor the Lord. Together with music our praise we bring. Oh raise your voice with praise to the Lord, let all of God’s children be glad and sing. Rejoice, the victory is won, the Lord has risen, God’s holy Son!
Hebrew Scripture Lesson                       Psalm 4 (p. 649)
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. They are also welcome to stay in the service if they prefer. The Children’s Worship Center in the back of the sanctuary has toys, books, and drawing materials for children (or adults) who would like help staying present in the service. For children preschool age & under, care is available in the Nursery, downstairs in Room 104 off the playground.
Gospel Lesson                  Luke 24:36-48 (p. 1276)
Sermon     Hope Beyond Despair      Rev. Betsy Whaley

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 Prayer and Prayers of 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.           

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              A Fanfare for Easter   Ross Anderson
¨  Doxology             Praise God from whom all blessings flow!   Lasst Uns Erfreuen
                      Praise God all creatures here below!
                      Alleluia, alleluia!
                      Praise God above, ye heavenly host!
                      Creator, Christ and Holy Ghost. 
                      Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

From Here to There

¨  Closing Hymn     Built on the Rock (opposite)    Kirken Den Er Et
      Composer: Nicolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig, Danish Bishop and Poet, 1783-1872  
¨  Benediction & Sending Forth
Postlude    Crown Him with Many Crowns          arr. Marvin Gaspard  
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 Belarus, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine and our brothers and sisters at Liberty Avenue Full Gospel Outreach in our hearts, and pray for them. Please 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, Nancy Hindman, Loyal Jones, Mary Miller, Alva Peloquin
¨ Dan Rohrer, who is suffering from a severe liver disorder.
¨ Dave Wellinghurst, diagnosed with glioblastoma after surgery for a brain tumor, whose cancer is responding to treatment better than expected.
¨ Gary Dillon, significant other of Betty Sarafin, critically ill with cancer.
¨ For Luke Woodie, recovering from bile duct cancer surgery at home.
¨ Lauri McVicker’s mother, recovering from hip surgery, in New Jersey
¨ Jennie Kiteck, at home after successful colon cancer surgery.
¨ In thanksgiving for those students, teachers, parents, lawmakers, and citizens who are witnessing and working to end gun violence in our society. May laws that help be passed; may hearts that are broken be healed; may all who are in danger be kept safe.
¨ Alejandra Sanchez’s sister in El Salvador, Marco Amalia Sanchez, suffering the final stages of cancer, and her family.
¨ Loyal Jones, recovering at Arcadian Cove.
¨ Tennant Kirk, recovering at home from extensive ankle surgery.
¨ The Groth family, at the death of Ben’s aunt.
¨ The Stolte family, at the death of Bill’s sister, Mabel Stolte, at nearly 92.
¨ Sharona Nelson’s son-in-law’s mom, Giselle, who has had a stroke
¨ Joy Dunn, at Good Samaritan Hospital with a broken hip.
¨ Joseph Jacobs, recently hospitalized with pancreatitis. Prayers for a swift recovery.
Find out more about the church next week! Come One Come All!  Each fourth Sunday of the month anyone wanting to know more about Union Church or wanting to explore church membership, as well as new members, are invited to come to the Classroom two doors past the church after worship for conversation with the Pastor and the Community Life & Growth Board.
Welcome and Thanks to church member Rev. Betsy Whaley, bringing the Word this morning in Rev. Kent’s absence. Betsy is an ordained pastor in the American Baptist Church but her full time work is with Mountain Area Com-munity Economic Development (MACED) as Vice President of Strategic Initiatives. She is the first of member voices we hope to bring to the pulpit over the coming months as we listen and attend to the word of God in our midst. Betsy and family joined Union Church in September, 2016.
Rev. Kent will be back April 19.  Rev. Carla Gilbert is on call for any pastor-al care needs.
Welcome to Our Danish Guests! This morning we are pleased to welcome many guests from Denmark and from the Danish American Rebild Society who are having their national meeting here in Berea. They have agreed to sing for us this morning, and we have chosen several pieces of music to honor Danish heritage this week. Welcome! We are so glad you are here!
Velkommen til vores danske gæster! I morges glæder vi os til at byde mange gæster fra Danmark og fra det danske amerikanske Rebild Society, der har deres nationale møde her i Berea. De har aftalt at synge for os her til formiddag, og vi har valgt flere stykker musik til ære for dansk kulturarv i denne uge. Velkommen! Vi er så glade for at du er her!
Board Orientation Next Sunday! After worship on April 22, all new and continuing Board Members and Officers are invited to an orientation session in the Community Room. A light lunch will be served. We’ll get acquainted, tour the building (you’ll be surprised at all the nooks & crannies!), review our church mission statement and discuss how to:

• Read a budget
• Pay for things
• Distribute minutes and documents AND how to retrieve them
• Schedule rooms and heating/cooling

If you use a laptop, bring it with you and we can help with Google docs if you’d like.
If your Board has set a recurring meeting date , please let us know in the office. Thanks!
Berea College Concert Choir & Chamber Singers Spring Concert today, 3 pm. Gray Auditorium, Stephen Bolster conductor.  The public is invited to attend, no charge for admission.  The choirs will be accompanied by Lindsay Clavere on the piano. 
Free showing of Look & See: A Portrait of Wendell Berry April 19th, 6:30-8:30 pm at the Forestry Outreach Center, at the base of The Pinnacles, 2047 Big Hill Rd. The film will be followed by discussion facilitated by Chris Green, Director of the Loyal Jones Appalachian Center. Light refreshments will be served.  Hope to see you there! 
Friday, April 20: SaraCare Celebration SaraCare is a memorial fund in honor of Sara Elizabeth Kennedy, the daughter of Eddie and Norma Kennedy who, with tremendous hope, fought Rhabdomyo-sarcoma (an aggressive childhood cancer) from June 16, 2004 until March 23, 2005 when the battle was lost. This fund was established in order to support the work of  her wonderful health care providers (Kentucky Children’s Hospital and The Pediatric Oncology Clinic). The SaraCare Fund is also dedicated to providing assistance and comfort to young patients and their families. Spaghetti supper starting at 6 pm in the Community Room ($5) with silent auction items available followed by a concert in the sanctuary at 7:30 (donations accepted).
Sustainable Berea Victory Garden Blitz April 28 needs volunteers! 8-2 at the Berea Municipal Utilities building. Help needed to construct beds, deliver and install beds, haul dirt. Trucks needed too. Potluck at 1 pm!
May 7, 7:00 pm in Cowan Chapel: Did you know that our public library has its own podcast? Neither did we. The Nerd Factor (from the Madison County Public Library in Richmond and Berea, Kentucky) is partner-ing with The Jeff Richey Experience for this LIVE recording of their Season 2 Finale and Small Concert. Free, all welcome!
Youth Talent Show May 11, 7 pm: Spring is in the air and it is that time of year again, time for the Union Church Youth Group Talent Show! This year’s talent show will be on Friday, May 11th at 7:00 pm in the Community Room. We will have return appearances from some of last year’s great performers with brand new material, and we have several new talents as well. Tickets are $5 per person, or $15 per family. We will have concessions available for a suggested donation to enjoy with the show. All proceeds will go to help offset the costs of the Youth Group’s summer trips and activities. Please come out for this evening of entertainment and fellowship that supports a good cause. 
The Berea Food Bank reports that it is very low on food supplies. The address is 108 Parkway. OR if it’s easier to bring food to church, we’ll get it to the Food Bank. Particular needs are:

• Cereal
• Peanut Butter
• Tuna
• Potatoes (boxed or canned)

Older iPad Needed: Do you have an older generation iPad you no longer use? The AV system we use in the Community Room would benefit from a dedicated iPad  for church and rental use. It must have the older, wider power connection to work, but other than that, any iPad  will be more than enough to power the system. Contact the office or Rev. Kent if you can help!
Official Record Book Still Missing 🙁. Have you seen the sign-in book we use to record new members’ joining dates and attendance at meetings? Did you look in your car? What about at home? It’s been missing since November and maybe some-one accidentally took it home or tucked it somewhere for safe keeping? It’s black padded leather, about 8 1/2 x 11. Help!
Please Sign up to Read Scripture or to Help Greet and Usher!  Please use our electronic sign up system, http://signup.com/go/xkdVtB, where you can pick a date that works for you and get reminders!  OR you can also call the office and we’ll get you on the lists.
Berea Leadership Experience for Youth, July 16-20. Registration is open today, April 15. Berea Leadership Experience will hold its camp for kids to learn skills of conflict resolution, media literacy, mindfulness, and appreciation of nature the week of July 16th -20th, 9 am – 2 pm for kids in incoming grades 2-8. We are also seeking sponsors for scholarships and other financial donations to make this camp possible for as many people as possible. Sponsorships are $60 to cover one student. Checks can be made or online donations can be designated to Union Church, memo line “Berea Leadership Experience.” Thank you!