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

Good Shepherd Sunday

April 17, 2016 10:30 am

Meditation
“We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito.”
― C.S. Lewis

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  Prelude in Classical Style G. Young
*  Call to Worship                         based on Rev. 7:12
One: From places of mourning and places of dancing,
All: We call on God to come be with us.
One: In times of sadness and in times of fear,
All: We pray for God’s presence
One: We gather this morning to catch a glimpse of God — and behold!
All: There is nowhere we can go that is NOT in God’s presence!
One: God is here. God is now.  God is with us always.
All: Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and always.  Amen!
One: Our shepherd leads us! Let us sing!
*  Opening Hymn #479 God Is My Shepherd Brother James’Air
*  Prayer of Approach 
One: Frayed and frazzled, our lives jangling, with tension and anxiety, awash in worries and doubts, drowning in a sea of fears, weakened by the burdens of life, wandering as if lost in a wilderness… we remember:
All: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Amen.
*  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 Keep God’s Light Mark Patterson
Union Church Choir
Keep God’s light before you; keep God’s truth beside you; keep God’s hope to guide you everywhere you go. Keep God’s peace within you; feel God’s strength defend you; let God’s love begin to fill your thirsty soul. Hold on in times of sorrow; hold on through days of despair; even in the darkest valley God will always be there. Look now to days of gladness; God’s light still shines the way never fading, never failing, teaching us as we pray. God will show you the way.
Lesson from Acts of the Apostles Acts 9:36-43
Children’s Anthem My God Is with Me Mark Patterson
Jubilee Choir
My God is with me, with me wherever I go. My God is with me; I am never alone. Early in the day and late at night my Lord walks right by my side. My God is with me, with me wherever I go. My God is with me; I am never alone. When I am weak, he makes me strong; my Lord’s with me all day long!
Children’s Moment 
As the children return to their seats or move to children’s church, 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 Children’s Moment, children grades K-5 are invited to Children’s Church, which takes place in Cowan Chapel.  Otherwise, children are welcome to 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 & under, care is available in the Nursery, downstairs off the Community Room. Please pick up your children in the Chapel or Nursery after the service.
Gospel Lesson John 10:22-30
Sermon        The Days of Our Lives Rev. Rachel Small Stokes
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 ‘Tis So Sweet to Trust In Jesus D. Wood
* Doxology Avery/Marsh

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

*  Closing Hymn #252 Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us Bradbury
*  Benediction & Sending Forth
    Postlude (please  be  seated) Trumpet Tune N. Bowden
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 Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore and our brothers and sisters at River of Life Foursquare Church in your hearts, and pray for them.
Please also hold these concerns in your prayers, today and throughout the week:
¨ Refugee families and individuals seeking shelter and safety, and all who are working to provide it: May God magnify our efforts.
¨ Laura Robie, recovering at home from knee replacement surgery
¨ Andy Blyth, recovering at home
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes, or who are homebound:  Edith Hansen, Nancy Jones, Mary Miller, Alva Peloquin
¨ The family and friends of George Oberst, at his death
¨ Sheila Johnson, facing breast cancer
¨ Marlene Payne and her family
¨ Kelly Ambrose and family
¨ Terry Allen Watts, NoraRuth Jenkins’ cousin
¨ Cindy Saylor’s friend Genny Bryant, who has colon cancer.
¨ Loretta Mountjoy, recovering from surgery at home
¨ Jerry Cooper’s daughter, Debbie diagnosed with breast cancer
¨ Jillean McCommons, feeling a lot of stress and anxiety
¨ Alvera Perman’s new niece, Avery Stallard, born at just over one pound, and now fighting infection
¨ Jessica Spencer and family, at the loss of her grandmother, Hazel Graybeal
¨ Les Pross, recovering from surgery at St. Joseph Hospital, main
¨ Toby Wilcher, who broke her leg in a fall and is at UK Hospital
¨ For all discerning the way forward in difficult circumstances, may God’s light lead and guide
Berea Classic Chorale Concert Friday, Apr. 22, 7:30 p.m., sanctuary, $5 adults, students free. Come enjoy a wide variety of musical settings based on Shakespearean texts., dramatic readings and dance.
All Y’All Faith Day: Earth Day Adventure Journaling Saturday, April 23, 11:00 – 3:00  Everyone is welcome to a time of experience and reflection as we contemplate, revel in, and celebrate God’s creation!
Meet at church at 11:00. Everyone will make a sack lunch and then choose their own adventure. Choices can include gardening in the church’s raised beds, walking around the College campus, striking out for Anglin Falls, and more. You may strike out on your own, but are encouraged to join a small group to share with along the way. Go with your journal, a booklet full of suggestions, and your lunch. We will gather back at church at 2:30 to share our insights, reflections, drawings, and prayers with each other.
We will have paper available if you do not have your own journal. Event will be held rain or shine! Questions can be directed to kim.kobersmith@gmail.com or alveralisabeth@yahoo.com.
April 24th, lunch  after worship to support Katosi Women Development Trust. We will cook a Ugandan meal for the congregation, in part to thank the church for its previous support, and in part to share about the current project, the development of a community center for the organization.
Katosi Women Development Trust is a network of women in southern Uganda working towards a positive future for Ugandan women through sustainable economic development, agriculture, water, and sanitation programming. The network is made up of 18 groups, and a total of over 485 members.
Margaret Nakato, the director of KWDT, is coming for a visit to Kentucky to share the mission of the organization and to raise funds for a community center.
Art Exhibit in Pross Gallery through April 30 Yes! A Tribute to Michelle Tooley Fiber Art by Ann Butwell in the Pross Gallery off the Community Room. Stop by to take a peek at the pieces Ann created in Michelle’s memory and to celebrate resurrection!
The artwork embeds symbolism of the Guatemalan quetzal soaring above our heads, Michelle speaking truth to power in her work for social justice and peace, and friends encircling her with love and song.
You will have an opportunity to take one of the textiles home with you at the end of the month, and leave a sliding-scale donation to one of Michelle’s favorite causes.
Pick up your New Church Directory at WNL—they’ll also be available as pdfs for the asking—just email office@union-church.org and I’ll send one.
Concert Choir’s Annual Spring Concert today. The Berea College Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, Stephen Bolster conductor, will present their annual spring concert in Gray Auditorium Sunday afternoon, April 17 at 3:00 pm, no charge The choirs will be accompanied by Lindsay Clavere on the piano.
T.R.U.T.H. Talk on Gender April 19, 7:00 pm, Carter G. Woodson Center, Berea College. Talk on the importance of bringing men into our conversations about gender. Dr. Billy Wooten, Assoc. Professor of Communication, and A.J. Bodnar, our Artist in Residence last fall, will be on the panel. There will be an examination of hyper-feminity and its translation into what we consider to be the opposite of masculinity. Mothers, bring your sons; daughters bring you fathers; partners bring your partners. In other words, women please come…and bring the men in your life!
Reading Thursday! Tina Parker will host a reading and conversation on “Writing from the Place of Motherhood,” along with poet Julie Hensley, on Thursday, April 21, 6:30 pm, at the Loyal Jones Appalachian Center, Berea College.
April 24, Orthodox Palm Sunday Service, 6:00 pm. The congregation of St. Athanasius Orthodox Church, Nicholasville,  invites anyone interested to their Palm Sunday service. This service is at the beginning of Orthodox Holy Week after the celebration of Palm Sunday, and is called Bridegroom Matins, with the name being taken from Christ’s parable of the bridegroom. It is a somber service consisting of sung and chanted hymns and prayers, with emphasis on repentance and our own unreadiness. The service lasts around an hour. It will be in Cowan Chapel or the Parlor, depending on the number attending. More info ore at :http://orthodoxwiki.org/
Step By Step, Lexington has been preparing for our first “House Warming Party” on April 28th for several months. The young single moms who have earned points by attending meetings, setting and reaching goals, volunteering in the community, etc. will have an opportunity to use their points to “shop” in our Home Store that evening.
We have had several groups promise to collect items over the past few months who have been unable to do so. We are looking for household items such as bath towels, dishes, dish towels, silverware, kitchen mixers, pots and pans, cookie sheets, cleaning supplies, lamps, pillows, small pieces of art work or wall hangings, items used for storage, Tupperware, bath accessories i.e. shower caddies, soap dishes etc. (we DO NOT need toiletry items) and small appliances (ex: toaster). Gift cards are also welcome.
NOTE: Please be sure the condition of any items you give are in the condition YOU would want to receive. No stains, holes, burns, etc. and please be sure items are clean. Towels and sheets MUST be brand new and NOT used. Everything else can be gently used. Items can be brought to Union Church and will be delivered by Sarabeth Brownrobie. Thank you!
Host families in Madison County needed for Chinese students ages 10-16 from Beijing Aug 12th – 27. All the students have insurance and their own expense money.  You will provide 2 meals a day & room. There is a stipend paid to host families to cover expenses.
Email chinesehomestay@hotmail.com.