A Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the Church of Christ, Union
Proper 15 of the Season after Pentecost 10:30 am
Celtic Sunday
Meditation
In the name of the Fire, The Flame And the Light: Praise the pure presence of Fire That burns within Without thought of Time.
~ John O’Donohue, In Praise of Fire
From There to Here: We Gather
Prelude Brendan Tonra’s/TheRolling Wave
Jeni Balcom, harp; Doug Mast, mandolin
Welcome
Welcome to this service of worship! 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! During the service, you are invited to rise in body or in spirit, standing or sitting, at points in the service marked “<>.”
¨ The Call In Praise of Fire, John O’Donohue Diane Bailey, Reader
¨ Hymn #83 I Sing as I Arise Today Seed of Life
1. I sing as I arise today! I call on my Creator’s might: the will of God to be my guide, the eye of God to be my sight,
2. The word of God to be my speech,the hand of God to be my stay, the shield of God to be my strength, the path of God to be my way.
3. Alleluia, alleluia, Alleluia, alleluia, Alleluia, alleluia, Alleluia, alleluia.
¨ Prayer of Approach and Confession
One: O Trinity of Love, God in community, holy and one, look now on us who look to you…
All: And hear our prayer for our community.
One: Where there is falseness…
All: Smother it by your truth;
One: Where there is any coldness….
All: Kindle the flame of your love;
One: Where there is outrage…
All: Temper it into healing action.
One: Where there is joy and hope…
All: Free us to share it together;
One: And make us one…
All: As you are one.
One: Before God and you who are near me, I release anything I hold against you; I regret all I have done to harm you; I stand beside the wrong in my life and ask for God’s forgiveness.
All: Before God and you who are near, we release anything we hold against one another; we regret the harm we have done; we stand beside the wrong in our lives and ask for God’s forgiveness. Amen.
¨ Words of Assurance
One: Jesus says to us, each one: “Go and sin no more, come and follow me.” Now bind our hands with honesty and grace as we offer them to each other in peace
Passing the Peace of Christ
All who come to this sanctuary are welcome companions on the journey of faith. Please turn to those nearest you and greet them with words of peace.
Word and Worship
Special Music Hush, the Waves Are Rolling In Atwater-Donnelly trad. Scottish collected in Kentucky, 1938
Scripture Reading Jeremiah 23:23-39
Am I a God near by, says the Lord, and not a God far off? Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them? says the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? says the Lord. I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, “I have dreamed! I have dreamed!” How long? Will the hearts of the prophets ever turn back–those who prophesy lies and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart? They plan to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell one another, just as their ancestors forgot my name for Baal. Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let the one who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? says the Lord. Is not my word like fire, says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?
~ New Revised Standard Version , updated
Children’s Moment as the children return to their seats we sing:
May God’s blessings 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.
Scripture Reading Luke 12:49-56
“I have come to cast fire upon the earth, and how I wish it were already ablaze! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, ‘It is going to rain,” and so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?” ~ New Revised Standard Version, updated
Sermon Words of Fire Rev. Kent Gilbert
Video Reflection
A chance to take in what we have heard and reflect together.
Living Prayer
Call to Prayer
Ringing 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.
Embodied Prayer
You are invited to reflect and pray at the candle tables. You may also choose to source the essential ingredient of solitude and private prayer, remaining with your own thoughts in your pew.
For Reflection
Words Like Fire
Think of time when you read something in the hand of a beloved, or a mentor, that seemed to burn on the page. Often these words of fire sear into us from unexpected sources: a poem, a news story, the words of a child, and penetrate to our core. Rather than shy away from them, what might you do in prayer to seek such words of fire, to connect with that holy communication? For inspiration, re-read John O’Donohue’s poem. Which words leap off the page? Which ones hit like a hammer. In prayer or conversation with someone you trust, find out why.
Fire and Division
Sometimes faith brings consolation. Sometimes it brings the fire. In Luke’s gospel, Jesus is fired up about the work, so much so that he is willing to risk social convention and even family peace. In your prayers consider what holds that place in your heart. What holy work is worth the grace and risk of fire? Jesus asks us to consider the difference between “peace” and “quiet.” Maybe the desire for “quiet” has overtaken your fire? If so, sit in silence with what you need to rekindle this holy work that is yours.
Offertory Air Tune Jeni Balcom, harp; Doug Mast, mandolin
A Chance for Generosity: www.easytithe.com/union
A community of caring relies on support. Your recurring or one-time donation will make a ministry of healing, justice, and teaching available to all in need.
¨ Use your smart phone or computer and go to www.easytithe.com/union. No registration required, but registering once makes future generosity simply entering an amount and a click.
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Your contribution is love made visible. Thank you!
¨ Doxology Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying Ken Medema
Reprinted with permission using OneLicense #A-723786
Silent Prayer and Prayers of the Community Diane Bailey, Reader
One: That the barriers that divide us may be broken down,
All: Lord have mercy
One: That we may live by the law of love in unity, peace and concord,
All: Lord send grace.
One: That we may come to mutual understanding and care,
All: Lord help us persevere.
One: Upon all who are torn apart by war and by violence,
All: Christ have mercy.
One: Upon all who suffer from dissensions and quarrels,
All: Christ send grace.
One: Upon all who are divided in their loyalty and love,
All: Christ help us persevere.
One: That all who work for unity and in the spirit of hospitality may be blessed,
All: Lord have mercy.
One: That all who seek to heal divisions between peoples may have hope,
All: Lord send grace.
One: That all who lead nations, may seek peace with justice for all people.
All: Lord help us persevere.
One: These things we ask in the name of the one who sets the table where peace and righteousness break bread, Jesus the Christ who taught us to pray in this spirit:
Celtic Lord’s Prayer John Phillip Newell
Holy one beyond all names Eternal Wellspring May love rise again in us today With food for every table Shelter for every family And reverence for every life. Forgive us our failings in love And free us from all falseness That the light of our souls may shine And the strength of our spirits endure For Earth and all it’s people This day, tonight, and forever. Amen.
¨ Hymn #273 Praise with Joy the World’s Creator Lauda Anima
1. Praise with joy the world’s creator, God of justice, love and peace, source and end of human knowledge, grace bestowing without cease. Celebrate the Maker’s glory, power to rescue and release.
2. Praise to Christ who feeds the hungry, frees the captive, finds the lost, heals the sick, upsets religion, fearless both of fate and cost. Celebrate Christ’s constant presence – Friend and Stranger, Guest and Host.
3. Praise the Spirit sent among us liberating truth from pride, forging bonds where race or gender, age or nation dare divide. Celebrate the Spirit’s treasure – foolishness none dare deride.
4. Praise the Maker, Christ and Spirit, one God in Community, calling Christians to embody oneness and diversity. Thus the world shall yet believe when shown Christ’s vibrant unity.
From Here to There
Community Connections
Announcements
We share opportunities for Beloved Community and ways to serve. Please see the listing of church & community events, prayers, and notices in the pages following the service.
Lighting the Justice Candle to Lead us Forth
World Humanitarian Day on August 19 honors humanitarian aid workers, who provide life-saving assistance to suffering people all over the world. They provide food, water and health services to people in conflict zones or in areas devastated by natural disasters. We pay special tribute to those humanitarian workers who gave their lives in service to others. Killings of aid workers, many seemingly specifically targeted, have skyrocketed in recent years, from fewer than 50 in 1997 to nearly 400 last year.
This flouting of international law and decency must be countered and eliminated in the name of basic human rights.
The Joy of Welcoming New Members
Partnership & Purpose
Today presents an opportunity to covenant together! All who would like to are welcome to join the church family – you will be received in joy.
Questions of the Congregation and New Members
¨Covenant of Welcome
And we, the members and faithful friends 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
¨ Benediction Response Harvest of the Moon Peter Knight Atwater-Donnelly
Our Prayers for Others
¨ 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 (World Council of Churches Ecumenical Prayer cycle: union-church.org/ministries/prayer). Let us hold the people of Burkina Faso, Chad, Mauritania, Mali and Niger; and our siblings at Grace Baptist Church in our hearts, and pray for them today and throughout the week.
¨ Dave Reilly’s nephew, Herb Post, ill with kidney cancer that has spread to his lung.
¨ Eef Fontanez, home now and recovering from an infection.
¨ Lani Graham, the mother of Wendy Graham Settles, diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor.
¨ Prayers for the children of Kevin Kubik, who are safe after being victims of violence at the hands of their mother. Kevin is working with the Georgia Child Protective Services department and has established a GoFundMe to help with the legal costs of gaining custody: gofund.me/828b3edd
¨ JoAnn Russell, Reda Hutton’s aunt, facing several medical challenges.
¨ All the people of Ukraine for their safety and sovereignty. Prayers also that the government of Russia will turn to reason & respect for their own peoples’ lives as well as for Ukrainian families.
¨ All those affected by the devastating losses in the current conflict, and starvation of those in Gaza.
¨ We pray for our country, and those who are directly affected by the actions and inaction of our government to address the needs of its people and the world.
¨ Prayers for those undergoing cancer treat-ments. We give thanks for the doctors, nurses, and other scientists working to help them.
¨ Anonymous prayer request received online: Please pray for God’s miraculous healing touch on cancer. Let every cancer cell be cast out and replaced my body with healthy, life-giving tissue. Restore strength, and renew health.
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes or who are homebound: Jerry Cooper, Jan Hamilton, Betsy Hoefer, Dorie Hubbard, Susan Kramer, Lois Morgan, Sara Parker, Cheryl Payne, Alva Peloquin, Laura Robie, Theresa Scherf.
¨ Celebrations with Prayers of Joy!
Birthdays: Today, August 17 – Kim Kobersmith, Meaghan Spencer Catlett; 18 – BG Hibbard; 20 – Sean Mack; 21 – Rachel Small Stokes, Kay Ward; 22 – Rob Wescott; 23 – Alvera Perman; 24 – Sylvia From
Anniversaries: August 18 – David & Lisa Shroyer; Tim Monroe & Cheryl Nixon; 19 – Larry & Iris Brandenburg
If we haven’t got your important dates, let us know. We’ll help you get connected in FellowshipOne Go!
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