A Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the Church of Christ, Union
August 2, 2026 10:30 am
Meditation
“When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why they are poor, they call me a communist.” ~Dom Helder Camara
From There to Here: We Gather
Prelude
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 “<>.”
¨ Invocation All We Need Is Here
All we need is here! All we need is here!
God is among us, All we need is here!
¨ Call to Worship Susie Ritchie, Reader
Horseback on Sunday morning,
harvest over, we taste persimmon
and wild grape, sharp sweet
of summer’s end. In time’s maze
over fall fields, we name names
that rest on graves. We open
a persimmon seed to find the tree
that stands in promise,
pale, in the seed’s marrow.
Geese appear high over us,
pass, and the sky closes. Abandon,
as in love or sleep, holds
them to their way, clear
in the ancient faith: what we need
is here. And we pray, not
for new earth or heaven, but to be
quiet in heart, and in eye,
clear. What we need is here.
~ “Wild Geese”, From Selected Poems of Wendell Berry
¨ Hymn All Who Hunger, Gather Gladly Holy Manna
¨ Prayer of Approach & Confession
One: We Gather in God’s Name
All: We claim Christ’s promised presence.
One: sisters, brothers, siblings, not out of dread and fear, but believing that God is faithful to forgive, let us rid ourselves of what we need no longer carry. Let us pray:
One: Lord God, tender of every soul and healer of every heart, we confess that we are not alright, and not all is right in our world. For the part we play in brokenness, we seek your help. For the brokenness we can neither fix nor shed, we yearn for your healing.
All: Free us from ignorance, apathy and neglect. Feed us with the bread of restoration. Holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.
[silence is observed]
¨ Words of Assurance Come, Bring Your Burdens to God South African English Trans: Barbara Clark, Mairi Munro, Martine Stemerick
Come, bring your burdens to God (3x)
For Jesus will never say no.
One: Come all who think you have nothing; come all who know darkness but are seeking the light. You need no money, nor perfection. God seeks for your wellbeing like for a pearl of great price. Come, all. Be changed. Be forgiven. Be loved.
All: Thanks be to God!
¨ Passing the Peace
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
Scripture Reading Isaiah 55:1-5
Hear, everyone who thirsts; come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread and your earnings for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.
See, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. Now you shall call nations that you do not know, and nations that do not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.
~ 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 Matthew 14:13-21
Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” Jesus said to them, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.”
They replied, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.” Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled, and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
~ New Revised Standard Version, updated
Sermon Leaps and Bounds: Faith and Out of Bounds Living Rev. Kent Gilbert
Video Reflection
Responding to God’s Love in Communion
Invitation to Communion
One: God be with you.
All: And also with you.
One: The spirit of the Lord is among us!
All: And makes a way out of no way.
One: Abundance and joy are the fruits of the kin-dom.
All: These are the ways of God. These are the signs of God’s Jubilee.
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.
Communion Prayer
One: Gathered in the small groups of your congregations around the world, we seat ourselves on the ground of your love. We give you thanks for all that has made it possible for us to be together: the blessings of your creation…the teaching of your prophets…the discipleship of your Son Jesus who came to us humbly born, deeply wise, and truly loving.
Standing with all who have known your touch through the centuries, and for decades in this place, we sing your praises…
Sanctus Please repeat after Rev. Kent, words will be on the screen
Words of Institution
One: On the day when so many thousands had gathered hot and tired, longing for salvation, Jesus saw them and had compassion upon them.
One: How will we feed them, his disciples asked?
All: “Don’t send them away. You give them something to eat,” Jesus said to them.
One: We remember that he asked the crowd to turn to one another and sit in groups on the green hillside.
One: When they had done so he asked what was at hand. They said to him:
All: “Only 5 loaves and two fish.”
One: Jesus took the loaves and looking up to heaven he blessed them and broke them and gave them to the disciples to set before the people.
One: In the same way he took the fish, blessed them, and divided them among the many thousands.
One: By this meal we remember the abundance of God’s love and the power of a community in Christ. Lord, send your holy spirit upon this bread and on these fish, that all our reticence may be turned to generosity, and that your grace may multiply in us and through us for all the hungry of your world.
All: Come Holy Spirit, Come!
Serving One Another
All who seek the love of God are welcome at this table and are invited to freely receive from it. By tradition, unfermented grape juice is used in the cup on Sunday mornings. If it is not convenient to come forward, the elements can be brought to your seat.
Living Prayer
Call to Prayer
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. Next week, let us hold the people of Republic of Congo, Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe; and our siblings at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in our hearts, and pray for them today and throughout the week.
Embodied Prayer
You are invited to reflect and pray at the candle table. You may also choose to source the essential ingredient of solitude and private prayer, remaining with your own thoughts in your pew.
For Reflection
If you could, what would you multiply in yourself to be able to feed others?
Take an inventory of what is in your “spiritual pockets.”
Review your setting in the community, at school, at work, in your family.
In your prayers, consider asking for the help you need to contribute to a sustaining blessing, connecting what you have with what others need, receiving from others what you might lack.
How could you take a step toward that communion?
Offertory
A Chance for Generosity: easytithe.com/union
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Your contribution is love made visible. Thank you!
¨ Doxology Words: St. Patrick, adapted Kent Gilbert Tune: Bunessan
Christ be beside me, Christ be before me,
Christ be behind me, my rock and my stay;
Christ be within me, Christ be below me,
Christ be above me guiding my way.
Prayer of Thanksgiving Susie Ritchie, Reader
Again we have feasted at a wilderness table set by your love. Again, Lord, you have broken the boundaries and leapt past limitation. Over and over, again and again, your care for even the least of us multiplies beyond compare. So bless to us this bread, and all the bread we will break during the week. Give bread to those who are hungry, and give a ravenous hunger for justice to those who are already fat and satisfied so that all people might stream to you and your welcoming way.
You feed us with that which truly satisfies, and like those who gathered on the lakeshore, we are amazed and made full with your grace. Leaping and bounding, we pray as Jesus taught, reaching to you as…
Our Lord’s Prayer
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.
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
Van Jones has worked for economic justice, both as a civil rights attorney and environmental activists. He is best known for his best-selling book The Green Collar Economy.
Van Jones’ vision for a better America is putting poor people to work in jobs that help the environment, thereby addressing two major problems at once: a faltering economy and climate change.
Jones founded the Ella Baker Center but turned over that leadership when asked to serve in the Obama administration helping to establish policy on sustainability and employment.
Jones has stated that we do not have any “throw away species, nations, or children. We must birth a global green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty.”
Excerpted from: americanswhotellthetruth.org/portraits/van-jones/
¨ Hymn #347 Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ Linstead
1. Let us talents and tongues employ,
reaching out with a shout of joy:
bread is broken, the wine is poured,
Christ is spoken and seen and heard.
Refrain: Jesus lives again; earth can breathe again.
Pass the Word around: loaves abound!
2. Christ is able to make us one,
at his table he set the tone,
teaching people to live to bless,
love in word and in deed express. Refrain
3. Jesus calls us in, sends us out
bearing fruit in a world of doubt,
gives us love to tell, bread to share:
God (Immanuel) everywhere! Refrain
From Here to There
¨ Benediction
¨ Benediction Response All We Need Is Here
All we need is here!
All we need is here!
God is among us,
All we need is here!
Our Prayers for Others
¨ 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.
¨ Those in mortal danger in the continuing war in Iran. For the leaders of nations to set aside assassination and warfare in favor of just, diplomatic solutions to conflict.
¨ 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.
¨ Our neighbors experiencing housing insecurity, homelessness and food insecurity.
¨ JoAnn Russell, Reda Hutton’s aunt, facing several medical challenges.
¨ The children and staff of Samuel’s Kids School and Orphanage in Uganda.
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes or who are homebound: Dorie Hubbard, Susan Kramer, Hattie Parks, Alva Peloquin, Laura Robie, Theresa Scherf.
¨ Patti Smithson, recovering from knee replacement surgery.
¨ Elwood Donnelly, diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, possibly needing a cardiac ablation.
¨ Rev. Christina and Matthew’s children, Fable and Simeon, both recovering from jugular decompression surgery.
¨ George Johnston, Patti Smithson’s cousin, injured in a terrible car accident, in California.
¨ Charlie Hoffman, anticipating surgery.
¨ Bob Berger, with vascular issues.
¨ Paula White’s cousin, Donna Seale, badly injure din a car collision that will require several surgeries
¨ Celebrations with Prayers of Joy!
Birthdays: Aug. 2 – Erikke Meadows; 4 – Bob Berger, Ed Poston; 6 – Laurie White; 7 – Truman Fields, Amber Shaffer
Anniversaries: Aug. 5 – Dave & Kim Kobersmith; Kent Gilbert & Diana Hultgren; 6 – Jeff & Laurinda Pool
If we haven’t got your important dates, let us know. We’ll help you get connected in FellowshipOne Go!
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