A Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the Church of Christ, Union
Proper 17 of the Season after Pentecost 10:30 am
Meditation
“The measure of a society is found in how they treat their weakest and most helpless citizens.” ~ Jimmy Carter
From There to Here: We Gather
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 Deb Beishline, Reader
One: Creator God, you call us to hospitality; to give as generously to others as you have given to us.
All: For there are angels among us.
One: Loving God, you call us to give you glory in the compassion we show to one another.
All: To love without judgment, of ourselves or of others.
One: We gather as one Body, seeking to walk in the way you have set for us.
All: We gather as one Body, to worship the one who is Love.
~ written by Eliza Buchakjian-Tweedy, Pastor at First Church Congregational, Rochester, NH She blogs at sermonizing.wordpress.com
¨ Hymn #12 I Sing the Mighty Power of God Ellacombe
1. I sing the mighty power of God, that made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at God’s command, and all the stars obey.
2. I sing the goodness of our God, who filled the earth with food,
God formed the creatures with a word, and then pronounced them good.
Oh, how your wonders are displayed, where’er I turn my eye,
If I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky.
3. On earth there’s not a plant or flower below, but makes your glory known,
The clouds arise, and spread their showers, by order from your throne.
All life is but a gift from you and ever in your care;
Wherever people gather, you, O God, are present there.
¨ Prayer of Approach and Confession
All: Holy God, in earth, sea and sky,
you are there
in everything we touch;
in everyone we meet;
your presence is ’round us,
and we give you thanks.
When You we have not touched, but trampled, in creation;
you we have not met, but missed, in one another;
you we have not received, but rejected, in the poor.
Forgive us.
One: In Christ’s name we pray:
All: Amen.
~Iona Community
¨ Words of Assurance
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
Scripture Reading Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16
Let mutual affection continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them, those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured. Let marriage be held in honor by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers. Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he himself has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.”
So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?” Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
~ 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 14:1, 7-14
On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the Sabbath, they were watching him closely. When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host, and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, ‘Give this person your place,’ and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place.
But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” He said also to the one who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers and sisters or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid.
But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” ~ New Revised Standard Version, updated
Sermon Labors of Love Rev. Kent Gilbert
Video Reflection
A chance to take in what we have heard and reflect together.
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. Let us hold the people of Cape Verde, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Senegal; and our siblings at Blue Lick Missionary Baptist Church in our hearts, and pray for them today and throughout the week.
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
Labors of Love:
In prayer time now, or in the days to come, make space for the labors that love you; that is, the times when other’s labors and love have carried you, even if they didn’t know it, even if you didn’t know who was responsible. The author of Hebrews says that kind of hospitality is a golden treasure.
Deepen your gratitude with each breath for those who entertained you as if you were the angel.
Who was it?
What did such treatment or service or love unlock for you?
How could you “pray it forward” this week?
Down To Earth:
The word “humility” comes from the root latin word for dirt or earth. To be humble is not to be self-effacing or erasing, but rather to be “close to the ground.” Today’s Gospel is a lesson in keeping close to the ground: don’t assume high honor, don’t try to claim all the credit. Be down to earth and recognize your place, but also recognize the honor of all those present. Breath slow and deep until you can get below your anxiety of being left out, left behind, or unrecognized. With each breath allow more and more awareness of being treasured where you are and as you are. Feel yourself come down to a place set for you at the table Christ described. When you’ve landed at a good place there, wonder and pray how to keep “down to earth” about everything that is “up in the air” for you.
Offertory Nocturne Berkahn Union Church Orchestra
A Chance for Generosity: easytithe.com/union
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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 Deb Beishline, Reader
Mighty host of the mighty feast, help us see where all those who are invited. Relax in us the tension of our apprehensions, the bind of our egos and insecurities. We are thankful to be at the table, and wherever we are seated we will give you the glory and accept the grace as a gift.
Help us find the right seat, making room for all the guests and enjoying the company of sister and brother whatever end of the table you invite us to inhabit. Feed all with the daily bread we need. We come to your house some wounded and broken; some weighed by unspeakable burdens.
Please feed and heal those who worries only you know. Strengthen them with caring family and ease them with healing of heart, body, and soul. You are the healer, and we humbly ask to help.
You set the table, and we only hope to serve and love. In the way of your son Jesus we ask these things, and pray as he taught us, reaching to you as….
Our Lord’s Prayer
Our Maker, Our Mother, and Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; Thy kin-dom 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 kin-dom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
¨ Hymn #531 God, Speak to Me, That I May Speak Canonbury
1. God, speak to me, that I may speak in living echoes of your tone; as you have sought, so let me seek your erring children lost and lone.
2. Oh, lead me, God, that I may lead some wanderers along life’s way; O feed me so that I may feed your hungry ones without delay.
3. Oh, fill me with your fullness, God, your overflowing love to know; in glowing word and kindling thought, your love to tell, your praise to show.
4. Oh, use me, God, use even me, just as you will, and when and where; until your blessed face I see, your rest, your joy, your glory share.
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
Today we recognize the Madison County Tenants Union, a group of volunteers who believe that housing is a human right. They stand against eviction, abuse from landlords, & homelessness by partnering with other organizations such as AppalReD to provide trainings on tenants rights. They speak to press and housing organizations, and direct tenants to resources in the community. They facilitate public community conversations and engage those who may be interested in changing the housing challenges faced by many in our community.
One spokesperson issued the following statement, “The reality is, the need is far greater than what local charitable services are able to handle. That’s why it is also important to have organized groups that are fighting for deep structural changes to policy. So that the kinds of things that put a family in Madison County in the position of needing to access those charitable services get fixed. We need to get down to the root causes of why we have an economy that works for the very wealthy.”
For more information go to facebook.com/MadisonCountyTenantsUnion/ or send a message to madisoncountytenantsunion@gmail.com
¨ ¨Benediction
¨ Benediction Response Seek Ye First Lafferty
Reprinted with permission using OneLicense #A-723786
Our Prayers for Others
¨ Dave Reilly’s nephew, Herb Post, ill with kidney cancer that has spread to his lung.
¨ Joe Tarter is doing well after his heart surgery and recovering at home.
¨ Kelly Mehler and all supporting him.
¨ 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
¨ Bonnie Donelly, grandma of Tennant Kirk’s daughter-in-law Carlie, on hospice care with pancreatic cancer.
¨ 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.
¨ 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: Sept. 1 – Sara Parker; 2 – Dodie Murphy, Hamrick Walters; 6 – Chris Green; 7 – Noah Broomfield;
Anniversaries: Sept. 1 – Gene & Dorothy Chao; 3 – Greg & Adria Sutherland
If we haven’t got your important dates, let us know. We’ll help you get connected in FellowshipOne Go!
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