A Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the Church of Christ, Union
10:30 am Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
Meditation
“You’ve got to prime the pump. You must have faith and believe. You’ve got to give of yourself ‘fore you’re worthy to receive. Drink all the water you can hold. Wash your face cool your feet. Leave the bottle full for others. Thank you kindly, Desert Pete.” ~Billy Ed Wheeler
From There to Here: We Gather
Prelude Draw us in the Spirit’s Tether Charles Callahan
Welcome
The Call Don Cardwell, Reader
We are all story-tellers. In fact, that is one of the most important roles we play in partnership with the Spirit. When we tell others who we are, where we come from, and what happened to us…when we tell them what we have seen, experienced, and learned…we are giving them, especially the young, a context to understand and cope with what is happening today. We give them clues that may solve many puzzles. ~ Steven Charleston
¨ Hymn #332 As We Gather at our Table Beach Spring
1. As we gather at your Table, as we listen to your Word, help us know, O God, your presence; let our hearts and minds be stirred. Nourish us with sacred story till we claim it as our own; teach us through this holy banquet how to make Love’s victory known.
2. Turn our worship into witness in the sacrament of life; send us forth to love and serve you, bringing peace where there is strife. Give us, Christ, your great compassion to forgive as you forgave; may we still behold your image in the world you died to save.
3.Gracious Spirit, help us summon other guests to share that feast where triumphant Love will welcome those who had been last and least. There no more will envy blind us nor will pride our peace destroy, as we join with saints and angels to repeat the sounding joy.
¨ 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 Lesson Genesis 32:22-31
The same night he got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” Then the man said, “You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?”
And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.” The sun rose upon him as he passed Peniel, limping because of his hip.
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.
Scripture Lesson 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.
Sermon Nothing but Everything 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: We wrestle and are blessed!
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
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. As we embody the scripture story, please break the bread you have brought and share it with those around you. It is the responsibility of all those gathered to see that all are offered sustenance.
If both you and your neighbor have bread, exchange with one another, then move to feed others who may not have been offered any yet. If no one is near you, feel free to mingle and move to those around you. Gluten-free bread is also available and can be found at any of the communion stations. If it is not your preference or tradition to receive, you can indicate this by placing one or both hands to your heart or crossed touching your shoulders in greeting and acknowledgement. However you hold space in prayer, you are welcome here.
Prayer Reflection Questions
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 Come, O Thou Traveler Unknown (Candler) J. Bert Carlson
“With thee, all night, I mean to stay And wrestle til the break of day”
As we come forward, our gifts are received for this common work together.
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 an amount and a click.
· Baskets for checks or cash are located at the head of each aisle for those who wish to make an in-person donation.
· Give by Text. Text an amount to 859-448-3403 (Example: Text “$50.00 Offering”)
· Give by Mail to: 200 Prospect St., Berea, KY 40403
Your contribution is love made visible. Thank you!
Prayer of Thanksgiving Don Cardwell, Reader
Lord our life with you, comprised of nothing but the basic elements, rises like bread to feed our souls. We see more of you when we see more of each other; we find more of your hope and true peace when we engage in deeper compassion. By this meal, we stand and sit with Christ beside the sea of our worries and ignorance. We have nothing but everything. Help us give and take, break and share, lift and serve even in our frailty, and receive from us our living thanks for the reminder that you are multiplying our every gift for the care of all. Thank you, Lord of multitudes, maker of wilderness feasts. Live in us that we may live in your way. This we pray in the name of Jesus, the Christ, who taught us to reach to you in prayer as…
Our Lord’s Prayer
All: 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: We Depart
¨ Hymn #347 Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ Linstead
- 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!
- 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
- 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
Community Connections
Announcements
We share opportunities for Beloved Community and ways to serve.
Lighting the Justice Candle to Lead us Forth
For nearly a decade Berea has celebrated summer with free concerts sponsored by the Levitt Foundation. The driving force that made this happen and keeps it going is Ali Blair, Founder and Executive director of First Friday Berea. It all began when a consultant told the merchants in Old Town that in order to attract people they should throw a party. Ali stepped up to the challenge, recruited partners, sought funding and made it happen.
For Ali , the concerts are more than just fun and music. Partnerships with organizations have added things like free food for children and bike safety lessons. This year, in partnership with Rebel, Rebel, First Friday added paid internships for high school students to gain hands on experience with event production and promotion, marketing, creative placemaking, and community development.
These concerts create space where people can show up as they are and find community. She loves the diverse audiences with children and dogs and food and dancing. “What better way to connect people than bare feet in the grass.” Ali Blair
¨ Benediction
¨ Benediction Response Woyaya (We Will Get There)
Reprinted with permission using OneLicense #A-723786
Please sing as you form our larger circle. We will sing it twice so that we may fully see each other and sing at the same time.
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 the Republic of Cameroon, Central African Republic and Equatorial Guinea; and our brothers & sisters at Blue Lick Missionary Baptist Church in our hearts, and pray for them today and throughout the week.
¨ Prayers for 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 seeking a new and just society and those fearful that they will be supplanted, may God open their hearts and include them in grace.
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes or who are homebound: Jan Hamilton, Doug Hindman, Betsy Hoefer, Dorie Hubbard, Lois Morgan, Tom & Sara Parker, Cheryl Payne, Alva Peloquin, Laura Robie, Betty Wray, Sally Zimmerman
¨ Sally Zimmerman has moved to Dominion Memory Care, 200 Meridian Way, Richmond, KY, 40475. She always appreciates cards and letters.
¨ Loyal Jones, in hospice care. His daughter, Susan, reports he’d love to hear from friends. His address is 200 Tabernacle Rd. L-205; Black Mountain; NC; 28711.
¨ Rita Barlow, receiving care at home.
¨ All those suffering from mental strain, trauma, and disease: may God soothe and heal all who are troubled.
¨ Angela Anderson, recovering from surgery! Keep in touch at her Caring Bridge site: www.caringbridge. org/visit/angelafaithanderson
¨ Annriette Stolte, who has had a fall and broken several ribs. She’d love cards and calls from Union friends: 579 Alexian Way #417, South Signal Mountain, TN, 37377; 859-200-6954
¨ John Hosp, John & Peggy Coyne’s son-in-law’s brother. He had a heart attack at 43 and has been in ICU for stints and blood clots.
¨ Jan Daley Hosp, the Coynes’ daughter’s mother in law and close friend, with bone cancer. Being a double lung recipient this will be very dangerous for her.
¨ The family and friends of Fred Park, noted dance caller, photographer, and dear friend of many in Berea. Fred passed away on July 31st of lung cancer.
¨ Delores Carpenter and family, at the death of her beloved aunt, Geneva Jones, of Richmond, Indiana.
¨ Doug Hindman, recovering from surgery at The Terrace
¨ Rick Wicker, receiving rehab for a stroke; and also recovering from stent surgery.
¨ Jerry Cooper, recovering from surgery.
¨ Phyllis Smith’s niece and many friends, at her sudden death last Thursday. Phyllis was an enduring Berea character, known by many. We’ll share arrangements when we have them.
¨ For Members and Friends who need safer housing and income security.
¨ John Stanley & Heather Lundy former Union Church members & still beloved friends, as John recovers from a stroke.
¨ JoAnn Russell, Reda Hutton’s aunt, facing several medical challenges.
Celebrations with Prayers of Joy!
Birthdays: Today, Aug. 6 – Jack Marshall; 7 – Truman Fields; 12 – Teri Mehler; 14 – Alice White
Anniversaries: today, Aug. 6 – Laurinda & Jeff Pool; 11 – Mark Pettis & Elena Larssen; 12 – Tom & Sara Parker, Matt & Carrie Jadud, Amy Schill & Jen Eich; 13 – Marty & Gwen Hensley
If we haven’t got your important dates, let us know. We’ll help you get connected in FellowshipOne Go!
Birthday 8/26