A Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the Church of Christ, Union
Third Sunday of Advent 10:30 am
Meditation “Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.” ~Henri Nouwen
From There to Here: We Gather
Hymn Sing Choose Your Favorites!
Prelude
Welcome and Invitation
¨ The Call
One: We are courageous
All: when we are vulnerable.
One: We are courageous
All: when we are honest with ourselves.
One: We are courageous
All: when we extend words of welcome.
One: We are courageous
All: when we invite others to sit with us.
One: We are courageous
All: when we proclaim the love of God to a broken world.
One: We are courageous
All: when we say that joy cannot wait.
One: So let us be courageous—
All: let us worship Holy God.
¨ Hymn O Come, O Come, Emmanuel Veni, Emmanuel
1.O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel that mourns in lonely exile here until the Child of God appear. Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel.
2. O come, O come, O Adonai, who came to all on Sinai high, and from its peak a single law proclaimed in majesty and awe. Refrain.
3. O come, O Dayspring come and cheer, Our spirits by your advent here! Love stir within the womb of night and death’s own shadows put to flight. Refrain.
Lighting the Candle of Joy
The Advent Wreath tradition reaches back to pre-Christian northern Europeans who lit candles awaiting the winter solstice. By the 1500s, both Lutherans and Catholics had adapted the Advent Wreath as a devotional way to prepare for the coming of Christ, the Light of the World. Each week as we wait through Advent, we light a new candle representing an aspect of the light God intends for all people. This Sunday the candle of Joy is lit.
Prayer of Approach and Confession
One: In front of God and this church, I confess—I am quick to complain, quick to criticize and conform. I am quick to forget, quick to doubt and deny. Instead of singing praise, I often stay silent.
All: May the God of shepherds and kings, the God of starlight and new life, offer you grace and show you the way home.
One: Amen.
All: In front of God and this church, we confess—we are quick to complain, quick to criticize and conform. We are quick to forget, quick to doubt and deny. Instead of singing praise, we often stay silent.
One: May the God of shepherds and kings, the God of starlight and new life, offer you grace and show you the way home.
All: Amen.
Words of Assurance
¨ Passing the Peace
The Living Word Among Us
Choir Anthem Comfort My People Ian Callahan Union Church Choir and Cello, Charles Hoffman
1. Comfort, my people, and calm all your fear; the day of salvation is quickly drawing near. The One you long to see will soon set you free. O come, Lord Jesus, come.
2. Silence the thunder, silence sounds of war. End all destruction and comfort those who mourn. Your dream draws near; your vision is here.
3. Be light in darkness; be truth for our lives. Be strength for the helpless, the poor and lost who cry. O saving voice, O living choice.
Scripture Reading Isaiah 35:1-10
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and shouting. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God.Strengthen the weak hand and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you. ”Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be opened; then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool and the thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp; the grass shall become reeds and rushes. A highway shall be there,and it shall be called the Holy Way; the unclean shall not travel on it,but it shall be for God’s people; no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. ~ New Revised Standard Version Updated
Children’s Moment Please join in singing as we bless children everywhere:
May God’s blessing 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.
Please note that Union Church services are livestreamed, including the Children’s Moment. A “no camera zone” is at the back of the balcony, behind the AV booth.
Scripture Reading Matthew 11:2-11
When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with a skin disease are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”
As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What, then, did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. What, then, did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written,
‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you who will prepare your way before you.’ “Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist, yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” ~New Revised Standard Version: Updated Edition (Friendship Press, 2021)
Sermon Joy Can’t Wait Rev. Kent Gilbert
Living Prayer
Call to Prayer and Offering
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.
Prayer & Reflection Questions
Joy is a kind of spiritual renewal and offers power even under stress.
In your prayers what joys come unhindered?
Which ones feel like effort right now?
In organizing your day, your week, your month, your year, what steps bring you closer to joy?
And when you experience such power, such love, what are you feeling called to do with it?
Filled with spirit, what can’t wait for you?
A Chance for Generosity: www.easytithe.com/union
Our gifts help sustain this particular community of caring by sustaining the building, pastor and staff, and all the materials that make our ministry of healing, justice, and teaching available to all in need. In addition, a portion of our contributions flows out to aid those in need via many external ministries.
Many friends give online, and you can use your smart phone or computer and go to www.easytithe.com/union. You don’t have to register to make a contribution, but if you do, it can make future generosity that much easier. Baskets are placed at the head and foot of each aisle for those who wish to make an in-person donation. Electronic donations can be made very simply and easily at: https//: www.easy tithe.com/union
You can even give by text! Text to 859-448-3403 (Example: Text “$50.00 Offering”)
You can also use US mail! Mail to: 200 Prospect St., Berea, KY 40403
Your contribution is love made visible. Thank you!
Offering Music Glad Rag Jean Martin Union Church Orchestra
Community Prayer in Poetry by Sarah Are
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 in Joy
Announcements
We share opportunities for Beloved Community and ways to serve.
Lighting the Justice Candle to Lead us Forth
Today we light the Justice Candle in honor of Michael Jonathon. When the tornados devastated Western KY last December Michael Johnathon , KY folksinger and host of WoodSongs Old-Time Radio hour, appealed to musicians all over the worlds to donate instruments for the KY folks, He teamed up with friend Cathy of Currier Music World in Richmond KY to help repair and restore and distribute instruments lost in that storm. “Let’s not underestimate the comfort music and art can bring to families and neighbors in a time of great loss.”
When the floods rained down on Eastern KY in August, he once again appealed to the wider audience for more instruments to be refurbished and given to those folks. And once again, with a team of about 20 volunteers, including Raymond McClain of the McClain Family Band, they brought new life to those instruments in the basement of Currier Music World to give to those folks and thus to folks who lost much of everything, including their music making.
Doug Naselroad, director of the Troublesome Creek Instrument Company and creator of the Appalachian School of Luthiery and a volunteer said this about the effort:
“These instruments are just a joyful gift. They’re not something that somebody is doing from some agency. It’s just neighbors telling neighbors, hey, we’re thinking of you. It’s a joyful thing. Music’s joyful thing and the instruments are a joyful thing and when you get them working right, it’s a joyful, thing”. They have been delivered and there is much joy as we celebrate this work on this Joy Sunday of Advent 2022.
Hymn With Joy Draw Water
- With joy draw water from the spring; salvation’s living well. The Holy One is in your midst; glad praises sing and tell!
- A shoot has sprung from Jesse’s tree; of God the chosen One. A branch of knowledge and of truth; a gift of love has come!
- With love the poor will be received; the proud will turn aside; and faithfulness will be a path, and the righteousness a guide!
- The wolf shall lie down with the lamb; the calf and the lion play, God’s peace shall dwell within the land; a child shall show the way!
- With joy draw water from the spring; salvation’s living well. The Holy One is in your midst; glad praises sing and tell!
Benediction
Postlude Go Out with Joy Hank Beebe Union Church Choir
You shall go out with joy, be led forth with peace, the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees, the trees shall clap their hands. You shall go out with joy!
You are welcome to be seated to appreciate the music following service, and to show appreciation at the end with applause.
Please come down to the Community Room after worship for Coffee Hour and conversation
Especially In Our Prayers
¨ 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 (Link to World Council of Churches Ecumenical Prayer cycle. (union-church.org/ministries/prayer/). Let us hold the people of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam and our brothers & sisters at Wallace Chapel in our hearts, and pray for them. Please hold these concerns in your prayers, 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.
¨ The family and friends of David Sawyer, former director of the Students for Appalachia and other Berea College initiatives.
¨ David Jones, recovering at home from an angioplasty.
¨ Rita Barlow, still undergoing cancer treatment at UK.
¨ Matt Saderholm, recovering at home after extensive surgery to remove a pituitary tumor.
¨ Jess Burton, her partner, Jake, and their little girl, Lila, who has serious gastric issues; and Jake, recovering from respiratory and other health issues.
¨ JoAnn Russell, Reda Hutton’s aunt, facing several medical challenges.
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes or who are homebound: Jan Hamilton, Doug Hindman, Betsy Hoefer, Dorie Hubbard, Loyal Jones, Lois Morgan, Cheryl Payne, Alva Peloquin, Laura Robie, Betty Wray, Sally Zimmerman
¨ Patsy Boyce, sister-in-law of Bob and Jean Boyce, undergoing chemotherapy.
¨ Michelle, beloved nurse at Morning Pointe, undergoing treatment for cancer.
¨ Celebrations with Prayers of Joy! Birthdays: Dec. 13 – David Jones, Shane Wilcher; 15 – Mary K. Kauffman, Opal Bailey; 16 – Thana Connelly; 17 – Joan English, Laura Wick; 18 – Jeff Pool
Anniversaries: Dec. 12 – Eric Dodson & Deborah Martin
If we haven’t got your important dates, let us know. We’ll help you get connected in FellowshipOne Go!
Leave a Reply