From There to Here: We Gather
Hymn Sing Choose Your Favorites!
Prelude
Welcome and Invitation
¨ The Call
One: When the sun rises what shall we sing?
All: “My soul magnifies the Lord.”
One: And when chaos and violence echo on the screen?
All: “My soul magnifies the Lord.”
One: For our God is a God of justice and peace.
All: “My soul magnifies the Lord.”
One: So when all is wrong, or all is right,
All: “My soul magnifies the Lord.”
One: Yes, when all is wrong, or all is right,
All: We will sing with joy and delight, of the God of justice and love and peace.
One: “My soul magnifies the Lord.”
¨ Hymn O Come, O Come, Emmanuel Veni, Emmanuel
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.
O come, Desire of nations, bind all peoples in heart and mind. Make envy, strife and quarrels cease; fill the whole world with heaven’s Peace. Refrain.
Lighting the Candle of Love Don & Rhonda Cardwell
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 Love is lit.
Prayer of Approach and Confession
One: Gracious God, We long to be as courageous as Joseph—
All: Brave enough to trust your call, And strong enough to hold onto one another.
One: There are so many places in the world that could use our courage. You know them, but we do too.
All: So when fear takes over, forgive us.
When our knees shake and our words fail, forgive us.
When self-hatred is easier than self-love, forgive us.
When walls are more convenient than peace, forgive us.
When pessimism is more convenient than hope, forgive us.
When our comfort is more important than our neighbor, forgive us.
You invite us to be courageous. You invite us to be courageous. Forgive us we pray and set our hearts to courageous change by the power of your love. Amen.
Words of Assurance
¨ The Passing of Loving Courage
The Living Word Among Us
Scripture Reading Isaiah 7:10-16
Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” Then Isaiah said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals that you weary my God also?Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son and shall name him Immanuel.He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.” ~ New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (Friendship Press, 2021)
Choir Anthem Celtic Advent Carol Michael Barrett
Union Church Choir; Kim Kobersmith, flute
Be not afraid, I bring you good news. The Savior is coming in glory to you. He shall be called “God’s Holy One.” Will you be ready? Will you be ready for Him when He comes? Light the candle, Jesus is coming. Open your hearts, prepare ye the way.
Sleepers awake, for soon is the dawning. He will turn night into glorious day. Be of good cheer and put away fear, the light now is coming to dry every tear. Love now with us, God’s perfect Son.
Will you be ready for Him when He comes? Captivum solve Israel. Veni, Emmanuel. Jesus is coming. Could He be coming today?
Scripture Reading Luke 1:26-45
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”, But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”
The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”
~New Revised Standard Version: Updated Edition (Friendship Press, 2021 )
Sermon Love and (Courage) 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.
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 Savior of the Nations, Come arr. J. Krug
Union Church Handbell Ensemble
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.
Living the Story: All Ages Nativity Pageant
Children and adults are encouraged to join in this “no rehearsal” living story of Christmas. When characters are needed the narrator will call for any who would like to take those parts and give instructions. We will intersperse the story with songs and actions for the congregation in the pews so everyone can embody the tale and help us “magnify the love.”
When invited, everyone please respond with “What’s up with that?” or “Oo! We can’t wait” as indicated by the cue cards. You can use costume elements that are laid out or come as you are! Everyone is welcome, young and old, in holding the love of this ancient story.
Please join in singing when invited from the Black Hymnal:
#105 “Gentle Joseph, Joseph Dear” V.1
#133 “O Little Town of Bethlehem” V. 1
#138 “Jesus, Our Brother Strong and Good” V:1-6
#154 “Go Tell It On the Mountain” V. 1
#144 “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” V. 1
#132 “Joy to the World” V.1
From Here to There: We Depart in Love
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 to recognize the Christmas Baskets that have brought food and toys to families for over sixty years. Father Beiting, of St. Clare Parish, started the program in the 1960s with the help of volunteers. They got referrals from Social Services and Head Start, and later from the Family Resource Centers. After Father Beiting left as pastor, nuns and staff of St. Clare parish took the program on, seeing it as a social action response to the Gospel message. As the need grew, St Clare leaders reached out to other churches for help, and the greatest response came from Union Church!
St. Clare and Union Churches continue to partner to make sure that families who can not afford to put a special Christmas dinner on the table or toys under the tree for their children can have a better celebration than they otherwise would have.
Let us always remember that feeding the hungry is LOVE in action.
Hymn #106 Black My Heart Sings Out with Joyful Praise Marias Lovsang
- My heart sings out with joyful praise to God who raises me, who came to me when I was low and changed my destiny. The Holy One, the Living God, is always full of grace to those who seek their Maker’s will in every time and place.
- The arm of God is strong and just to scatter all the proud. The tyrants tumble from their thrones and vanish like a cloud. The hungry all are satisfied; the rich are sent away, the poor of earth who suffer long will welcome God’s new day.
- The promise made in ages past at last has come to be, for God has come in power to save, to set all people free. Remembering those who wait to see salvation’s dawning day, our Savior comes to all who weep to wipe their tears away.
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 love.
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
Postlude
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 & conversation
Our Pageant was adapted by Rev. Kent from a wonderful work by Norman Allen. We are grateful to be able to share his work and joy in the story.
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 Hong Kong, China and Macau and our brothers & sisters at Berea United Methodist Church 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.
¨ The Weatherford family, at Will’s death.
¨ Rita Barlow
¨ 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: Today, Dec. 18 – Jeff Pool; 22 – Maria Hartz; 23 – Ben Whaley-Jones;
Anniversaries: Dec. 22 – Annette & Aidan Broadbridge
If we haven’t got your important dates, let us know. We’ll help you get connected in FellowshipOne Go!
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