A Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the
Church of Christ, Union
First Sunday of Christmas
December 28, 2014, 10:30 am
Meditation
“The marvels of God are not brought forth from oneself. Rather, it is more like a chord, a sound, that is played…I am, of course, the lyre and harp of God’s kindness.”
— Hildegard von Bingen (11th c.)
From There to HEre
Welcome & Announcements
Prelude Prelude and Fugue in C Major J.S. Bach
* Call to Worship
One: Praise the One who spoke and made everything! Let the rivers ripple with joy;
All: Let the mountains stomp their feet!
One: Praise the One who adopts all of us as children!
All: Let children laugh and clap their hands!
One: See the old and wise dance in delight,
All: Let the gates of relief open and justice roll through!
One: We see, we laugh, we dance, we praise. Let us worship God!
* Opening Hymn #160 Black Hark! The Herald Elderkin
Prayer of Approach & Confession
One: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Let us confess our lack of love, and our need of grace.
All: When we lose patience, when we are unkind,
when we are envious, when we are rude or proud,
when we are selfish or irritable, and when we will not forgive: have mercy on us, O God.
help us not to delight in evil, but to rejoice in the truth; help us always to protect, to trust, to hope and to persevere:
then shall we see you face to face, and learn to love as you love us in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Words of Assurance
One: … Behold, there is yet more light and truth to break forth from God’s holy word, and from you, beloved and dear child of God.
All: Thanks be to God!
* Passing the Peace of Jesus Christ
All who come to this sanctuary are welcome companions on this day! You are invited to turn to those nearest you and greet them with words of peace and joy. Children are invited to come down at this time to enjoy the music.
The Word in our Midst
Special Music
Hebrew Scripture Lesson Isaiah 61:10-62:3
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.
For children preschool & under, care is available in the Nursery, downstairs off the Community Room.
Gospel Lesson Luke 2:22-40
Sermon When You Are Old Enough Rev. Kent Gilbert
Gifts given for Love to flow
Call to Offering
Our gifts help sustain this particular community of caring by sustaining the building, pastors and staff, and all the materials that make our ministry of healing, justice, and teaching available to all in need. In addition, a good portion of our contributions flows out to aid to those in need via many external agencies.
This can now be done online or by text to 859-448-3403 (Example: Text “$50.00 Offering” to contribute to the ongoing ministries, or add “youth,” or “missions” or designation of your choice to benefit one in particular.)
Your contribution is love made visible. Thank you!
Offertory Ancient of Days Smith
* Doxology To God all glorious heavenly light; Old Hundredth
To Christ revealed in earthly night;
To God the spirit now we raise
Our grateful hymn of thankful praise. Amen.
Praying it Forward
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.
Silent Prayers and Prayers of the Community
Our Lord’s Prayer
One: Our Maker, our Mother, and …
All: 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
* Closing Hymn #77 Black Lord, Dismiss Us with Your Blessing Sicilian Mariners
* Benediction
Postlude March in F Lowenburg
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* Please rise in body or in spirit
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. Let us hold the people of Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, and Togo and our brothers and sisters at Farristown Baptist Church in your hearts, and pray for them.
Please also hold these concerns in your prayers, today and throughout the week:
* Those in harm’s way in service of our country, and those who wait and worry for them.
* For the victims of violence everywhere, and especially under the influence of racial prejudice and simmering fear. Peace to those everywhere our madness reigns.
* Our church family members in nursing homes, or who are homebound: Edith Hansen, Klara Welsh, Bernice Robertson, Nancy Jones, Mary Miller, Averill Kilbourne, Alva Peloquin, Ruth Butwell
* Debbonnaire Kovacs, at the death of her father
* Peggy Coyne, recovering from surgery
* Rich Royalty, who has had a stroke
* Michael Embry’s mother, Kelly Basham, struggling with health problems
* Melissa Neal, recovering from surgery
* Joan Moore, at the death of her father, Bob Moore
* Dennis Jacobs, whose father has died
* Stephanie Ledgin, who had surgery for a complicated torn rotator cuff this week and soon will have breast cancer surgery
Announcements
You Matter! Please Sign the Register, Check in on Facebook/Twitter and try a nametag! It’s hard to get to know people elsewhere, but we don’t want it that way at church. Let’s all try to get to know each other better.
New Year, New Directory! We’re going to produce a new directory in January—the plan is to have a draft copy for correcting/approving at WNL on January 7, and at the Congregational Budget meeting on Jan. 11.
If your info – and your family’s – has been correct (birthdays, emails, etc.) – you don’t need to do anything. BUT if something has changed (or if you’ve added cell #s or emails) OR you haven’t been in the Directory before OR you want to send us a new photo, we’d love it!
We print names, birthdays, emails, phone numbers & cell numbers (with permission, of course), and produce printed or pdf copies. If you have a spouse/partner or children who don’t sign in on Sunday mornings but you’d like in the Directory, please let us know that too. We won’t publish the Directory on the website without password protection.
Next Family Faith Day will be January 10. Wanted: Fabric and quilting batting from your stash for our next Family Faith Day of making quilts for Project Linus. Please bring fabric pieces that are at least 1/4 yard. Needed by Sunday, January 4th.Call Kim Kobersmith with questions at 985-0185.
Budget meeting: Union Church’s annual budget meeting to consider the 2015 budget will be January 11, 2015, after worship & lunch.
Mugs are being re-done, there was a glazing error (sorry).
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