A Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the Church of Christ, Union

Fourth Sunday after Epiphany Celebration of the Lord’s Supper

February 1, 2015, 10:30 am

Meditation
If one part of the body suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the Body of Christ.
— 1 Corinthians 12: 26-27a

From there to here

Welcome & Announcements
Prelude     Communion Song       Martin
*  Call to Worship
One:     Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before God with joyful songs.
All:     For the Lord is good and God’s love endures forever; God’s faithfulness continues through all generations.
One:     Let us worship now together.
* Opening Hymn #384 Black         For the Faithful Who Have Answered            Omni Die
*  Prayer of Approach & Confession 
One:    We have heard Your call to join the beloved community.
All:      We make excuses that our days are full with tasks.
One:     We speculate on how to fix our world and heal the pain.
All:      But we forget to join hands together.
One:     Please do not stop calling to us for justice.
All:      Even though we complain at your call, call us anyway.
* Assurance of Pardon 
One:    The Lord your God has said, come, for everything is now ready. Our most gracious Lord, your love has given us gifts unbounded. Your persistence keeps us awake. Your mercy flows ceaselessly over your people. Our daily tasks will be like sand falling through our fingers when you call and our excuses are forgiven.
*  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.

The Word in our Midst

Anthem    Sing Alleluia    Gordon Young
Union Church Choir
Sing Alleluia! Praise the Lord in heaven above!
Hebrew Scripture Lesson                       Jonah 4
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.

Following Children’s Moment, children grades K-3 are invited to Children’s Church, which takes place in the chapel.  If this is your child’s first time attending Children’s Church, please accompany them to fill out a registration form.  Otherwise, children are welcome to follow volunteers to their worship spaces. For children preschool & under, care is available in the Nursery, downstairs off the Community Room. Please pick up your children in the Chapel after the service.
Gospel Lesson                  Luke 18:1-9
Sermon     A Woman-Shaped Past           Abigale Embry

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             Be Thou My Vision      Thewes
*  Doxology  Praise God from whom all blessings flow;    Old Hundredth
                  Praise God all creatures here below;
                  Praise God above, ye heavenly host:
                  Creator, Christ, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Sharing God’s love in Communion

*  Invitation to Communion
One:     God be with you!
All:      And also with you!
One:     Lift up your hearts.
All:      We lift them up to God.
One:    Let us give thanks to God.
All:      It is right to give God thanks and praise.
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
Communion Prayer
One:     Today at this table we join you and all hearts hearing and ignoring your knocking for peace, for love. We remember those who came before us, who took the risk of being called crazy when they cried out to stop suffering, and to those who lost their lives showing the world your abundant love.
One:     As we remember your sacrifice, we acknowledge those who continue to sacrifice today so that we may one day realize your vision for the world.
One:     Love incarnate, you came down to be with us, to suffer with us. You taught us how to teach others, and showed us the path for healing. You called us to speak up, to stand out, for what is right, and to trust our hearts to show us the path. We give you thanks and praise for your grace as we sing of your glory:
 Communion Sanctus                  please join in singing:
Words of Institution
One:     We remember that on the night before he died, Jesus sat at table with his friends, took bread, blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to them, saying:
All:      “Take and eat,
One:     this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
One:     After supper he took the cup of wine and, after giving thanks, gave it to them and said,
All:      “Drink this, all of you:
One:     this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for you and many for the forgiveness of sins.  Do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
One:     Ever mysterious God, we give you thanks for you presence with us. Grant that we may go into the world in the strength of your Spirit, to give ourselves for others, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Serving One Another
All who seek the love of God are welcome at this meal and are invited to freely receive from it.  We will share the elements today by intinction, dipping the bread in the cup. When invited please come to one of the stations by exiting your pew to the left and returning by the right. If it is not convenient to come forward, the elements can be brought to your seat by signaling to the usher. All the bread is gluten-free, and the chalices are filled with non-alcoholic grape juice.
If it is not your tradition to receive, you are invited to join in prayers for the unity of the Spirit and all people, within your tradition.
Blessing for Those Who Will Receive at Home
Members who have been designated to carry communion to those who could not be with us this morning are invited forward at this time. The elements from our meal will go with our blessing and prayers for our continued unity in the Spirit. If you would like serve by taking communion to others, you are very welcome to do so and are invited to volunteer.
Prayer of Thanksgiving

From Here to There

*  Closing Hymn #585 Black          O God, We Bear the Imprint         Roseberry
*  Benediction & Sending Forth
Postlude    Trumpet Tune  Bowden         
——————————————
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 Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and our brothers and sisters at Rocky Mountain Holiness 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, Nancy Jones, Mary Miller, Averill Kilbourne, Alva Peloquin, Ruth Butwell
* Teri VanPelt and Christine Ward and, especially Kim Wooldridge
* The Martin-Dodson family in the death of Deborah’s father, Andrew
* Anne Weatherford, who is declining and under greater care at her nursing home in Asheville, NC. Anne is still mentor and friend to many in the congregation
* Kelly Mehler, recently diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Special prayers as treatment begins.
* Dorie Hubbard, recovering from spinal surgery at home
* Toby Wilcher, recovering at home from hip replacement surgery
* The evergreen on the altar is for Bernice Robertson who died Thursday, Jan 22. A memorial service will be held at 3:00 pm today
* Lee Hubbard, hospitalized with heart problems. He is recovering well, and asks for cards and prayers, but not visitors at this time
* Berea High School Junior, Jayson Smith, who suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) during a football game  on November 7, 2014.
Announcements 
Today: noon—2:00 pm  fund-raising event to benefit Ebola victims.
A group of Berea College students, along with support from faculty, staff, and community members, will host a fundraising event to raise funds for those who have been directly affected by Ebola. Homemade soups and breads, graciously donated by campus organizations and local businesses, will be served. Additionally, there will be a performance from the Afro-Latin Percussion Ensemble (along with other local musicians) and an auction made possible by donations from Berea’s local artists.
Most importantly, the event will serve as a time to speak about the current state of the West African region how our donations will support those who are working to contain and end this deadly disease. Admission to the event is $5.00 ($3.00 for students). All donations received at the event will be sent to Doctors Without Borders.
Kirk Bloodsworth to speak February 3   On Tuesday, February 3, at 7 p.m. at the Appalachian Center, Kirk Bloodsworth, a death row prisoner for 8 years eventually released from prison due to DNA testing which proved his innocence, will speak about his own experience and the importance of ending the death penalty. His speaking tour in Kentucky is assisted by the Kentucky ACLU and the Kentucky Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.
FREE Tax Prep at Berea College! Eastern Kentucky Asset Building Coalition offers free income tax preparation to those earning under $58,000 –call 985-4124to schedule an appointment.
WNL program February 11: Learn about participating in East Ridge Community Garden and hear more about Glean Kentucky, a group that organizes folks to collect extra food from local gardens to supply food banks.
Wednesday Nite Live Programs Update/Changes: Are you passionate about a particular topic? Have a story to share? Experience to present? If you’d like to present one of these as a program at Wednesday Night Live (6:30-7:00pm) – check out the sign up sheet for available dates! This can be found on the blue clipboard in the Church Office. If you have questions, contact Betty Hibler or Jessica Holly.
Valentine’s Day dessert party at Liberty Place Feb. 13: Dodie Murphy is planning a surprise Valentine’s Day dessert party at Liberty Place on Friday, Feb. 13, and is asking for donations of homemade (rather than store -bought) cakes, cupcakes, cookies or fudge. Liberty Place is a women’s 108-bed long-term residential addiction recovery center in Richmond. Contact Dodie at 859-200-7277 or dodiemurf@yahoo.com. She will happily pick up donations the day before or the morning of the party. Thanks for considering taking part.
Our Office Administrator will be away visiting family later this month.  If anybody has some time and can staff the office February 12, or 13 and the morning of the 17th, please let us know. (Feb. 11 is covered—thanks, Dodie Murphy, and Feb. 16 is a holiday) Some phone answering, bulletin folding, etc