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

Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany

February 16, 2020   10:30 am

Meditation:
“Integrity requires that I discern what is integral to my selfhood, what fits and what does not, and that I choose life-giving ways of relating to the forces that converge within me.”  —Parker Palmer

From there to here: we Gather

Welcome & Announcements
Welcome to this service of worship!  During the service, you are invited to rise in body or in spirit, standing or sitting, at points in the service marked “ ”.”
Please sign in using the pew folder, passing it back down the row so all can greet one another by name, and place the sheet in an offering plate. We’re glad you’re here!
Prelude Notturno Valerie Roubos
The Call Parker Palmer
Integrity requires that I discern what is integral to my selfhood, what fits and what does not, and that I choose life-giving ways of relating to the forces that converge within me: Do I welcome them or fear them, embrace them or reject them, move with them or against them?
By choosing integrity, I become more whole, but wholeness does not mean perfection. It means becoming more real by acknowledging the whole of who I am.
¨  Hymn #181 Black  You Are Salt of the Earth, O People Bring Forth
¨  Passing the Peace of 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 hospitality.

The Living Word among us

Anthem When Love Is Found Wren, arr. Kalman
Union Church Choir

1. When love is found and hope comes home, sing and be glad that we are one. When love explodes and fills the sky, praise God and share our Maker’s joy.
2. When love has flowered in trust and care, build both each day that love may dare to reach beyond home’s warmth and light, to serve and strive for truth and right.
3. When love is tried as loved ones change, hold still to hope, though all seems strange, till ease returns and love grows wise through listening ear and opened eyes.
4. When love is torn and trust betrayed, pray strength to love till torments fade, till neighbors keep no score of wrong but hear through pain love’s Easter song.
5. Praise God for love, praise God for life, in age or youth, in joy or strife. Lift up your hearts, let love be fed through death and life in broken bread.

Hebrew Scripture Lesson Deuteronomy 30:15-20 (p. 236)
The Lord God speaks to the Israelites in the wilderness, saying to them that he has set before them the way of life and the way of death in giving them the Commandments.
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 the Children’s Moment, children kindergarten through 5th grade are invited to Children’s Church in Cowan Chapel. They are also welcome to stay in the service if they prefer. The Children’s Worship Center in the back of the sanctuary has toys, books, and drawing materials for children (or parents) who would like help staying present in the service. For children preschool age & under, care is available in the Nursery, downstairs in Room 104 off the playground.
Gospel Lesson Matthew 5:21-37 (p. 1143)
In his sermon on the mount, Jesus commends a higher righteousness, saying, “You have heard it said of old, but I say to you.”
Sermon Choose Life, Choose Love Rev. Kent Gilbert

Living Prayer

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: Offering Baskets in the Aisles
Offering baskets are placed in the aisle, and can also be brought to your seat. 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 portion of our contributions flows out to aid those in need via many external agencies.
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. You can even give by text! Text to 859-448-3403 (Example: Text “$50.00 Offering)
Your contribution is love made visible. Thank you!
Acts of Reflection and Prayer
Some resources for reflection and prayer are provided. You are free to use—or ignore—these prompts as you find helpful. In whatever prayer manner you adopt, please hold the concerns of those listed, and those you know about, in God’s peace-giving light.
Decisions, Decisions: As you pray today, consider one choice that is set before you. Take the time to breathe in all the implications of your choice: Who will be affected? Who has a voice influencing you? Who or what part of you does not have voice, or hasn’t been heard yet? As you continue your prayer, allow the spirit of God to be your lens: what do you see and hear now? See what direction brings life and quickens your senses, even at the cost of some trepidation. What will you do about it?
 Jesus ups the Ante: How are you challenged by such a high call to righteousness? What was the point of Jesus setting impossible standards? Where is the “Good News” in these passages for you? For those around you? What will you change, now that you’ve heard it?  
Prayer Corner (Front Left): How shall we live?  Jesus challenges us to take a look and make changes for the better. Let us pray!
Bell Table (Front Right):  Our kinetic meditation is the pile of stones we make to mark the way of faith. When the stones roll down, we choose to put them up again, working together and collaboratively. When making and remaking our decisions, we choose the good in big and small ways, building up the cairn of graces.
Children’s Corner (Rear Corner, Piano Side): As we remember people we love on Valentine’s Day, let’s remember lots of people whom God loves! Any hearts you draw will be shared with our homebound folks!
Justice & Service Corner: (Rear, Bell Side)  This week’s prayer in action focus is Gun Violence Prevention. Pray for our partner Moms Demand Action, and call your legislators about enacting sensible gun protections. When you pledge an action, take a heart to remind you.
As We Draw Back to Our Seats, Please sing when invited: 
We shall overcome, we shall overcome, We shall overcome some day. Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,We shall overcome some day.
Pastoral Prayer and Our Lord’s Prayer
One: 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
¨  Hymn #581 Black Lead Us from Death to Life World Peace Prayer
¨  The Blessing and Sending
Postlude (please be seated) Voluntary Henry Heron
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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 France, Germany and Monaco and our brothers and sisters at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, in our hearts, and pray for them. Please hold these concerns in your prayers, today and throughout the week.
Prayer requests to be printed may be sent to the office anytime before 10:00 am Fridays.
¨ Families and Friends in Crises…may God be present to every need and heal every rift and wound.
¨ For Children in detention centers, that they may be reunited with their families soon. 15,000 are now detained in the US.
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes, or who are homebound: Alva Peloquin, Edith Hansen, Joyce Henderson, Nancy Hindman, Loyal Jones, Jennie Kiteck, Mary Miller, Lois Morgan, Tom Warth.
¨ For Room in the Inn, Berea’s cooperative housing effort. Union Church will host tonight.
¨ George Mountjoy.
¨ Barb Smith, recovering from surgery at Berea Health Care Center.
¨ Dennis Jacobs, recovering from successful kidney surgery.
¨ Betty McWilliams, John McWilliams’ mom, with recent health concerns.
¨ Sally Zimmerman, recovering at home from a broken arm.
¨ Ed Waters, recently diagnosed with cancer.
The Justice Candle is lit today in memory of Fr. John Rausch, who passed away last Sunday. Fr. John had lived in Berea and several other Kentucky communities. Father John recognized early in his time as a missionary in Appalachia that people were facing severe environmental and economic challenges, and devoted his ministry to seeking solutions and calling attention to their predicament.
For 53 years, Rausch traveled around the region, speaking, writing, organizing and praying in a lifelong effort to carry out the biblical call to justice. Rausch, who was writing an autobiography for the University of Kentucky Press at the time of his death, had been a longtime supporter of coal miners and their families. In recent years, he spoke against efforts by mining companies to shed pension and health care liabilities for retired workers.
In his wide-ranging ministry role Rausch also served with the Commission on Religion in Appalachia, the Appalachian Ministries Educational Resource Center, Christians for the Mountains and the Laudato Si’ Commission of the Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky.
Announcements
Learn more about the church next week! Come One, Come All! Each fourth Sunday of the month anyone wanting to know more about Union Church or wanting to explore church membership, are invited to come to the Classroom, past the office at the end of the hall, and join in conversation after worship.
Next movie night March 28!  5:00 The Sound of Music, Community Room. All welcome, no charge.
Children’s Church seeks teachers for the 2020-2021 school year. Teachers commit to leading activities one Sunday per month during the school year. Interested folks should contact Laura Nagle.
Let’s Do Lunch: Lenten Lunches begin March 1, right after service in the Community Room, and continue through the season of Lent. Come on down for food and fellowship—lunch is prepared by our boards (sugg. donation $5).
Union Church’s Annual Meeting will be March 15, 2020. Board chairs Annual Reports are due in the office February 26 and we plan to have them available at worship on March 8. Thank you! If you need copies of previous years’ reports for reference, I can them send to you. Joan English, Office Admin. PLUS if you have any photos of church life in 2019, send ‘em along. We’d love to include them.
Volunteer for “Room in the Inn,” a warm place to sleep, which operates through the winter. Room in the Inn provides dinner, a warm place to sleep and breakfast to those without shelter in the winter months. Inns rotate locations in Berea during the week and Union Church is the Sunday Inn.  Registration is every evening between 5 & 6 p.m. at 138 Mary Street. After 6 p.m. there will be no one accepted into the program for that evening. You do not need a photo ID or any ID to register. If you would like to volunteer with RITI,  you can do so at union-church.org under the “Volunteer tab.” If you would like to make a contribution to RITI for the 2020 season, please make your check out to “Union Church” and write “RITI” in the memo line. Contributions of any amount gratefully accepted. Mission and Service Board.

Save the Dates & Watch for Details!

March 4, First Wednesday Potluck
March 14, KFTC Pie Auction
March 28, Sound of Music Movie Singalong
April 24, SaraCare Celebration
May 1, Youth Group Talent Show
May 8, Classic Chorale Concert

Around Town:

Alzheimer’s Support Groups in February: all at the Madison County Extension Office, 230 Duncannon Lane , Richmond. Call to register: 1-800-272-3900, all from 10-1.
· Middle Stages Feb. 21
· Late Stages Feb. 28
Thursday, February 20: Second Work Day in Pineville, KY, project of ACEky. Sponsored by our Mission & Service Board. We have been invited back to help with the on-going renovation of the new Pineville Youth and Outreach Center (previously a Presbyterian Church), a teen-and-community meeting place with after-school homework help available, as well as evening and week-end events. Tasks may include wall paper stripping, painting, carpet removal, etc.  Depart: 8:00 a.m. from Union Church parking lot; back in Berea by 5:00 p.m. Bring lunch and water or, as the location is right downtown, you can buy lunch close by.  Please call/text Betty Hibler: 859-940-8735 with questions or to confirm. Thanks from the M&S Bd.
Free tickets available for Woodsongs live radio show at the Lyric Theater in Lexington. The show is taped live on Monday nights, and you have to be seated no later than 6:45 pm. The show runs till approx. 8:15 pm. Dates available through the spring and summer. Contact Sune Frederiksen for availability, 859-248-0690.
Host families needed  for Danish students March 22-26. 23 boarding school students from Skals Efterskole in Mid-Jutland will visit Berea, including Berea College & Community School. They are 16-17 years old and speak English.  The tour leader is Peter Sloth, who worked with the Danish American Exchange Program at Berea College and the Folk Circle Ass’n around 2005-06. Contact Sune Frederiksen, 248-0690.
Victory Garden Blitz, April 3-4, 2020 Order your raised garden beds at:  sustainableberea.org/garden-blitz And contact Sustainable Berea to volunteer!Cell/Text – 859-893-4590
Office – 859-985-1689
Deck and Ramp Projects Made Possible: Union Church in Chicago is again coming down to Berea for a work experience. They are looking for households in need of accessibility ramps, decks to improve their homes, and other construction projects that would benefit those who could not otherwise afford the work. If you or someone you know has such a need, please contact Rev. Kent or Guy Patrick (859-986-7942) before April 19, when site evaluations will be considered.
Construction Update: It has begun… Traffic and parking will be affected for the span of demolishing and rebuilding Kettering dorm (a year +). Use extra caution, especially when pulling in and out of the parking lot. Please ONLY use the spots facing in to the building, along the fence row. The spots in the center of the lot will need to be left empty for moving large equipment (except Sundays).
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (KFTC) Lobby for Fairness! February 19, Carpool 7:15 am at the Artisan Center You can take action and build a healthy democracy during the KY General Assembly session by connecting up with Kentuckians from across the Commonwealth who are passionate about justice!
Join KFTC members in Frankfort as we talk about issues that are important to our communities.
Madison County KFTC members will carpool to Frankfort to attend the LGBTQ Fairness Rally and have conversations with our legislators about LGBTQ rights and much more!
To join the carpool, please contact Madison County KFTC chapter Organizer Julia at: julia@kftc.org  You can let our friends at the Fairness Campaign know you are coming by registering here: Fairness.org/RallyRegistration