Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the Church of Christ, Union
First Sunday of Lent February 18, 2018 10:30 am
Meditation
The merit of a fast day is in the charity dispensed then. —The Talmud
From there to Here
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 The Lone Wild Bird Henry Richard McFadyen
Artists: David Duffee, Susie Ritchie, Susan Kramer, tanley Kramer, Debbonnaire Kovacs
The lone, wild bird in lofty flight is still with thee, nor leaves thy sight. And I am thine! I rest in thee, Great Spirit, come and rest in me.
The ends of earth are in thy hand, the sea’s dark deep and far off land. And I am thine! I rest in thee, Great Spirit, come, and rest in me.
¨ Call to Worship
One: Here is the journey that moves beyond where we are now.
Come, trust the God whose journey it is.
Come, and trust in the steadfast love of God.
This is Lent. This is the journey.
All: Here is the journey for all who long to travel.
Come, for God makes known love’s path,
and invites us to follow trusting in the steadfast love of God.
This is Lent. This is the journey.
One: Here is the journey for all those who want to know truth.
Come, this is the way of salvation
and we wait for God’s call into steadfast love.
This is Lent. This is the journey.
All: Here is the journey that takes us further than we have been before.
Come, for God leads the humble into what is right,
surrounded by the steadfast love of God.
This is Lent. This is the journey.
¨ Opening Hymn Shall We Gather at the River Robert Lowry
¨ Prayer of Approach and Confession
As we consider what needs to change in our lives we ask our selves hard questions. This Lent you are invited to engage these questions from Kentucky poet, Wendell Berry from his work “Questionnaire.” Both literally and figuratively, in the silence of truth, consider what the Spirit might be calling you to know, change, or acknowledge in your life.
From Questionnaire:
How much poison are you willing
to eat for the success of the free
market and global trade? Please
name your preferred poisons.
One: We ask for your direction, your patience, your love and the strength to make changes that matter.
All: Forgive us and place a new heart within us.
¨ Words of Assurance
One: The poet reminds us:
“It may be that when we no longer know what to do, we have come to our real work and when we no longer know which way to go, we have begun our real journey. The mind that is not baffled is not employed. The impeded stream is the one that sings.”
God is with you, knows the justice and mercy you need, and will help you practice resurrection.
All: Thanks be to God!
¨ 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 joy.
The Living Word among us
Anthem Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley arr. Gladys Jameson
Union Church Choir
Soloists: Robert Rorrer, Paul Smithson, Merry Kay Winter
Jesus walked this lonesome valley. He had to walk it by Himself;
O, nobody else could walk it for Him, He had to walk it by Himself.
I must walk this lonesome valley, I have to walk it by myself;
O, nobody else can walk it for me, I have to walk it by myself.
You must go and stand your trial, you have to stand it by yourself,
O, nobody else can stand it for you, you have to stand it by yourself.
Hebrew Scripture Lesson Genesis 9:8-17 (p. 10)
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 adults) 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 Mark 1:9-15 (p.1191)
Sermon An Other Kingdom Rev. Kent Gilbert
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 Prayer and Prayers of the Community
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.
GIfts Given for Love to Flow
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 Federal Street The Sacred Harp
Berea ShapeNote Singers
- My dear Redeemer and my Lord, I read my duty in Thy Word, but in Thy life the law appears, drawn out in living characters.
- Such was Thy truth and such Thy zeal, such deference to Thy Father’s will; such love and meekness so divine, I would transcribe and make them mine.
- Cold mountains and the midnight air witnessed the fervor of Thy prayer, the desert Thy temptations knew, Thy conflict and Thy victory, too.
- Be Thou my pattern; make me bear more of Thy gracious image here; then God, the Judge, shall own my name among the followers of the Lamb.
¨ Doxology
From Here to There
¨ Closing Hymn If We Just Talk of Thoughts and Prayers (opposite) O Waly Waly
¨ Sung Benediction Bless the Lord My Soul Taize
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 France, Germany and Monaco and our brothers and sisters at Dixie Park Cornerstone Baptist Church 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.
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes, or who are homebound: Ruth Butwell, Edith Hansen, Nancy Hindman, Loyal Jones, Mary Miller, Alva Peloquin
¨ Dan Rohrer, who is suffering from a severe liver disorder.
¨ Judith Singleton, and her daughter, Stephanie.
¨ BJ Godby, recovering from ankle surgery.
¨ Toby Todd, BJ Godby’s father, recovering from a fall in Georgia.
¨ Renee Wellinghurst’s father-in-law, Dave Wellinghurst, diagnosed with glioblastoma after surgery for a brain tumor.
¨ Gary Dillon, significant other of Betty Sarafin, critically ill with cancer.
¨ For Luke Woodie, recovering from bile duct cancer surgery at home.
¨ Carol Shaffer, whose shoulder surgery went very well. Cards can be sent to her in care of Beth Schlitt, 113 Redman Ave., Haddonfield, NJ 08033.
¨ Steve Boyce, recovering at home.
¨ The family of Gloria VanWinkle, who passed away Tuesday, and her son, John, recovering from heart bypass surgery.
¨ Rev. Rachel Small Stokes, Leslie and Jack as they move to Louisville.
¨ For those affected by violence in every form. May God soothe their spirits and heal them of all that harms them. May we be healed, too, of our complacency, of unhelpful habits of thought, deed, or speech, and of our unawareness so we can become agents of change and grace for a more beloved community.
Lent Opportunities Brochure and An Illustrated Lent available today. In the vestibule and rear hallway under the signboard screen.
We’re singing a cappella today! We will be participating in a national day of a cappella congregational singing! All around the country, major worship leaders and planners have developed a wonderful idea that there needs to be one day of unaccompanied congregational singing for the church. Much of the historic church’s music was done completely a cappella. So what does a cappella mean? To be unaccompanied (without organ or piano, in our case). The majority of today’s music will be unaccompanied. We hope that you join voices with those around you for this very special Sunday!
Let’s Do Lunch! Lenten Lunches start TODAY! Join us for 5 Sundays of lunch after church! This is a chance to get to know that new person you haven’t said hello to; it’s a chance to catch up with younger friends and surrogate grand parents. Lenten Lunches build community and are places for holy conversations. Suggested donation $5, or ½ hour of help cleaning up! Bring a friend! Today’s Menu: Baked potatoes & toppings, raw veggies, and brownies (including gluten-free)!
Join the All-Church Read: “An Other Kingdom” for Lent. “An Other Kingdom” presents an alternative to soul-crushing systems of consumerism and patriarchy that have wounded so many. Walter Brueggeman and 2 colleagues proposes another way drawing on the prophetic imagination of scripture and community. Copies are available at Robie books, or online (kindle and audio versions available). Rev. Kent Gilbert will host a weekly discussion Sundays at 1 pm starting Feb. 25 in the Conference Room — or read along on your own!
Prayers in Action to Stop Gun Violence. Rev. Kent will be leading a church advocacy day in Frankfort on Tuesday, 9:30am . See p. 15.
Please Sign up to Read Scripture or to Help Greet and Usher! Please use our electronic sign up system, http://signup.com/go/xkdVtB, where you can pick a date that works for you and get reminders! OR you can also call the office and we’ll get you on the lists.
Pastoral Relations Board Talk Session Feb. 20, 6:30 pm Classroom. An open opportunity to process staff transitions. We want to process any grief together and hold one another in the light.
Post Pictures for The Lent Photo-a-day Project! One theme per day, and you can post them and share using hashtag “#UCLent2018”. Use the same code in facebook’s search box to view these visual prayers.
Security Codes Changing Soon: Are you Affected? If you need to use the outdoor key box to get into the building for your group or meeting, drop us an email to request the new code. It will change March 1.
Stephen Minister Informational Meeting TODAY and Feb. 25! We Need Caring, Committed Members to be Stephen Ministers! New Training Starts Soon! Stephen Ministry is a one-to-one lay caring ministry where trained and empowered lay caregivers- called Stephen Ministers- provide high-quality, confidential, accepting, compassionate care to people who are hurting. 50 hours of training are required, and classes will run mid-April through early September. So Grab your lunch and bring it to the Stephen Minister Classroom off the Community Room downstairs. There will be another informational meeting on Wednesday February 21st right after the Wednesday Night Live meal. You can pick up an application at one of the informational meetings, the church office, or contact Jeff From jeff.from@gmail.com. Interviews for applicants will be conducted in March.
Our Whole Lives (OWL) Parent Meeting Next Sunday After Church: Our Whole Lives is a comprehensive sexuality curriculum for high school-aged young adults. The weekly sessions will start March 1 and finish in May. Led by Carla Gilbert and Chris McKenzie the curriculum explores the science and spirituality of sexuality in its many facets, and hopes to answer questions teens have about sex in a safe and structured environment. Both Carla and Chris have received intensive
training on how to deliver the curriculum and are certified to deliver the program to this age group. A parental orientation session will be required (Classroom, Feb. 25, 1 pm, after lunch) and youth must commit to the program from the beginning in order to attend the weekly sessions. Families who are interested should contact Chris McKenzie at 205-451-7444. Cost: $60, half scholarships available.
Madison County Songfarmer Gathering Feb. 23, 5:30 pm, Community Room. Lover of acoustic music Picker? Community open mic, jam and sing along Friday! Several local Songfarmers (Sue Peterson Blyth, Jerry & Leah Sparks, Jesse Willhite, and Jack Marshall) have agreed to help sponsor and get the Gathering up and running for the 2018 season. If you want to participate in the open mic sign up by 6 PM.. Come early for a bowl of chili and meet new friends. Music starts officially at 6:30 PM. We will pass the hat.
Festival of Spirituals Concert Feb. 24, 7 pm, Sanctuary. A wonderful festival of African-American spirituals performed in many styles by many different artists, including Liza & A.J., the Black Music Ensemble of Berea College, the Folk-Roots Ensemble, and many more. All welcome, no charge.
Annual Reports due March 1! If you are the chairperson of a Board, please get your Annual Report to the office as soon as possible. Email is preferred, no need to format it. If you’d like to see a couple of previous years’ reports to use as a guide, just call the office and we’ll send them!
Folk Concert March 3, 7 pm, Cowan Chapel. Singer-Songwriter Melody Youngblood just released her debut album, “Sweet Isolation,” featuring original songs and hauntingly beautiful traditional ballads. Sarah Marie Miller/Rainbow Star records her debut, “Music From The Rainbow Sparkle Palace: Volume I” February 16-19 in Berea, Ky. Come let yourself be taken away by sweet soulful folk music like none you’ve ever heard. Guests will be given a chance to order albums that eve. Free admission. An offering for Union Church as a thanks for their hospitality will be taken.
Our Multi-Media Team is Amazing! Join Them and Help Broadcast Union Church! Do you have an interest in multi media? After a year of work, Marty Hensley and Jack Marshall have perfected our new system and are ready and willing to train whoever might be interested. No prior experience is necessary! We will train you in everything you need to know about all of the multi media assets that are around our beloved Church. We hope to build 4 to 6 teams consisting of two people each. This is a great thing for families to participate in together, and can be taught to anyone between nine and 99 years old!
Email Jack Marshall at jack.a.marshall @gmail.com or text him at 859-200-2679 if you are interested.
Official Record Book Still Missing :(. Have you seen the sign-in book we use to record new members’ joining dates and attendance at meetings? Did you look in your car? What about at home? It’s been missing since November and maybe some-one accidentally took it home or tucked it somewhere for safe keeping? It’s black padded leather, about 8 1/2 x 11. Help!
In the community:
Berea Home Village volunteer orientation February 22nd, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Saint Joseph Berea boardroom. Lunch will be provided. Katie Heckman, Executive Director, Berea Home Village 859-985-0099.
Save the Dates! Berea Leadership Experience for Youth, July 16-20. Berea Leadership Experience will hold its camp for kids to learn skills of conflict resolution, media literacy, mindfulness, and appreciation of nature the week of July 16th -20th, 9 am – 2 pm for kids in incoming grades 2-8. We are also seeking sponsors for scholarships and other financial donations to make this camp possible for as many people as possible. Sponsorships are $60 to cover one student. Checks can be made or online donations can be designated to Union Church, memo line “Berea Leadership Experience.” Thank you!
Transgender Kids Under Attack: HB326 Targets Trans Kids
Kentucky’s transgender kids are under attack again–but this time it’s serious. 19 Republican State Representatives introduced House Bill 326 to prevent transgender students from using restrooms in which they feel safe. Fact: Transgender kids are far more likely to be the target of violence or abuse than any other kids. This will bill will not keep them safe, will not make other children safe, and will be an expensive imposition on schools in both time and money. We don’t need it and it’s mean-spirited, expensive, and divisive.
What can you Do?
Don’t hesitate–make the call right now to leave a simple message with the operator for your State Senator, State Representative, and both Senate and House Leadership–OPPOSE HB326! Call 1-800-372-7181. It’s easy and will only take a few seconds. A considerate receptionist will simply take your message and ask who should receive it.
Statewide Fairness Rally Feb. 21, State Capitol In Kentucky, LGBTQ people can still be fired from a job, denied a place to live, or kicked out of a restaurant. RALLY with us for a Statewide Fairness Law and to OPPOSE HB326, which attacks KY trans kids!
- 8:30 a.m. ET Group Meetup in Capitol Education Center (506 Capital Ave., 40601) *FREE Parking in adjacent Capitol Garage
- 9 a.m.-1 p.m. ET Group Lobbying
- 1:30 p.m. ET Rally in Capitol Rotunda (700 Capital Avenue, 40601)REGISTER: www.tinyurl.com/FairnessRally18
To learn more about bills under consideration and their progress try the free Bill Tracker from KY.GOV. You need to create a free account, then you can read the actual bills, track in which committee they will be heard, see changes and amendments, etc. https://secure.kentucky.gov/BillWatch/
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