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

Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany

February 24, 2019          10:30 am

Meditation
“The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral,
begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy.
Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it.
Through violence you may murder the liar,
but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth.
Through violence you may murder the hater,
but you do not murder hate.
In fact, violence merely increases hate.
So it goes.
Returning violence for violence multiplies violence,
adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness:
only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”   — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

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     A Psalm of Praise       George Gagliardi
The Call         
¨  Hymn #61 Black             Gracious Spirit, Holy Ghost   Anderson
¨  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 Joy of Dedicating a child

Invitation And Introduction of AnnaBella Christine Wescott
Today we celebrate the relationship with God made manifest in AnnaBella, daughter of Rob & Andrea Wescott. Together as a congregation we pledge to be spiritual guides to AnnaBella and to all who seek life in Christ. With joy we welcome members of AnnaBella’s extended family and pray for blessings to all.
Questions to Family and Congregation
When indicated by the minister you are invited to join in this covenant:
All:      We rejoice to welcome you, AnnaBella, to our care. With you we commit to be a community that embodies Christ’s life and ministry and lives as faithful heirs of Christ’s promise.
In all that we do, we will seek God’s grace to make the radical and inclusive love of God, the beloved community proclaimed by Jesus, and the continuing inspiration of the Holy Spirit visible and real to you and to all.
Blessing of Parents, Family and Friends

The Living Word among us

Anthem    Christ Has Broken Down the Wall     Mark Miller
Union Church Choir
Christ has broken down the wall. Let us join our hearts as one. We’re accepted as we are.   Through God’s love all is reconciled. Cast aside your doubts and fears. Peace and love,    freely offered here; we will tear down the walls! We will tear down every wall! God has called us, one and all. Christ has broken down the wall.
Hebrew Scripture Lesson                       Psalm 37:1-11, 39-40 (p. 671)
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                 Luke 6:27-38 (p. 1236)
Sermon     What Good the Good?            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.
Prayer in Action and Reflections
Offering baskets are placed in the aisle, and can also be brought to your seat.
Restoration Station: You are invited to come to the table in the piano corner to pray, standing or kneeling. You may confess or release that which is burdensome and painful.
Choose a new “Love Is…” heart for this week. As you hold it, consider how God is putting this word within you. Over the weeks, decide whether to keep each heart, share it, make something out of it, give it away…
In the back corner, our Community Sharing Table still and always needs food, warm hats, etc. Right now, we are asking for old glasses to donate to Lions Club International to help those in need. Specific needs right now include rice, soup, peanut butter, and other basics.
Children’s Fire: There are supplies for drawing the shape of Love in the children’s corner. Anyone, especially children, can make and decorate one or more Valentines, for giving away or for posting on the line at the back.
Some suggested prayer direction is printed below:
What is foremost in your heart at this moment? Are you fretting about something? Where do you place your trust? What does “be still” mean to you?In what do you delight?
Our 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.
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!
As we draw back to our seats, you are invited to join in singing:
                  Holy Spirit, Come to Us         Taize
Silent Prayers and Prayers of the Community
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 #590         Spirit of Jesus, if I Love My Neighbor            Benjamin
¨  The Sending and Blessing
Postlude (please be seated)         Rejoice, the Lord Is King        arr. Jan Sanborn
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 Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands 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.
¨ 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:  Edith Hansen, Nancy Hindman, Loyal Jones, Mary Miller, Alva Peloquin.
¨ Those who are without homes and safe places.
¨ Gabe Barlow, awaiting tests and results for cancer in Seoul, South Korea.
¨ George Mountjoy, recovering from knee replacement and now home from rehab.
¨ The Chambers family, and all the Berea community who loved her, at the sudden death of Wilma. Her funeral service will be held here at 3 pm today.
Postponed til March 3: Our next Congregational Conversation: What Will it Take for What’s Next? March 3, 1:00 pm in the Classroom (pls note change. You’ll have time to get to the Handbell Concert at 3 pm) The next all-church conversation about “What Next” for our vision of mission and service will take place next Sunday.  Results of last month’s conversation have been reviewed and have begun to be shaped into some concrete plans. Come share your insight and reflection as we think about staffing, money, and whom we might serve!
Learn more about the church today! 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 and join in conversation with the Community Life and Growth Board after worship.
Union Church’s Annual Meeting will be March 10, after worship and lunch. I still need a couple of Annual Reports. Please email to the office. Thanks, Joan.
Feb. 27. An Evening With Chris Crass: Conversations for Racial Justice In partnership with the Carter G. Woodson Center for Interracial Education, Union Church is pleased to host “Courage for Racial Justice, Courage for Collective Liberation” an informative and interactive evening with author, Chris Crass.
Chris is a longtime organizer, educator, and writer working to build powerful working class-based, feminist, multiracial movements for collective liberation. He is a one of the leading voices in the country calling for and supporting white people to work for racial justice. He is the author of two books. His latest, “Towards the ‘Other America’: Anti-Racist Resources for White People Taking Action for Black Lives Matter,” is a call to action to end white silence and a manual on how to do it. Chris’ essays have been translated into half a dozen languages, taught in hundreds of classrooms, and included in over a dozen anthologies.
This event is free and open to the com-munity, who are encouraged to share the event widely with interested persons, groups, and organizations. A light soup supper will be served at 5:45pm ($5 suggested donation), in the Community Room.
Next Sunday – March 3 – This & That: A Concert of Anything but “Church Music” The ringers of Union Church Handbell Ensemble will present a mini-concert comprised of pieces that would not likely find a place in a typical worship service.  Please join us Sunday, March 3 at 3 pm in the sanctuary for a variety of fun and funny handbell music.
Stay for Lunch during Lent! Lenten Lunches to begin on March 10. Finance and Pastoral Relations Boards are preparing the lunch on March 10, the first Sunday of Lent and the day of the Annual Meeting.  Stay for a “Mardi Gras pancake supper”.
Our Nominating Board is hard at work! We are completing the leadership slate for
Union Church with a variety of terms open just waiting for your  interest and possibility. Election of Board Members & Officers will happen at our Annual Meeting on March 10, after worship and Lenten Lunch. If you would like to serve on ANY of the Boards, you are welcome to do so!
Please prayerfully consider where your passion lies and where it might meet the needs of Union Church.
Especially needed are members of Community Life & Growth, Mission & Service, Worship and Properties Boards. And, of course, other possibilities for service are Nurture and Care, Administration, Finance and Pastoral Relations.
If you are unable to serve a specified term, but are interested in helping with tasks, please also consider that possibility as well and let that be known.
To see Job Descriptions and indicate interest , please contact Carla Gilbert at carla_gilbert@windstream.net or 985-1144.
Check the Lost & Found shelves across from the office if you might’ve left something at church. There are also items from the kitchen on them, which have been around for a while. If unclaimed, they are Goodwill-bound. Thanks.
Please make a change in your Church Directory — Betty Wray’s numbers are 859-986-4377 (home) and 859-302-4877 (cell).