Third Sunday after Epiphany

January 24, 2016, 10:30 am

 
 
 
Meditation
From infinite longings
Finite deeds arise…
But in these dancing tears,
What is often withheld can be found:
Our strength.    
— Rainer Maria Rilke, Book of Images
 

From there to here

Welcome & Announcements
Welcome to this service of worship.  We’re glad that you are here today.You are invited to rise in body or in spirit as   you are able and willing 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.
 
Prelude     A Jubilant Peal            Michael Helman
Union Church Handbell Ensemble
*Call to Worship
One:     The Spirit is upon, within, and all around us. Gathered to proclaim sight, release, recovery, vindication, and joy:
All:      With hearts open to receive the good news of God’s ways, let us worship God.
*  Opening Hymn   Gather Us In   Gather us in
* Prayer of Approach and Confession     
One:      We like to think ourselves open to new ways and new ideas.
All:      We tried that once and it didn’t work!
One:      We claim to be welcoming and hospitable.
All:      Who invited that person? I don’t know them.
One:     And we truly desire help from new members.
All:      Ah, but we have always done it this way.
One:     In our humanity,
All:      we sometimes become set in our ways.
One:     In our fear,
All:      we can be reluctant to break out of familiar routines.
One:     In our complacency,
All:      we have grown unused to seeing the burdens other carry everyday.
One:     God, for all the times when we have cut off the dreams, hopes, or imaginings of your reign, we are truly sorry. Place your Holy Spirit upon us to transform ourselves and break open a new world.
*  Words of Assurance
*  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    Alleluia            J.S. Bach
Union Church Choir
Alleluia, O praised be God, all raise your voices, sing with thankful voices; Thou God today hast given us joy, hold fast to Him and praise His name eternal.
Epistle Lesson                  1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
Children’s Moment 
As the children return to their seats or move to children’s church, 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-5 are invited to Children’s Church, which takes place in Cowan Chapel.  Otherwise, children are welcome to visit the Children’s Worship Center, where there are toys, books, and drawing materials for children (or parents) who would like help staying present in the service. For children preschool & under, care is available in the Nursery, downstairs off the Community Room. Please pick up your children in the Chapel or Nursery after the service.
Gospel Lesson                  Luke 4:14-21
Hymn #283 (seated)         Spirit of the Living God           Iverson
Sermon                 Doing it on Purpose         Rev. Kent Gilbert       

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               A Festive Praise         Kevin McChesney
Union Church Handbell Ensemble 
*  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.
* Prayer of Thanksgiving

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 for 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.

From Here to There

*Closing Hymn    Send Us, O Lord (opposite)   Gather Us In
*  Benediction & Sending Forth
   Postlude (please be seated) 
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 peoples of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Yemen, Iran & Iraq and our brothers and sisters at the Holy Pentecostal Sanctuary in your hearts, and pray for them.
Please also hold these concerns in your prayers, today and throughout the week:
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes, or who are homebound: Edith Hansen, Nancy Jones, Mary Miller, Alva Peloquin
¨ Judy Rowell, in the death of her brother G.B. Deaton on Thursday.
¨ George Oberst
¨ Elizabeth Long’s brother, Jay, whose cancer has metastasized
¨ Cassandra Jaggers, facing breast cancer
¨ Sheila Johnson, facing breast cancer
¨ Marlene Payne and her family
¨ Kelly Ambrose, continuing his chemo
¨ George Hardman, recovering well from colon surgery.
¨ Averill Kilbourne, very ill in North Carolina
¨ Terry Allen Watts
¨ Rochelle Seals, undergoing treatment for breast cancer
¨ Ray Cable, father of Annette Broadbridge, very ill in Tennessee
¨ Donna Eder’s niece, Jane Bensimhon, facing treatment for a rare cancer Sallie Gailey’s family, at her death
¨ Loretta Reynolds, in the death of her aunt Dot, who passed away this week at 98
¨ Christine Ward, suffering with sciatica
¨ Jim Crace, Kim’s Claytor’s father recovering from a serious fall and neurosurgery
 
“Feed the Chi” Concert POSTPONED due to snow-mageddon. It’ll be Friday, Jan. 29, at Churchill Weaver’s.
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Lexington invites us to the Ordination of Diana E. Hultgren TODAY at 4pm. Diana is the Oncology and Palliative Care Chaplain at UK Hospital and a member of our Berea and Union Church community. A reception will follow!
ABLE (Achieving and Building Life Equally) will meet on Tuesday, January 26, at 5:30pm in Room 101, Union Church. Lisa Ladanyi, director of disability services at Berea College, will join us for a great conversation! BYOS (Bring your own snack or supper.). ABLE is a support group/network for those who self-identify as differently-abled: to inspire, encourage, and empower one another, and to make Berea a more accessible community.
At Wednesday Nite Live! January 27: Discussion about the Madison County Time Bank. Come join a community of caring — where everyone’s time is equally valued. Time Bank connects the needs of a community with the talents that it offers: an hour for an hour. Join us!
Want to Help Usher? Read? Light Candles? Wash Dishes? Help with Food? VOLUNTEER SPOT! Signing up for service is easy using volunteer spot at Union Church. Here’s the link to the new page for Volunteering! Sign-ups on VolunteerSpot: https://www.volunteer spot.com/group/737396918047
Got fabric? BJ Godby would like to sew warm infinity scarves for No Child Cold/No Child Hungry in Berea and would welcome fabric donations.
Michelle Hayden in a New Exhibition: “Turn up the Heat” is an encaustic art invitational exhibit at M. S. Rezny Studio/Gallery, (Lexington Distillery District, 903 Manchester Street) . You can support Michelle and enjoy this lovely artform of beeswax and pigments with mixed media January 12th—Feb. 20.
Baking Skills Needed! Union Church members’ baking skills are needed for a surprise Valentine’s Day party at Liberty Place in Richmond at 2:00 pm Friday, Feb. 12. Wanted are cakes (okay to use a mix), cupcakes, cookies or brownies. Also needed are bags of “fun size” candy bars. The event is open to Union Church members. Contact Dodie if you want to participate by baking, attending or both — 859-200-7277 or dodiemurf@yahoo.com.
A Memorial Service for Sallie Gailey will be held at the Berea Friends Meeting House at 300 Harrison Road, Berea, KY, at 2:00 pm on February 6, 2016. Sallie died peacefully in her sleep on December 25, 2015 after a short illness, aged 91. During her time in Berea she was active in the leadership of Union Church and was a founding member of the Berea Friends meeting. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests any contributions be sent to the Phoenix Institute (PO Box 12963, Lexington, KY 40583), or to the charity of your choice.
“Black Lives Matter” yard signs.  Union Church, in our ongoing commitment to our history and work for justice, has “Black Lives Matter” yard signs available for $10 at the church office.