A Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the Church of Christ, Union
Third Sunday after Epiphany January 25, 2015, 10:30 am
Meditation
“The Christian life is not about pleasing God the finger-shaker and judge. It is not about believing now or being good now for the sake of heaven later. It is about entering a relationship in the present that begins to change everything now. Spirituality is about this process: the opening of the heart to the God who is already here.”
― Marcus J. Borg, The God We Never Knew: Beyond Dogmatic Religion To A More Authentic Contemporary Faith
From there to here
Welcome & Announcements
Prelude Until the Day Breathes and the Shadows Flee Derek Hayes
Charles Hoffman, cello
* Call to Worship
One: The buzz of the world interrupts our lives and fills our ears;
All: Call us into Your way of life, O God.
One: The complaints of others settle in our mind and cloud our vision;
All: Lead us into Your vision of life, O God.
One: The cries of the poor, the oppressed and the outcast pierce our hearts;
All: Guide us in Your example of living for others, O God.
One: Fill our hearts, fill our eyes, fill our ears with Your love, O God;
All: Let us be Your hands and feet in the world, O God. Let us worship You together.
– By Rev. Mindi, in Rev-o-lution
* Opening Hymn #172 Black Jesus Calls Us Galilee
* Prayer of Approach & Confession
One: You call us, God, when we’re already busy, when our minds are filled with nets lacking fish and profits diving downward.
All: You call us, God, but often we’re too preoccupied to hear.
One: You call us, God, when we’re already stressed, when our boats have holes that need repaired and our obligations threaten to overwhelm us.
All: You call us, God, but we don’t know how we could handle one more thing.
One: You call us, God, when we’re already scared of what is being asked of us, when we’re unsure of who we are or how we could even be useful.
All: You call us, God, but sometimes we think you’re crazy.
One: You call us, even still.
All: Forgive us our inability to hear, and open our ears to your good news.
* Assurance of Pardon
One: And here is the good news: in you, in me, in all of us, there is a new creation in Christ. We are called, but we are not alone. We are called into the greater joy of service and love in Christ, our redeemer. Everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!
All: Thanks be to God!
* 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 Here I Am, Lord Schute, Young
Union Church Choir
I, the Lord of sea and sky, I have heard My people cry. All who dwell in dark and sin, my hand will save. I who made the stars of night, I will make their darkness bright. Who will bear My light to them? Whom shall I send?
Here I am Lord, Is it I Lord? I have heard You calling in the night. I will go Lord, if You lead me. I will hold Your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of snow and rain, I have borne my peoples pain. I have wept for love of them, They turn away. I will break their hearts of stone, give them hearts for love alone. I will speak My word to them, whom shall I send?
I, the Lord of wind and flame, I will tend the poor and lame. I will set a feast for them, My hand will save. Finest bread I will provide, till their hearts be satisfied. I will give My life to them, whom shall I send?
Hebrew Scripture Lesson Jonah 3:1-5,10
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 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 Mark 1:14-20
Sermon Casting About for Good News Rev. Rachel Small Stokes
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 Cantus Invenilis Valerie Stephenson
Handbell Choir
* 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.
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 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.
From Here to There
* Closing Hymn #504 You Walk along Our Shoreline Salley Gardens
* Benediction & Sending Forth
Postlude Praise Him! Praise Him! Young
———————————————
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 Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia and our brothers and sisters at First Baptist Church of Berea at Middletown 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
*Deborah Martin and family, at the death of her father, Andy Martin
*Teri VanPelt and Christine Ward and their family, especially Kim Wooldridge, hospitalized Thursday
* Travel mercies for Rev. Kent who is traveling to California on his week of continuing education at the Earl Lectures in Berkeley. He returns next Saturday.
* 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. 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 now
* Toby Wilcher, recovering and now at home from hip replacement surgery last Monday
* The evergreen on the altar is for Bernice Robertson who died Thursday, Jan 22. Visitation will be Tuesday night at Reppert Funeral Home. A memorial service is planned for Sunday, February 1, here at Union Church.
* Debra Catron’s mother, Catherine Taylor, who is recovering from a stroke. She lives in Smyrna, TN
Announcements
You Matter! Please Sign the Register, Check in on Facebook/Twitter and try a nametag! It’s hard to get to know people elsewhere, but we don’t want it that way at church. Let’s all try to get to know each other better. other better.
Rev. Rachel and Dave Kobersmith will be attending training this week for an Executive Certificate in Religious Fundraising this week in Louisville. They hope to bring back great information and ideas for our Sustainagility efforts. Rev. Kent is also away doing continuing education in San Francisco. If you have a pastoral need this week, our seminary student Abigale Embry is on call and very capable. She can be reached at 859-979-1745 or through the church office. She will also be our guest preacher next week!
Right after worship today, new, new-ish, prospective members: Come One Come All! Each Fourth Sunday of the Month anyone wanting to know more about Union Church or wanting to explore church membership, as well as new members who have not been able to participate in a previous meeting, are invited to come to the classroom two doors past the church office immediately following worship for conversation with the Pastors and the Community Life and Growth Board.
New members will be received each Second Sunday of the month at the close of worship. Those joining may choose to attend the Fourth Sunday meeting prior to or after becoming members, whichever is more convenient.
Explore Confirmation today We will all gather today right after church in the Community Room to have lunch and meet to discuss plans for this year’s confirmation. This meeting is for all students who are interested in confirmation, their parents, and those who have volunteered to be mentors.
Concert today by Gabe Evans Gabe will play the 4:15 pm concert at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, preceding 5:00 pm Eucharist. The address is 533 East Main St., Lexington.
Remembrance Service Tuesday noon chapel, January 27th. A time to remember and celebrate the lives of our loved ones who have passed on will be held at Danforth Chapel in Draper Hall on Berea College’s campus
If you have lost a loved one, are grieving over other losses, or are supporting friends who are hurting, we hope you will join us in this special service of remembrance, healing, and hope.
If you have a poem, artwork, pictures, etc. you would like to display in the service, please bring them with you. (Loretta may be reached at 985-3927 or Loretta_Reynolds@berea.edu.)
Frack Free Foothills will conduct a forum on fracking on Tuesday, January 27, 6:30 – 8:30 P.M., Acton Folk Center (Jefferson Street, Berea)
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.
Our Wednesday Nite Live speaker on January 28 will be Gwen Holder, Director of Liberty Place.
Sunday, Feb. 1, noon—2:00 pm fundraising event after worship to benefit Ebola victims The Ebola outbreak in West Africa was first reported in March 2014, and it quickly became the deadliest occurrence of the disease since its discovery in 1976 (BBC News). As of January 18, 2015, there have been 8,641 Ebola-related deaths, with over 21,000 reported cases, in six countries; Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, the US and Mali (BBC News). While the past month has shown a decrease in the number of new cases, the battle to contain the disease is certainly not over.
A group of Berea College students, along with support from faculty, staff, and community members, have taken the initiative to host a fundraising event in order to raise funds for those who have been directly affected by Ebola. The event is to take place on Sunday, February 1st, at Union Church from 12:00pm-2:00pm. 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.
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.
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.
Anyone Seen Our Drills? Union Church has two Dewalt cordless drills and a number of bits that have gone missing. If you have seen them in the church, or perhaps borrowed them, please let the office know!
Two metal carts are missing from the kitchen as well. See Dave Kobersmith if you have any ideas. Thanks.
The new (newer) (newest) church directory is ready. There are hard copies in the vestibule and office, or they are available as pdfs by email. Just email the office & we’ll send you one. We can easily make more paper copies, so please call the office if we run out.
Our Office Administrator will be away visiting family for a few days next month. If anybody has some time and can staff the office February 11, 12, or 13 and the morning of the 17th, please let us know. Some phone answering, bulletin folding, etc. Thanks!
Used with permission. Qi He, Calling Disciples, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink. [retrieved January 23, 2015]. Original source: heqigallery.com.
Leave a Reply