A Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the Church of Christ, Union
Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany 10:30 am
Meditation
Ah, not to be cut off, not through the slightest partition shut out from the law of the stars. The inner–what is it? if not intensified sky, hurled through with birds and deep with the winds of homecoming. — Rainer Maria Rilke
From There to Here: We Gather
Gathering Music
Welcome
The Call Psalm 71:1-6 Sally Hindman and Eef Fontanez
In you, O Lord, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline your ear to me and save me. Be to me a rock of refuge, a strong fortress, to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.
Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel. For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth. Upon you I have leaned from my birth; it was you who took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is continually of you.
Passing of the Peace
Building the Community: News that Connects Us
Lighting the Justice Candle
The Covid pandemic has emphasized inequities in our health care system. Access to high quality health care and insurance is a social justice issue. Today we light the Justice Candle to recognize our own Dr. John Payne. John spent much of his professional life working to bring health care to at risk folks living in poverty. One of his first positions was at a clinic in eastern Kentucky and after retirement he made several mission trips to provide medical care in Africa.
The Living Word Among Us
Hymn Let Us Hope When Hope Seems Hopeless Hyfrydol
1. Let us hope when hope seems hopeless, when the dreams we dreamed have died. When the morning breaks in brightness, hunger shall be satisfied. One who sows the fields with weeping shall retrace the sorrowing way and rejoice in harvest bounty at the breaking of the day.
2. Faith and hope in love’s compassion will survive though knowledge cease, though the tongues of joy fall silent, dull the words of prophecies. Faith shall see and trust its object; Hope shall set its anchor sure; Love shall bloom in Love eternal. Faith and hope and love endure.
3. Like a child outgrowing childhood, setting childhood things away, we will learn to live in freedom in the life of God’s new day. Now we see as in a mirror, then we shall see face to face, understand how love’s compassion blossoms through amazing Grace.
Reprinted with permission using OneLicense #A-723786
Hebrew Scripture Lesson 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.
Children’s Moment Please join in singing as we bless children everywhere:
May God’s blessing 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.
Gospel Lesson Luke 4:14-21
Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” He said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.’” And he said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown. But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.
Sermon Prophets Hath No Honor Rev. Kent Gilbert
Living Prayer
Call to Prayer and Offering
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.
Offering Music
A Chance for Generosity: www.easytithe.com/union 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”)
You can also use US mail! Mail to: 200 Prospect St., Berea, KY 40403
Your contribution is love made visible. Thank you!
Community Prayer
Through all the clanging and misunderstanding, despite our meanness of spirit and duplicity of thought, you, Greatest Love, never fail to seek our hearts. Your way is often obscured to us. We see but dimly the power and vision, and too quickly forget that love is not a word, but a work. Help us work such love as could bind up all our broken places. Help us bear every challenge to bring every grace to every heart. For the sick among us, we ask the touch of your love for swift healing. For those who mourn loss this day, the comfort of your holy embrace. For those whose despair is great and their joys too few, guide our paths together that might be bearers of burdens for each other. Make glad our hearts and make meaningful our lives. Our faith, our Hope and our Love is in you. Be in us that we might be a light of kindness in a world of need. This we ask in your Christ’s name: Jesus our brother and redeemer, who taught us to reach to you as…
Our Lord’s Prayer
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 How Then Shall We Live?
1. Took a walk outside of my walking. Stepped inside another’s shoes. Walked the dusty borders between us. Paths I’d never chosen to choose. Refrain: How then shall I live? How then shall I live? How then shall I live, O God? How then shall I live?
2. Heard a sound outside of my list’ning. Felt the living hum of the ground. Waited on the voice of the spirit, singing with its new old sound. Refrain.
3. Saw the world outside of my looking. Gazed upon the eyes of its soul. Held the hopes and fears of tomorrow, found the pieces making a whole. Refrain.
4. Took a step outside of my walking. Found within a beat that we share. Walked with you the length of a lifetime, and made of life a living prayer. Refrain.
Reprinted with permission using OneLicense #A-723786
Benediction
Postlude
Come to Virtual Coffee Hour!! Zoom link — Join https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87387600761
OUR FELLOWSHIP PRINCIPLES:
“Union Church welcomes all followers of Christ and works with all who work with Him; respecting each person’s conscience; working by love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.”
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, Western Sahara, Tunisia; and our brothers and sisters at Faith Decision Baptist Church in our hearts, and pray for them. Please hold these concerns in your prayers, today and throughout the week.
¨ All those seeking a new and just society and those fearful that they will be supplanted, may God open their hearts and include them in grace.
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes or who are homebound: Alva Peloquin, Loyal Jones, Lois Morgan, Jan Hamilton, Laura Robie, Tom & Dorie Hubbard, Sally Zimmerman
¨ Families and Friends in Crises…may God be present to every need and heal every rift and wound and those who care for them.
¨ JoAnn Russell, Reda Hutton’s aunt, facing several medical challenges.
¨ Children in detention centers, that they may be reunited with their families soon.
¨ Those affected by the Covid-19 virus, their families and friends living with fear, anxiety, and feelings of isolation, may God bring peace to all who love them; and our wider community as we cope with the new realities of living, including the now nearly 12,900 Kentucky residents, and 222 Madison County residents, who have died to date from Covid-19.
¨ Sharona Nelson, recovering from surgery to mend a badly broken shoulder.
¨ The Garrett family, at several positive Covid tests.
¨ Carol, Ben and all the family, at Bob Shaffer’s passing, in New Jersey (120 Town Center Blvd., Apt. 244, Sewell, NJ 08080 )
¨ Tom Hubbard recovering from Covid and for Dorie making her move to new residence at Morning Pointe
¨ Raymond Binkley, Betty Wray’s brother, aged 94, and in ill health.
¨ George Hardman, Joan English’s dad, with serious urinary tract complications.
¨ Important dates—if we haven’t got yours, let us know. We’ll help you get connected in FellowshipOne Go!
Birthdays: Jan. 31 – Steve Bolster; Feb. 4 – Sandy bolster and Donna Abner; Feb. 5 – Lisa Bosley
Anniversaries: Feb. 3 – Thomas & Sarabeth Brownrobie; 4 – Ronald & Annie Sims
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