Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
January 31, 2016, 10:30 am
Meditation
But deep this truth impressed my mind:
Through all His works abroad,
The heart benevolent and kind
The most resembles God.
—Robert Burns
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: Come, people of God, to the one in whom we trust. Praise God who delivers and rescues us.
All: God is our rock of refuge, our strong fortress. God saves us amid wickedness and cruelty.
One: Hope in God, who has created you. Open yourself to the one who knows you well.
All: God sees us face to face, even when people do not. God transforms us, even when we think we fail.
One: Our God gives us tasks to do and strength to do them. God’s Word of love is placed on our tongue and is made ours to proclaim.
All: We come to embrace the mysteries of our faith. We are here to worship the God who empowers us.
* Opening Hymn #43 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling BEECHER
* Prayer of Approach and Confession
One: You asked for my hands that you could use them for your purpose.
All: I gave them for a moment and then withdrew for the work was hard.
One: You asked for my mouth to speak against injustice.
All: I gave you a whisper that I might not be accused.
One: You asked for my eyes to see the pain of poverty.
All: I closed them for I did not want to know.
One: You asked for my life that you might work through me.
All: I gave you a fractional part that I might not get involved.
One: God, forgive me for calculated efforts to serve you only when it is convenient to do so, only in places where it is sage to do so.
All: Creator God, forgive me, renew me, and send me out as a usable instrument, that I may take seriously the meaning of Your Cross.
From the annual meeting of the United Methodist Women’s Caucus, 1976
* 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 When Love Is Found Kallman, Wren
Union Church Choir
1. When love is found and hope comes home, sing and be glad that we are one. When love explodes and fills the sky, praise God and share our Maker’s joy.
2. When love has flowered in trust and care, build both each day that love may dare to reach beyond home’s warmth and light, to serve and strive for truth and right.
3. When love is tried as loved ones change, hold still to hope, though all seems strange, till ease returns and love grows wise through listening ears and opened eyes.
4. When love is torn and trust betrayed. Pray strength to love till torments fade, till neighbors keep no score of wrong but hear through pain love’s Easter song.
5. Praise God for love, praise God for life, in age or youth in stranger, friend. Lift up your hearts, let love beefed through death and life in broken bread.
Hebrew Scripture Lesson Jeremiah 1:4-10
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.
Epistle Lesson 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Sermon By Word of Mouth 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 #50 I Sing the Praise of Love Almighty ST. PETERSBURG
* Benediction & Sending Forth
Postlude (please be seated) Tuba Tune C.S. Lang
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Please join us for fellowship and refreshments in the Parlor immediately following the Postlude.
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 Cyprus, Greece and Turkey and our brothers and sisters at Farristown Baptist Church 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
*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
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.
Rev. Kent will be away this week, returning, February 9th. He is returning to the congregation in Boise, ID where he served as Intern Associate Pastor, 1989-1990, and where he was ordained in 1991. They are celebrating their 125th Anniversary where Rev. Kent will be a featured guest.
Help in the office—if you have some time on Wednesday about 1 pm, we could use some help preparing the Lent brochure for mailing. We offer snacks, good company and all the tea you can drink!
Check out the Lost & Found shelves near the office — if any of those items are yours, please claim. All the items (many of which have been unclaimed for a year or more) are heading to the Goodwill next week.
Remembrance Service at Danforth Chapel Tuesday noon, February 2nd A time to remember and celebrate the lives of our loved ones who have passed on. If you have lost a loved one, are grieving over other losses, or are supporting friends who are hurting, you are invited to 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.
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
Let’s Do Lunch! Lunch after church begins next week, Feb. 7. The Youth Group will hold its annual pancake & fixin’s brunch fundraiser! Directly after church, and everyone is welcome. Suggested donation of $7 per person, or $5 for families over 3 people. There will be hat making for adults and children and wonderful pancakes (gluten free options available), sausages, and grits. Funds raised will go toward sending member of the youth group to summer camp this year.
Lenten lunches start Feb. 14! You may have noticed the Line Item “Lenten Lunches” in the Income section of the Church Budget. Each year the Boards work together to provide lunch for the five Sundays of Lent (through March 13, which is our ANNUAL MEETING!) and the income from these lunches helps to fund the budgets of our Boards — suggested donations of $5.00/single or $15.00/family.
But more important is the fellowship shared, and especially the opportunity to get to know some of our newer members. Mark your calendars now!
Tax-prep Help! Eastern Kentucky Asset Building Coalition & Berea College VITA offer free tax preparation for those who make under $54,000 by IRS certified volunteers Thursday Evenings 5:30 to 8:00 pm, Union Church Community Room. For information Call: 800-378-3778
Woman’s Creative Sewing and Crafts is making quilts.! They’re nearly out of quilt fabric. If you have extra scraps, yards, etc. of cotton fabric, please bring it to church.
Donations of blue jeans sought: Berea Community Elementary School No Child Cold/No Child Hungry in Berea is seeking donations of jeans in all sizes — between size 4 and 16 for girls and boys, and also women’s sizes 0-2. Contact Dodie Murphy at dodiemurf @yahoo.com or call 859-200-7277.
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.
Michelle Hayden in an 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 through Feb. 20.
We need a new church directory! We’re coming up with a plan for taking photos BUT if you’ve got one you’d like to use, please send it to the office. Also — if there’s a chance we don’t have your address, phone, email address, birthday(s)—please send that info on as well. office@union-church.org.
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