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

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

July 16, 2017 10:30 am 

Meditation  
 
God’s dominion is a process. Like seed that has germinated, its potential for growth is a function of the collaboration of God’s activity and human response…a process of growth and the nature of the yield.                                                        
— Paul Hammer

From there to Here

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 Jerusalem, My Happy Home G. Shearing
¨  Call to Worship
 One: Out of the fullness of the lives God has given us, we come to worship and to praise.
All: We come to quicken our souls and open our hearts.
One: In us, may seeds of mercy sprout a hundred-fold; may the harvest inspire gardens of thought and deed.
All: We come to bear fruit and deepen. Let us worship God!
¨  Opening Hymn #7 All People That on Earth Do Dwell Old Hundredth
¨  Prayer of Approach and Confession (unison)
We know the seeds we have sown, Harvesting God: anger which springs from our flinty hearts; bitterness which flows like a rushing river into another’s heart; hurtful words which wrap their thorny briars around a friend’s kindness; passions which poison healthy relationships.
Forgive us, Loving God, and have mercy.  Your grace can turn our fallow hearts into rich fields of love.  Your hope can smooth the rocks in our way, so we can go to be reconciled to another.  Your love for us in Jesus Christ, can untangle the thorny mess we have made of our lives.  Bless us with these gifts, we humbly pray.
— Thom M. Shuman
¨  Words of Assurance
One: No ifs, no ands, no buts.  Now there is no condemnation – period!  God answers all our hurts, our wrongs, our sin with salvation and brings us in, a harvest of righteousness.  Believe this good news, my friends.
All: Struggling and yearning and rejoicing, we give thanks to God! Amen!
—adapted from a prayer by Thom M. Shuman
¨  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 joy. 

The Living Word among us

Anthem Down By the Riverside trad., arr. Althouse
Union Church Summer Choir

1. Gonna lay down my burden down by the riverside, down by the riverside, down by the riverside…I ain’t gonna study war no more..
2. Gonna talk with the Prince of Peace…I ain’t gonna study war no more.

Hebrew Scripture Lesson Genesis 25:19-34
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 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, which is NOW downstairs in Room 104 off the playground. Follow the blue butterflies!!!
Gospel Lesson Matthew 13:1-9,18-23
Sermon      Yanked Up by the Roots            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                    Piece in G Major A. Hesse
¨  Doxology                 Avery/Marsh

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 Prayer 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 #528  Sois la Semilla Id y Ensenad
Verse 1 in Spanish, then verses 1,2,3 in English
¨  Benediction & Sending Forth
    Postlude Suite Gothique, Mov. II, Minuet gothique L. Boellmann
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 Djibouti and Somalia and our brothers and sisters at Living Waters Sanctuary 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.
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes, or who are homebound:  Ruth Butwell, Edith Hansen, Mary Miller, Alva Peloquin, Gloria VanWinkle.
¨ Susan Doring-Zook, recovering from surgery on her arm, broken in a fall. Meal Train at www.mealtrain.com/trains/wodzge
¨ Susie Ritchie and the family, at the death of her dear friend, Sonny, who  passed away last week
¨ Laura Robie, recovering at home from a shoulder replacement.
¨ Travel mercies for members & friends here and abroad. 
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.
Parking lot to be closed Monday from 7-2 and Tuesday 7-12. The dorm construction project has to close off our parking lot (except for Bloodmobile loading in) for a big delivery early next week. Bloodmobile WILL be held as usual on Tuesday, 11-5, in the Community Room. Public Safety has assured us that if you park in Boone Tavern’s lot to give blood you will NOT get a ticket.
Study the Psalms this coming Tuesday, 4 pm and every first & third Tuesday. On the 18thwe will focus on   Psalm 119: 1-72.
Our Nursery is now located in Room 104, off the playground!!  Follow the blue butterflies.
July 23: Handbells Ring at Worship – Ringers needed! Warm-up at 9:30.(Rehearsal July 19, 7pm).
Learn more about joining the church  JULY 30! We’ll be decorating the Nursery on the 23rd, so come on July 30th if you want to know more about Union Church or wanting to explore church membership, as well as new members, are invited to come to the Classroom two doors past the church after worship for conversation with the Pastor and the Community Life and Growth Board.
Special reception August 6: Jennie Kiteck is turning 90! On Sunday, August 6, between 12:00 & 3:00 you are invited to celebrate with her and her family in the Community Room.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact her daughter Mary, at marykwhitlock@gmail.com
Register now for Berea Leadership Experience — today is your last chance!! A Camp for Building Bridges of Peace and Resolving Conflict. We’re using a curriculum that helps kids learn to build peace through Mindfulness, Connecting with Nature, Media Literacy, and Conflict Resolution.
Berea Leadership Experience will be July 24th-28th, 9am-3pm at the Berea Friends Meeting House. The cost is very low: $75 per student, and up to half of the campers can receive scholarships of $50 to make it even more affordable. Register them here: www.union-church.org/ble
Scribes to help our Pastors. You may see a member of the Pastoral Relations Board standing near the pastors as they greet folks on their way out of the worship service. These are scribes—their job is to note  important conversations and details the pastors  might forget in the activity.
Are you a Creative Decorator?  The Worship Board seeks folks to “boldly and creatively” rethink our sanctuary décor.   Do you have some ideas?  Can you help?  If so, please talk to one of the pastors. 
Help Wanted!  We have an ongoing need for volunteers to help with Sunday services.  Can you be a worship reader, greeter, coffee angel, etc.?   For details go to the church website, union-church.org and click on “Volunteer” near the upper right corner (or talk to Doug Hindman).
Support a Berean in Christian Service: Natalie Warren, a native Berean and recent Yale graduate, is building a team of ministry partners as she prepares to serve university students in Ireland for a year with the campus ministry Cru. If you want to learn more about her work or feel called to support her financially, please contact her at natalie.warren@cru.org or (203) 772-809, or visit give.cru.org/0940688.