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

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

July 26, 2020     10:30 am

Meditation
God longs for God  and uses us,  rises in us… Becomes in us. Let us be silent,  a quiet dough where God moves  into every pore… where God lives as God pleases.  Let us rise simply, a quiet dough. —Gunilla Norris, Imaging the Word

From there to here: we Gather

Welcome
As the Berea community responds to the governor’s suggestion to avoid gathering in large groups, we worship online to limit the risk of exposure to Covid-19. We’re delighted to welcome you into this virtual circle of God’s healing love and light.
The Call Special Gifts by Steven Charleston Sylvia From, Reader
My ancestors said that the Spirit gave every creature on Earth a special gift. Bears have great strength, eagles can soar to great heights, deer can run at great speed through the forest. And what about us, what about human beings, what is our gift? Vision, the ancestors said, the ability to see both what is now and what is coming to be. We can see the future and adapt to it: that is our gift. The tribe of the human beings survives because we adapt to change. We do not have to fear the future. We only have to adapt to it to live in safety. Thanks to the Spirit that is our gift, that is our skill, and that is our hope during these days of a new and emerging reality.
Passing the Peace at Home
Building the Community: News that Connects Us

The Living Word among us

Anthem As the Wind Song arr. Carol Lynn Mizell
Pearl Marshall, handbells; Kim Kobersmith, flute; Susan Stephens, piano;                                       Bernardo Scarambone, organ; Robert Rorrer, percussion
As the wind song through the trees, as the stirring of the breeze, So it is with the Spirit of God, As the heart made strangely warm, as the voice within the storm, So it is with the Spirit of God. Never seen, ever known, where this wind has blown bringing life, bringing power to the world, As the dancing tongues of fire, as the soul’s most deep desire So it is with the Spirit of God. As the rainbow after rain, as the hope born again, So it is with the Spirit of God, As the green in the spring, as a kite on a string, So it is with the Spirit of God. Making worlds that are new, making peace come true, Bringing gifts, bringing love to the world, As the rising of the yeast, as the wine at the feast, So it is with the Spirit of God.
Epistle Lesson  Romans 8:26-39 Sean Mack, Reader
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.
What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Children’s Moment
Please join in singing as we bless children everywhere:
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.
Gospel  Lesson            Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52                              Sean Mack, Reader
He put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.’
He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.’
‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ‘Have you understood all this?’ They answered, ‘Yes.’ And he said to them, ‘Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.’
Sermon Hidden in the Field Rev. Kent Gilbert

Living Prayer

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.
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”)
Your contribution is love made visible. Thank you!
Offering Music
Silent Reflection and Prayer
Center yourself, either now or sometime today, and breathe deeply and peacefully.

• In your prayers today consider Jesus imagery in these parables. Which one challenges you? Which overturns your expectation?
• As you sit quietly, or walk later in an evening, reject the obvious and search deeply: what is God provoking in you and what are you called to do about it? If you let go of the burdens of previous failure or fear, what would be revealed to you and what would you undertake? Breathing gently, quietly, plant this small thought and allow it to take root. Perhaps your prayer might be to see how big it can grow if given what it needs to succeed.

Our Prayers for Others
You are very welcome to email or phone prayer requests to the office for the bulletin. Please do so by 10 am Thursdays, and be sure you have permission to share the information.
¨ 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 Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda and our brothers and sisters at Lighthouse 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.
¨ Families and Friends in Crises…may God be present to every need and heal every rift and wound and those
¨ Families with school-age children, facing difficult decisions as the start of a new school year approaches.
¨ Joyful prayers of celebration for Laura Nagle and Melissa Sparks, who were married here at Union by Rev. Kent on Thursday!
¨ Tom Hubbard, in honor of his 90th birthday. A drive-by celebration will be held August 1 from 10-11 am at the Urban Farm on Adams St.
¨ Betsy Whaley, whose aunt lost her husband to Covid-19, and all the family grieving that loss.
¨ Healing for Humberto Cruz. Prayer request received online.
¨ Jackie Crowden, recovering at home from a broken hip.
¨ The family of Virginia Blasey, dear friend and bridesmaid of Claudia Munson-Schrumpf, who has died of Covid-19 in Arizona
¨ Jaidyn, granddaughter of Sandy Bowles McClure, soon to undergo open heart surgery.
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes, or who are homebound: Alva Peloquin,  Loyal Jones, Jennie Kiteck, Mary Miller, Lois Morgan, Barb Smith, Jan Hamilton, Dottie Blackburn.
¨ 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.
Prayers of the People Donna Abner, Reader
God of the small and the tall, when we feel insignificant and that our presence and power is NOTHING in the face our troubles, replant the mustard seeds of faith in our soul. You make great the small; you magnify the smallest grace and make for us a mighty kin-dom. So in our worry and weakness,  plant the seeds of contemplation that flourish into action. Keep us from despair and close to you. Let nothing separate us from the holy work you plant in us; let nothing keep us from the healing you offer. May our relation with you be our yeast and our pearl, In Christ’s name we pray, as we 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 We Plant a Grain of Mustard Seed
The Sending & Blessing
Postlude Siciliano J.S. Bach
Bernardo and Desiree Scarambone

Bulletin Announcements & News are at union-church.org/News

Justice Candle
Each week we light the justice candle to honor a specific person or group of people that have made a notable impact in the world. This week we honor Carla Baumann, a compassionate woman that many of us know well. Carla is a dedicated volunteer of the Berea Home Village and has touched a great deal of souls by providing transportation, help with chores, and companionship. She also spent a majority of her career working for the Madison County Health Department, a role in which she provided many seminars and training on health education We are thankful for the blessings of Carla’s caring heart.
In Worship Today…
Each week many elements come together to make our worship together rich and deep.
This week we are grateful for Donna Abner, Sylvia From and Sean Mack, reading; and Marty Hensley, Jeff Hutton, Sayer Kobersmith, Sean Mack and Rina Tanaka, our gifted AV crew.
Many thanks to the Worship Team who crafted this service: Don Cardwell, Debbonnaire Kovacs, Jennifer Melton and Sharona Nelson.
Update:
There will be no in-person worship services at Union Church for the time being. The Administration Board and Church Council are keeping a close eye on the governor’s recommendations and will make decisions with the goal of keeping everyone safe at the top of their minds. The Nurture & Care Board stands ready to support you. If you need them, please contact Rev. Kent, the church office or Board chair Mary Lou Wiese.