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

Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

July 31, 2016     10:30 am

Meditation
Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world. — Martin Luther

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  The Lovers’ Waltz J. Ungar & M. Mason Kim Kobersmith & Jane Mecham
*  Call to Worship  
One: We come here from the world whose siren song tells us that we do not have enough – we do not buy enough – we are not enough.
All:     Here we re-learn God’s wisdom – that we have enough if we share; that security cannot be found in the marketplace; that we are always enough.
One: We come to center, we come to be grounded in love, to grow toward grace. In music, in word, and in work, let us worship the Lord.
*  Opening Hymn #22 Sing Praise to God Lobe den Herren
*  Prayer of Approach and Confession  
One: Let us in silence confess our faults and admit our frailty.
[silence is kept]
One: Before God, with the people of God, I confess to my brokenness: to the ways I wound my life, the lives of others, and the life of the world.
All: May God forgive you, Christ renew you, and the Spirit enable you to grow in love.
One: Amen.
All: Before God, with the people of God, we confess to our brokenness: to the ways we wound our lives, the lives of others, and the life of the world.
One: May God forgive you, Christ renew you, and the Spirit enable you to grow in love.
All: Amen.
*  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 It’s About Time John Denver Andy Blyth
There’s a full moon over India, and Gandhi lives again.  Who’s to say you have to lose, for someone else to win, in the eyes of all the people, the look is much the same, for the first is just the last one, when you play a deadly game.
It’s about time we realize it, we’re all in this together,  It’s about time…we find out, it’s all of us or none, it’s about time, we recognize it, these changes in the weather, it’s about time, it’s about changes, and it’s about time.
There’s a light in the Vatican window, for all the world to see.  A Voice cries in the wilderness, sometimes it speaks to me.  I know I love it most of all, when I kneel to kiss the land.  With my lips upon our sweet Mother Earth, I make my strongest stand.
It’s about time we start to see it, the earth is our only home. It’s about time we start to face it, we can’t make it here all alone. It’s about time we start to listen, to the voices in the wind. It’s about time, it’s about changes, and it’s about time.
There’s a man who is my brother, I just don’t know his name.  But I know his home and family, because I know we feel the same.  And it hurts me when he’s hungry and when his children cry, for I too am a father, and this little one is mine.
It’s about time we begin it, to turn the world around, it’s about time we start to make it, the dream we’ve always known, it’s about time we start to live it, the family of man, it’s about time, it’s about changes, and it’s about time.
Hebrew Scripture Lesson Psalm 107:1-9,43
A song of thanksgiving to God, who has been merciful to the people and gathered all who were lost.
Children’s Moment
Oh, Give Thanks to God, for God is good. God’s love endures for-e-e-e-e-ver.  
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, downstairs off the Community Room.
Gospel Lesson  Luke 12:13-21
A man comes up to Jesus, asking Jesus to settle a dispute between him and his brother. In response, Jesus tells the parable of the rich fool.
Sermon        The Divided Legacy Rev. Kent Gilbert
Sermon Response Imagine John Lennon    Sharona Nelson
Imagine there’s no heaven. It’s easy if you try. No hell below us, above us only sky.
Imagine all the people living for today.
Imagine there’s no countries. It isn’t hard to do. Nothing to kill or die for, and no religion too. Imagine all the people living life in peace.
You may say I’m a dreamer but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will be as one.
Imagine no possessions. I wonder if you can. No need for greed or hunger, a family of man. Imagine all the people sharing all the world.
You may say I’m a dreamer but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will be as one.

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 Capriccio K. McChesney
“Spirited” Handbell Ensemble
Carrie Jadud, Pearl Marshall, Jane Mecham, Robert Rorrer, Lisa Vaughn
* 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 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 #563                We Cannot Own the Sunlit Sky         Endless Song
*  Benediction & Sending Forth
    Postlude (please  be  seated)            Aeolian Fanfare     C. Callahan
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 Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Panama and our brothers and sisters at St. Clare Catholic Church in your hearts, and pray for them.
Please also hold these concerns in your prayers, today and throughout the week:
¨ Members of the armed services and reserves and all who are in harm’s way and their families. We pray for the day when war shall be no more.
¨ For the healing of families, communities, and our nation wracked by violence and murder. May we be agents of transformation.
¨ The family of Michelle Hayden in the death of her mother, in Indianapolis.
¨ Gary Dillon, undergoing chemo for lung cancer.
¨  Our church family members in nursing homes, or who are homebound:  Edith Hansen, Mary Miller, Alva Peloquin, Gloria VanWinkle .
¨ Toby Wilcher, recovering from broken bones at home, and for Shane Wilcher.
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.
Thanks to those who are participating in today’s “Share Your Music Sunday!” a celebration of talent and gifts among us. What a joyous celebration.
Birthday cake today! Today after church, there will be birthday cake at Lemonade on the Porch! Please join Sharona Nelson in celebrating her birthday today by sharing some cake with her. If you can’t or don’t eat cake, there will be gluten-free options.
LBGTQIA Safe Space gathering for sharing and support. Wednesday Aug. 3, 7:00 pm, and every 1st and 3rd Weds., Wayside Room. This is not a religious group, fyi. The church is hosting it because we think all people deserve safe space.
All Y’all FAith Day Creek Clean-up August 4! The Faith Development Board hopes that you’ll join us in practicing care for our beautiful earth through a creek clean-up! For this All Y’All Faith Development event, we’ll meet at the parking lot in front of Kent’s house and the Meeting House at 6 p.m. on Thursday, August 4 (298/300Harrison Rd).
We’ll walk the creekside and wade in the water to pick up trash and debris, in an effort to clean up a local waterway.
Please wear clothes that can get wet and dirty, including wading shoes, and bring sturdy gloves, if you can! Heavy rubber gloves are best if you have them.
The Faith Development Board will provide trash bags, some gloves, and hand sanitizer. We look forward to seeing you there!
Church work day on Saturday, August 6 . The Properties Board invites you to a work day Aug. 6, 8 am. Bring gloves and tools if you have them for weeding and mulching, sprucing up the grounds.
Baby Shower August 14, 3 pm.  All are welcome to the shower to celebrate our moms-to-be, Rev. Rachel and Leslie Small Stokes. Call BJ Godby, Melissa Neal or Dodie Murphy if you can help with food, set-up, decoration, or clean-up. Everyone’s phone numbers are in the Church Directory.
These are the two registries for guidance:

1. www.target.com (search for Rachel Small Stokes, due date Oct. 8)

2.www.babylistregistry.com has things the moms-to-be couldn’t find at Target
Kitchen Elves Wanted: Orientation Wednesday, August 17, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. If you have wanted to be a Kitchen Elf (that’s a helper in the church kitchen before or after events), but feel intimidated by so many cabinets or the commercial dish washer that looks nothing like yours at home, then this opportunity is for you!
The Community Life & Growth Board will have an orientation to the kitchen and its equipment on Weds., August 17, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Please consider joining us. It would help to know if you plan to come, so please either sign up on the bulletin board in the back of the sanctuary or e-mail betty_hibler@berea.edu. Thanks in advance from the CL&G Board, because we can certainly use your help!
It’s time to re-enroll with Kroger Rewards. Kroger has been committed to supporting the communities it serves by assisting local charitable organizations through its Rewards Program. Union Church will earn rewards on all eligible purchases you make using your Kroger Plus Card. The Kroger rewards will accumulate and be donated quarterly to Union Church. This is an easy way for all to fund-raise for Union Church.

• Go to www.Kroger.com
• Click the blue Sign In tab at top of the page, follow the step-by-step instructions.
• Call 1-800-KROGERS, Option #3, with questions.

If you haven’t enrolled in Kroger rewards & would like to, visit www.Kroger.com for instructions.
Celtic Festival coming up! Again this year Union Church has partnered with Berea Celtic Festival August 19-21. The Sunday service will have a touch of Irish tradition and harp music by Jeni Balcom of Cincinnati.
Learn more about concerts, sessions and workshops at www.berea-celtic.com, or call Sune Frederiksen at 859-248-0690.
Kids’ Underwear needed for back-to-school! The Family Resource Centers that serve Berea schools has asked No Child Cold/No Child Hungry in Berea to provide boys’ and girls’ underwear in children’s sizes 4 to 10. Donations can be left outside the church office marked to the attention of Dodie Murphy or given to Dodie in church on Sundays. The August issue of Consider will have a list of food the Family Resource Centers need to send home with children on the weekends.
Sune Frederiksen has several HP564 cartridges and a printer to offer. Contact him for details.