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

Seventh Sunday of Easter  June 1, 2014, 10:30 am

Meditation
“Let there be such oneness between us, that when one cries, the other tastes salt”

From there to Here

Welcome & Announcements
Prelude     Chorale Prelude  All Glory Be to God on High         G.P. Telemann
Bell Introit            I Know that My Redeemer Lives         arr. Theodore Beck
*  Call to Worship
One:    Rise up, Children of God!
All:      Risen and Rising, we seek the way of the Christ.
One:    Then why are looking up into heaven? The Spirit of Christ, and the work of Love is below, here and now.  Let us worship together, empowered to be Christ’s hands and feet.
*   Hymn #260 Black          Hail the Day That Sees Christ Rise     Gwalchmai
*  Prayer of Affirmation and Easter Faith (unison)                  
Giver of power and strength, you take a rag-tag bunch of denying disciples and feckless followers, creating a new community of servants who seek to live your love. You are enthroned on the rubble of death’s shattered power, calling us to your side and giving us a new vocation, by which we serve the broken of the communities in which we live. Constant Presence of hope, you strengthen us so we never give in while confronted by evil;you continually pray for us that we never quit when loving your world and healing the tears proves to be more of a challenge than we imagined.God in Community, Holy in One, we lift our hearts to you, even as you send your Spirit to us.

based loosely on the writings of Thom M Shuman

*  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.

Breathing in The Living Word

Anthem    Easter Anthem
Berea ShapeNote Singers
The Lord is risen indeed,  Hallelujah.  Now is Christ risen from the dead,  and become the first fruits of them that slept. Hallelujah. And did He rise? Hear, O ye nations, hear it, O ye dead. He rose, He burst the bars of death, He burst the bars of death and triumphed o’er the grave. Then I rose, then first humanity triumphant passed the crystal ports of light, and seized eternal youth. Man, all immortal hail, hail, Heaven, all lavish of strange gifts to man, Thine’s all the glory, man’s the boundless bliss.
Lesson from Acts                        Acts 1:6-14
Children’s Moment  
As the children return to their seats, we sing:
Gospel Lesson                  John 17:1-11
Sermon                 That They May All Be One      Rev. Kent Gilbert

Sharing The Gifts of Love

Offering
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              
*  Doxology             Avery/Marsh

Being and Becoming One

*  Invitation to Communion
One:     The Lord be with you.
All:      And also with you.
One:     Lift up your hearts.
All:      We lift them up to God.
One:     Let us give thanks to God.
All:      It is right to give God thanks and praise.
One:     The table of bread and cup is now made ready. It is the table of company with Jesus and all who love him…
One:     So come to this table, you who have much faith and you who would like to have more…
Hymn #337 Black              Draw Us in the Spirit’s Tether            Union Seminary
One:     Let us pray….
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.
Communion Prayer
One:     Loving God, through your breath and light all things were made. Earth has brought forth bounty for all plants and creatures and is yet a paradise of your creation.
One:     We remember those you sent to teach us, to heal our divisions, lead us from bondage, hold us accountable, and show us new life.
One:     We remember and we sing your praises, joining as one voice with angels and ancestors as we exult in your presence:
Communion Sanctus                                                  Please Join in singing
Communion Prayer continues
One:     Blessed is our brother Jesus who walks the road of our world’s suffering, and who is known to us in breaking of bread.
One:     On the night of his arrest Jesus took bread and having blessed it, he broke the bread and gave it to his disciples saying,
All:     “This is my body, given to you.”
One:     In the same way he took a cup, and having given thanks for it he gave it to the disciples, saying,
All:    “This cup is the new relationship with God, sealed with my life’s blood. Take this and share it. I shall drink wine with you next in the coming Kingdom of God.”
One:     Loving God, through your goodness we have this bread and cup to offer, which earth has given and human hands have made. May we know your presence in the sharing of this bread so we may know your touch in all bread, at every meal.
One:     We celebrate the life that Jesus has shared among his community through the centuries and shares with us now. Made one in Christ and One with each other, we offer these gifts and with them ourselves, a single holy, living sacrifice. Amen.
Serving One Another
All who seek the love of God are welcome at this table and are invited to freely receive from it.  We will share the elements today by intinction, dipping the bread in the cup.  When invited please come to one of the stations by exiting your pew to the left and returning by the right. If it is not convenient to come forward, the elements can be brought to your seat by signaling to the usher. All the bread is gluten free, and the chalices are filled with non-alcoholic grape juice.
Communion Music                                              
Blessing for Those Who Will Receive at Home
Members who have been designated to carry communion to those who could not be with us this morning are invited forward at this time. The bread and juice from our meal will go with our blessing and prayers for our continued unity in the Spirit. If you would like serve by taking communion to others, you are very welcome to do so and are invited to volunteer.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
All:      Creating God, may the life of our Savior Jesus the Christ which we have received at this table give us the energy and vitality that we need. Help us use this new life in all that we do and say so that the new world of justice and joy will come and come soon. Through Jesus we pray: Amen.

From here to there

*  Closing Hymn #542 Black          Born of God Eternal Savior   Weisse Flaggen
*  Benediction           
Postlude    Fugue in C Major       Dietrich Buxtehude
____________________________

*  Please rise in body or in spirit

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 Botswana and Zimbabwe and our brothers and sisters at Berea Baptist Church in your hearts, and pray for them.
Please also hold these concerns in your prayers, today and throughout the week:
* Michelle Tooley, with recurrence of melanoma
* Our church family members recovering at home and in nursing homes:  Edith Hansen, Klara Welsh, Bernice Robertson, Nancy Jones, Mary Miller, Virginia Piland
* Jim Wallace, recovering from successful brain surgery
* All those grieving the loss of those they have loved
* Charlie Smithson, Paul’s brother, who is undergoing a stem cell transplant this week as part of his battle with multiple myeloma.
* Bob Moore, Joan’s father, for peace as he approaches the end of his life
* Ann Thomasson, who has had a stroke and moved to a room in assisted living. The news right now is encouraging and she would love to hear from Berea friends. Her address is now 5830 North Fountains Ave., Apt #332, Tucson, AZ 85704.
* Eddie Kennedy, recovering from heart valve replacement surgery
* Jasmine Goodwin, 17, who  died of stab wounds inflicted by Cierra Howard, 16, and their families and friends affected by this tragedy. They were students of Summer Stevens, Debbonnaire Kovacs’ sister, in Ohio
The Mission & Service Board invites you to lunch today: Luncheon after church; brief program to highlight programs of Mission and Service Board past, present, and their plans and goals for the future (no charge). And we wish Willie Dodson, a faithful member of the mission & Service Board, and outgoing Interim Director of Women’s Creative Sewing and Crafts, all the best as he leaves us for his Americorps position in Virginia.  Best of luck, Willie—we’ll miss you!!!

Join the church next week! New members are received every Second Sunday of the month—that’ll be next Sunday, June 8, Pentecost.

Learn more about Union Church Every Fourth Sunday of the Month  Anyone wanting to know more about Union Church or wanting to explore church membership, as well as new members who have not been able to participate in a previous meeting, are invited to come to the classroom two doors past the church office immediately following worship for conversation with the Pastors and the Community Life and Growth Board.
Wear Red for Pentecost, June 8! Pentecost Day celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples 50 days after the resurrection. It’s considered the birthday of the church and is remembered by the description in the book of Acts where tongues of fire appeared to dance on the head of the apostles. This year Pentecost falls on June 8 and all are invited to wear red as we celebrate the gifts of God manifest in the work of our all people. After church we’ll take a whole group photo so we want as many members and friends present as possible! It will also be a chance to celebrate our choir who will take a summer break after that Sunday. Join us as we set the world on fire with hope and song! And, next week, we’ll honor our wonderful high school graduates and bless them as they enter a new chapter in their lives.
Lemonade on the Porch—your help needed!  The Community Life & Growth Board will provide the lemonade and the set-up on the porch, but we are seeking help with snacks for each Sunday during the summer, to go with the lemonade.  Snacks can be left in the kitchen prior to worship. There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board at the back of the sanctuary. Lemonade on the Porch begins June 8 and continues through August.  Thanks in advance for your help. (And you are allowed to sign up more than once!!)
Vacation Bible School, “Living Waters for the World,” June 8-11, 5:30-8:00 pm!  Vacation Bible School will begin with a snack supper every evening! There are classes for those in pre-school – grade 5 and also an adult class. Youth can volunteer to help with younger kids or join the adults. We will continue explore how we understand the gift of water in our faith with a mission focus on the world water crisis.
Needs for Vacation Bible School! Want to help make an awesome time of spiritual development for our kids?  Here are some things we need for our program on Living Waters of spirit and justice.  If you can bring them in, you’ll help us save money and resources, AND get to participate in the making of our great young theologians!

• Water jugs – 5 gallon, 1 gallon, bottles – anything you’ve got!
• Cookies, brownies, and sweet treats for dessert
• Agar plates/Petri dishes – the kind you use in biology experiments
• Stuffed animals (you can have them back!)
• Coffee filters (the white ruffly kind)
• Plastic cups
• Paper towel tubes (empty)
• Water balloons
• 33-gal garbage bags

If you can contribute any of these things, call the office or contact Rev. Rachel at rsmallstokes@union-church.org, and plan to bring them in this week—by June 8^th.
And of course, we still need YOU!  We have programs for adults as well as kids, so come spend your evenings with us June 8^th-13^th.  Invite your friends and neighborhood kids.  You won’t regret it!  Register online at www.union-church.org/home/vbs2014, or call the office.
Donate ONLINE or by TEXT, Now or Anytime! For online giving, Union Church uses EasyTithe, a completely secure contribution system. You can use Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express Credit and Debit Cards, or an E-Check from your checking account. Scan the code here to go right to the website on your smartphone, or visit www.union-church.org and click on the Donate button for instructions.  You do not need to register to make a donation (just choose “Quick Give” ). If you do register, your information will be securely stored making future visits faster and giving you full control of  your giving reports.  Credit card processing does cost the church about 3.1% of your transaction. ACH (E-Checks) only incur a 1% fee. Please use whichever is best for you, but if you can, consider adding a little additional to help cover the bank fee!
Give By Texting 859-448-3403: Yes! You can give using your web-enabled phone. Text any amount to 859-448-3403. The first time you do–and just the first time–you’ll get a link to associate your phone and enter your securely stored credit or debit card. It doesn’t go on your phone bill, but only to a card you specify. After that, all you need to do is text the number with an amount and any designation. It’s fast and easy! Of course, like every credit card transaction the church pays a 3.1% fee. If you can include that little extra bit, it will make a big difference!
Examples: Text “$50.00” to contribute to today’s offering. Text “$200.00 Capital Campaign” to contribute to a building pledge, or substitute the designation of your choice (youth, missions, BFCO, etc. Amounts texted without a designation will automatically go to the Annual Ministry Budget and all giving will be included in your annual giving records.
Mini-Bazaar Saturday, August 23 Large Yard Sale or Small Bazaar; 10 am until 2 ish; Please bring your treasures, clearly priced, to newly  renovated storage area under front porch (formerly known as the Dungeon; now dry and lighted ) “Repurposed Treasures Vault”.  More later….. John Payne
Pottery exhibit June 6, our own Grace McKenzie will show her work! The Potters of Madison County, KY invite you to the opening of their exhibit of pottery at the NEW Berea Arts Council location (139 North Broadway) in Old Town, Berea-June 6th, 2014 from 5:30 – 8:00 p.m., along with plenty of food, drink and live music.