A Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the Church of Christ, Union
Third Sunday after Pentecost 10:30 am
Meditation
“Revolutionary love is a well-spring of care, an awakening to the inherent dignity and beauty of others and the earth, a quieting of the ego, a way of moving through the world in relationship, asking: ‘
· What is your story?
· What is at stake?
· What is my part in your flourishing?’
Loving others, even our opponents, in this way has the power to sustain political, social and moral transformation. This is how love changes the world.”
~Valarie Kaur, from the book “See No Stranger”
Prelude Travelling Through the King’s Highway Lani Smith
Welcome
From There to Here: We Gather
¨ Sung Response “Lead Me, Guide Me” Lead Me, Guide Me
Lead me, guide me, along the way, for if you lead me, I cannot stray.
Lord, let me walk each day with thee. Lead me, O Lord, lead me.
I am weak and I need your strength and power to help over my weakest hour.
Help me through the darkness your face to see, Lead me, O Lord, lead me.
Reprinted with permission using OneLicense #A-723786
¨ The Call
One: Sojourning God, your Spirit exists everywhere, on every path
All: Inviting us to move with curiosity and compassion toward each other.
One: Open us to the depth of our connections
All: Even when it seems difference is so profound.
One: Show us our shared humanity
All: So that we will know what others love, see that we love the same, and share the burdens and the love.
One: Nudge and guide us, we pray.
All: Expand our world and awe of all creation and its beings.
¨ Sung Response Lead Me, Guide Me
Lead me, guide me, along the way, for if you lead me, I cannot stray.
Lord, let me walk each day with thee. Lead me, O Lord, lead me.
I am weak and I need your strength and power to help over my weakest hour.
Help me through the darkness your face to see, Lead me, O Lord, lead me.
¨ Prayer of Confession please respond when invited:
All: Merciful God, we confess that we have not loved you with our whole hearts and have not loved our neighbors as ourselves, through what we have done and left undone. Forgive us when we forget your hospitality, and the call to extend it to others. Guide us as we seek to turn around toward greater love. Lead us to travel in your ways. Amen.
¨ Words of Assurance
¨ Sung Response Lead Me, Guide Me
Lead me, guide me, along the way, for if you lead me, I cannot stray.
Lord, let me walk each day with thee. Lead me, O Lord, lead me.
I am weak and I need your strength and power to help over my weakest hour.
Help me through the darkness your face to see, Lead me, O Lord, lead me.
¨ Passing the Peace
Building the Community: News that Connects Us
Announcements
Lighting the Justice Candle
The Poor Peoples Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival is a national grass roots organization with a vision of love, justice, and truth for America that says poverty can be abolished and change can come. The organization is headed by Rev. Dr. William Barber and Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis with local grass roots leadership by the poor and their allies throughout the United States. Many in our area and church have been involved in its work since its beginning. This Justice Candle is to honor the Poor Peoples Campaign, the leadership and the thousands of those who gathered to march and attend a rally on June 18 in Washington, DC.
Pictured is Union Church Member, Joan Moore, with her sign, as she joined others from Berea and the larger crowd, estimated to be 100,000; She says ” this experience was the most uplifting, inspiring event she attended.” Several speakers, including Al Gore, shared their stories. We honor these people who continue the vision. Thank you.
Word And Worship
Hymn Bless Now, O God, the Journey
Reprinted with permission using OneLicense #A-723786
Epistle Lesson Galatians 5:1, 22-25
Children’s Moment Please join in singing as we bless children everywhere:
May God’s blessing 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.
Please note that Union Church services are livestreamed, including the Children’s Moment. A “no camera zone” is at the back of the balcony, behind the AV booth.
Gospel Lesson Luke 9:51-62
Sermon In the Shoes of Another Rev. Kent Gilbert
Visual Reflection
Living Prayer
Call to Prayer and Offering
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.
Offering Music I Just Want Jesus to Walk with Me arr. Mark Hayes
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”)
You can also use US mail! Mail to: 200 Prospect St., Berea, KY 40403
Your contribution is love made visible. Thank you!
Community Prayer
God of journeys and pilgrims, as we encounter others, especially those not in our immediate circles, remind us that they as much as any place are our destination. May each encounter be a spiritual act expanding our horizon, traveling beyond our preconceptions, and embracing the infinite delight you have in this earth and its beings. Creator, continue our unfolding. For those on a journey with illness and heartbreak sustain them with your word, give them strength both for holding on and letting go. Surround those we know who are troubled, hurting, bereft not only with your divine care, and also those who travel with them: that we may follow you well, travelers together on a pilgrimage of grace. Christ, accompany our deeper knowing. Spirit, enliven our growing, until one day we all gather in the Kin-dom of Love. We pray all of this in your name, speaking the words you taught us…
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
Reprinted with permission using OneLicense #A-723786
¨ Hymn The Summons Kelvingrove
¨ Benediction
¨ Sung Response Lead Me, Guide Me
Lead me, guide me, along the way, for if you lead me, I cannot stray. Lord, let me walk each day with thee. Lead me, O Lord, lead me. I am weak and I need your strength and power to help over my weakest hour. Help me through the darkness your face to see, Lead me, O Lord, lead me.
Postlude They Will Know We Are Christians arr. Mark Hayes
Our Prayers for Others
¨ 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 Kenya and Tanzania; and our brothers & sisters at Liberty Avenue Baptist Church in our hearts, and pray for them. Please hold these concerns in your prayers, today and throughout the week.
¨ 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, including the now over 16,000 Kentucky residents, and 283 Madison County residents, who have died to date from Covid-19.
¨ Prayers for all the people of Ukraine for their safety and sovereignty, and especially those in the city of Nikolaev where the family of former Berea International student daughter of Kevin and Carla, Yulia live. Prayers also that the government of Russia will turn to reason & respect for their own peoples’ lives as well as for Ukrainian families.
¨ The victims of the most recent shooting at a house of worship: St. Stephen’s Episcopal, Vestavia Hills, Alabama, where two were killed and many injured. The number of mass shootings like this to date in 2022: 268. Please join in both prayer AND ACTION to make a safer world. Moms Demand Action (https://momsdemandaction.org/) and the Gun Violence Archive (https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/) have helpful resources
¨ 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.
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes or who are homebound: Alva Peloquin, Loyal Jones, Lois Morgan, Jan Hamilton, Laura Robie, Dorie Hubbard, Betty Wray, Sally Zimmerman
¨ Families and Friends in Crises…may God be present to every need and heal every rift and wound and those who care for them.
¨ JoAnn Russell, Reda Hutton’s aunt, facing several medical challenges.
¨ Children in detention centers, that they may be reunited with their families soon.
¨ Sharona Nelson, facing a long recovery after surgery to repair a broken shoulder.
¨ Charlie Hoffman and all the family, at the death of his uncle, Richard Merrill, in Maine. May peace surround them all.
¨ Hazel Morris, being treated for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
¨ Raymond Binkley, Betty Wray’s brother, aged 94, and in ill health.
¨ Linda Parsons, struggling with severe back pain.
¨ Dodie Murphy’s friend, Ron Wagner, recovering from a stroke at home.
¨ In sorrow for the lives lost in the Afghanistan Earthquake, with prayers that God may ease the suffering, and God’s people respond to the need.
¨ Samuel Mugabi, director of Samuel’s Kid’s Orphanage in Uganda, who is critically ill in the hospital. Financial support can be given directly for his care and for the orphanage at https://paypal.me/samuelskidsuganda.
¨ Michelle, beloved nurse at Morning Pointe, undergoing treatment for cancer.
¨ Former Berea resident Kamela “Kayy” Popiwaczk, recovering from surgery for a life-threatening brain infection.
¨ Important dates—if we haven’t got yours, let us know. We’ll help you get connected in FellowshipOne Go!
Birthdays: June 30 – Patty Boyce; July 2 – Delores Carpenter; 3 – Susie Ritchie
Anniversaries: June 27 – Greg & Rachel Lakes
Children are welcome in the service, or you can stay with them in the nursery
· There will be a nursery assistant available in the nursery space to provide support for families who are supervising their own children there,
· The nursery and playground will be open for families to use if you supervise your own children,
· There will be a device for listening/watching the service in the nursery,
· We anticipate adding full nursery services once under 5s can be vaccinated,
· The children’s Worship Center in the back of the sanctuary will have activities for our youngest members
· Please note that Union Church services are livestreamed, including the Children’s Moment. A “no camera zone” is at the back of the balcony, behind the AV booth.
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