A Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the Church of Christ, Union
Fifth Sunday after Pentecost June 28, 2015, 10:30 am
Meditation
Blues is a natural fact, is something that a fellow lives. If you don’t live it you don’t have it. Young people have forgotten to cry the blues. Now they talk and get lawyers and things.
—Big Bill Broonzy
The history of a people is found in its songs. —George Jellinek
From there to here
Prelude Precious Lord, Take My Hand M. Hassell
* Call to Worship
One: Sing praises to God, all you faithful ones
All: God hears us in our fear and our sorrow.
One: Where there was no way
All: God leads us in a new way.
One: Where there was no mercy
All: God surprises us with fresh mercy.
One: Where there was weeping
All: God invites us to step into a new dance. —written by Rev. Susan A. Blain
* Opening Hymn Gather Us In (next pages) Gather Us In
* Prayer of Approach & Confession
One: Out of the depths of despair, we cry to you, O God. We are lost in a world of pain and suffering. When we put our trust in weapons of war, we find no peace. When we put our faith in our own resources, we feel the ache of our true needs. When we put our hope in the health of our bodies, we suffer pain and find no healing.
All: Come to us, O God. Forgive our doubts and fears. Heal our brokenness, that we may rejoice in your steadfast love. Amen. prayer posted on www.ministrymatters.com
* Words of Assurance
One: There is forgiveness and healing with God. God’s steadfast love has the power to redeem our brokenness and make us whole. Hallelujah!
All: Thanks be to God!
* 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 O Praise the Lord L. Larsen
Union Church Summer Choir
O praise the Lord, all ye nations! Praise Him, all ye people of the earth! O praise the Lord, sing out His praises! For ?His love is great toward us. Praise Him for His goodness and His mercy; praise Him for a love that knows no ending. Let us sing His praises, sing His glory; Come, lift your voices to the Lord! Praise Him for the gift of love and compassion; praise Him for the peace that only His love can bring; thank Him for the joy of our salvation.
Hebrew Scripture Lesson 2 Samuel:1, 17-27
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 return to their seats or follow volunteers to the front entrance of the sanctuary to 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 age & under, care is available in the Nursery, downstairs off the Community Room.
Gospel Lesson Mark 5:21-43
Responsive Reading Psalm 30
One: I will extol you, O God, for you have drawn me up, and did not let my foes rejoice over me.
All: O God, my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.
One: O God, you brought up my soul from Sheol, restored to me life from among those gone down to the Pit.
All: Sing praises to God, O you, God’s faithful ones, and give thanks to God’s holy name.
One: For God’s anger is but for a moment; God’s favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger in for the night, but joy comes in the morning.
All: As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.”
One: By your favor, O God, you had established me as a strong mountain; you hid your face; I was dismayed.
All: To you, O God, I cried, and to you I made supplication:
One: “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the Pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness? Hear, O God, be my helper!”
All: You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, so that my soul may praise you and not be silent.
One: O God, my God, I will give thanks to you forever.
Sermon Been Down Hearted Rev. John Stanley
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 Veset de Procession sur l’Adoro Te L. Boellmann
* 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 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 #472 Precious Lord Precious Lord
* Benediction & Sending Forth
Postlude (please be seated) Processional in F Major M. Kellner
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* Please rise in body or in spirit as you wish.
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 Brazil 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:
* Those in harm’s way in service of our country, and those who wait and worry for them.
* Our church family members in nursing homes, or who are homebound: Edith Hansen, Nancy Jones, Mary Miller, Averill Kilbourne, Alva Peloquin, Ruth Butwell
* Kelly Mehler—we celebrate that his cancer is in remission!
*Randy Osborne and wife, Melissa. Randy has been diagnosed with tonsil cancer
*Annie Sims’ sister, suffering from breast cancer
* We are overjoyed with Steve and Sandy Bolster as they welcome twin grandchildren into the world: Sylvie and Ian were born six weeks early but are growing well!
* For the Watson/Gravel family and for these friends and family who are in need of support: Sheri Gravel whose brain cancer has returned this week; for Diane Barber (dear friend of the family) with stage 4 pancreatic cancer and for her husband and 12 yr old daughter. For Muse’s 90 yr old aunt Lib, who had internal bleeding last week in New Orleans, and for Cole, Sophie’s lifelong friend who is gravely ill.
* For Andy Blyth as we continue to remember the death of his sister last week.
* For the family of Margaret Durham who passed away on June 17. Services will be here at Union church on July 19 (Sunday), at 3 pm.
* For ET, Donna, and Peg: all family and friends of Judy Singleton and all facing serious illness.
* Our Youth at passport camp (they left this morning); Kent and Rachel in Cleveland at UCC National Conference
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.
Tonight! Sunday Evening Hymn Sing! June 28 7:00 pm-8:30 pm ~ Cowan Chapel (All Ages Welcome!) Like to sing, just for fun? Once a month this summer, we will gather for a “traditional” hymn-sing led by the Union Church music staff. Please turn in a list of your five favorite hymns from the Black or Red Hymnbook one week before each Hymn Singing (deadlines: July 19 & August 16). Hymn sings will be Sundays July 26 & Aug. 23.
Our kids are at camp this week! Send them a note that will arrive before July 4th here: Camper Name, Church/Group Name PASSPORT at Greensboro College 815 West Market Street Greensboro, NC 27401
Rev. Kent and Rev. Rachel are away this week attending the United Church of Christ General Synod in Cleveland, OH. You can watch the worship services live on the web by going to www.ucc.org. You’ll find a full list of the events, too. See if you can catch a glimpse of our pastors!
Transportation needed: Can you pick up someone at the Louisville airport on July 7? Call Les Pross, 986-3056, for details.
Thanks to everyone who participated in the church work day yesterday! The Properties Board is so grateful for all the help and expertise! Our intent is to remove the dead and dying trees and reshape the landscaping as soon as possible. New trees will be planted as our landscape plans emerge.
Summer Choir – No Robes ~ No Stairs ~ No Commitment! Sundays: July 5, 12 & 26, 9:15 am , Sanctuary Adults and youth are welcome to participate in Summer Choir for any or all of the Sundays we sing. No commitment is expected. Just show up for rehearsal at 9:15 on the days you wish to participate.
We will rehearse a new anthem each of these Sundays which will then be shared at the 10:30 am worship service that morning, from the sanctuary floor so that this opportunity may be accessible to all.
Survive or Thrive – Trade Simulation Game June 29 – Recently in the news, we have been hearing about trade agreements and Fast Track legislation and you might wonder how these apply to our principles
of justice and peace both locally and internationally? Does the topic seem too big, too far away and too complicated? The Trade Simulation Game is designed to bring these issues to life through stories from our global partners. Each participant assumes a character in four trade stories loosely based on real scenarios. The characters share their realities with others and work together to understand the role of trade agreements and the people impacted by these agreements. Discussion focuses on how we can respond on behalf of the poor and the environment, both locally and internationally. The game is an interactive, fun way to learn about this important issue.
We will play the Trade Simulation Game on June 29, 2015 at 7-9:00 pm at Berea’s Madison County Public Library Community Room. All are welcome and if you are interested in more information on the Trade Simulation Game, please contact Gina Chamberlain at jakeberea @yahoo.com.
“ABLE” (Achieving and Building Life Equally). Are you interested in joining together to create a Berea support group for those of us who self-identify as differently or uniquely able, or identify as disabled? This includes anyone who may be coping with a chronic or long-term illness, or dealing with an injury or illness that impacts daily life. If interested, let’s meet on July 15, 2015 at 6:00pm in the Community Room. This could become a regular get together, an opportunity for friendship and sharing in a confidential setting.
We, in ABLE, work hard to be strong and fearless. We succeed in life with creativity. We are not ‘less than;’ we are equal in the world.
Understanding & Responding to Dementia-Related Behavior. Behavior is a powerful form of communi-cation and is one of the primary ways for people with dementia to communicate their needs and feelings as the ability to use language is lost. However, some behaviors can present real challenges for caregivers to manage. Join us to learn how to decode behavioral messages, identify common behavior triggers, and learn strategies to help intervene with some of the most common behavioral challenges of Alzheimer’s disease. The program will take place on Wednesday, July 15th from 1:00pm-3:00pm at the Madison County Public Library located at 507 West Main Street, Richmond. Registration is required; please call 1-800-272-3900.
Free Lunch at the Public Library through August 11!! Monday—Saturday 12—1 for those 18 years old & under. Super Snack Sundays from 1-2 pm, all ages. No sign up required, just come and eat!
Church Bazaar, Sat. August 29!Mission and Service Board NEEDS:
1. Stuff to sell; priced and brought to bazaar closet (no clothing or old tvs, please)
2. Good people to again volunteer to HELP. (many ways to help)
3. DO NOT NEED: EXCUSES when someone from MSB calls. Important event to support lot of good causes! (Being dead or out of town are acceptable excuses) Thanks, from the Mission & Service Board.
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