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

Third Sunday after Pentecost June 29, 2014, 10:30 am

Meditation

A story said to originate in a Russian Orthodox monastery has an older monk telling a younger one: “I have finally learned to accept people as they are. Whatever they are in the world, a prostitute, a prime minister, it is all the same to me. But sometimes I see a stranger coming up the road and I say, ‘Oh, Jesus Christ, is it you again?’”

—Kathleen Norris

From there to Here

Welcome & Announcements
Prelude     Variation on the Magnificat    Johann Pachelbel
*  Call to Worship
One:     Be still before the mystery of Life,  before your Creator who made it, before Jesus who said that he was Life, before  the Spirit who breathes life into us all,  before life as we see it in God’s good world.
All:      Gracious God, let us revere you in your gift of Life, and grant to our reverence, insight into your holy purpose.
 
One:     With praise and thanksgiving we open our lives to you.
*  Hymn #448 Black            Take My Life, God, Let It Be   Vienna
*  Prayer of Approach and Confession
One:    In a world of hard conflict and difficult choices we beg your forgiveness for choosing poorly in times of fear, crisis, stress. But these choices we can forgive in ourselves. We need your healing love and forgiveness all the more when we make choices that do not reflect our best self, or your best hope for your people.
All:      Forgive us when we have thought “acceptable losses,” and meant another person or their spirit. Forgive us when, even in the name of greater good, we have lashed out in fury. We cannot always help ourselves. We beg you to help us live better and live differently. Forgive us and help us surrender all that wounds to all that gives true and deep life. In Christ’s name we pray: Amen.
*  Words of Assurance
*  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  

Special Music       Make Me a Channel of Your Peace    St. Francis Prayer
Judy Royalty, soprano
Make me a channel of your peace. Where there is hatred let me bring your Love.
Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord, and where there’s doubt, true faith in You.
Make me a channel of your peace. Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope. Where there is darkness, only light, and where there’s sadness, ever joy.
Oh, Master grant that I may never seek so much to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love with all my soul.
Make me a channel of your peace. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, in giving of ourselves that we receive and, in dying, that we’re born to eternal life. Amen.
Hebrew Scripture Lesson                       Genesis 22:1-14
Children’s Moment    
As the children return to their seats, we sing:
Gospel Lesson                  Matthew 10:40-42
Sermon                 True Tests and Terrors            Rev. Kent Gilbert

Being and Becoming One

 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 Prayer and Prayers of the Community
Our Lord’s Prayer   
One: Our Maker, our Mother,
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.
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  On Eagle’s Wings       Michael Joncas
Judy Royalty, soprano
Refrain: And he will raise you up on eagle’s wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you to shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of his hand.
1. You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord, who abide in his shadow for life, say to the Lord: “My refuge, my rock in whom I trust!”
2. The snare of the fowler will never capture you, and famine will bring you no fear: under his wings your refuge, his faithfulness your shield.
3. You need not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, though thousands fall about you, near you it shall not come.
4. For to his angels he’s given a command to guard you in all of your ways; upon their hands they will bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.
*  Doxology              Avery/Marsh

From here to there

*  Closing Hymn #427 Black          God Made from One Blood    St. Denio
*  Benediction
*  Blessing the Way of Rich and Judy Royalty
With deep feeling, we commend you to your life and work in other places, taking with you our strong support and sincere prayers.    
All:      Go forth into the world!
Piano Side:   In peace!
Bell Side:      In love!
Piano: To teach!
Bell:                To learn!
All:      Go forth into the world!
Piano:            To preach!
Bell:    To pray!
Piano: To heal!
Bell:     To comfort!
All:      Go forth into the world!
Piano: To build!
Bell:     To plant!
Piano:            To grow!
Bell:     To thrive!
All:      Go forth into the world to love and serve the Lord.
Postlude    Prelude in G Major     J.S. Bach
____________________________

*  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 Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay and our brothers and sisters at Berea Church of Christ in your hearts, and pray for them.
Please also hold these concerns in your prayers, today and throughout the week:
* Our church family members in nursing homes:  Edith Hansen, Klara Welsh, Bernice Robertson, Nancy Jones, Mary Miller, Virginia Piland, Averill Kilbourne, Ann Thomasson
* All those grieving the loss of those they have loved
* Charlie Smithson, Paul’s brother, battling multiple myeloma.
* Bob Moore, Joan Moore’s father, for peace as he approaches the end of his life
* Eddie Kennedy, recovering from heart valve replacement surgery, now at home
* Alva Peloquin, released from the hospital and now residing at The Terrace
* Cadence Perman and her family, as she recovers from surgery
* Janet Dailey-Hosp, who had a lung transplant on June 11, and the early recovery is going very well.  Prayers also for the generous family that turned their tragedy into new life for others
* Barbara Frederiksen, healing well after her sudden surgery in March
* Travel mercies to Nick, Rusti, Daniel and Alex Mullins as they travel on the Breaking Clean Tour, teaching about mountain top removal. They were most recently in Boston!
* The Orwig family, at Elizabeth ‘s death  on Thursday night. A service will be held  here in Berea  at a later date.
From the Worship Board: Coming soon, Sunday worship in Cowan Chapel! While the sanctuary flooring is being renovated, (update — this will be in August, dates to be announced) services will be held in the Cowan Chapel. Because the chapel is small, There will be TWO services per Sunday, one at the usual 10:30 pm and one at 7:00 pm. We encourage those who like to “sleep in” to attend the evening service. More details to follow.
The Worship Board is happy to announce the hiring of Gabriel Evans as our new Director of Music Ministries.  Gabe will be our organist and choir director beginning in July.  Shirley Carlberg will continue to direct the Bell Choir.
Art display – St. Joseph Berea Hospital is pleased to present a large body of Michelle Hayden’s work in the halls and in the new mammography center that opened this week. Her works will be on display through July 23. Michelle was the lead artist behind our Lent and Easter mosaic, which will soon be hung in Cowan Chapel.
Director of Music Ministries hired! The Worship Board is proud to announce the hiring of Gabriel Evans as our new Director of Music Ministries. Gabe is a native of Richmond, KY, and has most recently been choirmaster at a Presbyterian church in Winchester. He has 9 years of organ experience and 18 years as a concert pianist in addition to his choral skills. He will start July 1 and you can look for a more extensive bio in the “Consider” newsletter. Hooray!
Stay for Lemonade on the Porch!  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 continues through August.  Thanks in advance for your help. (And you are allowed to sign up more than once!!)
New members are received every Second Sunday of the month. Next opportunity will be July 13. YOU are very welcome here!  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.
Altar Flowers needed…..There’s a sign-up sheet on the back bulletin board to bring flowers for worship.  Nothing fancy needed—if you have something pretty in your garden, you are welcome to share.
Would you like to learn to operate the sound system? We have many friends and members who rely upon it and need a few more people to be trained to operate it. A person isn’t paid to run the sound system on Sunday mornings, but if you learn it — you can run it for weddings and be paid $100. Call the office and we’ll get you trained!
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”.
Dementia Education Program Series Monday, July 7, 2-4:30 pm, Madison County Public Library, Berea. Living with Alzheimer’s for Caregivers.  In the late stage of Alzheimer’s disease, caretaking typically involves new ways of connecting and interacting with the person with the disease. You will gather helpful information about resources, monitoring care and providing meaningful connections for the person with late stage Alzheimer’s If you or someone you know is affected by Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, it’s time to learn the facts. Registration required. Please sign up online or by calling the library.
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.