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

Third Sunday after Pentecost

June 5, 2016 10:30 am

 
Meditation
Healing is not an overnight process, it is a daily cleansing of pain, it is a daily healing of your life.
—Leon Brown

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  Prelude and Fugue in C Major J.S. Bach
*  Call to Worship    
* Opening Hymn #551 Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior Pass Me Not
*  Prayer of Approach   
One: Faithful God, you draw near to us in our joy and in our grief, in our hope and in our despair. When we are bowed down, you raise us anew. We turn to you now in search of your healing touch. God of compassion and love, move among us this hour. Open our eyes, dispel our fears, and show us the real life you have to offer. We confess, O God, that the burdens which weigh us down also narrow our vision.
All: Fear of scarcity makes us focus on our own survival.
One: We regard strangers with suspicion and find it difficult to share.
All: We speak words that we regret and keep silent when we need to speak.
One: Weariness and discouragement sap our energy and our faith. We wonder how there could be good news that is not of our own making.
All: We, whom you call to be an Easter people, are in need of resurrection.
* Words of Assurance
One: In the person of Jesus, God invites us to discover the freedom and new life that God offers us. God’s forgiveness heals us. God’s grace dispels our weariness and discouragement. God’s love clears our vision. God’s compassion lifts our burdens. We are healed and  made new!
All: Thanks be to God!  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 With Music I Will Praise Thee   Natalie Sleeth Union Church Summer Choir

1. With music I will praise Thee, and magnify Thy Name. With melody in measure, Thy Goodness, Lord, proclaim; with note of golden trumpet, with flute and tuneful string, my song of adoration to Thee I’ll sing. Alleluia, sing alleluia, now let us sing! With flute and lute and sound of tuneful string, sing alleluia and praises bring!
2. With anthems of Thanksgiving, and notes of harmony, I’ll sound my Alleluias, most gracious God to Thee; for Thou art my Creator who gave me voice to sing, so unto Thee forever my praise I’ll bring. With music I will praise Thee and magnify Thy name. With melody in measure, Thy goodness, Lord, proclaim! With note of golden trumpet, with flute and tuneful string, my song of adoration to Thee I’ll sing!

Hebrew Scripture Lesson 1 Kings 17:8-24
Children’s Moment
As the children return to their seats or move to children’s church, 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 7:11-17
Sermon        Stirring the Life Within Rev. Kent Gilbert

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 Our Christ Ascends T. Kendall
*  Doxology Avery/Marsh

Responding  to God’s Love in Communion

One: The Lord is here.
All: God’s Spirit is with us.
One: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them to the Lord.
One: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All: It is right to offer thanks and praise!
One: It is our great joy to give you thanks and praise, O God, creator and sustainer of the universe. We give you thanks for sun and sea and sky, for bush and birds, for phases of the moon, for stars at night, and planets in their courses. All you make is very good, and for all that stirs our life and the life within us,
All: we worship and adore you.
One: We give you thanks for our creation and our calling, for friendship and community, for love and laughter, for tears and pain of growth. For your gift of life and your will to heal and hold us, we praise you,
All: we worship and adore you.
One:   With all who stand before you in earth and heaven, from every culture, land and tongue, we praise you, giving voice to every creature, as we join the never ending hymn:
One: Blessed are you, most Holy, in Jesus Christ, who came among us as a servant and a friend. We thank you for that life of love, the good news you bring of unquenchable love, and the promise of a banquet where all your children shall be free. For your gift of Christ we praise you,
All: we worship and adore you.
One: Glory and thanks be to you, almighty God, because on the night before he died, your Son, Jesus the Christ, took bread; when he had given you thanks, he broke it, gave it to his disciples, and said:
All: Take, eat, this is my body which is given for you; do this to remember me.
One:      After supper he took the cup; when he had given you thanks, he gave it to them and said:
All:       This cup is the new covenant in my blood poured out for you; do this as often as you drink it to remember me.
One: Therefore, loving God, recalling now Christ’s death and resurrection, and remembering all the grace and good news offered to us, we ask you to accept this our sacrifice of praise. Send your Holy Spirit upon us and our celebration, that we may know life wider than our own and show love deepened with divine care. In your presence we are healed.
Adapted from Celebrating Eucharist by Bosco Peters
Serving One Another
All who seek the love of God are welcome at this table and are invited to freely receive from it.  By tradition, unfermented grape juice is used in the cup on Sunday mornings. 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. As you wait for your turn, and as you reflect on your communion, you are invited to sing with us.
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. Elements 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 with the Nurture and Care Board members or by contacting one of the pastors.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
One: Lord we are so very grateful for all that lifts and stirs us to greater life. By this meal, Strengthen us to make our work your work, to be healed of terrors within and without, and to be your body in the world. Unite us in Christ and give us your peace. For Christ’s peace, breathed upon us now,
All: we worship and adore you. Amen.

From Here to There

* Closing Hymn #487 Surely No One Could Be Safer Tryggare Kan Ingen Vara
*  Benediction & Sending Forth
Postlude (please  be  seated) Tuba Tune in D Major C.S. Lang
If you desire to receive prayers for healing of mind, spirit, and body, you are invited to come to the communion table during the postlude. If there are those who have mobility issues or difficulty standing, please assist them as needed and appropriate.
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 Malawi and Zambia and our brothers and sisters at the Vineyard in your hearts, and pray for them.
Please also hold these concerns in your prayers, today and throughout the week:
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 Malawi and Zambia and our brothers and sisters at the Vineyard in your hearts, and pray for them.
Please also hold these concerns in your prayers, today and throughout the week:
¨ Refugee families and individuals seeking shelter and safety, and all who are working to provide it: May God magnify our efforts.
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes, or who are homebound:  Edith Hansen, Mary Miller, Alva Peloquin, Gloria VanWinkle
¨ Rev. Rachel, recovering from surgery well, at home. She thanks everyone for the cards and prayers, still isn’t quite ready for visitors
¨ Terry Confer, facing surgery and treatment for cancer
¨ Kelly Ambrose and family
¨ Michelle Hayden’s mother, being cared for by hospice
¨ Judy Rowell, recovering from successful surgery for gum cancer
¨ Toby Wilcher, recovering from broken bones at home, and for Shane Wilcher
¨ Kim Claytor and family at the death of her father, Jim Crase
Prayers for healing will be offered after the service with annointing. Healing of mind, spirit, and body will be lifted for you in personal prayer. Please come to the communion table during the postlude. If there are those who have mobility issues or difficulty standing, please assist them as needed and appropriate.
Join the church next week! Union Church is a vital and growing family of faith, a home to those committed to the way of Christ’s sacrificial love and service. All who feel led to join will be received in joy! New members are received every second Sunday of a month. YOU are welcome here!
Lemonade on the Porch starts today! Stay for a few minutes after worship and share fellowship, welcome visitors, enjoy the beautiful weather! If you can bring snacks to accompany the lemonade, there is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board. Please sign-up if you can help! Many thanks from the CL&G Board.
Next week: Berea College Summer Reunion! Once again we will welcome alumni and alumnae from around the world to Sunday worship. Rev. Gail Bowman of the Campus Christian Center will be assisting in worship.
The lost & found table outside the office is piling up! Come take a look and see if there’s anything of yours. Tks.
Study & Reflect on the Psalms: All are welcome to join a group to read together and reflect upon the Psalms.  Our first meeting will be June 8th at 7 p.m. in the Union Church classroom when we will decide how often to meet. If interested please email Donna Eder at eder@indiana.edu or call 859-868-1142 For our first meeting we will read and reflect on Psalms 5 & 42.
Summer Music Opportunities
Choir: June 5, 12, 19 & July 3, 10, 17 – 9:15 am Adults and youth are welcome to participate in Summer Choir. No commitment is expected.  Just show up for rehearsal at 9:15am in the Sanctuary on the days you wish to participate.
We will learn an anthem, which will then be shared as part of the 10:30am worship service that morning. We will rehearse and offer our anthems from the sanctuary floor so that this opportunity may be accessible to all.
Handbells: June 12 & 19 and July 3, 10, & 17 – 10:00 am On each of these Sundays, anyone interested in ringing along with one of the hymns is welcome to join us in the sanctuary to rehearse.  We will read from chord charts instead of a musical score so that this opportunity may be enjoyed by ringers with any or no music reading experience!
41 kids were fed lunch here last week as part of the Summer Food Service Program! Many thanks to the generous stewardship of church family & friends for making our building available for the good of our whole community!
John G. Fee for young people! Debbonnaire Kovacs has learned that there is no children’s book about John G. Fee, and thinks there should be! She is running a 30-day Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to enable her to spend a year researching, writing, and illustrating a middle grade biography that will help educate young people about the anti-racist, anti-sexist, inclusive society Fee and  his colleagues envisioned, and for which we still work today.
If she does not reach her funding goal, she won’t get anything, so please check out the website, support her if you can, and let all your friends and networks know! You can either type in the following link, or simply go to kickstarter.com and type John Fee into the search box. Check out the cool rewards at various giving levels!
Volunteers needed: Volunteers at the Bluegrass Rape Crisis Center [BRCC] use their talents, interests and passion to advocate for and support victims of sexual violence. We are a committed community network of individuals striving to put an end to all violence; through service, education and intervention we work to show survivors that they are not alone.
Volunteer Roles Include:

• Answering our 24-hour crisis hotline from home.
• Advocating for victims of sexual violence in the emergency room.
• Providing information and resources to those affected by sexual violence.

You can make a difference. To find out how to get involved you can call 859-625-0213, email our Regional Coordinator, Emily McKenzie (emily.mckenzie @bluegrassrapecrisis.org) or visit www.bluegrassrapecrisis.org