A Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the

Church of Christ, Union

First Sunday after Pentecost

June 7, 2015, 10:30 am

Meditation
This [Self] is never born, nor does It die, nor after once having been, does It go into non-being.  This [Self] is unborn, eternal, changeless, ancient.  It is never destroyed even when the body is destroyed.

                                            — Bhagavad-Gita

From there to here

Prelude     Safe and Sound    Serenity Lamb, Andrew Breakall, Erica Hellard  

*  Call to Worship 
One:     We gather to give thanks to You, O God,
All:      with all our hearts!
One:     We will sing Your praises before all creation,
All:      and rejoice in Your steadfast love!
One:     You have created us O God, and made us for Yourself,
All:      In You we become everything You have made us to be!
One:     Hallelujah!
All:      Amen!                                                                             from Psalm 138
* Opening Hymn #408 Black  All My Hope on God Is Founded   Michael
*  Prayer of Approach & Confession
One:     Gracious God, we confess what seems always with us:
All:      broken things that seem never to mend, empty places within us that seem always to ache, things like buds within us that seem never to flower. O God of love and grace, help us accept ourselves; lead us to do those good and true things that are not compromised by anything within us. As much as can be, mend us, fill us, make us bloom.  For all these things, we will give you the glory, our creator, redeemer, and sustainer. Amen. 
*  Words of Assurance 
One:     How we love to hang on to the past! We get all tied up remembering, keeping count, bearing grudges.  God doesn’t.  Your past is accepted. Let it go. Live in the freedom God hands to you afresh each day.
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    Hymn of Promise        Natalie Sleeth              Union Church Summer Choir

In the bulb there is a flower; in the seed, an apple tree; in cocoons, a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free! In the cold and snow of winter there’s a spring that waits to be, unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.
There’s a song in every silence, seeking word and melody; there’s a dawn in every darkness, bringing hope to you and me. From the past will come the future; what it holds, a mystery, unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see. Alleluia!
In our end is our beginning; in our time, infinity; in our doubt there is believing; in our life, eternity, in our death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory, unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.
Epistle Lesson                  2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1
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 3:20-35
Sermon     Stockpile of Glory  Rev. Rachel Small Stokes

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              Take Me Down to the Water  Serenity Lamb, Andrew Breakall, Erica Hellard

*  Doxology              Avery/Marsh

Sharing God’s love in Communion

*  Invitation to Communion
One:     May the God of steadfast love be with you!
All:      And also with you!
One:     Sisters and brothers of Christ, lift your hearts to God.
All:      We open ourselves to the One who fills us with grace.
One:     Beloved of the Lord, sing glad praises to God.
All:      Songs of wonder are offered to our God.
Communion Hymn #499 Black     Pues Si Vivimos           Pues Si Vivimos
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
Communion Prayer                      by Thom Shuman
One:     Catching a glimpse of goodness and beauty, you shattered the stillness of chaos with your imaginative Word, your Spirit of faith moving, transforming, shaping, creating. What had not been seen before sprang forth: suns and moons spinning in the galaxies, rivers racing one another to the seas, gentle grains whispering in the breeze.
One:     This garden of wonders and hopes were shared with those you created in your image, but we wanted to do things our way and forsook you for the temptations offered to us by sin and death. You would not forsake us and sent the prophets to us with words of hope and grace, but we rejected their words as having no meaning for us. Your love was steadfast and your faith for us did not diminish as you sent Jesus to call us back to your heart.
One:     With those whose faith is strong and firm, with those who struggle to believe, with all of every time and place, we sing our songs of thanksgiving to you :
Communion Sanctus                   please join in singing:
Words of Institution
One:    You are holy, God of hope and forgiveness, and Jesus Christ is your love made human. He could have come to divide us, but came that we might be one with you and with our sisters and brothers.
One:     He could have come to judge us, but came to pull us out of harm’s way.
One:     He could have come to defy us, but came to reject Death and sin’s claim on us, defeating their power once and for all.
One:     You surround us with your care, stretching out your hand upon those gathered in this place, your Spirit transforming ordinary gifts into sacred grace and hope.
One:     We remember that on the night before he died, Jesus sat at table with his friends, took bread, blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to them, saying:
All:      “Take and eat,
One:     this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
One:     After supper he took the cup of wine and, after giving thanks, gave it to them and said,
All:    “Drink this, all of you:
One:     this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for you and many for the forgiveness of sins.  Do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
One:     God of the new covenant, bless these gifts of bread and juice. As we take them into our bodies, may inner natures join with yours, and may we allow our outer natures to reveal all of that goodness. Amen.
Serving One Another
All who seek the love of God are welcome at this meal 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.
If it is not your tradition to receive, you are invited to join in prayers for the unity of the Spirit and all people, within your tradition.
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 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.

From Here to There

*  Closing Hymn     Who Is My Brother, Who is My Mother           Fred Pratt Green
*   Benediction & Sending Forth    
Postlude (please be seated)         Aeolian Fanfare          C. Callahan
_____________________________

*   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 Botswana and Zimbabwe and our brothers and sisters at Silver Creek 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.
* The victims of recent flooding in Texas and Oklahoma
* 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!
* Please join the Orwig family and friends as we honor the life of Jim Orwig, a 60-year member of Union Church, on June 11, at 11 am. All are invited to join the family for lunch after the service.
* The family and many friends of Michelle Tooley, who entered the wider life on May 26. Her life will be celebrated at a service on June 16, at 11 am.
* Susie Ritchie, Patty Tarter and their family, at the death of their aunt, Jean Ritchie at 92. Her life will  be celebrated at a service here today, at 4:00 pm. Visitation 2-4, also in the main sanctuary
* Randy Osborne and wife, Melissa. Randy has been diagnosed with tonsil cancer
* Annie Sims’ sister,  suffering from breast cancer
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.
 June 13, 3:00 pm, Sanctuary, Organ Recital by Gabe Evans The Berea College Alumni Association is hosting an organ recital by Gabriel Evans, commemorating the five year anniversary of John Courter’s passing. John served as college organist and carillonneur for 39 years and was the organist at Union Church.
Gabe will play hymn variations composed by John and other organ selections.
Vacation Bible School is coming, NEXT SUNDAY June 14-17, 5:30-8:00 each evening! We will begin with a snack supper, then kids will learn with hands-on activities about Under Construction: Building a Community, from Habitat for Humanity. Teens and Adults will explore Images of Home: A Writing Project. Register on-line now at union-church.org under Programs.
Want to help make VBS happen? If you want to help out with the kids program, talk with Jack Marshall or Rev. Rachel. You can also help spread the word in our community through flyers, word-of-mouth, or facebook as this is an important outreach for us. You can also donate to sponsor a kid – with the suppers VBS costs us about $10/participant and we don’t ask visitors to pay. Just indicate on your donation it is for VBS.
Office Help needed: Joan English, Office Administrator, is going away June 18-23. If you can spare some time to staff the office, we’d sure appreciate it!
June 20 Burger Bash/Pool Party: Everyone is invited to celebrate VBS and enjoy fellowship at the Burger Bash/Pool Party, Saturday, June 20th, 5=9 PM at the Berea pool and nearby pavilion. Please bring a side dish or dessert to share and you swim suit!
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!

Summer Choir – No Robes ~ No Stairs ~  No Commitment! Sundays:  June 21, 28, 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.

 It’s wedding season! The Union Church family is invited to attend two joyous celebrations in June!

Christine Ward & Teri Van Pelt

June 20, 2:00 pm

Cowan Chapel

Reception to follow in the Community Room

RSVP to Christine at 859-358-6857

 

Elizabeth Grace Spencer & Luke Gabriel Erlandson

June 26, 6:30 pm

Sanctuary

Reception to follow in the Community Room

RSVP to Lizzy at 859-868-7135

Luke 859-779-9838