What’s Going on Around Here?
Regular Union Church social/musical/educational events that YOU might be interested in. Call or email the office for details, and PLEASE let us know if we’ve missed something!
*Third Sundays of the month
1:30 pm, ShapeNote Singers, Parlor
*Third Tuesdays
7:00 pm Book Club
*Wednesdays
10 am Zoom Coffee Hour with the Pastor
1-4 pm Bridge
5:30 pm Open Table supper for all – NO charge!
6:15 pm Handbell Ensemble
*2nd Wednesdays
4:00 pm Psalm Study, Office Level
*1st & 3rd Wednesdays
6:30 pm “Theology in the Round”
*Thursdays
10:30 am Zoom Bible Study
5:30 pm Orchestra
6:30 pm Choir
*Fridays
9:00 am Meditation in Cowan Chapel
*2nd & 4th Saturdays
10 am Old Time Music Jam: play, sing, dance, or watch, listen & enjoy!
Today, March 15 – Union Church’s 173rd Annual Meeting after worship & lunch
April 8 – Special Event at Open Table – Watch for Details!!
Easter and Holy Week Events: Save These Dates:
· March 29 Palm Sunday, One Great Hour of Sharing offering
· April 2 Maundy Thursday Special Communion and Music Service
· April 4 Saturday – Easter Prep and Cleaning
· April 5 Easter Sunday!
Today is Pretzel Sunday! The pretzel was invented by European monks in the early Middle Ages, possibly in the 6th or 7th century to be served especially during Christian Lent. The monks used the pretzel’s distinctive knot shape to represent the Holy Trinity, with the three holes in the pretzel symbolizing the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The shape was also a reminder of a common prayer posture: arms crossed over the heart. Please enjoy both the pretzels and the symbolism on this Sunday, half-way through lent.
Annual Meeting with Soup and Salad After Church. All Welcome! The 173rd annual meeting of the congregation is open to all members and interested friends. Before we begin, please join us for a simple soup and salad luncheon, which will be followed by a meeting at 12:15pm, anticipated to last approximately 60 minutes. We will elect officers, review the previous year, and discuss upcoming ministry and mission!
Rev. Kent presented a special webinar for the national United Methodist Office of Church and Society special series “Ashes to Action: Lent as Non-Violent Resistance.” This 2 hour training detailed the Christian, faithful basis for non-cooperation with immoral, anti-democratic movements. A recording of the webinar can be found at www.resourceumc.org/en/content/lenten-webinar-series-ashes-to-action-lent-as-non-violent-resistance.
Jennifer Elam and Pastor Kent attended the 58th Annual Governor’s Prayer Breakfast in Frankfort this week. Governor Andy Beshear met with Pastor Kent during this time and sent greetings to Union Church and all in Berea. The Governor delivered an address on the worth and dignity of all persons and the role of faith in affirming those sacred values.
Speakers & Music at Berea United Methodist Church’s Lenten Lunches:
March 18 – Fr. Giorgi “Scriptures & Practices;” music by Brad Lewis
March 25 – Alma Rodriguez “Hope & New Life – La Experanza y Lavida Nueva;” music TBA
Open Table Community Meals Every Wednesday 5:30pm-6:30pm:“Open Table” is a “pay what you can” ($0-$$) meal open to anyone. . The food is great, the company is better, the hungry are fed, and we pray the love Jesus will be shown!
March 18 Menu
· Chicken Marbella
· Gnocchi w/Garlic and Spinach
· Rice
· Roasted Vegetables
· Peach Cobbler
March 21 Community Celebration Singing for Democracy: Free food, storytelling! March 21, St. Paul AME Church, 437 Francis St., Richmond. Sponsored by Kentuckians for the Commonwealth
Berea Victory Garden Blitz April 9-11! Call Sustainable Berea at 859-985-1689 to help or to order! sustainableberea.org
Free to the public: Summer Holmes, a mosaic artist from Ohio (and sister to Debbonnaire Kovacs) will be presenting a one-woman show of her work in the community room on Friday, April 10 from 5-10 pm and Saturday, April 11, from 2-7 pm. If you’d like to learn to do what she does, there will also be a Mosaic Class from 10-1:30 on the Saturday. $60 covers instruction and all materials, and participation is limited to 12, so register early by calling or texting 859-779-0793. Venmo, Zelle, or CashApp details are on the posters at the front and back doors or will be given when you call or text. Learn more about her work at holmesmadeart.etsy.com. 10% of all proceeds will be donated to Union Church.
Order Lilies for Easter! Order an Easter Lily to beautify the sanctuary for the Easter season! We’ll pick them up and keep them watered. You may dedicate your lily in honor or memory of loved ones. Please order by noon Wednesday, April 1, for inclusion in the Easter bulletin.
Judy Flavell is working on her Masters in Public Health. Can you help?
· Were you diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes before age 16?
· Are you 18 or older & fluent in English?
Email her at judy_flavell@mymail.eku.edu
New Blessing Box Installed… A new community “blessing box” honoring the life and service of Kelly Mehler has been installed near the accessibility ramp at the office entrance. The box provides a place to leave resources that anyone in the com-munity can take away for free. You can bring non-perishable food, snacks, toiletries, and more! In the summer a tray will be added for fresh produce that might help any neighbor in need. On the outside of the box we are providing free Naloxone (Narcan) to prevent opioid overdose deaths, thanks to a grant through the Mountain Association. Many thanks to Jeff Hutton, Jeff Melton for the design and construction, and to the properties board for helping install the blessing!
Matching Donations available! Let Hot Water Flow and Let Justice Roll Down! The Properties Board is responding to a need in Room 101, where we partner to care for unhoused neighbors. The sinks and hot water supply in Room 101 have not been functioning. Getting reliable hot water to them and replacing the aging fixtures and plumbing is estimated to cost $2000. A member of the congregation has volun-teered to match every contribution to see if we can meet this need! Checks can be made to Union Church with “Hot Water 101” in the memo, OR you can make a contribution online: Choose “Above and Beyond Giving” as the category, then put “Hot Water 101” in the memo box. Your gift will let us be safe, clean, and ready to serve others!
Harm Reduction Is Our Prayer In Action…Union Church is proud to be partners with the Madison County Health Department the Whitehouse Clinic, both whom have begun providing services at Open Table and to Room In the Inn guests. On Wednesdays, these agencies are providing medical care and harm reduction services in our parking lot available to anyone. The MCHD Mobile harm Reduction van provides safe needle exchange and disposal, disease testing, treatment information, naloxone supply and instruction, and a variety of other services. The Whitehouse Clinic provides free or low-cost walk up medical treatment for anyone, with or without insurance. Their Dental bus will also be making periodic visits. Any member of the congregation or community is welcome and invited to stop by to find out more!
There IS such a thing as a free lunch!!
Kentucky River Foothills invites everyone 60 and over to a FREE lunch every weekday at 11:30 with activities, stories and smiles with others!
¨ In Berea at the Berea Senior Citizens’ Center, 214 W. Jefferson St. Please call the day before to let them know you’re coming. To-go meals available too! 859-986-8350
¨ In Richmond at the Richmond Active Living Center, 801 Brighton Ave. 859-623-0474
Make Your Voice Heard!!!
This Bill Has Still Not Been Voted Upon in the Senate:
Important Medicaid Changes HB2 would make major changes to Kentucky’s Medicaid program, which covers about 1 in 3 Kentuckians. While some parts of the bill are aimed at improving access to care, HB2 also includes changes intended to bring Kentucky into compliance with the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act (BBB).
But the bill goes farther than the federal law requires in ways that impact ALL Medicaid members (including children, seniors, and people with disabilities).
By adding extra layers of paperwork and administrative rules, HB2 would create more state costs, strain caseworker capacity, and lead to avoidable coverage losses. To see more: https://tinyurl.com/HB2explainer
What you can do:
1. Call 800-372-7181 and ask to leave a message for your state Senator to…
· Align any changes to eligibility, paperwork, copays in HB2 with the very minimum required by federal law.
· Reserve as much state flexibility as possible for forthcoming federal guidance (it’s not even written yet!)
· Monitor these initial changes closely to better understand the impact on enrollment, use of services, and health outcomes so we can make DATA DRIVEN decisions about future reforms.
2. Sign on to the letter from Kentucky Voices For Health, a trusted partner of Union Church and the Kentucky Council of Churches: Here
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