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

Pretzel Sunday Fourth Sunday of Lent

March 15, 2015, 10:30 am

Meditation
The incarnation means therefore above all things that nothing—literally nothing—that happens in human life and in the world here and now can be regarded as having no relationship with God. The world is God’s and God is in the world.  All men and women are God’s people and God is in us all—God near us, God with us, God in us. Immanuel.

— Choan-Seng Song

From there to here

Welcome & Announcements
Prelude     Prelude and Fugue in E Minor           J.S. Bach
*  Call to Worship
One:     In this place, the community of faith is reminded of the promise:
All:      God’s love endures forever!
One:     In spite of our impatient grumbling, despite our attraction to the shadows:
All:      Christ’s light shines in us!
One:     When we think our hands our empty, when we have no music in our souls:
All:      the Spirit fills us with glad songs, and creates us for good works!  

by Thom Shuman

*  Opening Hymn #8 Black            Praise to the Living God         Diademata
*  Prayer of Approach & Confession  
One:     Too often we refuse to look honestly at our hurts, at the ways we wound others, at anything that makes us “less” in our own eyes. But in failing to look we also fail to change. With the strength of God’s mercy let s look deeply into those things we do that have brought harm. Let us pray for ways to change and live differently, in the light of God’s grace.
[silence is kept]
One:     Hear our prayers, O Lord, forgive us and renew us.
All:      Amen.
*  Words of Assurance
One:     Hear and believe the good news of the Gospel: God’s love endures forever. You can neither flee fast enough to escape it or go far enough to evade this love. Those who turn from sin and harm are forgiven and made new.
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    Ave Verum Corpus      W.A. Mozart
Union Church Choir
Ave, verum corpus natum de Maria Virgine, Vere passum immolatum in Cruce pro homine, Cujus latus perforatum unda fluxit sanguine, Esto nobis praegustatum in mortis examine.
Translation: Hail, true body born of the Virgin Mary, who truly suffered, sacrificed
on the Cross for man, whose pierced side overflowed with water and blood, be for us a foretaste in the test of death.
Hebrew Scripture Lesson                       Numbers  21:4-9
Children’s Choir Anthem          Lumen Christi             Jayne Southwick Cool

Jubilee and Joyful Noise Choirs

Lumen Christi, lumen Christi. The people who walked in darkness have seen a bright light. Lumen Christi, lumen Christi. The light has shone on those who lived in the land of great darkness.
There was a messenger from God and John was his name. Spreading the truth about the light was his claim to fame, for John was not that light; God sent him only to bear witness to that light.
Lumen Christi…
The real light, which shines on everyone, has come into the world–God’s own beloved Son. The light shines in the dark, and darkness cannot grasp the meaning of that light. Lumen Christi, lumen Christi, the light of Christ.
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 grades K-3 are invited to Children’s Church, which takes place in the chapel.  If this is your child’s first time attending Children’s Church, please accompany them to fill out a registration form.  Otherwise, children are welcome to follow volunteers to their worship spaces. For children preschool & under, care is available in the Nursery, downstairs off the Community Room. Please pick up your children in the Chapel after the service.
Psalm 107             p. 693 Black
The Psalms were originally musical compositions. During Lent we will pray the psalms in musical form with congregational responses. Please sing the response at the “R” when invited.
Gospel Lesson                  John 3:14-21
Sermon     On the Ground Looking Up    Rev. Kent Gilbert

Gifts given for Love to flow

Call to 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              Just As I Am, Without One Plea          Dale Wood
*  Doxology  Praise God from whom all blessings flow;    Old Hundredth
                  Praise God all creatures here below;
                  Praise God above, ye heavenly host:
                  Creator, Christ, and Holy Ghost. Amen.  

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 #605 Black          As Moses Lifted the Serpent Up          Morning Song
*  Benediction & Sending Forth
Postlude    Gigue  D. Wagner
———————————————
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 Myanmar and Thailand and our brothers and sisters at Grace 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.
* For the victims of violence everywhere, and especially under the influence of racial prejudice and simmering fear. Peace to those everywhere our madness reigns.
* Our church family members in nursing homes, or who are homebound:  Edith Hansen, Klara Welsh, Nancy Jones, Mary Miller, Averill Kilbourne, Alva Peloquin, Ruth Butwell, Kim Woolridge, Anne Weatherholt
* Kelly Mehler
* Mary K. Kauffman
* Larry Brandenburg and family, at the death of his cousin Rick Baker.
* Jack Carraway
* Michelle Tooley
 
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.
Lenten Lunch today: Pastoral Relations and Finance Boards will serve up a make-your-own taco bar with ice cream sandwiches for dessert. There are vegetarian and gluten free options too!  Suggested $5 or $15 for a family.  Next week: Mission & Service and Faith Development will team up.
Offering of Letters for Bread for the World (BFW) at Lenten Lunch today and WNL on March 18. Bread for the World is an advocacy organization working with Congress to eliminate hunger in the US and abroad. Union Church is a covenant member and annually participates in the Offering of Letters. This year’s theme is “Feed Our Children” and will emphasize the need to continue to fund and improve federal nutrition programs.
At today’s Lenten Lunch and March 18 Wednesday Nite Live, the Mission & Service Board will have information sheets, sample letters, letter writing materials, and envelopes and addresses for your Senators and Representatives in Congress. BfW encourages hand-written letters, which will be collected, counted, and mailed to DC.
Empty Bowls: At the March 18 Wednesday Nite Live you will also have the opportunity to participate in the campus “Empty Bowls” event, as there will be pottery bowls made by Berea College students to purchase for $10. All proceeds go to local Food Banks in our area.
Annual Meeting—Mark your Calendar! Union Church’s Annual  Meeting will be March 22, in the Community Room, after worship & lunch. Annual Reports will be available at lunch today, and as pdfs to your email address upon request, & posted on the website Monday.
Our Newcomers’ Meeting will be held on March 29 this month.
All are invited to a wake for Bob Moore on St. Patrick’s Day. Joan Moore will have a gathering of people to her home at 100 Wildflower Lane (just off of Wolf Gap Rd.: 1.2 miles down Wolf Gap on right) on St. Patrick’s Day March 17 at 6:30 p.m.  in memory of her father, Bob, who died in December. Just bring a dish to share and beverage of your choice if you like. The plan is to have a ceremony outside at 6:30 and then have a potluck dinner.
The National Gymnastics Team of Denmark will perform March 19, 7:00 pm at Seabury Center, Adults $10, students & kids, $5.
The Alzheimer’s Association will host a couple of events soon—the first is March 19, 1-3:30 pm,  “Living with Alzheimer’s for Caregivers: Late Stages”  at the Madison County Public Library, 507 W. Main, Richmond. Call 1-800-272-3900 to register. April 8, 2-4, they’ll host a similar program  on Early Stages.
Bluegrass Opera to perform here in Union Church’s sanctuary  on March 29, 7:30 pm !  Bluegrass Opera is thrilled to welcome the Easter season with the beautiful and uplifting oratorio King of Glory.  With text entirely from the Bible, the work combines unforgettable melodies and lush harmonies, all performed by some of Kentucky’s most talented singers (drawn from an area almost 200 miles wide). They promise to leave you with a tune in your head and a song in your heart, so reserve your tickets today! (Online at http://www.bluegrassopera.org/tickets.htm or call  859-940-9379). $20 adults, $10 students)
Can you bring someone(s) to church with you? A few Liberty Place women would like to start attending our Sunday worship. They need a ride from Richmond and back. Please be in touch with Dodie Murphy (859-2007277) if you can help.
The Faith Development Board needs your help! We are seeking donations of items for this year’s Easter Egg hunt for the children of the church. We have plenty of plastic Easter eggs . We do need Easter candy that will fit in the eggs (wrapped, please) and small items/toys that can go in the eggs as well. Stickers, erasers and stencils are items that have worked in the past.  If you can donate any of these items, please bring them to the church office between now and Palm Sunday. The youth group will be stuffing and hiding the eggs in the days before Easter. Thank you in advance for your generosity!