A Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the Church of Christ, Union
March 22, 2026 10:30 am Fifth Sunday of Lent
Meditation
“We may have forgotten her names, we may not answer when she calls ours, but in our bones we know her, we yearn toward her, we know she belongs to us and we to her.” ~ Clarissa Pinkola Estes
From There to Here: We Gather
Welcome
Welcome to this service of worship! 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! During the service, you are invited to rise in body or in spirit, standing or sitting, at points in the service marked “<>.”
Introit Roll Down Justice Mark A. Miller
There’s a voice strong and clear ringing out far and near,
“Let justice roll down! Let justice roll down!”
Like the rush of a stream comes a powerful dream,
Let justice roll down, justice rolls down!
Let the earth be restored, every soul be reformed
Let the healing renew, creation reborn!
Here in this sacred space, with the strength of God’s grace
Let justice roll down, justice rolls down!
Roll down! Roll down, justice!
Roll like an everflowing stream.
Roll down, justice!
Roll like an everflowing stream, roll down!
¨ Call to Worship Rev. Carla Gilbert, Reader
One: As long as there are for-profit prisons benefitting from incarcerating young brown and black men
All: God has work for us to do.
One: As long as the skies are too polluted and the water isn’t safe to drink in many towns
All: God has work for us to do.
One: As long as women are denied access to equal pay, corporate greed is draining the wages of the working class, affordable health care is beyond reach, and the cost of education is crippling a generation
All: God has work for us to do.
One: Holy and Living God, the list of those who are hurting, hungry, excluded, and oppressed is long.
All: May peace flow. Let justice roll.
One: Instead of feeling overwhelmed, may we be convicted in our call.
All: May peace flow. Let justice roll.
One: Remind us that we are called to invite the least and the unlikely.
All: May peace flow. Let justice roll.
¨ Hymn #530 God Our Author and Creator Jefferson
1. God our Author and Creator, in whose life we find our own,
make our daily witness greater, by our lives make your love known.
Help us show how love embraces those whom fear and greed downtrod;
in all yearning hearts and faces let us see a child of God.
2. Like those first apostles, Savior, give us strength to love and serve:
when our fainting spirits waver, fire our hearts and steel our nerve.
Teach us wisdom and compassion: bid our restless thoughts be still;
by your guidance help us fashion lives conformed unto your will.
3. Keep us faithful, Holy Spirit, help us bear the message true,
that at last all lands may hear it: “God is love; Christ died for you.”
Join our lives in mighty chorus till we come from every place,
with all those who went before us, to the fullness of God’s grace.
¨ Prayer of Approach and Confession
One: God has work for us to do, indeed. But if we are paralyzed by fears and doubts, trapped by our sinful acts, and thus cut off from God and one another, of what use can we be. And how shall we restore the bones of our own integrity? Let us confess together as we seek new life:
All: We know can be set free by your saving grace, God of bones and flesh, God of spirit and truth, but we confess how we are still bound by our pride and arrogance.
We seem unable to throw off the grave clothes of our habitual sin, finding them too comfortable to wear. We cling to our fears, for they are so familiar and make such good companions.
Yet, there in every corner of our lives, in every shadow we fear, into the cold embrace of death itself, you come, Steadfast Love. You prophesy to the dry bones of our past and breathe the promise of new life into all who seek it.
Break the bondage of sin and terror, and give us new strength and hope for the journey. Forgive us, and call us to new life through the love and sacrifice of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.
~Adapted by Kent Gilbert from a prayer by Thom Shuman
¨ Words of Assurance
One: You can put your hope in God, dear friends, for God offers us that love which never fades, that life which never ends. We wait for God,
All: and God does not fail us.
One: God’s mercy is ever green:
All: God’s hope, God’s love, and God’s grace are forever. Thanks be to God. Amen!
¨ Passing the Peace of Christ
All who come to this sanctuary are welcome companions on the journey of faith. Please turn to those nearest you and greet them with words of peace.
Word and Worship
Special Music God Has Work for Us to Do Mark A. Miller Union Church Choir
‘Til all the jails are empty and all the bellies are filled; till no one hurts or steals or lies, and no more blood is spilled: God has work for us to do. ‘Til God’s will is done and all things are made new, God has work for us to do!
‘Til age and race and gender no longer separate; and politics are free of greed and hate: God has work for us to do.
In tenement and mansion, in factory, farm and mill, in board room and in billiard hall, in wards where time stands still; in classroom, church, and office, in shops or on the street, in every place where people thrive, or starve, or hide, or meet.
By sitting at a bedside to hold pale, trembling hands, by speaking for the powerless against unjust demands, by praying through our doing, and singing though we fear, by trusting that the seed we sow will bring God’s harvest near: God has work for us to do!
Scripture Reading Ezekiel 37:1-14
The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews on you and will cause flesh to come upon you and cover you with skin and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”
So I prophesied as I had been commanded, and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them, but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.
Then he said to me, “Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them: Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves and bring you up from your graves, O my people, and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord when I open your graves and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act,” says the Lord.
~ New Revised Standard Version, updated
Children’s Moment as the children return to their seats we sing:
May God’s blessings 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.
Sung Psalm #130 p. 709
The psalms were originally musical compositions. During Lent we will pray the psalms in musical form. You are invited to sing the response when invited, at the “R” if using the hymnal.
Scripture Reading Matthew 25:31-46
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’
Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.’
Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You who are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels, for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’
Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment but the righteous into eternal life.”
~ New Revised Standard Version, updated
Sermon What You Know in Your Bones Rev. Kent Gilbert
Video Reflection
Living Prayer
Call to Prayer
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. Next week, let us hold the people of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania; and our siblings at Berea Evangelistic Center in our hearts, and pray for them today and throughout the week.
Ringing 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.
Embodied Prayer
You are invited to reflect and pray at the candle table. You may also choose to source the essential ingredient of solitude and private prayer, remaining with your own thoughts in your pew.
For Reflection: God Has Work for Us to Do: Faithful Disciples
Close your hand, making a tight fist. What do you need to give up during Lent to let justice roll down and prevail in your life, in your world?
Think about your fist as a symbol of the fear and skepticism that get in the way of believing that there is enough for all. What stifles your generosity?
Slowly open your hand, letting go of your doubt. Open to gratitude and a vision of generous abundance.
We come before you, Holy Caregiver, knowing that we hold onto what we have out of fear that we will come up short.
We forget to be grateful for the resources we have.
Forgive us and open us to your refreshing water of life.
Invite us to risk so that we might see your generous nature through this community.
Move us closer to compassion and courage
to speak up and stand up for what is right and good. Amen.
Offertory
A Chance for Generosity: easytithe.com/union
A community of caring relies on support. Your recurring or one-time donation will make a ministry of healing, justice, and teaching available to all in need.
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Your contribution is love made visible. Thank you!
¨ Doxology Kyrie No. 7 Taize
The words “Kyrie Eleison” are Greek for “Lord, Have Mercy.” Often also paired with the words, “Christe Eleison” (“Christ, Have Mercy”), they are some of the oldest known Christian prayers and have been said or sung in worship services of every tradition for nearly 2000 years. There are many musical settings of the Kyrie. This one is from the community of Taizé, France.
Silent Prayer and Prayers of the Community Rev. Carla Gilbert, Reader
Do you weep for us, Son of God? Do you see us when we are dead inside and let tears fall for all the broken dreams we had? Do you look at the bones of our being and think, “what happened?” Or can you still see the spark of life even when we think we are dying, dry, dead? Prophesy to us with your love, if you will.
Call to us in our graves, even. Lift our heavy hearts out of tombs of trauma, or coffins of our exhaustion. Knit your people and your people’s hearts together again! Give us integrity where we have frayed, and put muscle to what matters. We ask for our sake, of course. We need the hope you offer, and power we cannot muster ourselves. But we don’t ask for ourselves alone. By such life-giving grace we would offer ourselves in your service of mercy, compassion, love and justice.
Make us strong for this work, and we will follow in your way until no tear need be shed again. This we pray held in your arms and reaching to God as…
Our Lord’s Prayer
Our Maker, Our Mother, and Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; Thy kin-dom 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 kin-dom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
¨ Hymn #292 Breathe on Me, Breath of God Trentham
1. Breathe on me, Breath of God,
fill me with life anew,
that I may love the way you love,
and do what you would do.
2. Breathe on me, Breath of God,
until my heart is pure,
until with you I will one will,
to do and to endure.
3. Breathe on me, Breath of God,
stir in me one desire;
that every earthy part of me
may glow with holy fire.
4. Breathe on me, Breath of God,
so shall I never die,
but live with you the perfect life
of your eternity.
From Here to There
Community Connections
Announcements
We share opportunities for Beloved Community and ways to serve. Please see the listing of church & community events, prayers, and notices in the pages following the service.
Lighting the Justice Candle to Lead us Forth
“Spring is a very appropriate time to recognize an organization that has worked in Kentucky and Central Appalachia for 48 years to promote sustainable development, land stewardship, social justice, and healthy communities: Appalachia – Science in the Public Interest (appalachia-spi.org). ASPI offers free homesteading workshops on gardening, food preservation, animal husbandry, plant medicine, and land management.
With its main office in Mt. Vernon, Kentucky, ASPI also operates an educational facility at the Rockcastle River Wilderness Site, which includes a nature center and trails. The dedicated volunteers at ASPI work to improve their neighbors’ lives through education, mentoring, and fellowship.”
¨ Benediction
¨ Benediction Response Hold On Heidi Wilson
Our Prayers for Others
¨ JoAnn Russell, Reda Hutton’s aunt, facing several medical challenges.
¨ All the people of Ukraine for their safety and sovereignty. Prayers also that the government of Russia will turn to reason & respect for their own peoples’ lives as well as for Ukrainian families.
¨ Those in mortal danger in the war newly started in Iran. For the leaders of nations to set aside assassination and warfare in favor of just, diplomatic solutions to conflict.
¨ We pray for our country, and those who are directly affected by the actions and inaction of our government to address the needs of its people and the world.
¨ Our neighbors experiencing housing insecurity, homelessness and food insecurity.
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes or who are homebound: Dorie Hubbard, Susan Kramer, Hattie Parks, Alva Peloquin, Laura Robie, Theresa Scherf.
¨ Prayers of gratitude for the continuing recovery of Pamela Chabora (broken shoulder, clavicle, and arm) and Bob Boyce (intestinal surgery). Bob was discharged from hospital and rehab therapy on Friday.
¨ Brenda Chapman, recovering from surgery
¨ Randy Stone, recovering from surgery.
¨ Celebrations with Prayers of Joy!
Birthdays: TODAY! March 22 – Carla Gilbert, Jennifer Melton; 24 – Claire Garrett; 25 – Lynette Willis; 26 – Cron Carpenter, Don Cardwell; 27 – Judith Singleton; 31 – Colin Perman
Anniversaries: March 24 – Steve & Teresa Gowler; March 29 – Jerry & Gail Manning
If we haven’t got your important dates, let us know. We’ll help you get connected in FellowshipOne Go!
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