Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the
Church of Christ, Union
Fourth Sunday of Lent
March 26, 2017 10:30 am
Meditation
“There are many things that can only be seen through eyes that have cried.”
—Oscar A. Romero
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 Toccata in D minor, BWV J.S. Bach
¨ Call to Worship
One: A quiet place… a place to be fed, not fed upon… a place in the presence of all that is, of all that yet might be.
All: We gather in the presence of our worst enemies: time, money, work, struggles, worries for young and old, self-doubt, and all the dangers unforeseen.
One: In the midst of all this, God sets a table.
All: In the midst of all that, we live here.
One: We come to rest and revive, friends. We come not lambs to the slaughter, but sheep of God’s tending. Let us worship God together in the peace afforded to all.
¨ Opening Hymn All Who Love and Serve Your City Charlestown
¨ Prayer of Approach and Confession
[in the silence, close your eyes, and when ready and able, open them.]
One: You are invited to close your eyes at the beginning of this prayer.
Let us pray:
All: We have too often been too blind, Lord, to see what is right in front of us. Ignoring your healing mercy we turn a blind eye to our own faults and failures.
More concerned with pride of place and reinforcing our pre-approved beliefs, we overlook the good, the great, the Godly, in others so that we can remain unchallenged.
Today we pray for you to wipe the spit and mud from our eyes to see clearly, to love deeply, to seek truly the love you have for us and for all. Forgive us and help us learn to come into the light fast, and more often than we have. Amen.
¨ Words of Assurance
“Kyrie eleison” and “Christe eleison” is Greek for “Lord have mercy” and “Christ have mercy.” Through Lent we will sing these ancient Christian petitions as we immerse ourselves in the mercy of God, working for the healing of all.
¨ 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 Lead Me, Lord arr. John Courter
Union Church Choir
- Lead me, Lord, lead me in your righteousness, make your way plain before my face. For it is you, Lord, You Lord, only Who makes me to dwell in safety.
- Lead me, Lord, lead me through your holy will; Make your way known before my face. For it is you, Lord, dearest, fairest Savior Who gives me the strength to follow you.
- Lead me, Lord, through earth’s darkened valleys; Show your face before my eyes. For, Lord, without you there would be no life. Guide us, dear Lord, lest we all be lost.
- Lead my, Lord, Jesus, kindest Savior, Please be my guide through all my days. For it is you, Lord, Wonderful Savior Who gives me the peace that calms my heart.
- Hear my prayer; hear my supplication, Lord. Teach me the way to follow you. You know my heart, Lord; Know my ev’ry thought, Lord; Encompass me round with your loving arms.
Epistle Lesson Ephesians 5:8-14
The apostle Paul expounds on what it means to “live in the light.”
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.
Sung Psalm 23 Merry Kay Winter, cantor p. 633
The Psalms were originally musical compositions. During Lent we will pray the psalms in musical form with congregational responses. Please sing the response when invited.
Gospel Lesson John 9:1-41
Jesus heals a man who was blind from birth, thus provoking a controversy about sin and sinners.
Sermon The Open and Shut Case of the Blind Leading the Bland 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 Fantasy on “Kingsfold” arr. H.D. Wagner
Union Church Handbell Ensemble
¨ Doxology
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 for 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 Open My Eyes, That I May See Open My Eyes
¨ Benediction & Sending Forth
¨ Benediction Response We Are Many Parts M. Haugen
Those who are able & willing are invited to form a circle outside the pews as we sing the Benediction Response together.
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 the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia and our brothers and sisters at Liberty Avenue Full Gospel Church in your hearts, and pray for them.
Please also hold these concerns in your prayers, today and throughout the week. Prayer requests to be printed may be sent to the office anytime before 10:00 am Fridays.
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes, or who are homebound: Ruth Butwell, Edith Hansen, Mary Miller, Alva Peloquin, Gloria VanWinkle.
¨ In thanksgiving and recognition of women and the gift, wisdom, and strength they are and have been to Christ’s ministry throughout history. We celebrate Women’s History Month and pray with our actions in hope that all women may be respected, healthy, safe, educated, equal and empowered.
¨ John McWilliams, recovering from his automobile accident, resulting in a broken spine, at Cardinal Hill
¨ Loretta Mountjoy, recovering at home after hospitalization for heart infection.
¨ Dodie Murphy, at home
¨ The Bolster family in the recent death of Steve’s mother and Sandy’s brother. May peace and comfort surround them.
¨ The many suffering from viruses and illness of all kind. May God speed recovery and prevent the spread.
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! Community Life & Growth and Properties Boards are our lunch cooks today $5 donation if able. Right after worship in the Community Room. As has become a Union Church tradition, lunch following worship will be served during Lent through April 2. The members of the various Boards collaborate to prepare lunch for each week.
Next week’s cooks: Pastoral Relations and Finance Boards
Today—Black Music Ensemble Concert at First Christian Church! 3 pm.
Tuesday – noon. Danforth Chapel will have a special emphasis on the arrival of the Heritage Edition of the Saint John’s Bible to the Berea College Campus. David Allaway, Director of the Heritage Program will be the special guest, and the Folk Roots Ensemble will provide special music. Also, there will be a public viewing of all 7 volumes of the Bible from 3-5 pm in Hutchins Library.
StoryCorps of Faith Wed, March 29, 6:30-8:00pm, Community Room StoryCorps is a national project to inspire and instruct people to record each others’ stories in sound. Join Grace Todd McKenzie and Jenny Hobson as they lead us in this program. Bring someone you’d like to interview about faith, or we can pair you up with someone. You’ll get a video at the end to take home! If you have your own smart device, please bring it. If not, we will have a few iPads.
Berea College Empty Bowls Wednesday, March 29th. At WNL here at Union, OR at Woods-Penn Commons on Campus. ALSO: Bread for the World Offering of Letters is Wednesday’s program. In exchange for $10, you will receive a simple meal of soup and bread in a ceramic bowl made by Berea College ceramics student volunteers and community members. You keep the bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world. Proceeds will go to local food banks. Event is co-sponsored by Berea College CELTS (Center for Excellence in Learning through Service), Dining Services, Ceramics Students, and Craft Education and Outreach Programs.
Healing Through Art Retreat Friday, March 31st, 6pm-9pm; Saturday, April 1, 8am-6pm $20 Materials fee suggested, but no one is turned away for lack of payment. This is not an overnight retreat. Childcare can be arranged if known at least a week in advance.
There are things that art can speak that no words ever can. Join Bob Boyce, Michelle Hayden, Les Small Stokes, and Rev. Rachel in the creation of mobiles and discussion of the ways love does (and doesn’t) work in families. We will meet Friday night for potluck, opening reflections and planning out our pieces, and Saturday we will work together in the fellowship hall and share our creations.
On Sunday, April 2 at 2:30 p.m., the Berea Classic Chorale will present its spring concert entitled “For the Healing of the Nations: Songs of Peace and Justice.”
The music for this concert, sacred and secular, reflects the need for understanding, peaceful action and the call for justice among all people. Traditional sacred texts, such as Kyrie Eleison and Dona Nobis Pacem are set to music by contemporary composers. “Song for Everyone” and “The Prayer of the Children” are poignant pieces that challenge us to be inclusive in our outlook. The program also includes the music of American composers, Randall Thompson, Dan Gawthrop and David Cherwien. The audience will be invited to participate on the closing pieces of the concert. The concert will be held in the sanctuary.
The Berea Classic Chorale is an adult ensemble of singers from the Berea community, conducted by Larry Brandenburg and accompanied by Terri Bradley. Admission to concert is $5.00 per adult, while children and students may attend free. Tickets are available from Chorale members and at the door. There will be a reception held in the church parlor immediately following the concert. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Dances of Universal Peace Sunday, April 2, 5 at pm, Community Room. Join a worldwide movement for peace through dance. Led by Carla Gilbert, the gathered group will be taught sacred steps from around the world, sharing as we do in prayers of peace and harmony. Created by a Sufi teacher and Zen master, the Dances set scriptures and sacred phrases from the world’s spiritual traditions to music and movement. They invoke an embodied sense of unity, presence and compassion, and touch the spiritual essence within ourselves.
Good Friday, April 14, 8 pm, Jesus Christ Superstar FREE CONCERT at Union Church Motherlodge Live Arts Exchange has been programming community-driven performance events in Kentucky and New York City since 2009. Local singers and musicians from the community will join the “Motherlodge House Band” to perform the music to Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s musical Jesus Christ Superstar. The event will be free and open to the public.
Members of the community of Union Church and Motherlodge are hosting a crowdfunding campaign to cover the costs of this event and make it free to the people of Berea, Kentucky. Donations will pay for transportation, food costs, production supplies, performance rights, musician stipends, and the printing of programs. Donation page:
https://www.fundingworks.com/motherlodge/campaigns/71
Motherlodge is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions for the charitable purposes of Motherlodge must be made payable to “Fractured Atlas” only and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
Scam Alerts Available! Attorney General Andy Beshear met with Rev. Kent (as president of the Kentucky Council of Churches) to enlist the help of churches in fighting phone and computer scams that prey on Kentucky seniors and families. For free text alerts and help if you’ve been the victim of a scam go to: http://ag.ky.gov/scams/ or Text “KYOAG” Scam to GOV311 (468311). 7000 people have signed up for text alerts so far, and our goal is 20,000. We’ll be printing a list of known scams here in the bulletin too!
We Need YOUR PICTURE for a New Church Directory! If you’ve got a photo you’d like to use, please send it to the office. Also — if there’s a chance we don’t have your address, phone, email address, anniversary, or birthday(s)—please send that info on as well: office@union-church.org. There will be a draft available in the office for you to check and correct if needed. If we left you out — we don’t mean to!! Please add your info! Also, if you happen to know that someone has moved or attends church elsewhere, let us know that too.
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