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

Third Sunday of Lent March 8, 2015, 10:30 am

Meditation
Anger is a mode of connectedness to others and it is always a vivid form of caring. To put it another way: anger is—and it always is—a sign of some resistance in ourselves to the moral quality of the social relations in which we are immersed….A chief evidence of the grace of God—which always comes to us in, with, and through each other—is the power to struggle and to experience indignation.

— Beverly Harrison

From there to here

Welcome & Announcements
Prelude     Prelude and Fugue in G Minor           J.S. Bach
*  Call to Worship
One:     The love of God shines on us…
All:    And the heavens are telling the glories of God.
One:    Come all who may to rest in steadfast love, to rise to justice and joy.

All:    The light of grace gathers in this sweet hour. Let us worship God together and be whole.

* Opening Hymn #505 Black         Sweet Hour of Prayer Sweet Hour
*  Prayer of Approach & Confession  
One:    At the center of the law is God’s love  –  that divine nonsense shown in becoming human for our sake; that weakness for us which defeats the strongest powers.  This love, this grace is of more value to us than all the stocks in our pension funds.  Let us open ourselves to such love as we open our hearts to confess our sins to God, and in the silence, be freed to be whole once more. 

[Silence is kept]
*  Words of Assurance 
One:     When brokenhearted prayers replace piety, when we seek wholeness through the One broken for us, then we remember we are saved by God’s powerful love, foolish as such wisdom may seem.
All:      We are healed, to bring healing to our world; we are strengthened in faith, to become spent for others; we are set free from our bondage to sin, so we may become servants of Christ. Thanks be to God.  Amen.

  -based on a prayer by Thom Shuman

*  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    You Who Understand  A. Oomen
Union Church Choir
You who understand the voiceless cry from all the mortal beings that we are, we call to You the name of a man, Jesus, the son of people your beloved. Never spoke a man as he, in him we understand your being and our own being. He is your word, he has fulfilled for us the ways of righteousness, a man for all. For his sake see us, together here. See all the mortal beings of the world.
Where our dead may be, their ashes flown, we ask You, would You know where they have gone? Why the poor and needy of the world, your dear ones, are destroyed without mercy; why we, the few possessing what belongs to everyone, should fail to do your word; why we should fail to build a world in peace and to create a place where justice reigns–
You who have told us what it means to live: do what is good, and free each other; You who have inspired us with this word, a source of strength and courage and of knowing; You who brought forth in each us the light, let not the darkness come to overpower us, You who have sought us out before we called You, You who have said to us that You will find us– we call to You the name of a man, Jesus, the son of people, your beloved.
Epistle Lesson                  1 Corinthians 1:18-25
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 19               p. 630 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 2:13-22
Sermon     Overruled and Upended         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             Jesus, Priceless Treasure        M. Burkhardt
*  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

Introduction and Invitation to Membership    
Union Church is a vital and growing family of faith, a home to those committed to the way of Christ’s sacrificial love and service. All who feel led to join will be received in joy, and are welcome to come forward during the Closing Hymn. Thanks be to God for these ministers among us.
*  Closing Hymn #436 Black          God of Grace and God of Glory         CWM Rhondda
Questions of the Congregation and New Members    
*  Covenant of Welcome               
And we, the members of this church, renewing our own covenant      to God and to each other, do now heartily welcome you to our fellowship, promising to watch over you in love, and praying that  you and we may be true witnesses for Christ, a light in the world,  and continue to increase in usefulness and joy in his service.
*  Benediction & Sending Forth
Postlude    Triumphal March        A. Witworth
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 Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Andorra, Monaco and San Marino  and our brothers and sisters at Gloryland 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, now home in Berea
* Larry Brandenburg and family, at the death of his cousin Rick Baker.
* the family of Sue Peterson Blyth, whose cousin was killed in an auto accident last week
* Jack Carraway, who was hurt in two falls last week
* Congratulations to the Rev. Dr. Jeff Pool. Monday, March 9 will be his 40th anniversary of Ordination. Jeff is the Eli Lilly Chair of Religion and Culture and Professor of Religion Berea College.
* Gratitude for the Berea College Facilities Management crew for their tireless work during this snowy weather!
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.
Join the church today! New members will be received today, March 8, and the second Sunday of every month. Our customary 4th Sunday info session will be held on March 29 this month, so as not to conflict with the Annual Meeting.
Lenten Lunch today: The     Com-munity Life & Growth and Properties Boards has prepared some yummy Italian pasta dishes! There are vegetarian and gluten free options too!  Suggested $5 or $15 for a family. Next week: Pastoral Relations and Finance Boards will serve up a make-your-own taco bar with ice cream sandwiches for dessert.
To Care is to Know! Church Finances 101 and 301 for all! Today after Lenten Lunch spend a little time getting to know how money fuels our mission at Union Church. The Finance Board will be leading two short orientations: Finance 101: What’s our budget and where does the money come from? Where does it all go? How can I know more? 301: More complicated topics like our long-term and permanent funds, investment policies, debt and capital campaign audits, etc. Pick your favorite or float between. Both meet in the community room after lunch!
Offering of Letters for Bread for the World (BFW) at Lenten Lunch on March 15 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 the March 15 Lenten Lunch and March 18 WNL, the M&S 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.
At the March 18 WNL 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.
Madison County KFTC Pie Auction: Saturday, March 14, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the Community Room – Join us for Madison County KFTC’s 5th annual Pie Auction fundraising event!  Finally, our Pie Auction lands on Pi(e) Day — 3.14.15! We’ll ask for a small donation for admission, $5 for adults, $3 for students, but no one will be turned away. Free admission with a homemade pie for the auction. We’ll have live music entertainment from Sam Rosolina. The auction itself will start around 8 p.m. and Kent Gilbert will be our lively auctioneer. It’s bound to be a great night. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer, please contact Beth Bissmeyer at bethbissmeyer@kftc.org or (859) 314-2044.
Annual Meeting—Mark your Calendar! Union Church’s Annual  Meeting  will be March 22, in the Community Room, after worship & lunch.  
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 need donations of plastic Easter eggs that can be taken apart and filled with items. We also need Easter candy that will fit in the eggs 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!
Lent Opportunities
Healthy Aging: Thriving in the Blue Zones Wednesdays, March 11th and 18th, 12-2pm, Fellowship Hall Curious about the lifestyle characteristics that contribute to abundant living and healthy aging? Learn how the healthiest elders in the world and the happiest communities in the world are doing it right. Join in this conversation about key characteristics of communities that support healthy growth across the lifespan. We will enjoy a light lunch of healthy and locally sourced food. This two-part event will include time for small group discussion about how our faith community can contribute to creating a community in which all people can thrive and live healthier lives.  Come for one or both sessions!
Healing Through Art Retreat March 27-28th, Friday 6:30pm-9pm, Saturday 9am-8pm  $20 Materials fee suggested, but no one is turned away for lack of payment
Ongoing …. Lent Photo-A-Day Journal Daily in Lent, on your own time
Each day in lent has an assigned word.  Take a photo or upload one to the Union Church Berea Facebook page or UnionChurchKY twitter feed.  Use the hashtag #UCLent2015 and the word of the day.  At the end of Lent, we’ll have a gorgeous montage of spiritual images! Here are the words for the next couple of weeks:
 
3/8  sabbath
3/9  water
3/10  door
3/11  music
3/12  blue
3/13  joy
3/14  letter
3/15  sabbath
3/16  loss
3/17  table
3/18  grace
3/19  art
3/20  new
3/21  spring
Speak Your True Self By Appointment with Rev. Kent and Rev. Rachel.  Call  the office (859-986-3725) or email kgilbert@union-church.org or rsmallstokes@union-church.org Inside we carry the story: Full of both joys and burdens, each person bears a story of how you came to be “you” in this place and at this time. Too often there isn’t time to tell the story of you. There may be untold, or unexplored pain. A safe, non-judging, open heart is needed to receive and hold our stories. For Lent this year, your pastors offer you a time of heartfelt listening.  We will bear witness to the holy at work in you and hold your story with you. Please make an appointment that is convenient for you so we can allow you uninterrupted time.