A Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the Church of Christ, Union
Pentecost May 19, 2013
Meditation
Take a moment to still yourself and breathe deeply. Imagine the wind of the spirit blowing across your face, the flame of passion igniting your heart. Ask the flame these questions:
- What can I learn about God from this wind and flame?
- How is the Holy Spirit at work in me?
- How am I being moved to act?
- With whom do I need to share love?
Gathering to Worship
Hymn Sing! Choose Your Favorites!
Welcome and Announcements
Honoring our Graduates
When invited, please respond with the ministers:
All: May God grant you roots and wings, as your life unfolds in new ways before you. Amen!
Prelude Come, Holy Spirit (Veni Creator Spiritus) Wilbur Held
* Call to Worship and Opening Prayer
* Opening Hymn #272 Black On Pentecost They Gathered Muncih
* Passing the Peace of Christ
All who come to this sanctuary are welcome companions on this day. Please turn to those nearest you and greet them with words of peace.
Hearing the Word
Anthem The Dove’s Song Ronald Arnatt
Union Church Choir
Like the murmur of the dove’s song, like the challenge of her flight, like the vigor of the wind’s rush, like the new flame’s eager might: come, Holy Spirit, come. To the members of Christ’s Body, to the branches of the Vine, to the Church in faith assembled, to her midst as gift and sign: come, Holy Spirit, come. With the healing of division, with the ceaseless voice of prayer, with the power of love and witness, with the peace beyond compare: come, Holy Spirit, come. Carl P. Daw, Jr.
Hebrew Scripture Lesson Genesis 11:1-9 (p. 11)
The people try to build a tower and city that reach to the sky, Babel, and God confounds their speech and scattered them.
Childrens 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, child care for ages kindergarten & under is available in the Nursery, downstairs off the Fellowship Hall.
Lesson from the Acts of the Apostles Acts 2:1-21 (p. 1318)
One the day of Pentecost, with a mighty wind, the Holy Spirit shakes the foundations where the followers of Jesus were gathered and thus the church is born.
Sermon Sending You All the Best Rev. Kent Gilbert
Hymn #327 Black Jesus Loves Me Jesus Loves Me
V. 1: Choose a language! Verses 2 & 3: in English
Prayers of the People
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 Kiyosato, Japan and is also rung in the hope of peace for all nations.
Silent Prayers and Prayers of the Community
Our Lord’s Prayer
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.
OFFERING OUR GIFTS
Offertory Spiritus Domini Richard Lloyd
* Doxology Praise God from whom all blessings flow Lasst Uns Erfreuen
Praise God all creatures here below;Alleluia, alleluia! Praise God above, ye heavenly host;Creator, Christ and Holy Ghost. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
* Prayer of Thanksgiving
Walking Forward in Faith
* Hymn #267 Black Come, O Spirit, Dwell Among Us Ebenezer
* Benediction & Sending Forth
Postlude Fanfare for Pentecost Christopher Tambling
_____________________________
* All are invited to rise or rise in spirit as you are able and willing
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 Malawi and Zambia and our brothers and sisters at Pilgrim Ministries 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 the service of our country.
* Congratulations to Marvin and NoraRuth Jenkins, married 50 years yesterday!
* The family and friends of Aloma Earles, at her death. A memorial service will be held June 9 in the sanctuary, with a potluck reception to follow.
* Naomi Schulz, former intern and now Pacific School of Religion seminarian, received the United Church of Christ’s “Make a Difference” Seminarian Award. This comes with a scholarship, which will help her greatly in her good work!
* Kevin Burke and family as his mother, Mary Jones, faces some serious health issues, in Idaho
* WanPen Cline and family, at the death of her husband Glenn
* Bill Stolte, recovering at Cardinal Hill from tearing ligaments in his legs. He is happy to receive visitors and you can email greetings to him at wstolte@roadrunner.com
* Joan Bates, recovering from knee replacement surgery
* Sarah Stopenhagen Broomfield and the family, at the death of her mother Nancy Stopenhagen, in Cincinnati. Sarah is at 511 Center St.
* The family of Betsy MacSwords, who passed away April 28
* The family of Ann Baker, former Union Church secretary, who died on May 2
* Maurice Hibbard, recovering from knee replacement.
* Joan Moore, happily recuperating at home!
*Whitney Louise Wellinghurst, a preemie baby who is improving and growing at home
* Abi Dietz, who continues to recover very slowly from her car accident
* Edith Hansen, at The Terrace
* Shirley Dean, on hospice care for lung cancer
* Ruth Wesley, at The Terrace
Assisting in Worship
Worship Leader today is Kim Kobersmith. Next week: Wyndee Holbrook
Bulletin cover art is Pentecost, a quilt by Linda Schmidt
Announcements…
Today is Pentecost! Pentecost celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit 40 days after Easter. Pentecost is the birthday of the Christian church. Originally, Pentecost was a Jewish holiday held 50 days after Passover. One of three major feasts during the Jewish year, it celebrated Thanksgiving for harvested crops. However, Pentecost for Christians means something very different. Before Jesus was crucified, he told his disciples that the Holy Spirit would come after him:
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever — the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.’ John 14:16–18
And 40 days after Jesus was resurrected (10 days after he ascended into heaven), that promise was fulfilled when Peter and the early Church were in Jerusalem for Pentecost: When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:1–4 All are invited to wear red to church to symbolize the flames!
Union Church is a place where your faith can grow and deepen. We are actively looking for those who would like to explore discipleship with Jesus in this congregation. If you’d like to formally join Union Church, please call the office or either pastor. YOU are welcome here!
Bloodmobile Tuesday—11:00–5:00. In our Community Room, every donor receives a $10 Speedway gift card and is entered to win a $250 VISA card, AND a Prius!! Please bring picture ID with you.
Food Labyrinth June 2. Please bring non-perishable food to church to be used in the Food Labyrinth on June 2. All food will be donated to the Berea Food Bank.
Recital this afternoon, 3:00 pm. Alex Dycus, Soprano: Fundraising Recital. Alex has been given the opportunity to travel to Orvieto, Italy, this summer for a vocal intensive program that lasts three weeks. The program is called Orvieto Musica. This will be an amazing experience for her because she recently graduate from Berea College with a Bachelor of Arts in Music. Alex is raising money with a fundraising recital here in our sanctuary today, May 19th, at 3pm. If you are able, please come and enjoy an afternoon of singing. Donations are welcome.
Parents Meeting about Camp: All parents of youth who are attending Passport Camp this summer (July 7-13) should attend a meeting at 6:00 on Tuesday May 21st at the church.
Vacation Bible School Registration is open! To sign yourself or your child up, go to www.union-church.org and click on “VBS Registration” in the top right. You can also sign up to volunteer there! We have classes for adults, children, and youth, and we need volunteers of all stripes! VBS is June 2nd-6th from 5:30-8:00pm. On Thursday, June 6th, we will have a pool party and burger bash to celebrate the week at the Berea Pool.
VBS is not just for kids this year! If you are anywhere between 12 and 110 years old and want to do some creative writing, try Debbonnaire Kovacs’ 4-night writing class. The VBS theme is care of creation, so we are going to write poetry, essays, (or whatever you like) on care of, respect for, and renewal of 1) Earth/Body; 2) Water/Mind; 3) Wind/Spirit; and 4) Fire/Soul (or Heart).
Not into writing? Try our DVD and discussion-based class, “Thank God for Evolution.” Led by Carla Gilbert and based on the book of the same name, it explores the synergy of science and religion, and how we can harness that synergy to work for a healthier world.
Do you have any artificial flowers, plants, or fruit? Can we borrow them for VBS? If so, please bring them ASAP to the church office, and make sure your name is on them if you want them returned. We’re also still looking for gardening tools and accessories.
And….what’s on your kids’ calendars after VBS? Berea Arts Council is hosting Art Camp 2013 at Union Church the weeks of June 10th-14th for ages 6-8 and June 17th -21st for ages 9-12. Join us as we explore the arts for a one of a kind experience! Each day from 9:00 am till 2:00 pm will be filled with hands on activities as we dive into artistic expression through visual art, dance, drama and music. Each week will end in a culminating performance for family and friends to enjoy. We are pleased to announce this year’s classes will be presented by Berea College Crafts and exceptional instructors such as local musician Mitch Barrett and EKU dance instructor Katrina Martir. Join us by contacting the Arts Council through email info@bereaartscouncil.org or by phone 859-985-9317. Space is limited. Full week registration is $175.00.
Tuesday Church Fixes: Come One Come All… Tuesday 8:30-Noon – Come join for whatever time you can in fellowship and helping with minor repairs, etc. There will be job opportunities for people of all skill levels.
Young Writers’ Camp at EKU Writing Project registration open for Young Writers Camps for rising 2nd-8th graders at Model Lab in June. Sign up for the first week of camp to learn with Kentucky author George Ella Lyon. For more information, go to www.ekuwritingproject.org, or phone Tina Parker at 985-8719. She is directing the camps and organizing a Berea carpool.
Joan English, Office Administrator, will be going on vacation June 12-19. If anyone can spare some time to staff the office, maybe fold a bulletin or two, it would be much appreciated. Call the office!
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