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

Seventh Sunday of Easter

May 24, 2020           10:30 am

Meditation
There’s always another level up. There’s always another ascension. More grace, more light, more generosity, more compassion, more to shed, more to grow. ―Elizabeth Gilbert

From there to here: we Gather

Welcome
Welcome to this service of worship!  As the Berea community responds to the governor’s suggestion to avoid gathering in large groups, we worship online to limit the risk of exposure to Covid-19. We’re delighted to welcome you into this virtual circle of God’s healing love and light.
The Call Searching for Sunday:Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church Rachel Held Evans
 
David Bellnier, Reader
“The world is watching,” Christians like to say, “so let’s be on our best behavior and quickly hide the mess. Let’s throw up some before-and-after shots and roll that flashy footage of our miracle product blanching out every sign of dirt, hiding every sign of disease.”
But if the world is watching, we might as well tell the truth. And the truth is, the church doesn’t offer a cure. It doesn’t offer a quick fix. The church offers death and resurrection. The church offers the messy, inconvenient, gut-wrenching, never-ending work of healing and reconciliation. The church offers grace. Anything else we try to peddle is snake oil. It’s not the real thing.
Passing the Peace at Home
Building the Community: News that Connects Us

The Living Word among us

Special Music Christ the Lord Is Risen Today arr. R. Raney
Bernardo Scarambone, organ; Susan Stephens, piano; Pearl Marshall, Handbell Tree
Lesson from Acts of the Apostles Acts 1:6-14  Laura Nagle, Reader
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.
Children’s Moment
Epistle Lesson  1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11 Melissa Sparks, Reader
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice in so far as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory, which is the Spirit of God, is resting on you.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. Discipline yourselves; keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
Sermon The Ends of the Earth Rev. Kent Gilbert

Living Prayer

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.
A Chance for Generosity: www.easytithe.com/union
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 portion of our contributions flows out to aid those in need via many external agencies.
Many friends give online, and you can use your smart phone or computer and go to www.easytithe.com/union. You don’t have to register to make a contribution, but if you do, it can make future generosity that much easier. You can even give by text! Text to 859-448-3403 (Example: Text “$50.00 Offering)
Your contribution is love made visible. Thank you!
Offering Music
Silent Reflection and Prayer

• Today, now in worship, or in  a moment of quiet, think of a time or an instance when you caught yourself looking up or looking around facing an “end.” Give thanks for the shifts in focus that moved you forward. Offer wisdom, if you have the chance, to someone who has been sent your way. 
• Let us pray for ourselves and our world.  In your mind, using the eyes of the heart enlightened. Breathe and envision the future of God’s hope for you. Fight off the demons of doubt, suspend any internal critical voice, and immerse in an end-vision of mighty power. Imagine divine power going ahead of you on the road to that reality, preparing your place. This week, look for ways to walk that path.

Our Prayers for Others
You are very welcome to email or phone prayer requests to the office for the bulletin. Please do so by 10 am Thursdays, and be sure you have permission to share the information.
¨ 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 Indian Ocean Islands: Comoros, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, and Seychelles and our brothers and sisters at Gloryland Baptist Church in our hearts, and pray for them. Please hold these concerns in your prayers, today and throughout the week.
¨ Families and Friends in Crises…may God be present to every need and heal every rift and wound and those who care for them.
¨ Marlena Fry, recovering from surgery on Tuesday.
¨ Marie, Dorie Hubbard’s kindergarten aged great grand-niece, who has had a recurrence of cancer and is back in treatment.
¨ Emily Hoskins, who is pregnant and has gestational diabetes.
¨ Amanda Chao Benbasset and Corey Chao, both of whose families are expecting babies this summer.
¨ Lorilyn Howie-Kipphut, for family members dealing with illness and turmoil.
¨ Cheryl Stone, recovering at home
¨ John Wylie, recovering at home.
¨ Friends, family and chosen family of Edith Hansen, who died May 15.
¨ Jane, and all the family & friends of Tom Warth, who died on Wednesday.
¨ Scott Smith, at the death of his grandmother, Tarcela Oppus Orillanida, who passed away in the Philippines while in hospital.
¨ Our graduates! Congratulations to you all!
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes, or who are homebound: Alva Peloquin,  Nancy Hindman, Loyal Jones, Jennie Kiteck, Mary Miller, Lois Morgan, Barb Smith.
¨ Children in detention centers, that they may be reunited with their families soon.
¨ George Mountjoy, living with cancer.
¨ Those affected by the Covid-19 virus, their families and friends living with fear, anxiety, and feelings of isolation, may God bring peace to all who love them; and our wider community as we cope with the new realities of living.
Prayers of the People Amy Williams, Reader
Great God of beginnings and endings, the Alpha of our hopes and Omega of our aspirations, again we lift our eyes to catch a glimpse of you, and again you remind us to look around, not up.
This Easter you have raised our expectations and our hopes have blossomed. Amidst the cold challenges of disease and pandemic disaster, your living word is the warming reality of deeper truth. It is a buried bulb holding all the promise of life unfurled in mercy and peace.
Indignities and difficulties would rob us of our compassion and our God-given humanity. Protect us from the ends of our wits, the end of civilities, the end of the presumption of security. The tattered ends of our frayed nerves are not our home. We hear you, Lord: we are being sent to all the places and all the people to be seeds for a harvest of righteousness and peace, to build a home not made with hands, but hearts. Send us to the outstretched end of your loving arms, that we might till the soil of calamity to raise up justice and joy for all.
For those who are feeling too heavy to look around or who have no strength left in their body or spirit, hold them and heal them In your mercy.  With your gentle embrace, lend your strength to ours that we might care for all the hurts and encourage the weary healers among us.
In you we live and move and have our being. We look to you and to your Christ to find the living water and the blessing way. Send us out, Alpha giver. And bring us all home, Omega maker. Beginning and End, make of us a ready blessing to all your world.
We pray in the way Jesus taught us, reaching to you as …
Our Lord’s Prayer
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

Hymn In the Bulb There Is a Flower Promise
Bernardo Scarambone, organ; Susan Stephens, piano; Pearl Marshall, Handbells
The Sending & Blessing Rev. Kent Gilbert
Postlude All I Need Brandi Blakeman
Announcements
For the latest information regarding COVID-19 visit Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services’ website:   https://chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/pages/covid19.aspx (updated daily)  COVID-19 Hotline (800) 722-5725. The City of Berea has information at its website as well: https://bereaky.gov/covid19/
Are you registered to vote in the Primary Election? If not, you’ve got til Tuesday, May 26. Call the county clerks office at 624-4703 or visit it online madisoncountyclerk.us
Help Needed Prepping Lunches for Berea Kids! A group of hard-working volunteers prepare and hand out bagged lunches from 12 – 2 every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at Berea Community School. They need help on those days between 11 and 12 to prepare the bags. It’s a labor-intensive job, so any volunteers need to be able to stay physically busy for an hour, and must not fall into any high-risk COVID-19 categories. (Over age 60, compromised immunity, etc). Can you help? If so, contact Laura at joyfulsunflower @gmail.com or 859-358-0106 (text or call).
Be a part of the Union Church “Share Force!” We are hoping to be a source of light and community to more and more people. You can help by simply reposting worship announcements, sharing that you are watching (or about to watch), or posting clips from Union Church services that were meaningful to you. Post on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Thank you!
Thank you to all who have written and commented! We have received so much support and comments on the church work of recent weeks. Union Church viewership is growing substantially, and so are the wonderful comments and notes people are sending. Rev. Kent is trying to get back to everyone just as soon as possible with many apologies for any delay. If you have an urgent need, don’t hesitate to call the church office or put “Urgent” in your email subject line! We want to connect!
More Inclusion of More Union Church Family! To build and support our sense of community with each other we would like to invite you and any other members of your household to be a part of leading worship through video. We would like to showcase as many as 3 households per service. You record a video in your house of a scripture or prayer provided by Rev.
Kent, then we will use it in our broadcast! All instructions provided! Use the comment form on the website to indicate your interest and someone from worship board will be in touch! Musicians this can include offerings from you, too! We are all in this together.
Tune in! Union Church is sponsoring the ringing of 10 am bells for Kentucky on 100.7fm the Coyote and 106.7fm the Pinnacle! #teamkentucky!
Thanks for those who are making facemasks! We now have a supply we can make available by mail to anyone who needs them. Please contact the office if you would like to have one or more sent to you, and if you would like to join in making some. We’d love to have pictures of our makers. Please send us a photo to share with and inspire others!
Nightly Live Story! Join Rev. Kent and Rev. Diana on Facebook for a story and song every night. In these hard times, and maybe stuck at home, here’s a chance to gather around a story. They are good for any of us, young or old. So grab your blanket, favorite stuffed animal, and snuggle in!
Use this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/UCstorytime/
Digital Deacons and Tech Operators needed:  Can you help on Sunday mornings? We need folks to help with our online ministry — audio, video, and to serve as “social media host” – to respond online during the service to people who check in. Also needed – a person with video editing skills. Let Rev. Kent know! kgilbert@union-church.org. Also, with fewer announcements the service begins promptly at 10:30. Tune in early so you don’t miss anything!!!
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/UnionChurchBerea/ , unionchurchbereaky on Instagram, and on twitter: @UnionChurchKY This is a great way to get the latest news and inspiration as we care for one another.