Advent has begun! Advent is the beginning of a new church year. It is a time of waiting and preparation for the joy of Christmas. The color of Advent is dark blue to symbolize the night before the dawn of Christ. During this season we hear readings from the prophets and light a candle each Sunday at the beginning of worship symbolizing one of the gifts of the coming messiah. Join us for this special season of quiet before the joy of Christmas!
Many thanks to the performers, directors, and staff who helped make the Berea College Christmas Concert the glorious experience it was!
Christmas trees needed! Do you have a 5-7-footer you aren’t using? We can use them at church. Call the office at 986-3725.
I need a bit of help organizing bulletins in the office. Any weekday, 8-5. Call 986-3725 to volunteer. Thanks—Joan.
Union Church Budget Meeting December 9, after worship and lunch. Why Come to a Budget Meeting? The budget of Union Church is the very core of our ministry. It’s often not thrilling, but it is a theological document that tells you where our values are and how we’ve decided to act those out. As the gospel of Matthew reminds us, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Please attend this meeting to help decide where our hearts will be for 2019. Copies available in the vestibule, in the December Consider and will be included in the Monday Announcements. Union Church will soon consider bylaws to our Constitution that will establish a Union Church Endowment Fund. Attached are the proposed bylaws, which were approved by Church Council at its November 19 meeting. The proposed bylaws will be discussed at our December 9 meeting, but voted upon at a special called meeting right after church on December 16.
Alternative Giving Market Dec. 16, 11-3 at Acton Folk Center. What to get that friend or family member for the holidays? Does your sister really need another sweater? Why not give alternative gifts this year that reach toward your loved ones’ hopes and dreams for a better world? Maybe what your friends and family really want for this year is health care, food and housing for those in need – or maybe disaster relief. Come and shop for that alternative gift for your loved ones.Volunteers make this event a success!! Can you make chili and cookies, set up from 10-1, clean up after the event, contribute funds for advertising? (send to Union Church, designate for Alternative Christmas ads). Call Annriette Stolte if you can help with these tasks, 986-9032 or annriette@ roadrunner.com
Christmas Caroling: Sunday December 16th at 4:00 pm. Help is needed to plan the details of this event. Please contact Laura (call or text) at 859-358-0106 or joyfulsunflower @gmail.com to volunteer your fun-planning skills!
St. Clare Christmas Basket Program! Each year we partner with St. Clare to help provide food staples and children’s gifts for the holidays. In the sanctuary each week from now until December 16, you will find information about how to provide food for families of various sizes. Your items, put into a cardboard box (or boxes), along with any toys or children’s books, do not need to be delivered to St. Clare until later in December. We will collect toys and food baskets here if you wish, or would like help transporting your items. If you wish to make a financial contribution in lieu of shopping yourself, here are the recommended donation amounts: 1-2 person family: $70; 3-4 person family: $95; 5-6 person family: $105; 7 + person family: $115. Make checks to Union Church, with “Christmas Baskets” in the Memo Line.
A more comprehensive list of toys will be sent out soon, but specific toys needed now include: Legos, Lincoln Logs, KNex, building blocks, Magnetix, tractors/ trucks/ cars, dolls and doll house furniture, play kitchen and food sets, puzzles, stacking toys, headphones, basketballs and soccer balls and jump ropes.
Adopt a Gift for Liberty Place Recovery Center Residents and Their Children. Liberty Place Recovery Center for Women is one of our Union Church Mission and Service projects as we support women who are making the courageous and difficult journey to freedom from addiction. You can help by adopting a resident or their children for a Christmas present. Provide your name and contact information in the basket on the giving table at church, or send it to Dodie Murphy, dodiemurfmsw@yahoo.com or call 859-868-9622.
Many thanks for helping make the season brighter for those most in need!
Dancers of all abilities and skills are enthusiastically invited to help us dance in the light on Christmas Eve. Dancers begin the service with slow and lovely music as we light the worship candles for the service. If you would like to join (no experience necessary), contact Maggie Park (please note change) at 330-277-7738 or maggiecatherinepark@gmail.com. Rehearsals will be scheduled as -soon as the group is assembled. We’ve love to include male and female dancers in the group!
The “Little Quilt Show and Silent Auction” sponsored by Friends of the Madison County Public Library will come to a close on December 8th at 5pm. This is your last week to view and make a bid on your favorite Little Quilt! Any one of these 62 quilts would make great gifts. Please visit the Madison County Public Library website and visit the auction page soon. Half the quilts are hung in each library. It is a great opportunity to show your support for your local library community of which there are approximately 65,000 active card holders.
Plan now for Lenten experience: This year there will be a pre-Lent retreat for adults (ages 18+) on March 4-6 planned by Donna Eder and Carla Gilbert. The focus will be on Solitude and Sharing in Sacred Space and it will be held at the Loretto Community guest house, located 1 ½ hours west of Berea. The cost per day for meals and lodging is $45 for a double room and $65 for a single room. Space is limited. Contact Donna Eder (859-868-1142) or Carla Gilbert (859-985-1144). Our email addresses are: donnajeder@gmail.com and carla_gilbert@windstream.net.
Have a Heart For Fellowship, Communication and Welcoming New Members? We Need 3! The Community Life and Growth Board of the church helps “outsiders” become “insiders” by helping Rev. Kent welcome new members, get people acquainted with each other for ministry and spiritual support, and oversees our website, social media, and media outreach (advertisements, banners, webcasts, etc). We need three people to help fulfill this vital work with our pastor. Is one of them you? Please contact Carla Gilbert of the Nominating Board: carla_gilbert@ windstream.net or call the church office!
Advent Wreath Lighting Reading – The Light of Hope -Jennifer Even Melton
Let this time of waiting—this season of Advent
be filled with the Light of Hope
Be still… and let it be
Prepare the way for the Hope-filled journey
As we await the arrival of the Holy One
As we await what has yet to come,
yet is already bestowed and embedded deep in our hearts
As we await the mysterious gifts
enfolded in the Light of Hope
Be still… and let it be
In these darkening days of Advent
Be still
Be still and know
That the Light of Hope overcomes
the most challenging obstacles
That the Light of Hope reveals the crevices
through which the Holy One draws near
That the Light of Hope illuminates
who we are called to be
Shining into the unknown
Revealing mysterious paths
Inspiring hearts to open and receive the Beloved
All around us
Right here
Right now
Be still… and let it be
Be still
Seek the Light
Hold the Light
Breathe the Light
Are we ready to receive the Light of Hope?
Beautiful, not yet, and already ours
Are we ready to carry the Light of Hope?
To light the way for Hope
Are we ready to gift the Light of Hope?
To become the Light of Hope
Be still…
and let it be
Contemporary Reading – One Star by J. Stephen Rhodes
You could have done everything
a lot differently Boss
you could have been louder
maybe prettier Boss
how would I know
all we could ever hear
would be you talking
or maybe see you shining
in our eyes never stopping
to hide behind a bush or the horizon
how would that be for you Boss
always having to talk
or dress yourself up
never leaning back against a tree
with a stem of grass in your mouth
never letting us stumble around
on a moonless night
wondering if you’ll ever
turn up again with only
that one star at dusk
to say that you’re still alive
Budget Policy 2019
Budget 2019
Endowment Bylaws
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