Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the Church of Christ, Union
November 18, 2018 10:30 am
Meditation
“Let the beauty we love be what we do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.” — Rumi
From there to Here: We Gather
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 Nocturne Op. 88, no. 3 Heinrich Hofmann
The Call from “I Happen to Be Standing” by Mary Oliver
Prayer for Approach, Confession & Release
¨ Hymn Now Thank We All Our God (opposite) Nun Danket
¨ Passing the Peace of 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 hospitality.
The Living Word among us
Anthem Hallelujah, Amen (from Judas Maccabaeus) G. F.Handel
Berea College Homecoming Choir
Stephen Bolster, conductor; Yuri Kim, pianist
Hallelujah, Amen, O Judah, rejoice! Rejoice, O Judah, in songs divine. With cherubim and seraphim harmonious join.
Hebrew Scripture Lesson Psalm 16 (p. 655)
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 the Children’s Moment, children kindergarten through 5th grade are invited to Children’s Church in Cowan Chapel. They are also welcome to stay in the service if they prefer. The Children’s Worship Center in the back of the sanctuary has toys, books, and drawing materials for children (or parents) who would like help staying present in the service. For children preschool age & under, care is available in the Nursery, downstairs in Room 104 off the playground.
Gospel Lesson Mark 13:1-8 (p. 1214)
Jesus predicts the fall of the temple in Jerusalem and gives an apocalyptic account of things to come.
Sermon Truly, Truly: True Wisdom 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.
Musical Meditation Mountain Mist Meditation C. Dobrinksi
For the Beauty of the Earth arr. B. Childers
Union Church Handbell Ensemble; Kim Kobersmith & Jane Mecham, flute
Prayer in Action and Reflections
You are invited to reflect and pray, either in your pew or at one of the 4 stations. Some suggested prayer direction is printed below. You are also free to choose to rest in private prayer, remaining with our own thoughts and in your pew.
In Mark 13, Jesus spoke of wars, famines, and natural disasters, but said they were birth pangs. As you pray, meditate on what good is being birthed from current tumult.
In what way are you being led to be a midwife of the new?
True wisdom: how do you know something (or someone) is wise? Make a list of qualities or characteristics.
How are you encouraging those qualities in yourself?
What great stones in your life might be blocks to greater wisdom?
Our 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.
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!
When invited, please join in singing “God Our Author and Creator,” page 530 in the Black Hymnal:
God our Author and Creator, in whose life we find our own, make our daily witness greater by our lives make your love known. Help us show how love embraces those whom fear and greed downtrod; in all yearning hearts and faces let us see a child of God.
Silent Prayers and Prayers of the Community
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
¨ Hymn Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise (next page) St. Denio
¨ The Sending and Blessing
¨ Response The Lord Bless You and Keep You John Rutter
Berea College Homecoming Choir Text: Numbers vi, 24
Stephen Bolster, conductor; Yuri Kim, pianist
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.
Postlude (please be seated) Gigue in D Johann Ludwig Krebs
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 Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia and our brothers and sisters at Bethlehem Baptist Church in our hearts, and pray for them. Please 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.
¨ Children in detention centers, that they may be reunited with their families soon.
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes, or who are homebound: Ruth Butwell, Edith Hansen, Nancy Hindman, Loyal Jones, Mary Miller, Alva Peloquin.
¨ Emily Spires, daughter of Randy Stone, continuing her treatment for breast cancer.
¨ Sally Zimmerman, recovering from gall bladder surgery.
¨ Sarah Miller’s dad, with continuing health concerns.
¨ John McWilliams in recent health concerns.
¨ Joshua Dale Watson, for healing from brain cancer. Prayer request received online.
¨ Amy Williams and all the family, at the sudden death of her cousin, Patrick Melugin, of a heart attack while working in Afghanistan.
¨ Our Chancel Choir as they travel to New York City this coming weekend.
¨ Ruth Butwell, with health complications at The Terrace nursing home.
¨ Leslie Small Stokes, who passed her ordination examination with the United Church of Christ and will be ordained here on January 6!
¨ For the victims of the fires in California, that we may be ready and able to respond with all needed aid for those who have lost all.
Assisting in Worship
Worship Leader today is Deborah Byrd Thomas, Berea College class of 1980. Next week: Charles Hoffman.
Scribe today is Debbonnaire Kovacs. Next week: Chris Green
The Berea College Homecoming Choir is a special ensemble created annually for the Homecoming Worship Service. Participants include alumni of the Berea College Concert Choir and the Chapel Choir and several current undergraduates from the Concert Choir, including choir officers and Chamber Singers. This is the 34th year that the Homecoming Choir has performed at this special November service. Dr. Stephen Bolster, Berea College Hon. ’12, is the Mary W. McGaw Endowed Chair of Music at Berea, and Conductor of the Berea College Concert Choir and Chamber Singers. He will be retiring in June, 2019, after 39 years of teaching at the college.
Welcome To Berea College Alumni, Families and Friends! Union Church is delighted to welcome returning graduates and their friends and families. We are especially grateful for the voices making up the homecoming choir!
Next week: Abigale Embry Preaching! We are delighted to welcome Abby Embry back to Union Church to bring the word while Rev. Kent and the choir are away in New York City. Abby is a Berea College graduate, and in her final weeks of seminary at Louisville Presbyterian Seminary. She will soon be finishing the ordination process in the United Church of Christ. We look forward to welcoming her back next week!
Thanksgiving Meal Delivery: Join members and friends to help deliver meals on Thanksgiving day, 10:30 am at First Christian Church parking lot. Members from all Berea churches are serving up this blessing. Meals are all prepared ready to deliver to addresses you will be given. Bring an insulated cooler to keep them hot!
How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Our Choir can tell you! They leave Friday to perform in the concert A Winter Rose November 26. American composers/conductors Joseph Martin and Mark Hayes bring their original choral music to Carnegie Hall to celebrate the holidays.
Hanging of the Greens Nov 25 at 1:30. All are welcome to participate in decorating the Sanctuary. Many hands make light work! Cookies and hot cocoa for dessert!
Do you have greenery in your yard? Cuttings of holly and magnolia especially appreciated. Other evergreens with thick-ish foliage are also welcome. Please leave branches outside alongside the handicap ramp so they will remain fresh – sometime after Monday, Nov 19th . Further supplies may be needed to freshen up the sanctuary before Christmas Eve. Contact John Payne, 986-8100 with questions.
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!
Want to know more about economic justice efforts in Kentucky? Grace McKenzie attend a meeting on Dec 8th with Kentuckians for the Common-wealth 10:30-4:30 in Lexington or Frankfort (location TBD) and can invite a few other folks. Please email her at grace@kftc.org if you are interested in attending.
Mission Board Supports MOLO Village Community Development Corporation. Thanks to your generous giving, the Mission and Service Board has been able to support several important projects. As we continue our prayers for dismantling white supremacy, we have been impressed by the work of “MOLO Village” in west Louisville, and have recently given a $500 grant. “MOLO” means “welcome” in Xhousa (a South African dialect) and MOLO Village CDC is a grassroots organization committed to addressing some of the complex issues that face the Russell community. Their primary goal is engaging residents of the Russell Neighborhood in holistic approaches to transform, empower, and renew the community served through education, community service, advocacy, and healthy living. Their programs include an ex-offenders re-entry program, holistic health initiatives for young and old, recovery groups for those suffering from addiction, senior adult renewal programs, and economic entrepreneurial education. Learn more at http://molovillage-cdc.org/
Reinstated SNAP time limit has led to thousands without food assistance. Since May of this year, 10,097 Kentucky adults have lost food assistance as a result of new barriers to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation erected by the state. Beginning in February, the state began reinstating, on a county-by-county basis, a three-month time limit on how long adults without a disability or dependents can receive SNAP benefits without working an average of 20 hours per week. Over 54,000 adults in 112 counties are now subject to this requirement. New data shows almost one in five Kentucky adults who could lose food assistance due to the three-month time limit have done so. Many support groups, churches, and aid agencies opposed this change because it endangers the wellbeing and health of Kentucky families. The Kentucky Council of Churches also strongly opposed this action and urges concerned citizens to contact the Cabinet for Health and Family Services at (800) 372-2973.
LOOKING AHEAD:
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. We will be offering oppor-tunities for contemplation and spiritual sharing, many of which can be continued afterwards to deepen your Lenten experience. The cost per day for meals and lodging is $45 for a double room and $65 for a single room. Because space is limited to 9 people (plus Donna and Carla) and a one night’s deposit is required, we ask that you sign up if interested by Nov. 30th Contact Donna Eder (859-868-1142) donnajeder@gmail.com or Carla Gilbert (859-985-1144) carla_gilbert@wind-stream.net to register or if you have any questions about the retreat.
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!
Please Sign up to Read Scripture or to Help Greet and Usher! Please use our electronic sign up system, http://signup. com/go/xkdVtB, where you can pick a date that works for you and get reminders! OR you can also call the office and we’ll get you on the lists.
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