Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the
Church of Christ, Union
Reign of Christ Sunday
November 20, 2016 10:30 am
Meditation
“The source of light is not in the outer world. We believe that it is only because of a common delusion. The source of light dwells where life also dwells: within ourselves.” —Jacques Lusseyran, quoted in Learning to Walk In The Dark, by Barbara Brown Taylor
From there to Here
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 Variations on an Old Irish Aire C. McMichael
* Call to Worship
One: “The days are coming,” declares our God, “when I will raise up to David a righteous branch.
All: A sovereign will come Who will reign in wisdom, and do what is just and right in the land.”
One: The morning is filled, O God, with reasons and ways to celebrate Your goodness in our midst.
All: We are gathered among like-minded believers, we find company with open and curious seekers; we are all welcome in Your house.
One: You have given us the gift of Jesus Christ, Whose Reign we have come to celebrate. You have also given us the gift of giving thanks. We join with countless others in pausing and recognizing the depth and breadth of Your faithfulness.
All: Almighty One, You invite us to ‘call those things that are not as though they are.’ Call us into the possibilities You have made for us, Your requests to love through us, and Your opportunities to serve.
One: In the days of the Sovereign Who is just and right, Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety.
All: This is the name by which the ruler in justice will be called: The Holy One, Our Righteousness.
— based on Romans 4:17 & Jeremiah 23:5-6
* Opening Hymn Gather Us In Marty Haugen
* Prayer of Approach and Confession
One: Gracious God, hear our prayers for mercy and understanding, and help us hear the prayers of others, too. We confess have acted on the wrong idea of what constitutes happiness and satisfaction.
All: We attempt happiness doing things only for self. We have put ourselves first; we have looked to only our needs; soothed only our fears.
One: We are longing to accomplish great and noble tasks but, even in these, we confess that we have hoped to satisfy our pride, our sense of importance.
All: Help us instead, we pray, to accomplish each and every humble task as part of the great and noble.
One: Tie our fidelity to worthy purposes, and receive each act of service as a humble act of gratitude for all we have received.
All: May thanksgiving be, for us, not a day on the calendar but a way to praise. Forgive us and set our hearts and minds in a new place, we pray.
* Words of Assurance
One: Shout for joy to God, all the earth. Know that our author and finisher is God. It is God Who made us, and we belong to the High Holy One. We are God’s people, the sheep of God’s pasture and the Lord leads us beside still waters.
All: We enter God’s gates with thanksgiving and God’s courts with praise. We give thanks to the Most High and praise that holy name. For God is good. God’s love endures forever. God’s faithfulness continues through all generations.
—Prayer of Confession based on two quotes from Helen Keller, and Dennis Prager’s book, “Happiness is a Serious Problem” Words of Assurance excerpted from Psalm 100
* 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 Sing to the Lord of Harvest Monsell, Willan
Union Church Choir
- Sing to the Lord of harvest, sing songs of love and praise; with joyful hearts and voices Your alleluias raise: By Him the rolling seasons in fruitful order move; Sing to the Lord of harvest a song of happy love.
- By Him the clouds drop fatness, the deserts bloom and spring; the hills leap up in gladness, the valleys laugh and sing: He filleth with His fullness all things with large increase; He crowns the year with goodness, with plenty, and with peace.
- Heap on His sacred altar the gifts His goodness gave, the golden sheaves of harvest, The souls He died to save: Your hearts lay down before Him, when at His feet ye fall, and with your lives adore Him who gave His life for all. Amen.
Hebrew Scripture Lesson Psalm 46
Children’s Moment
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, or are welcome return to their seats or visit the Children’s Worship Center, where there are 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 off the Community Room.
Gospel Lesson Luke 1:68-79
Sermon The Greatness of Stillness Rev. Kent Gilbert
GIfts Given for Love to Flow
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 Simple Gifts arr. D. Wood
* Doxology We give thee but thine own, what e’re the gift may be, Schumann
All that we have is thine alone, a trust, O God, from thee!
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 for 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
* Closing Hymn #419 Now Thank We All Our God Nun Danket
* Benediction & Sending Forth
Postlude (please be seated) Choral-Improvisationen, S. Klarg-Elert
Op. 65, Nun danket alla Gott
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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 Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda and our brothers and sisters at Macedonia Baptist Church in your hearts, and pray for them.
Please also hold these concerns in your prayers, today and throughout the week:
¨ The healing of families, communities, and our nation and world, wracked by violence and murder, may we be agents of transformation.
¨ Refugees around the world.
¨ Prayers of solidarity and support for those made most vulnerable by the recent elections. May the people who follow Jesus follow him to the stranger, the outcast, the foreigner, and the destitute.
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes, or who are homebound: Edith Hansen, Mary Miller, Alva Peloquin, Gloria VanWinkle.
¨ For Ruth Butwell, recovering from heart valve replacement and a stroke. Ruth has a Caring Bridge account, caringbridge.org/visit/determinedruth, which you can visit for updates.
¨ An unspoken prayer for the Doring-Zook family
¨ Prayers for all our family and friends who will be entering the holiday season with the painful absence of someone they love, or with a deep loneliness. Our community has suffered many losses and we weep with those who weep. Prayers that we may all reach to those in need with loving arms.
¨ Elizabeth Barrett, suffering seizures.
¨ Dottie Blackburn, suffering from severe sciatica.
¨ Blake & Rachel Cathron, with a very sick baby.
Tonight: Community Thanksgiving Service, 7:00 pm, Berea United Methodist Church
Learn more about the church next week! Come One Come All! Each fourth Sunday of the Month anyone wanting to know more about Union Church or wanting to explore church membership, as well as new members who have not been able to participate in a previous meeting, are invited to come to the Classroom two doors past the church after worship for conversation with the Pastor and the Community Life and Growth Board.
New members will be received each Second Sunday of the month at the close of worship.
Alternative Giving Market Today! Giving a gift of a donation is the best way to honor the birth of Christ! You can “shop” giving opportunities from more than 15 worthy causes right after church. Make a list of the donations of your choice and make a single payment. We’ll take care of getting your money to the causes, leaving you to send the blessing to your loved ones! Cash, Check, and Credit cards accepted! Soup luncheon to benefit BFCO, too!
Madison Singers Concert today, November 20, 3:00 pm Shaker Songs and Other American Hymn Treasures. Enjoy the wonderful sounds of early American hymns, Shaker songs, folk hymns, and modern hymn arrangements Sunday, November 20, 3:00 p.m., at First Christian Church on Main Street in Richmond. This concert is guaranteed to begin your Thanksgiving week in a positive way. Tickets are $10. Dr. Stephen Bolster directs, Gabe Evan accompanies.
ABLE (Achieving and Building Life Equally) will meet on Tuesday, Nov. 22 (and every 4th Tuesday), at 5:30 pm in Room 101. ABLE is a support group/network for those who self-identify as differently-abled: to inspire, encourage, and empower one another, and to make Berea a more accessible community.
Hanging of the Greens November 27, 2:00 pm. Hot cocoa, singing, decorating….many hands make light work! There are tasks to be done inside and out, for every ability. Come on and let’s beautify on the first Sunday of Advent!
Thanksgiving Opportunity. Each year the Berea Ministerial Association works with a group in Richmond to bring Thanksgiving meals to people in our community who otherwise wouldn’t have one.
Arrive at First Christian Church’s parking lot (206 Chestnut St) at 10am on Thanksgiving Day. Bring a cooler if you have one, so that the meals can stay hot. They’ll give you a few names and addresses (and maps!) of people to deliver to, and then you deliver the meals with love and a smile. Most folks are finished delivering by noon.
Would You Like to Receive a Thanksgiving Meal? Home Meals Delivery is partnering with the Fire Department to ensure that everyone who needs a Thanksgiving meal in Berea gets one. To request a meal, call Diana Ackerman, 859-661-5101 & give your name, number of people, and address. Happy Thanksgiving!
Lost & Found is going to the Goodwill after Thanksgiving. If you think you’ve left something around the building, please take a look on the shelves outside the office before the items go to a new home.
In the Pross Gallery: An exhibition to honor the Wylie sisters: Sally Wiley, Ruth Eschbach, and Martha Pride. The exhibition will be up for the first three weeks of November, all art/artifacts are for sale and all proceeds will go to Missions.
Youth Group Fundraiser this fall in partnership with Equal Exchange, a fair trade chocolate and coffee company. Our Community Life & Growth Board purchases the coffee used for church coffee hours, WNL and other events from Equal Exchange.
The money we raise will be used for getting youth to camp next summer at “Passport Choices” in North Carolina. Thank you all for your support!
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