Twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost
November 22, 2015, 10:30 am

Meditation
What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.
—T. S. Eliot

FROM THERE TO HERE

Prelude Voluntary in C Major C. Vincent
*Call to Worship
One: ‘Round turns the wheel of the seasons,
All: And we come back to “thanks.”
One: Endings begin, beginnings end,
All: And God’s presence shapes and guides them all.
One: Christ is Alpha and Omega, the first and last. His way reigns over us leads us forward.
All: As the seasons turn, so let us turn again and again to thanksgiving, love, and praise.
* Opening Hymn #305 You Servants of God, Your Sovereign Proclaim HANOVER
*Prayer of Approach & Confession (unison)
Forgive us, Restorer of Life. You are the sovereign of second chances, and we have sometimes forgotten. Your rule is generosity, and we have overlooked our neighbors. You call us to be principalities of peace, but we have waged war on ourselves and others.
As you clothe us with your grace and mercy, help us share with those who have so little.
As our hearts overflow with your love and wonder, help us offer them as gifts to everyone we meet.
As you feed us with your joy and hope, may we welcome to the Table all those whose lives are filled with tears and pain.
As we gather with family and friends during this season, may this be the reign of Christ in our hearts, offered with thanks. Forgive us, holy one, and make us whole more.
* Words of Assurance
One: The forgiveness of God is mighty, it is holy, and it is swift. Receive God’s grace and magnify it: you are forgiven. Forgive others and be changed.
All: In Christ’s name, by Christ’s power, Thanks be to God!
* 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 arr. Hal Hopson
Union Church Choir
Sing to the Lord. Heaven and earth rejoice. Sing praises to the Lord. All heaven and earth rejoice and sing. Hear, O Israel. The Lord is a mighty God.
Epistle Lesson Revelation 1:4b-8
Children’s Anthem I Can Do All Things Mark Burrows
Jubilee and Joyful Noise Choirs
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I can clap, I can run, I can laugh in the sun. I can stomp, I can shout, I can spread God’s love about.
I can do all things… I can jump, I can play, I can cheer, I can pray. I can dance, I can sing, I can do most anything!
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 Children’s Moment, children grades K-5 are invited to Children’s Church, which takes place in Cowan Chapel. Otherwise, children are welcome to 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 & under, care is available in the Nursery, downstairs off the Community Room. Please pick up your children in the Chapel or Nursery after the service.
Gospel Lesson John 18:33-37
Sermon Game of Thrones 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 R. Schulz-Widmar
* 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!
*Prayer of Thanksgiving

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 #422 Black Come, O Thankful People, Come ST. GEORGE’S WINDSOR
* Benediction & Sending Forth
Postlude (please be seated) Now Thank We All Our God arr. V. Fox
_________________________
* Please rise in body or in spirit as you wish
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 the Republic of Congo, Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe and our brothers and sisters at Calvary Apostolic Church in your hearts, and pray for them.
Please also hold these concerns in your prayers, today and throughout the week:
* Our church family members in nursing homes, or who are homebound: Edith Hansen, Nancy Jones, Mary Miller, Averill Kilbourne, Alva Peloquin
* George Oberst, undergoing cancer therapy
*Delores Carpenter’s mother, who is very ill
* Elizabeth Long’s brother, Jay, whose cancer has metastasized
*Cassandra Jaggers, with aggressive breast cancer
* The Coynes’ neighbor, Sheila Johnson, fighting breast cancer
* Marlene Payne and her family. Visit her Caring Bridge site www.caringbridge.org/visit/marlenepayne
* Kelly Ambrose
* Joan English’s dad, George Hardman
*Glenna Rice, who has been in and out of the hospital recently and is recovering at home at McCready Manor. Cards and visits welcome at her new address: 300 Stocker Dr., Apt. 231, Richmond, KY 40475. 859-623-4992
* John Hillman, recently diagnosed with ALS, and his family.
* SaraKatherine Manning-Beavin and the family, at the death of her father on Wednesday
8 Averill Kilbourne, seriously ill in North Carolina
You Matter! Please Sign the Register, Check in on Facebook/Twitter and try a nametag! It’s hard to get to know people elsewhere, but we don’t want it that way at church. Let’s all try to get to know each other better.
 
Community Thanksgiving Service tonight in Cowan Chapel, 7:00 pm
 
Learn more about the church today. Do you want to know more about Union Church? Explore membership? Have you joined recently but were unable to attend a meeting before joining? Then come to the classroom past the church office immediately following worship for conversation with the Pastors and the Community Life and Growth Board.
Light refreshments will be served and you are invited to pick up coffee or tea in the parlor on your way through the hall. Childcare will be offered downstairs as needed; please contact the church office during the week if you would like this service.
 
Union Church has an emergency assistance fund that needs topping up! Please consider a holiday donation on December 6th as a special “first Sunday” offering. Your gift provides needed relief to church members throughout the year. Your check can be marked “EAF.” Thank you!
 
Alternative Giving Christmas Market today 12-2:00 pm, Community Room. This will be in combination with a soup and bread fundraiser lunch for BFCO (BURR, Food Bank, etc). Come and get your choice of several homemade soups and take time to shop for the perfect gift for your family and friends.
The perfect gift is often the one that reflects our hopes and dreams for our community and world and with approximately 30 nonprofit organizations, there is something for everyone.
It is a great way to shop early for the holidays and learn about the wonderful work that Bereans are supporting locally, nationally and internationally.
 
El Salvador meeting today The group organizing a delegation to El Salvador for Summer 2016 will meet today around 1:30 in the conference room (leaving plenty of time for everyone to visit the Alternative Giving Expo). Potential delegation members, potential donors, or anyone just interested in Central America and US foreign policy are invited to attend.
 
ABLE: Achieving and Building Life Equally, will meet November 24 (and every 4th Tuesday) in Room 101, 5:30 pm. ABLE is a support group/network for those who self-identify as differently-abled: to inspire, encourage, and empower one another and to make our community more accessible. ABLEin Berea@gmail.com
 
The “Images of Ghana” Art Exhibit and Fundraiser has come full circle. Our goal of raising $25,000 to put a roof on the church in KomFeuku, Ghana began last November. All are invited to view this project of many local artists, hosted here at Union Church at the Pross Gallery, on the lowest level of the building. With the support of everyone we’re sure to raise $6000 to complete this worthy project!
 
Want to help our neighbors on Thanksgiving Day? Meet in First Christian Church’s parking lot at 10:30 am. Bring a cooler if you have one.
 
Want to Help Usher? Read? Light Candles? Wash Dishes? Help with Food? VOLUNTEER SPOT! Signing up for service is easy using volunteer spot at Union Church. You can see who’s helping with you. You can easily swap places if you need to. You get email reminders. Help us minister and volunteer today! www.union-church.org/volunteer.
 
Sound system operators needed! Training December 6, right after worship. We need YOU to volunteer to be trained to run the sound system on Sunday mornings. This is a volunteer position — BUT if you’re trained on the system, there’s also the occasional opportunity to run the system for special events, which are paying jobs. No age limit — upper or lower.
 
Share YOUR Music Sunday Dec. 13 Mark Your Calendars! Sounds of the Season Musical Service! This service will feature the musical offerings of the Union Church Choir, Union Handbell Ensemble, and many of our talented church folks! This is a fun event that will feature lots of congregational participation and you WILL NOT want to miss it! Want to participate? Fill out a blue form, see Gabe, OR go to the website and search “Share your music” for the online form.
 
“Black Lives Matter” yard signs. Union Church, in our ongoing commitment to our history and work for justice, has “Black Lives Matter” yard signs available for $10 in the church office. Donations should be made to Union Church with the notation of Racial Justice Fund in the memo.
 
Gifts for Liberty Place. Liberty Place is asking Union Church’s help in providing new sweatpants and sweatshirts or sweat jackets for some of the 108 women residents to open Christmas morning. Items should be put in a gift bag. LP is a long-term residential recovery center in Richmond and many of its clients are residents of Berea and surrounding rural areas. To sponsor a woman call Dodie Murphy, 859-200-7277
 
Call to Action! From Berea College President Lyle Roelofs:
I am writing with support from community and student groups committed to social justice to invite you to an important event to demonstrate the values of Berea College in the face of a growing number of incidents involving harassment to students of color and LGBTQ students.
This event will be on Monday, November 23, from 12:30-2:00, and we are also inviting others from the community who are supportive of our efforts. You may, of course, come and go based on your schedule.
If you are able to attend, we encourage you to bring signage that conveys Berea’s inclusive mission, manifest in its motto that “ God has made of one blood all peoples of the earth..”
We invite participants to line the south side of Chestnut Street from the crosswalk in front of the President’s Home toward Scaffold Cane Road.
Save-the-Dates!
December 4 & 5—Berea College Christmas Concert, 7:30 pm, Sanctuary. Tickets required, but free. Online only, at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2464544
The concert will also be live-streamed for viewing at the Alumni Building OR your very own home.
December 13—Share YOUR Music Sunday. Want to participate? Fill out a blue form, see Gabe, OR go to the website and search “Share your music” for the online form.
Budget Meeting, after worship. If you have agenda items, please get them to our Vice Moderator, Doug Hindman at Douglas.Hindman@eku.edu by Dec. 1
Classic Chorale Christmas Concert, 2:30 pm, sanctuary
December 20-LongNight Service, Cowan Chapel, 7:00 pm