Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost
November 8, 2015, 10:30 am
Meditation
“Had I not seen the Sun, I could have borne the shade,But light a newer Wilderness my Wilderness has made.” — Emily Dickinson, 1830-1886
From there to here
Prelude Morning Song K. McChesney Union Church Handbell Ensemble
¨ Call to Worship
One: My friends, we gather to worship God and serve the Christ. How then shall we live?
All: With joy and justice, we will carry the light of Jesus.
One: We come from diverse backgrounds, we don’t all think alike, we have differing gifts and needs. How then shall we live?
All: With gratitude and generosity of Spirit, we will bear Christ’s light.
One: We pledge to love what God loves, to serve those whom God cares for. How then shall we live?
All: Believing in, caring for, proclaiming and bearing the love Jesus bears for us, and for all, let us prosper the work of God’s heart in all we do!
¨ Opening Hymn #164 Arise, Your Light Is Come Festal SOng
¨ Prayer of Approach & Confession
¨ Words of Assurance
One: God’s reign is not one of terror, but blessing. God’s hope is not condemnation, but transformation for life, for living, for loving, for light. By Christ’s work, in Christ’s mercy, we are forgiven, made new and sent forth to proclaim release to others.
All: Thanks be to God! Amen!
¨ 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.
Bearing the Light Hazel Morris, Stewardship Team
Bearing the light of Christ is our joy and mission. Whether it be in offering a true welcome to those seeking God’s presence, or shining the light of love into tragedy, Union Church is pledged to make Jesus’ ministry our own. We support that ministry with money, commitment, intelligence, and delight. This morning we will receive and bless our estimates of giving for the next year so we can bear the Christ-light faithfully and well in all we do.
The Word in our Midst
Hand Bell Anthem For the Beauty of the Earth arr. P.Cota Handbell Quintet
Hebrew Scripture Lesson Psalm 146
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 Mark 12:38-44
Sermon Lighting Up the Night Rev. Kent Gilbert
GIfts Given TO Bear Christ’s Light
Today we celebrate our 2016 Giving Estimates. Today we receive not only our offerings and tithes, but our pledges and estimates for keeping the flame of care alight in the coming year. Our gifts help keep the light of Christ’s love glowing brightly at Union Church 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. Our contributions flow out to aid to those in need via many community missions, agencies and individuals giving hope and rebuilding lives.
Please bring both your offering and Pledge Cards forward with you to the front where all gifts will be received confidentially by the Financial Secretary. This is how we will be able to determine the scope of our ministry and mission for the coming year.
¨ Call to Live the Vision “Into the Future”
One: God cares for us in ways which are passionate, poignant, and enduring,
All: and we love God with all our heart and soul, mind and strength.
One: We have much to give and offer:
All: Passionate Worship, Extravagant Generosity and Care, Risk-Taking Mission and Service, Inspirational, Intentional Faith, Unbounded Hospitality.
One: As we plan with joy our work together for 2016, let us give as we are able and ask God to consecrate all that we can bring in love, in care, in resources to the best of our ability, knowing that giving brings healing and helps us embody the life and ministry of Jesus in love and service. Let us celebrate and give thanks for the Christ-light among us!
Singing Offertory Procession Siyahamba! Trad.
Please sing as we process:
Siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos’! We Are Marching In the Light of God! We are Bearers of the Light of God ! We are Working for the Light of God!
¨ 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
All: Bearer of brightest light, we thank you with joy, delight, reverence, awe, and infinite respect for what you have kindled in our lives. Accept this offering of ourselves, our money, and our time: our separate flames to be held up, joined, and offered as we pray to bear your light for all in need. Bless us, that we may embody the life and ministry of your son in ways that inspire and express our love for you. Consecrate our gifts and our very lives that we may light the path of others in the way of our brother, Jesus. For we have seen what the Lord has done, and we would live his vision into the future. Amen.
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 inJapan and is also rung in the hope of peace for all nations.
Silent Prayers and Sung Prayers for the Community A.J. Bodnar
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
Introduction and Invitation to Membership
Union Church is a vital and growing family of faith, a home to those committed to the way of Christ’s sacrificial love and service. All who feel led to join will be received in joy, and are welcome to come forward during the Closing Hymn. Thanks be to God for these ministers among us.
¨ Hymn #539 Won’t You Let Me Be Your Servant Servant Song
Questions of the Congregation and New Members
¨ Covenant of Welcome
And we, the members of this church, renewing our own covenant to God and to each other, do now heartily welcome you to our fellowship, promising to watch over you in love, and praying that you, and we, may be true witnesses for Christ, a light in the world, and continue to increase in usefulness and joy in his service.
¨ Benediction & Sending Forth
¨ Postlude (please be seated) Exuberant Joy A. Sherman
Union Church Handbell Ensemble
¨ 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 Indian Ocean Islands: Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and Maldives and our brothers and sisters at the Vineyard in your hearts, and pray for them.
Please also hold these concerns in your prayers, today and throughout the week:
¨ All those who serve for the benefit of all as we celebrate Veteran’s Day: former members of the armed forces and servants of the country in Vista/Americorps and the PeaceCorps are all in our prayers.
¨ 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, and the army of volunteers helping him with transportation
¨ The Kindel family, in the loss of Merlin
¨ Rob and Michelle Hayden and their sons, Eli and Ian
¨ Joan English’s dad, George Hardman, anticipating surgery for colon cancer
¨ 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.
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.
Join the church today! Union Church is a vital and growing family of faith, a home to those committed to the way of Christ’s sacrificial love and service. All who feel led to join will be received in joy! New members are received every second Sunday of a month—next opportunity is December 13. YOU are welcome here!
Songwriting Class – Join our Artist in Residence, AJ Bodnar, for a 4-week class series (2 classes to go) called Heart and Soul: Using the Music Within – bring any instruments you know how to play. Those of every skill level (and NO skill level) are welcome. 12:30 in the office level classroom.
Today at 5:00 pm: A musical event you WON’T want to miss. Piano recital by Edgar Gonsales, a graduate student at Eastern Kentucky University where his focus is piano performance. Being from Brazil, Edgar has performed in many venues in several countries and is one of EKU’s finest! Edgar is a classically trained pianist, but provides a very diverse style of playing with his native Brazilian influences. This is a concert you don’t want to miss! Admission is free, in our own sanctuary.
Mark your calendars! All Y’All Faith Day trip to LEGO Exhibit Saturday, November 21 9am-5pm. What is an All Y’all Faith Day? Formerly referred to as Family Faith Days, All Y’all Faith Days are times for all y’all – young and fresh, wise and experienced, wild and wooly, children, teens, young adults, seniors– to play or work or serve or enjoy some aspect of faith together as a church family.
Interested in an art exhibit made completely of Legos?!? On Nov. 21, we will meet at the church at 9:00 am for a short time for fellowship and a devotional, then we’ll car pool to the Cincinnati Museum Center to visit the Art of the Brick Exhibit.
We’ll have lunch (either purchased or packed) in their food court, then explore the exhibit for a few hours before leaving to arrive home about 5:00 pm.
Adult price for The Art of the Brick tickets will be $16.50 and price for children is
$8.50. Fill out the form online—address in your November newsletter—or call the office.
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.
Safety Planning – Would you like to help develop a safety plan for the church? We need 2-3 people to help develop a plan with the Administration Board. If you are interested please contact Dave Kobersmith davek@union-church.org 986-3725 or Marty Hensley kf4ebc@gmail.com
Sound system operators needed! We need YOU to volunteer to be trained to run the sound system on Sunday mornings. Our faithful and very able sound system runners Susan Doring Zook, Della Walters and Emma White could use some help keeping the microphones on and the service recorded on Sunday mornings.
Be in touch with one of the ladies mentioned, or let us know in the office if you’d like to do this. 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.
Berea College Concert Choir’s Annual Fall Concert today, 3:00 pm. The Berea College Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, Stephen Bolster conductor, will present their annual fall concert in Gray Auditorium on Sunday afternoon, November 8 at 3:00 p.m. The public is invited to attend; there is no charge for admission. The choirs will be accompanied by Lindsay Clavere on the piano.
Delicious Youth Group Fundraiser through November 11! Youth Group will be doing a fundraiser this fall in partnership with Equal Exchange, a fair trade chocolate and coffee company. Look for youth and order some! Catalogs also in the office.
“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 You can pick them up at the church office. Donations should be made to Union Church with the notation of Racial Justice Fund in the memo.
We are all Bearers of Christ’s Light! Help us plan as we budget for 2016 as a year of serving and loving together. As a self-sustaining church, it is up to us to find ways to fund our vital ministries of unbounded hospitality; thoughtful, inspirational and intentional faith development; passionate worship; risk-taking mission and service; and extravagant generosity and care in stewardship.
Thank you for your prayerful consideration. It is not easy to talk about how we give, but it is ever so important. You are a vital to our mission, and your gifts are what make it possible.
Save-the-Dates!
November 21—Lego Exhibit and Meditation – an All Y’All Faith Day and everyone is welcome.
November 22– Alternative Giving Market, 12-2, Community Room
December 4 & 5—Berea College Christmas Concert, 7:30 pm. Tickets required, but free. Online only, watch for release date. The concert will also be live-streamed for viewing at the Alumni Building OR your very own home.
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