Coming Up
Oct. 13 – 9:00-10:20 am, Gospel sing in Cowan Chapel
Coffee Hour after Worship
6:30 pm, Cowan Chapel, service of Compline
Oct. 8 – 7:00 pm Book Study Group, Conference Room
7:00 pm, NA, Classroom
Oct. 16 – 4:00 pm – Psalm Study, Training Room
5:30 pm, Open Table, Youth Group eats together before their meeting
6:30 pm – Theology in the Round, Training Room
Oct. 18 & 19 – Estate sale at Betty Wray’s home POSTPONED
Oct. 27 – Founders Day Celebration
Planning ahead: Congregational Budget Meeting Dec. 15, 3 pm
Visual Prayers, art by Jeff Pool. On your way down to Coffee Hour, stop in the Pross Gallery to see the newest installation. Jeff says “I created these ten works between 1968 and 2016. These pieces relate to numerous facets of my spiritual experience and journey during that approximately on-half century of my life.”
Second passing of the offering plate today. Union Church member Willie Dodson is on the ground helping communities in Western North Carolina. Any over-and-above offering we make today will be designated for his use in those communities. His Venmo username is Willie-Dodson-2.
Flood Relief Ongoing: Union Church is actively working to secure relief for victims of Helene and Milton. We have tried to be in touch with as many of our affected church family members as possible, and have been working with any we have had contact with to be of service. Milton survivors are still regaining access to services, and we will report more when we have information. Through church member, Willie Dodson, we have been helping in rural Yancy County and Madison County, North Carolina. In addition to helping rebuild a grocery store in Marshall, the county seat via Meredith Doster, longtime Union Church friend. Several of the agencies we know who are doing good work are Rural Organizing And Resilience (ROAR) at ruralorganizing. wordpress.com,/donate/ for western North Carolina. Church World Service and the Red Cross remain excellent places to direct funds as well. To help Union Church projects and families, please mark your donation “Hurricane Relief.”
About tonight’s Compline: The Sabbath Compline at 6:30 pm in Cowan Chapel is a night prayer of psalm, silence, and song — a creative hush with God at the end of the day at the beginning of the week. In Psalm 22, the poet praises God, who has never despised nor scorned the poverty of the poor. This Sunday in October, we will sing Psalm 22 and again, the Taizé Wait for the Lord.
Cantor: Robert Rorrer
Recorder duet: Donna Eder, Stanley Kramer.
Cowan Chapel is adjacent to Union Church on the Scaffold Cane Rd. side.
Union Church Book Group Gathering Tuesday, 7 pm: Explore the inter-section of faith and the wide scope of human endeavors. All are welcome to join in a community discussion of topics ranging from science to politics to arts and letters. If you have suggestions for interesting books, send them to Steve Rutledge who will help convene the group: srutledge514 @gmail.com. All book lovers are welcome! Conference Room, Tuesday, 7:00 pm.
Making an Impact! We’re looking for a few volunteers to share short personal stories (on video) of the impact of Union Church – see Rev. Kent if you’re willing!
T-shirts for sale in the office – $20, hats $15. Limited sizes at the moment, lots of XLs.
This week: 3rd Wednesday of the month:
4:00 pm – Psalm Study, Training Room
6:30 pm – Theology in the Round with Rev. Kent & Rev. Jeff Pool, Training Room
Community Meals Every Wednesday 5:30pm-6:30pm: “Open Table” is a “pay what you can” ($0-$$) catered meal open to anyone. Chef Deb Beishline and a wonderful crew of volunteers prepare the menu each week always with GF and Vegetarian-friendly options (other needs can be accommodated on request!). Our hope is to remember the gifts of connection with great food the chance to “rub elbows” with neighbors. The food is great, the company is better, the hungry are fed, and we pray the love Jesus will be shown!
Menu for Oct. 16:
· Baked Chicken
· Mashed potatoes
· French Onion Stuffed Shells-vegetarian
· Broccoli
· Cranberry Sauce
· Corn Bread
· Pumpkin Mousse
Estate Sale POSTPONED—we’ll update as we know more.
Comet Viewing!! Carla and Lothar Baumann have kindly offered to make their home at Lazy 8 Farm available to Union Church folks and their friends to experience the majesty of Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) for an evening during the week of October 20 – 26 after sundown. Specific dates are Oct. 20, 21, 24, 25 and 26. Comet watching will be during one of these dates – which one is entirely weather-dependent. Jeff Hutton will be on hand with telescopes for close-up viewing of the comet as well as other celestial objects in our solar system and beyond. Maybe we’ll pick out a few constellations! Have binoculars? Bring them along!
Sign up by emailing Jeff at sawandtele scope@gmail.com by October 17. If skies are clear, Jeff will send you an email the morning of the day when we will catch Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS). Jeff will also be leading Berea College’s Outdoor Adventures Club in observing the comet at the Forestry Outreach Center at 8PM, October 18. You’re also invited to attend that event, weather permitting.
Disaster Preparedness Training Oct. 26 All are invited to this event, free, presented by our neighbors at First Christian Church.
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