Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the Church of Christ, Union

Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost  

October 15, 2017   10:30 am 

Meditation  
Thesis 37: To honor the ancestors and celebrate the communion of saints does not mean putting heroes on pedestals but rather honoring them by living out lives of imagination, courage and compassion in our own time, culture and historical moment as they did in theirs.
Thesis 45: “Joy is the human’s noblest act.” (Aquinas) Is our culture and its professions, education and religion, promoting joy? —Matthew Fox, A New Reformation:  Creation Spirituality and the Transformation of Christianity                       

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     When I Can Read My Title Clear       arr. M. Hayes
¨  Call to Worship
 One:    Come, Friends, we are called to stand together.
All:      We stand rejoicing! We stand so that we may praise the living God!
One:     God calls us to life! God calls us away from all that wounds and stands by our side in compassion. Let us worship God in spirit and in truth!
¨  Opening Hymn #581      Lead Us from Death to Life    World Peace Prayer
¨  Prayer of Approach and Confession (unison) 
Dear Lord Jesus, I feel my sins.  They bite and gnaw and terrify me.  Where shall I go?  I will look to you, Lord Jesus, and believe in you.  Although my faith is weak, I look to you and find assurance, for you have promised, “He that believes in me shall have everlasting life.”  
My conscience is burdened and my sins make me tremble, but you have said: “Be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven and I will raise you up on the last day and you shall have eternal life.”  I cannot do any of this for myself. I come to you for help. Amen.                                                                                   
¨  Words of Assurance
One:     Through Christ, by Christ, and with Christ we are made whole. Our sins  forgiven, let us rejoice always in the grace of God.
All:      Thanks be to God! Amen!
¨  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 joy. 

The Living Word among us

Anthem    I Choose Love Miller, Thompson Union Church Choir
In the midst of pain, I choose love. In the midst of pain, sorrow falling down like rain, I await the sun again, I choose love. In the midst of war, I choose peace. In the midst of war, hate and anger keeping score, I will seek the good once more, I choose peace. When my world falls down, I will rise. When my world falls down, explanations can’t be found, I will climb to holy ground, I will rise.
Epistle Lesson                       Philippians 4:1-9
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 2:1-12
Sermon     Will You?    Susan Doring-Zook
Here We Stand                           Kim Kobersmith and the Berea Leadership Experience
Each and every week we stand with partners who are called to life and making a difference. Each Sunday in October we will be celebrating the work of the church with these partners as we are called to life in Christ’s service.

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                          Be Thou My Vision      M. Thewes
¨  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 Prayer and Prayers of 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     We Have the Strength to Lift and Bear           Resignation
1.We have the strength to lift and bear a friend’s immobile weight,
     The strength to watch and nurse and care through hours long and late.
     Because we trust in ways unknown the springs of health are stirred,
     And thus, the mind, the flesh and bone receive Christ’s healing word.
2.It was this hope and trust that filled the four who walked the road,
     And bore their friend whose limbs were stilled beneath some hidden load.
     Each foot a stone, each leg a rod, for years he lay in bed,
     In terror of a judging god and paralyzed by dread.
3.The awkwardness of marching strides and one another’s pace
     While holding up the bed’s two sides to keep their friend in place,
     The crowded street, the roof of clay, the scribes who took offense—
     Not all of these could turn away those stubborn loving friends.
4.Christ, give your church that single hope by which those faithful four,
     Could lower down their friend by rope while others blocked the door.
     Though we may lack your gift to heal, this task is surely ours:
     To bring to you the lost who feel their need of gracious powers.
¨  Benediction & Sending Forth
One:     Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is  any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. And may the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, grace, guard and guide your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
¨  Postlude   Trumpet Tune  N. Bowden
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 Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico and our brothers and sisters at White’s Memorial Presbyterian 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.
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes, or who are homebound:  Ruth Butwell, Edith Hansen, Mary Miller, Alva Peloquin, Gloria VanWinkle.
¨ We lift in light the 472 persons killed in mass shootings this year alone. We remember and pray for the well-being of the 1,761 persons who were injured by mass gun violence so far this year in the United States where weapon ownership is a right, but healthcare is not. May the Lord give us courage to turn from evil.
¨ The family and many friends of Kevin Burke, who passed away suddenly on October 6. His life will be celebrated at a service November 4, 11 am. Visitation on Friday the 3rd, 5:30-8 pm. Both here at church.
¨ Travel mercies for Rev. Rachel, Les and Jack, as they return from a family wedding trip to Wales.
¨ Mim Pride, recovering well at home from her hip surgery.
¨ LaRee Jacobs, getting better from her fall and subsequent sprains and breaks.
¨ Dick Drake,  recovering from a minor stroke
¨ The peoples of Puerto Rico, the Caribbean islands, Houston, Florida, Mexico City, and all places affected by disaster. May we be filled with compassion and motivated to act. Donations to Church World Service will help! cwsglobal.org/
¨ Neighbors and friends in fear of ICE (Immigration & Customs Enforcement) raids in our area, and for DACA students and their families. May we all strive for a safe and respectful path forward to be good neighbors.
¨ Rusty Mullins’ father, Tony Irelan
¨ Nancy and Doug Hindman
¨ Rebecca Bradshaw-Cates, recovering from surgery for ovarian cancer.
¨ Rev. Rachel’s cousin, Jeff Small, father of two small kids, who is on a heart transplant waiting list.
¨ Dan Rohrer, who is suffering from a severe liver disorder.
¨ Hazel Morris’ sister, Phyllis, approaching the end of life.
Announcements
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.
Music Theory Today at 12:00pm  Did you miss our first theory class during the summer? Well, you didn’t miss your chance to learn the basics of music theory! We will be hosting another one hour class to help reinforce what we previously learned, and to learn some more!  Even if you weren’t at the first, this class will still teach you the basics.  Come right after church in the conference room.
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, are invited to come to the Classroom two doors past the church after worship for conversation with the Pastor and the Community Life & Growth Board.
500 Years! October 2017 marks the 500th anniversary of the Protestant reformation, a tumultuous series of church reform movements that reshaped relationships to God in Roman Catholic and dissenting churches alike. The Protestant movement began when a young monk, Martin Luther, posted a series of 95 discussion points on the door of the Wittenberg Church in Germany.
Famously stating “Here I stand, I can do no other,” he resisted corruption and theological beliefs he saw as harmful to God’s people. To learn more about the effects of this act on the whole of western culture an excellent book is Rebel in the Ranks, by Brad S. Gregory. Dr. Gregory also has an exceptional reformation analysis in an audio lecture series published by Great Courses. These are available from Audible.com.
Rev. Kent and Rev. Rachel will be looking forward, too, and encourage you to engage the work of Matthew Fox, who has written extensively about Christian reform for the 3rd millenia of faith. His short book, A New Reformation: Creation Spirituality and the Transformation of Christianity,  details 95 new theses for our modern church. All this month, you’ll find them used as our meditations at the beginning of our bulletins.
October 18: Info session regarding Medicare and health insurance implications and challenges for 2018 will be held at church in the Classroom, October 18, 6:30 pm. It will be led by Karen Hoskins, an insurance professional who did the same for us last year. Come for WNL supper at 5:45, cooked by our Youth Group, and stay for the info!
Directory—we’re going to print more directories on October 20, to be available on the 22nd at worship. If you have any changes to info or photos, please email or bring to the church office by the 18th. Thanks.
Kentucky Council of Churches Kentucky Council of Churches Annual Assembly October 19 & 20 in Louisville at Jeffersontown Christian Church. Thursday Evening Worship Preacher is the Rev. Traci Blackmon, the Acting Executive Minister of Justice & Witness Ministries of The United Church of Christ and Senior Pastor of Christ the King United Church of Christ in Florissant, MO. She will preach Oct. 19, 7 pm. Betty Hibler and Gail Wolford are Union Church’s delegates, but all are welcome to attend all events. See more at www.kycouncilofchurches.org
Activist Training Day: October 21 Berea Student Inter-sectional Coalition, Appalachian Medical Solidarity, and Radical Action for Mountains’ and Peoples’ Survival present a day of training designed to prepare new activists to pull off a successful action, and to build the skills of experienced activists. Join from 8:00 to 8:00 for a day of skills-building

• Nonviolent Direct Action training
• Affinity Group Medic training
• Legal Observer training
• Campaign Organizing training
• Tabling and caucuses
• Mock direct action

Register at http://berearising.us/index.php/register/ for Berea Rising. 
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth Halloween Spectacular October 22, 6-10 pm. The evening will start at 6pm where you can enjoy painting pumpkins and other activities while listening to live music on the lawn. Then come down the basement for some more spectacular activities!
There, we will be having our chili cookoff where you get to vote with your dollars on the winner! Learn more about Kentuckians For The Commonwealth and the work we do together in our shared community.
Habitat’s Rent-a-Worker program is starting back up! Our program provides you with a few extra hands for any work that you may need done around your house and/or your property and operates on a strictly donation basis. Email habitat@berea.edu or call 859-985-3616.
You are cordially invited to the Steiner-Reck 40th Anniversary Concert and Celebration on October 29, at 4:00 pm.  This concert and celebration will be to honor and celebrate our beloved 42-rank Steiner-Reck organ, completed and dedicated in October of 1977.  This concert will bring guest organists from around Central Kentucky to help showcase the artistry and masterful musical craftsmanship our beloved instrument has.  Guest artists will include Schuyler Robinson from the University of Kentucky, Jon Johnson from the Church of the Good Shepherd (Lexington, KY), and Gabriel Evans from Union Church and Berea College.  All are welcome to come celebrate this wonderful event.  A reception will follow the concert in the Community Room.  
Poster by Jessica Holly, picture drawn by Charlsa Hensley.
Save-these-Dates
Oct. 15 Music Theory, 12 noon
Oct. 18 Insurance & Medicare info session, 6:30 pm
Oct. 22 KFTC Halloween Spectacular Friendraiser, 6-10 pm
Oct. 26 In These Fields, a folk opera, performed as part of the Celebration of          Traditional Music weekend, 8 pm
Oct. 29 Hymn Sing, 9 am
Oct. 29  40th Anniversary of the Organ is celebrated with a concert, 4 pm