A Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the
CHURCH OF CHRIST, UNION
Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost
October 18, 2015, 10:30 am
Meditation
Service is the rent we pay for being. It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in your spare time. — Marian Wright Edelman, Author and Executive Director of the Children’s Defense Fund
FROM THERE TO HERE
Prelude Adagio Ludwig Krebs
• 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 #350 Black Now in the Days of Youth DIADEMATA
• Prayer of Approach & Confession
One: God of each of us,
All: God of all of us,
One: Being church is hard.
All: We do not all agree
One: about who you are
All: or how to follow Jesus
One: or what faith means
All: or how to spend our money.
One: We sometimes close our ears
All: to the cries of children in need,
One: to the worries of the bigger world,
All: and to the sufferings that seem too great to bear.
One: We do not always listen well.
All: We do not always speak kindly.
One: Sometimes we forget the truth of church:
All: We are all members of one body.
One: Every part is needed.
All: Every part is honored.
One: And it is a blessing to have these companions on our journey.
All: Forgive our failings and strengthen our love.
adapted from a prayer by Joanna Harader
• Words of Assurance
One: Listen! I have something to say! God sent God’s own child Jesus that we might know ourselves to be loved and forgiven children of God. Hear and believe the good news: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Thanks be to God.
All: Thanks be to God! Amen!
prayer by the Children’s Defense Fund
• 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
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, commit-ment, intelligence, and delight. On November 8 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.
As we continue our exploration of stewardship this year, we bring forth witnesses to testify as to what giving has done for them.
THE WORD IN OUR MIDST
Childrens Gathering Song #323 Little Children, Welcome SAIPAN
Childrens Choir Anthem Come As a Child Wilson/Knox
Jubilee and Joyful Noise Choirs
When parents brought children for Jesus to bless, his followers noticed his need for rest. And knowing children, noisy at play, they said to the parents, “Please take them away!”
But Jesus said, “Bring the children to me! The Kingdom of Heaven is theirs, you see.” And holding them close, he blessed them and smiled.
“Whoever would enter must come as a child. Let the children come to me; the kingdom belongs to them. You must be open to joy and love, and come as children do.”
The children I know are noisy, it’s true; inquisitive, open, and loving, too. So maybe God’s kingdom is meant to be a circle of love, filled with people like me!
Hebrew Scripture Lesson Job 38:1-7,34-41
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.
Special Music A. J. Bodnar
Gospel Lesson Mark 10:35-45
Sermon A Cup of Mixed Blessings Rev. Rachel Small Stokes
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 God, Whose Giving Knows No Ending (HYFRYDOL) Healey Willan
Words & music are #565 in the black hymnal, if you’d like to follow along.
• 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 inJapan and is also rung in the hope of peace for all nations.
Silent Prayers 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 #306 Black The Church of Christ, in Every Age WAREHAM
• Benediction & Sending Forth
Postlude (please be seated) Recessional Robert Cundick
____________________
• 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 Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and our brothers and sisters at Dreyfus Church of Christ in your hearts, and pray for them.
Please also hold these concerns in your prayers, today and throughout the week:
*Children suffering around the world, including those in our own town and church
*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
*Joe Jaggers’ mother, Cassandra Jaggers, with aggressive breast cancer
*The Coynes’ neighbor, Sheila Johnson, fighting breast cancer
*Marlene Payne, and for her family as she continues her cancer treatment. Visit her Caring Bridge site www.caringbridge.org/visit/marlenepayne
*Kelly Ambrose, and for his family as his radiation treatments continue.
*Family of Merlin Kindel, especially Dot, sons Brian and Lisa, stepdaughters Dawn and Alicia, stepson, Chris, and many grandchildren and spouses. Service will be this Wednesday in place of WNL. 4:00-6:00pm visitation; 6pm service, dinner afterward at approximately 7:00 pm.
*Rob and Michelle Hayden and their sons, Eli and Ian
*Teri Van Pelt, with a bronchial infection
*The family of Annie Brown, Thomas Brownrobie’s mother, at her passing.
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.
Learn more about the church next week New members are received every second Sunday of a month.. YOU are welcome here!
Welcome to our Artist in Residence, AJ Bodnar! Join AJ for a 4-week class series called Heart and Soul: Using the Music Within – a songwriting class beginning NEXT week, October 25 — bring any instruments you know how to play. Those of every skill level are welcome. 12:30 in Room 101, beginning with lunch!
Today is the National Observance of Children’s Sabbaths, an interfaith alliance of prayer and work to bring forth the voices of the littlest among us and to advocate for them. This year’s theme is: “How Long Must I Cry for Help?” Bending the Arc Toward God’s Vision of Justice for Children.
ABLE: Achieving and Building Life Equally, will meet October 27 (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. ABLEinBerea @gmail.com
Delicious Youth Group Fundraiser! Youth Group will be doing a 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. So you know you already love it!
The youth will have catalogs to sell Equal Exchange products, and we will receive 40% of the profits from these sales. The money we raise will go toward getting youth to camp next summer at “Passport Choices” in North Carolina.
The fundraiser will continue until November 11th, when we will send in our final orders to Equal Exchange. The Equal Exchange products you buy from us will not only be fantastic Christmas presents, but will support the youth of Union Church, and help support fair prices from coffee and cocoa bean producers world wide. Thank you all for your support!
Drivers needed! Help our youth relieve hunger in Berea! On 24th (Saturday), our youth will be picking up filled bags of food in neighborhoods throughout Berea as part of the Hunger Hurts Food Drive. We need at least two adults with working vehicles (minivans and SUVs would be awesome) to help drive the students. Exact time is TBA, but it would be in the morning. Please see Rev. Rachel or Chris McKenzie to volunteer. Thanks!
The Hunger Hurts Food Drive is an annual event coordinated by the Center for Excellence in Learning through Service (CELTS) at Berea College in collaboration with Berea Faith Community Outreach (BFCO) to collect donations used to stock the Berea Community Food Bank, which greatly benefit families needing food assistance throughout the winter months. This is the 23rd year of the Hunger Hurts Food Drive, which has raised more than 8,000 lbs. of food for those who are in need.
A bit of office help needed: some envelope sitickering. Labels will be ready Tuesday—you can do it here, or take them home. Just call or email the office — thanks.
“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. We are requesting a donation of $10 to cover the cost of the signs and to further our work toward racial justice. The requested donation is $10. These signs are limited, although if the interest is greater than the number, we may order more. 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.
Our Public Library is chock full of fun & informative events! A few are listed here, but check out the bulletin board by the “ramp” door for others!
“Fertile Ground” art exhibit features Union Church members. Several Union Church members are featured artists in the exhibit “Fertile Ground,” which celebrates women’s roles at the forefront of our community’s food culture. This exhibit at the Berea Arts Council features visual art in several mediums, as well as literary pieces. On Tuesday, October 20, from 6:30–8 pm at BAC, artists will give readings of their work. Please join in this celebration of our community!
“Age-Friendly” Berea Survey Results: If you filled out an “Age-Friendly” Berea Survey (or if you didn’t), you are welcome to an Open House at the library to hear the results Thursday Oct 22, 4-6 pm.
Save-the-Date! November 7—Family Cook-out/Potluck, Bonfire, & Music at Rev. Kent’s. Brought to you by your Community Life & Growth Board.
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