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

Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

October 20, 2019         10:30 am

Meditation
The key to the seeker’s quest is not in finding just the right piece of holy real estate on which to stand, but rather in so preparing his or her awareness that any space he or she occupies can become thin through faith.
— Steven Charleston

From there to here: we Gather

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 Sweet Memories Melody Bober
The Call   Thomas Merton
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
¨  Hymn #50 Black I Sing the Praise of Love Almighty St. Petersburg
¨  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 hospitality.

The Living Word among us

Anthem A Gaelic Blessing John Rutter
Union Church Choir
Deep peace to you, deep peace of the quiet earth to you, deep peace of the stars to you, deep peace of the night to you, moon and stars pour light on you, deep peace of Christ the light of the world to you, deep peace of Christ to you.
Epistle Lesson 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5 (p. 1454)
“All scripture is inspired by God,” Paul instructs Timothy. Scripture is “useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”
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 Luke 18:1-8 (p. 1262)
Jesus tells his disciples about the need to keep at prayer and not to lose heart.
Sermon Citation Needed Rev. Nate Craddock
Countdown to Community Thoughtful, Intentional Faith Development Chris McKenzie

Living Prayer

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.
Acts of Reflection and Prayer
Some resources for reflection and prayer are provided. You are free to use  – or ignore –  these prompts as you find helpful. In whatever prayer manner you adopt, please hold the concerns of those listed, and those you know about, in God’s peace-giving light.
Of the things you learned as a child, which have you found to be helpful to you still, which have you found to be no longer helpful, and which were perhaps never helpful at all?A deceptively complex question: What develops your faith? How are you intentional about it?Does God lose heart continually coming to us, waiting for our response? (based on a poem by Ann Fontaine)What keeps you open to what God wants you to do?
Children’s Fire: Write down something you wish grown-ups understood better. (If you are an adult, write down something your child self wished that the grown-ups around you understood better.)
Prayer Corner: You are invited to come to the prayer corner and sit or kneel with the word “Surrender” and all that it means or could mean to you.
Bell Table: Use the magnetic words to create poetry. You can create one of your own, or work with others.
Sharing Corner: Stop by the Community Sharing Table and say a prayer that the faith of those who are in difficult circumstances will grow strong and will not fail. See if you can think of a practical way to encourage one person you know who is having a hard time.
A Chance for Generosity: Offering Baskets in the Aisles
Offering baskets are placed in the aisle, and can also be brought to your seat. 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 those in need via many external agencies.
Many friends give online, and you can use your smart phone or computer and go to www.easytithe.com/union. You don’t have to register to make a contribution, but if you do, it can make future generosity that much easier. You can even give by text! Text to 859-448-3403 (Example: Text “$50.00 Offering)
Your contribution is love made visible. Thank you!
Please sing when invited: Rejoice, You Pure in Heart  (tune #55, black hymnal)
Bright youth and seasoned age, strong souls and spirits meek,
raise high your free exulting song, God’s wondrous praises speak.      Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, give thanks and sing.
Praise God who rules all worlds; the risen Christ adore.
Praise God the Spirit, Holy Fire, one God for evermore!                              Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, give thanks and sing.
Pastoral Prayer and 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

¨  Hymn #266 Black Filled with the Spirit’s Power Sheldonian
¨  The Sending and Blessing
Postlude (please be seated) The Joy Upon Recovery from Biblical Sonata #4  Johann Kuhnau
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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 Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Curaçao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago  and our brothers and sisters at Bearwallow Pentecostal Holiness 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.
¨ Families and Friends in Crises…may God be present to every need and heal every rift and wound.
¨ For Children in detention centers, that they may be reunited with their families soon. 15,000 are now detained in the US.
¨ In thanksgiving for those students, teachers, parents, lawmakers, and citizens who are witnessing and working to end gun violence in our society. May laws that help be passed; may hearts that are broken be healed; may all who are in danger be kept safe.
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes, or who are homebound: Alva Peloquin, Edith Hansen, Joyce Henderson, Nancy Hindman, Jennie Kiteck, Mary Miller.
¨ For those who are without homes and safe places, that we may work together for solutions.
¨ Dean Jacobs, Mary Lou Wiese’s brother, recovering at home.
¨ Steve Boyce, who is recovering at home.
¨ Toby Wilcher, who has broken her fibula and ankle in a fall. Surgery has been delayed, will report when we know more.
¨ Janet Northern and family, at the death of Janet’s father, George A. Howard, on October 1.
¨ The family and friends of Judy Rowell, who died on Monday. A service will be held on November 2, 1:00 pm in the sanctuary.
Loose Change Challenge!! Rev. Nate has challenged us to check the sofa cushions, check the car seats, check wherever you can for loose change to fill up the jar in the sanctuary October 27!
Next Sunday, bring your pledge card with you – or use one from the pew rack – and we will celebrate our commitment to 2020 giving and share a scrumptious barbeque feast after worship!
Do you get the church’s Monday announcements? If you’d like to, please send your email address to office@union-church.org. We send the bulletin announcements and other news.
Inmates at the Madison County Detention Center are in need of books. They are only allowed paperbacks delivered directly from Amazon.  If anyone is interested in sponsoring a book or two, please send $10 or $20 to the church (offering plate, mail, or easyTithe. If writing a check, put MCDC in the memo line) and we’ll place the order from the office. Rev. Nate has a list of requested titles. Thanks so much.
Berea Faith Community Outreach (BFCO) is seeking a volunteer coordinator for the Frank Gailey Transient Emergency Assistance Fund. This person would be responsible for working with vendors, agents who offer assistance to those in need, training agents to use the tracking system, and reporting to the BFCO Board. A complete list of the responsibilities are available upon request. Computer and communication skills are a must.  Please contact Dave Kobersmith at kdkobersmith@gmail.com or 859-302-0575 if you are interested or would like more information.
Dodie Murphy is trying to supplement her social security benefits by making small “structions” — deconstructions and reconstructions — using photographs and inexpensive costume jewelry. She could use donations of small frames (5×7 and smaller; 4×6 and smaller work best) and costume jewelry. Thank you for considering. You can phone her (number is in the directory), text her (preferred) or email her at dodiemurphywriter @yahoo.com.
Witness for Peace Southeast will be in Berea on Wednesday, October 30, and will be speaking at the “Peace and Pizza” lunch event at the Appalachian Center on campus from 11:45 to 12:45 p.m.  This year they are hosted by the Berea College Peace and Social Justice Program. All are welcome.
Coming Up – Mark Your Calendars
Wednesday, November 6 – Berea College Christmas Concert ticket sales will “go live” online. Watch for an email with the link. Tickets are $5 and will only be available online. Concert is Dec. 6 and 7, 7:30 pm.
Saturday, November 9 – The Mission and Service Board has scheduled a visit to the Red Bird Mission campus to hear about all their wonderful work.  We will assemble to car pool from church at 8:45 a.m.  We have an hour and a half tour and then we will stop for lunch.  We anticipate returning to Berea by 3 or 3:00.
Saturday, November 23 – Celebration of Giving  9 a.m. to 3 p.m. At Acton Folk Center.  (Previously known as Alternative Christmas Market). Local non-profits can reserve a table by contacting: cheyenne @sustainable berea.org. Instead of another sweater or tie, give a donation to your favorite non-profit in your loved one’s name. Union Church organizations (e.g. Youth Group) can reserve a table for no charge, as we are one of the sponsors of the event. If you would like to volunteer, contact Tennant Kirk or Betty Hibler