A Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the Church of Christ, Union
Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost 10:30 am
Meditation
The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members. ~ Coretta Scott King
From There to Here: We Gather
Prelude
Welcome
¨ Call To Worship Jenny Bromley, Reader
One: Bless the Lord, O my soul! O God, You are very great! You are clothed with honor and majesty, wrapped in light like a cloak!
All: Stretching out the heavens like a tent, laying the beams of your chambers on the waters, you make the clouds your chariot and ride on the wings of the wind.
One: You make the winds Your messengers and glowing fires your ministers.
All: You set the earth on its foundations, so that it shall never be shaken. The waters covered it like a garment; the mountains rose, and the valleys sank down to the place You appointed for them.
One: You set a boundary that the waters may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth.
All: O God, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom, You made them all; all the earth is filled with your riches.
One: Praise the Lord! Let us come together in gratitude and awe, joining with all creation to worship our God.
All: Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord! Amen! ~ based on Psalm 104:1-9, 24, 35c
¨ Opening Hymn #22 Sing Praise to God, Who Has Shaped Lobe den Herren
1 Sing praise to God, who has shaped and sustains all creation! Sing praise, my soul, in profound and complete adoration! Gladsome rejoice-organ and trumpet and voice- joining God’s great congregation.
2 Praise God, our guardian, who lovingly offers correction, who, as on eagle’s wings, saves us from sinful dejection. Have you observed, how we are always preserved by God’s parental affection?
3 Sing praise to God, with sincere thanks for all your successes. Merciful God ever loves to encourage and bless us. Only conceive what godly strength can achieve: strength that would touch and caress us.
4 Sing praise, my soul, the great name of your high God commending. All that have life and breath join you, their notes sweetly blending. God is your light! Soul, ever keep this in sight: amen, amen never ending.
¨ Prayer of Approach and Confession
One: God of all creation, you love us into being, yet we often flee our rightful place in your creation. We confess that we exploit the gifts you place around us, and dominate the richness of the natural order.
All: Forgive our greedy grasping. We confess our part in the devastation of our planet home, mirrored in the violence of cities, and the brokenness of hearts.
One: Forgive and restore us, O God.
All: Nurturing God, remind us of other ways to live and of a place called home, where creation reflects your goodness and each thing lives in balance with all others. Come and find us, set us right again, and take us home.
One: Thus we pray to be whole and better in Christ’s way and in Jesus name.
All: Amen.
¨ Words of Assurance
One: Anyone in Christ becomes a new person altogether; the past is finished and gone; everything has become fresh and new. Friends, believe the Good News of the gospel:
All: In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven and set on the path to healing.
¨ 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.
Word and Worship
Scripture Reading Hebrews 5:1-10
Every high priest chosen from among mortals is put in charge of things pertaining to God on their behalf, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is subject to weakness, and because of this he must offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not presume to take this honor but takes it only when called by God, just as Aaron was.
So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming a high priest but was appointed by the one who said to him, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you”; as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.” In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.
Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered, and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
Children’s Moment as the children return to their seats we sing:
May God’s blessings 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.
Scripture Reading Mark 10:35-45
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Appoint us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They replied, “We are able.”
Then Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink and with the baptism with which I am baptized you will be baptized, but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to appoint, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. So Jesus called them and said to them, “You know that among the gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them.
But it is not so among you; instead, whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many.”
Sermon How To Do “Great” Rev. Kent Gilbert
Video Reflection
A chance to take in what we have heard.
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.
Embodied Prayer
You are invited to reflect and pray at the candle table. You may also choose to source the essential ingredient of solitude and private prayer, remaining with your own thoughts in your pew.
Offertory
A Chance for Generosity: www.easytithe.com/union
A community of caring relies on support. Your recurring or one-time donation will make a ministry of healing, justice, and teaching available to all in need.
¨ Use your smart phone or computer and go to www.easytithe.com/union. No registration required, but registering once makes future generosity simply an amount and a click.
¨ Baskets for checks or cash are located at the head of each aisle for those who wish to make an in-person donation.
¨ Give by Text. Text an amount to 859-448-3403 (Example: Text “$50.00 Offering”).
¨ Give by Mail to: 200 Prospect St., Berea, KY 40403.
Your contribution is love made visible. Thank you!
¨ Doxology Old Hundredth
Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise God all creatures here below. Praise God above ye heavenly host: Creator, Christ and Holy Ghost! Amen.
Silent Prayer & Prayers of the Community Jenny Bromley, Reader
Walking with you, and maybe tempted to “greatness,” help us to redefine prayers for power into the power of prayer. Help us not to be great, but to be able to serve greatly. Help us not to be our best self, but to help all your many peoples become your best and beloved community. And by serving and loving and healing others may we ourselves find the peace and satisfaction we so often lack in our strivings and connivings.
Great is your work and beloved are your children. In joy we follow to serve. In serving we come closest to you. So in all our walks, guide our steps as your love demands. This we pray as Jesus taught, reaching to you as…
Our Lord’s Prayer
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.
¨ Hymn #539 Won’t You Let Me Be Your Servant? Servant Song
- Won’t you let me be your servant, let me be as Christ to you? Pray that I may have the grace to let you be my servant, too.
- We are pilgrims on a journey, we are travelers on the road; we are here to help each other go the mile and bear the load.
- I will hold the Christ-light for you in the shadow of your fear; I will hold my hand out to you, speak the peace you long to hear.
- I will weep when you are weeping; when you laugh, I’ll laugh with you. I will share your joy and sorrow till we’ve seen this journey through.
- When we sing to God in heaven we shall find such harmony, born of all we’ve known together of Christ’s love and agony.
- Won’t you let me be your servant, let me be as Christ to you? Pray that I may have the grace to let you be my servant, too.
From Here to There
Community Connections
Announcements
We share opportunities for Beloved Community and ways to serve. Please see the listing of church & community events, prayers, and notices in the pages following the service.
Lighting the Justice Candle to Lead us Forth
The Joy of Welcoming New Members
Partnership & Purpose
Today presents an opportunity to covenant together! All who would like to are welcome to join the church family – you will be received in joy.
Questions of the Congregation and New Members
¨ Covenant of Welcome
And we, the members and faithful friends 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 The God of Second Chances David Haas
Those who are able & willing are invited to fill the aisles as we sing the Benediction Response together. If you’re at home or in the balcony, you are part of the embrace too. The embrace is as wide as God’s love!
Reprinted with permission using OneLicense #A-723786
Our Prayers for Others
¨ 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 (World Council of Churches Ecumenical Prayer cycle: union-church.org/ministries/prayer. Let us hold the people of the Caribbean: Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curaçao, Dominica, Domin-ican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinque, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Saba, St Barts, St. Eustatia, Saint Martin/Sint Maarten, St Kitts-Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks & Caicos, US Virgin Islands; and our brothers and sisters at Berea Baptist Church in our hearts, and pray for them today and throughout the week.
¨ Mary Ellen Sarafin, Betty’s sister, suffering from cirrhosis.
¨ Nick Lockwood, 21-year-old nephew of the Lockwood and Methler family.
¨ Darlene Lowe, seriously ill with Covid complications and C.Diff, and for her wife, Lauri McVicker , as she cares for her.
¨ Patrick Quinn, an online friend, who had a pulmonary embolism last week at only 24.
¨ Steve Rutledge, mourning the loss of his long time friend of 62 years, Arie Kopelman, who died last week of pancreatic cancer.
¨ If you want to help those affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, donations of money are best; and Church World Service and the Red Cross are “on the ground” now. Giving directly to them is the best way to help. Please don’t try to travel to affected areas.
¨ All the people of Ukraine for their safety and sovereignty. Prayers also that the government of Russia will turn to reason & respect for their own peoples’ lives as well as for Ukrainian families.
¨ All those affected by the devastating losses in the current conflict in the Middle East.
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes or who are homebound: Jan Hamilton, Betsy Hoefer, Dorie Hubbard, Susan Kramer, Lois Morgan, Sara Parker, Cheryl Payne, Alva Peloquin, Laura Robie.
¨ All those suffering from mental strain, trauma, and disease: may God soothe and heal all who are troubled.
¨ Members and Friends who need safer housing and income security.
¨ JoAnn Russell, Reda Hutton’s aunt, facing several medical challenges.
¨ For all those caring for others in their illnesses and needs: may God give them both strength and encourage-ment in this work of costly love.
¨ Erikke Meadows’ mom, Prudy Meadows, with COPD.
¨ The Guild family as Will continues his struggle with brain cancer and stroke.
¨ Prayer for a restored and renewed sense of integrity in all public officials and work: that justice may be louder than greed; fair and good governance a blessing to all people, not the favored few.
¨ Congratulations to Whitney McKnight, who has received a grant from the Mountain Association to start her newspaper, The Edge.
¨ Travel mercies for Iris Bailey, currently travelling in Japan with our sister city program. She’ll be joined by her family and will visit relatives in Osaka!
¨ Dottie Blackburn is in The Terrace for rehab. Cards welcome. 1043 Brooklyn Blvd., Berea.
¨ Celebrations with Prayers of Joy!
Birthdays: Oct. 20 – Gina Chamberlain; Critley King Smith; 21 – Cheryl Payne; 22 – Ellen Suters; 27 – Reda Hutton, Susan Schmied
Anniversaries: Oct. 22: Howard & Shirley Carlberg; Tony & Katie Basham
If we haven’t got your important dates, let us know. We’ll help you get connected in FellowshipOne Go!
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