A Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the
CHURCH OF CHRIST, UNION

Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost Reformation Sunday
October 25, 2015, 10:30 am

Meditation
Love isn’t finding a perfect person. It’s seeing an imperfect person perfectly.   – Sam Keen

FROM THERE TO HERE

Prelude Fantasia J. Pachelbel
• 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 #439 Black A Mighty Fortress Is Our God EIN’ FESTE BURG
• Prayer of Approach & Confession Psalm 51
Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God   led by AJ Bodnar
Create in me
a clean heart O God
Let me be like you in all my ways
Give me your strength
Teach me your song
Shelter me in the shadow of your wings
For we are your
righteousness
If we die to ourselves
and live through your death
Then we shall be born
again to be blessed in your love
setting by John Michael Talbot
• Words of Assurance
One: O taste and see that the Lord is Good. By the grace offered by God through Jesus the Christ, we are forgiven.
All: Thanks be to God! Amen!
• 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, commitment, 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

Anthem Be Joyful in the Lord J.S. Fearis
Union Church Choir
Oh be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness, and come before His presence with a song. Be ye sure that the Lord is God. It is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Oh, go your way into his gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.
Hebrew Scripture Lesson Psalm 34:1-22
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.
Gospel Lesson Mark 10:46-52
Sermon Bearing the Light Rev. Kent Gilbert

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 O Had I Jubal’s Lyre G.F. Handel
• 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 #551 Black Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior PASS ME NOT
• Benediction & Sending Forth
Postlude (please be seated) A Mighty Fortress F. Swan
____________________
• 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 Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal and our brothers and sisters at Kirksville Christian Church in your hearts, and pray for them.
Please also hold these concerns in your prayers, today and throughout the week:
*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 her family, as she recovers from an infection. Visit her Caring Bridge site www.caringbridge.org/visit/marlenepayne
*Kelly Ambrose, and the army of volunteers helping him with transportation
*All those suffering worry about illness
*The Kindel family, at the loss of Merlin
*Rob and Michelle Hayden and their sons, Eli and Ian
*Dodie Murphy, having her gallbladder removed tomorrow (non-spicy soup welcome—give her a call)
The Justice Candle:  The Justice Candle is lit in honor and memory of Carl Eschbach, Evangelical United Brethren (now United Methodist) pastor and bishop who was a missionary in the Philippines when it was invaded by Japanese forces during World War II. He was placed in a prison camp for western non-citizens and held for the duration of the war. When American forces liberated the camp, he convinced the Japanese commander not to commit seppaku, or ritual suicide.
Most astonishingly, after the war he tracked down as many former prison guards as he could and, speaking to his fellow former prisoners, stated that as Christians it was their duty to find forgiveness and make peace. Former prisoners and guards then held a joint meeting in the US.
The peace bell was made, and is rung, in Carl’s honor, and a sister bell hangs in Kiyosato Japan where Rev. Kent represented Madison County this last week, ringing it there in the same hope of peace for all people.
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.
Merlin Kindel’s family expresses their appreciation for the ongoing support of church family.
Learn more about the church right after worship. Anyone wanting to know more about Union Church or wanting to explore church membership, as well as new members who have not been able to participate in a previous meeting, are invited to come to the classroom two doors past the church office immediately following worship for conversation with the Pastors and the Community Life and Growth Board.
New members are received every second Sunday of a month—next opportunity is November 8. YOU are welcome here!
Songwriting Class begins today. Join our Artist in Residence, AJ Bodnar, for a 4-week class series called Heart and Soul: Using the Music Within – bring any instruments you know how to play. Those of every skill level (and NO skill level) are welcome. 12:30 in Room 101, beginning with lunch!
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
Abby Embry will preach at Danforth Chapel this Tuesday, October 27.
Saturday October 31 work morning — 9:00 to noon – Come and join your friends in helping to maintain the grounds of the Church. Many hands get all tasks (trimming, weeding, spreading soil) done quickly and lead us toward a stronger community. Coffee plus will be available in the conference room. If it rains Nov. 7.
Delicious Youth Group Fundraiser through November 11! 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! Thank you all for your support!
“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. $10 will cover the cost of the signs and further our work toward racial justice. 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.
Easy ways to give: Union Church has received just over $1,000 from the Kroger rewards program ($842) and the Amazon Smile programs ($170) since we began using these programs one year ago to raise money for the church.
In essence, these programs paid for our whole Vacation Bible School ministry, as well as supplies and equipment used to run our Faith Development programs! Thanks to all who support the church in these ways! If you would like to learn more about how to use these reward programs, contact Dave Kobersmith, davek@union-church.org or use the links below.
Kroger has been committed to supporting the communities it serves by assisting local charitable organizations through its Rewards Program.  Union Church will earn rewards on all eligible purchases you make using your Kroger Plus Card.
The Kroger rewards will accumulate and be donated quarterly to Union Church.  This is an easy way for all to fund-raise for Union Church.  Visit https://www.kroger.com/communityrewards
Amazon Smile will donate .5% of eligible sales to Union Church if you register at https://smile.amazon.com/ch/61-0444677.