A Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the Church of Christ, Union
Meditation
Love involves a peculiar unfathomable combination of understanding and misunderstanding. ― photographer Diane Arbus
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 “t.”
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 Prelude in G Major, BWV 541 J.S. Bach
Gospel Lesson Luke 19:28-44
* Palm Processional Hosanna Medley arr. Gabe Evans
Everyone is invited to join in the Processional. When invited, please move to stand lining the aisles as the pastors, children, and adults process through “the crowd.” Those processing will begin by the door under the Peace Bell. All who would like to do so may gather in that hall, or join as the procession passes your pew.
* Call to Worship
One: Who is this that comes in the name of the Lord?
All: Hosanna! Hosanna!
One: Who has come to deliver us from our oppressors?
All: Hosanna! Hosanna!
One: Let us give thanks for God’s steadfast and enduring love!
All: Hosanna! Hosanna!
* Opening Hymn #216 All Glory, Laud and Honor St. Theodulph
* Prayer of Approach and Confession
“Kyrie eleison” is Greek for “Lord have mercy,” and is an ancient petition in prayers of confession. When invited, please sing the refrain through twice, and hum while the worship leaders interweave the prayers between our singing.
All: Kyrie Refrain (sung twice)
One: Holy one, beloved of God, we rally to your side cheering and waving, in excitement. We cry, “Hosanna! Save us!” while believing ourselves saved already.
All: Kyrie Refrain (sung once)
One: Drunk by the desire for power, we are tempted to replace one empire with another. We craft our ideals into golden idols and surround them with palms.
All: Kyrie Refrain (sung once)
One: Blinded by our pride, we think that knowing you for a long time means a privileged place in your Kingdom, and we push away those whom we consider too sinful, too distasteful, too blind to be part of our company.
All: Kyrie Refrain (sung once)
One: Forgive us when our desire to follow ends with the joyful procession, and refuses to hear about the inevitable outcome of speaking truth to the powerful, or speaking love to the fearful. Forgive us our failure to follow. Forgive us our failure to love.
All: Kyrie Refrain (sung twice)
* 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.
The Word in our Midst
Anthem Sing Hosanna Mark Patterson
Joyful Noise and Jubilee Choirs
Children’s Moment
As the children return to their seats or move to children’s church, 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.
Anthem A Festive Hosanna Douglas Nolan
Union Church Choir
Hosanna, give praise to the King. Hosanna, lift voices and sing. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. See he rides through the ancient streets. People gather as they greet the promised Savior. Wave the palms, hosanna! Raise the palms, hosanna! Come now and worship Christ, the King of Kings!
Sung Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 p. 701
Hebrew Scripture Lesson Isaiah 50:4-9a
Sermon “Let’s Make Jerusalem Great Again” Rev. Rachel Small Stokes
GIfts Given for Love to Flow
Today we’re receiving our One Great Hour of Sharing offering. Please consider an over-and-above gift to carry love throughout the world.
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
* Doxology
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 Prayers and Prayers for 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 #224 When I Survey the Wondrous Cross Hamburg
* Benediction & Sending Forth
* Benediction Response Jesus, Remember Me Taize
Postlude (please be seated) Rigaudon A. Campra
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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 peoples of Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Andorra, Monaco and San Marino and our brothers and sisters at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in your hearts, and pray for them.
Please also hold these concerns in your prayers, today and throughout the week:
¨ Refugee families and individuals seeking shelter and safety, and all who are working to provide it: May God magnify our efforts.
¨ Les Pross, at the death of his sister, Margaret “Peggy” Banker.
¨ Teri Mehler, recovering at home from abdominal surgery
¨ Laura Robie, recovering at home from knee replacement surgery
¨ Andy Blyth, recovering at home
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes, or who are homebound: Edith Hansen, Nancy Jones, Mary Miller, Alva Peloquin
¨ George Oberst
¨ Sheila Johnson, facing breast cancer
¨ Marlene Payne and her family
¨ Kelly Ambrose and family
¨ Terry Allen Watts, NoraRuth Jenkins’ cousin
¨ Cindy Saylor’s friend Genny Bryant, who has colon cancer.
¨ Loretta Mountjoy, who has had pacemaker surgery and is recovering at home
¨ Jerry Cooper’s daughter, Debbie diagnosed with breast cancer
¨ Muse Watson and family in the death of Muse’s sister-in-law, Sheri
¨ For all discerning the way forward in difficult circumstances, may God’s light lead and guide
¨ Anna Grethe Jensen, Sune Federiksen’s sister-in-law in Denmark, recovering from heart valve surgery
¨ Jillean McCommons, feeling a lot of stress and anxiety
¨ Alvera Perman’s new niece, Avery Stallard, born March 14 at just over one pound, and her family
Easter Egg hunt goodies needed! NO eggs needed, thanks to previous years’ generosity! BUT things to FILL the eggs are needed — small candies, toys, stickers. Our Youth Group will stuff eggs on March 23, please bring your contributions by then! Drop off in the office (especially the candy…)
Thanks to those who attended, cooked, ate and contributed to the Lenten Lunches! They’re finished for the year and, at the latest count, about $1000 was added to the General Budget.
Guyde Moore at Danforth Chapel. The speaker at next Tuesday’s noon chapel service will be Guyde Moore, Minister of Public Works, Liberia, long time friend of Union Church and Michelle Tooley’s host son.
ABLE (Achieving and Building Life Equally) will meet on Tuesday, March 22 (and every 4th Tuesday), at 5:30pm in Room 101ABLE is a support group/network for those who self-identify as differently-abled: to inspire, encourage, and empower one another, and to make Berea a more accessible community.
We Need YOUR PICTURE for a New Church Directory! If you’ve got a photo you’d like to use, please send it to the office. Also — if there’s a chance we don’t have your address, phone, email address, anniversary, or birthday(s)—please send that info on as well: office@union-church.org. There will be a draft available at Lenten lunches and WNL for you to check and correct if needed. If we left you out — we don’t mean to!! Please add your info! Also, if you happen to know that someone has moved or attends church elsewhere, let us know that too.
Help Beautify the Sanctuary for Easter! Order Lilies by March 22!
Easter morning flowers are a glorious way to celebrate the joy of resurrection. Now you can order sanctuary lilies in honor or memory of loved ones for just $15 with a click! Sales will support our Annual Budget, providing loving care in our many ministries.
We’ll see that the lilies are delivered to church and they’ll be available to take home after the Easter Service if you wish. All orders must be received by March 22 to have dedications included in the Easter service bulletin — just visit union-church.org.
Bread for the World Potluck & Offering of Letters at WNL March 30: Potluck with St. Clare Catholic Church and Berea Friends Meeting for Bread for the World 2016 Offering of Letters. Letter writing materials provided. Campus Empty Bowls Project bowls also for sale for $10.00, proceeds to area Food Banks.
Continuing Sunday Morning Fellowship Opportunity! The group enjoyed their before-worship time so much, they are continuing. Feel free to join ‘em, Community Room—near the coffee. Needle-workers, Crafters, Crocheters and More! Sunday mornings, 9:45am-10:15am, bring your own creative project to work on, and join others for relaxed and unstructured conversation, community-building, and coffee before the church service begins.
Tuesday Evenings in Lent: Walking Meditation Please join us and meet at 5:45 at Alumni Field. Walks will be led by David Bellnier and will be a chance to revel in nature and inspiration, while enjoying exercise and new friends. Listen together to a reading, then walk together in meditation!
Order Raised Beds Now! April 1 is the deadline for ordering and paying for Raised Beds to be installed between April 13 – 16 through the Berea Victory Garden Blitz. Pay it forward with a gift of $100 to gift a bed to someone else. This is our chance to help people learn to grow food and build community around sharing food. Help build our local food economy and while supporting a just and sustainable food system for all. Contact Sustainable Berea at 859-985-1689 to order.
Reaching Individuals: Behind and Beyond the Bars April 15: The third annual faith-based event focused on offender and re-entry ministry in Kentucky. Keynote Speaker: Rev. Lee A. Schott, Pastor of Women at the Well, a congregation inside the walls of the Iowa Correctional Institute for Women. April 15, 9 am—4:30 pm, Flaget Center, Louisville. Find out more at www.louisvillereentry.org. $15 regis-tration includes lunch.
Host a Dane: April 11th-15th! Members of the church and the Berea Danish Gymnastics Club are currently looking for families who would be willing to host pairs of Danish teens (either 2 girls or 2 boys). These students are English immersion students, so their English is good, but they may be shy about it. As a host family, you would be responsible for providing a comfortable bed, linens and towels, use of a bathroom, and a few meals (including breakfast every day). The teens being hosted are part of a much larger group and the activities they will be involved in are mostly for the entire group. The kids will usually be dropped off at Seabury in the mornings and picked up again at various evening times.
A detailed itinerary will be provided to all hosts. Not only is this is an opportunity for you to learn more about Danish culture. It is also an opportunity for you to invest a bit of your time in the lives of some young Danes, seeking to practice their English, while learning more about our American culture.
Please let Carol Hunt know as soon as possible if you are able to be a host family: Carol Hunt – thehuntfamily6@hotmail.com Cell phone: 859-779-5360. You won’t regret it!
Holy Week at Union Church
Maundy Thursday, March 24, 7:30 pm service in the sanctuary. “Maundy” comes from the Latin “mandatum,” meaning “commandment.” On this night when Jesus met with his disciples for his last supper, he gave them a new commandment, “that you love one another.” During this special service we will share communion and recount the story of Jesus’ betrayal and arrest, and darken the sanctuary, as we retell the story of his crucifixion.
Our service will begin with hand and foot washing at 7:00 pm (for those who wish).
Good Friday, March 25, 12:15 pm A service is offered by the Berea Ministerial Association. Gather at 12:15, Union Church sanctuary. This midday worship service recounts Jesus’ last hours.
Concert and Community Sing of Jesus Christ Superstar, Sanctuary. Evening of Good Friday. 7:30 pm, $10 adults, $5 students & teens. Come at 6:30 if you’d like to rehearse with the choir.
Holy Saturday, March 26, 8:30 am Gather with Pastors Kent & Rachel as we clean and prepare the sanctuary for our Easter guests. We’ll dust the pews, and prepare the decorations, fold Easter bulletins and spruce up the outside (please bring outdoor tools if you have them—let’s help spring SPRING!) as we welcome a joyful Easter.
Easter Sunday, March 27, 7:15 am Sunrise Service, White’s Memorial Presbyterian Church. The Ministerial Association hosts this all-church celebration of Easter Morning as the sun rises. The service will be held at White’s Memorial Presbyterian Church, and all are invited to stay afterward for a light breakfast. Let’s share worship, song, and prayer with all our neighbors.
9:30 am Easter Activities for kids, beginning in the Chapel and moving on to the Easter Egg Hunt!
10:30 am Celebration of the Resurrection! Join to recall the joy and hope of that first Easter Morning, and to renew yourself by recalling that God’s love is not reserved in that long-ago time. This is a lovely time to invite guests, new neighbors, and any who’ve ever wondered what Union Church is about!
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