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

Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

September 13, 2020      10:30 am

 
Meditation
Yet while some have concluded that it is indeed the case that we humans are alone, others have looked at these same events and suggested a much different spiritual possibility: God is with us. It is a wildly improbably turn of theological events to claim that God is with victims of war, terrorism, or natural disaster, with the valorous who run toward burning buildings or navigate flooding streets, and with those who mourn and doubt and even despair. As Bonhoeffer said, only a suffering God can help. God is with us in and through all these terrible events.
— Diana Butler Bass, Grounded: Finding God in the World-A Spiritual Revolution

From there to here: we Gather

Welcome
As the Berea community responds to the governor’s suggestion to avoid gathering in large groups, we worship online to limit the risk of exposure to Covid-19. We’re delighted to welcome you into this virtual circle of God’s healing love and light.
The Call Valerie Kaur Chris McKenzie, Reader
Forgiveness is not forgetting. Forgiveness is freedom from hate.
We can no longer divide the world into victims and aggressors; we must remake the institutions and cultures that diminish and divide us. Your greatest test is whether you can still see the humanity of the people who disagree with you and people who hurt you. For when you are hurt, you will want to hate. But when you hate the ones who hurt you, you become the darkness that haunts your dreams. Love shines a light; love returns us to the path; love makes us brave.
Passing the Peace at Home
Building the Community: News that Connects Us

The Living Word Among Us

Special Music I Will Rise and Go to Jesus C. Moklebust  Union Church Handbell Ensemble
Epistle Lesson  Romans 14:1-12 Claudia Munson-Schrumpf, Reader
Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions. Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgement on those who eat; for God has welcomed them. Who are you to pass judgement on servants of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. Those who observe the day, observe it in honor of the Lord. Also those who eat, eat in honor of the Lord, since they give thanks to God; while those who abstain, abstain in honor of the Lord and give thanks to God.
We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
Why do you pass judgement on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgement seat of God. For it is written, ‘as I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.’ So then, each of us will be accountable to God.
Children’s Moment
Please join in singing as we bless children everywhere:
May God’s blessing 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.
Gospel  Lesson  Matthew 18:21-35 MacGregor Lakes, Reader
Then Peter came and said to him, ‘Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.
‘For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.” And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow-slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, “Pay what you owe.” Then his fellow-slave fell down and pleaded with him, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you.” But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow-slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, “You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow-slave, as I had mercy on you?” And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he should pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.’
Sermon Turn, Then, And Live: Toward Forgiveness, Toward Integrity  Rev. Kent Gilbert

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.
A Chance for Generosity: www.easytithe.com/union
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 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!
Offering Music
Silent Reflection and Prayer
In prayers right now, or at time later in your day or week, let’s practice this forgiveness we’ve spoken about. Close your eyes and imagine where the hurt of whatever injury you’re carrying lives. Breathe steadily, breathe gently, as you become aware of the tightness, or the hurt. Let each breath pull something of God’s light and word into that tight or hurting place.
If you have to, take 77 breaths until the place starts to break into smaller pieces. Whether you are seeking forgiveness or seeking the path to forgiving someone else, connect to your integral actual spirit first: the hurt, the fear, the anger, the sorrow, the broken pieces need to be acknowledged. Then slowly, day by day, draw the place you are toward the place you long to be until they can align. This is not a prayer about changing others. That is their work alone. This is about aligning ourselves with the merciful grace of God, breath by breath.
Our Prayers for Others
You are very welcome to email or phone prayer requests to the office for the bulletin. Please do so by 10 am Thursdays, and be sure you have permission to share the information.
¨ 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 Ghana and Nigeria and our brothers and sisters at Bethel Baptist Church in our hearts, and pray for them. Please hold these concerns in your prayers, today and throughout the week.
¨ The families of the over 1000 Kentucky residents, and four Madison County residents, who have died to date from Covid-19.
¨ All those affected by the impact of storms in the southeast, and the fires in California and Colorado.
¨ Families with kids back in school, in whatever from school takes.
¨ All those seeking a new and just society and those fearful that they will be supplanted, may God open their hearts and include them in grace.
¨ Families and Friends in Crises…may God be present to every need and heal every rift and wound and those who care for them.
¨ Sue Peterson Blyth, and family, at the death of  Rick Peterson.
¨ Jim and Dana Wangsgard, married by Rev. Kent on Wednesday!
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes, or who are homebound: Alva Peloquin,  Loyal Jones, Jennie Kiteck, Mary Miller, Lois Morgan, Barb Smith, Jan Hamilton.
¨ Children in detention centers, that they may be reunited with their families soon.
¨ Those affected by the Covid-19 virus, their families and friends living with fear, anxiety, and feelings of isolation, may God bring peace to all who love them; and our wider community as we cope with the new realities of living.
Prayers of the People        Annette Broadbridge, Reader
Will you pray with us?
Lord, we confess that forgiving others is no easy thing for us. Despite needing – and even getting – forgiveness ourselves, we need help letting go of the debts we think others owe us.
Help us “live to you”: into your grace and mercy, and help us offer to others what has been freely given to us from your heart: dignity, freedom, hope, life-eternal. Help us look past our affronts and indignations and look toward the true communion you seek for us and for your world.
Some among us are not strong, so help us. Some of our friends and family are ill: please heal us body, mind and spirit. And some of us have been hurt so much: bring us up and out of that hurt, that we may labor with Christ for a world more just.
All this we ask in his name and reach to you in the way he taught us, 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.   

From Here to There

Hymn Now Is the Time Approaching Webb

1. Now is the time approaching, by prophets long foretold, when all shall dwell together, secure and manifold. Let war be learned no longer, let strife and tumult cease, all earth a blessed garden that God shall tend in peace.

2. Let all that now divides us remove and pass away, like mists of early morning before the blaze of day. Let all that now unites us more sweet and lasting prove, a closer bond of union, in blessed lands of love.

3. O long-expected dawning, come with your cheering ray! Yet shall the promise beckon and lead us not astray. O sweet anticipation! It cheers the watchers on to pray, and hope, and labor till Christ’s new realm is come.

The Sending & Blessing
Postlude     Celebration N. 1 M. Keller Union Church Handbell Ensemble
God of all being, Spirit of the unfolding day, In the early morning gray We seek to discern. You embrace us In the stillness, In the chill of the morning. You infuse us with your breath And we pour you out In every seed For the singing birds. Amen.   —by Jennifer Melton
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