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

Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost

September 2, 2018           10:30 am 

Meditation
It’s not the force of gravity that keeps the universe in balance, but the binding power of love.   — Isabel Allende, “In the Midst of Winter”

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
The Call “If There Are a Chosen Few” by Wendell Berry
If there are a “chosen few” then I am not among them, If an “elect,” well then I have not been elected. I am one who is knocking at the door. I am one whose foot us on the bottom rung. But I know that Heaven’s bottom rung is Heaven though the ladder is standing on the earth where I work by day and at night sleep with my head upon a stone.
Prayer for Approach, Confession & Release  
¨   Hymn  Gather Us In (opposite) Gather Us In
¨   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

Meditation Hymn #398 Black  Shadow and Substance Twilight
Epistle Lesson  James 1:17-27 (p. 1427)
James praises Christian generosity and charitableness, urging Christians to “be doers of the word, and not merely hearers.”
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 stay in the service or visit the Children’s Worship Center in the back of the sanctuary, which has toys, books, and drawing materials for children (or adults) 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  Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23 (p. 1202)
A controversy arises of the failure of Jesus’ followers to obey the ritual demands of the Law. Jesus replies that his critics have abandoned the real meaning of the Law for the sake of human tradition.
Sermon All In: But What’s Coming Out? Rev. Kent Gilbert

Our Prayers In Action:  Sharing God’s Love in Communion

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.
¨  Invitation to Communion
One: God be with you.
All:    And also with you.
One: Take courage from God’s mercy and power.
All:     We trust in God’s healing grace.    
One: Let us give thanks for all that God is doing.
All: We would love what God loves and sing the praise of Christ!
One:     As we come to this table, we are reminded that this is not the table of this congregation, nor is it the table of any particular denomination.  It is the table of Jesus Christ, a place for anyone and everyone to be united as family.
One:    All who seek to be nourished and sustained in the journey of faith, and long to live justly and in peace with their neighbor, are welcome here and will be fed. It is for the equipping of the saints so we can bear the light and speak the Word. So come weak and strong, churched and not sure.  Come not because you must, but come because you are wanted, welcomed.  Let us eat and drink together for our strengthening in the faith, and for the sake of the world.
Communion Prayer and Words of Institution              
One: Creator of us all, you have placed into creation all that was and is and what shall be. You have fed us and placed us, walked with us, and challenged us by word and prophets to bring out of our hearts the very best of our holy humanity. You have made us partners in creation, stewards of your vision, inheritors of your grace. In your Holy Work we stand and sing your praise:
Communion Sanctus please join in singing
Words of Institution
One:     Jesus welcomed us in to the very heart of God, taking outsiders and building a beloved community, a kin-dom of compassion, and teaching us that justice is love in action.
All:     We pray that what comes out of our mouths and hearts may reflect what Christ himself has tried to instill there. We gather at this table to remember. 
One:    We remember that when Jesus ate with his friends, he took a loaf of bread and, after blessing it, he broke it and gave it to them, saying,
All:    “Take, eat. This is my body, given for you.  Each time you do this, remember me.”
One:   Then he took a cup and, after giving thanks, passed it to his friends, saying:
All:    “Drink. This cup that is poured out for you is the promise of God, made in my blood.  Whenever you drink it, remember me.”
One:     Bless now these gifts, Lord, that by taking in we may reach out in ever-widening circles of grace and love.  
All: Amen!
All Are Invited Forward
All who seek are welcome and are invited to freely receive! As the music plays, you are invited to use the time coming forward for personal meditation, for reflection and connection. When invited please come to one of the stations by exiting your pew to the left and returning by the right. There are 3 elements to today’s gathering:
A Chance for Generosity: Offering Baskets in the Aisles
As a community we can do together for others what individually might be beyond us. We practice this kind of generosity of spirit and money as a way of bringing forth the best of our fellowship and opening our hearts to good and healing work.  Today offering baskets will be passed down the lines leading to Communion stations. Today’s offering is especially centered on reaching to others with messages of hope, with counseling from our pastor and Stephen ministers, and through our web ministry. All of these touch lives and help people on the “outside” know they are truly “in” with us. Many friends give online, and you can use your smart phone or computer and going 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)
Receiving Strength for the Journey: The Bread and Cup
We will share the elements today by intinction, which means dipping the bread in the cup. If it is not convenient to come forward, the elements can be brought to your seat by signaling to the usher. All the bread is gluten-free, and the chalices are filled with non-alcoholic grape juice. Children of every age are welcome and encouraged to come forward, too.
Prayers in Action and Reflections
When returning to your seat, please receive from the usher at the head of the aisle a Mӧbius strip as a meditation either now or in the week to come. You’ll find prayer guidance on the adjacent page using this strip as a tool. 
When invited, please join in singing Hymn #188, “Give Me a Clean Heart”
Blessing for Those Who Will Receive at Home
Members who have been designated to carry communion to those who could not be with us this morning are invited forward at this time. The elements from our meal will go with our blessing and prayers for our continued unity in the Spirit. If you would like serve by taking communion to others, you are very welcome to do so and are invited to volunteer with the Nurture and Care Board members or by contacting the pastor.
 Prayer of Thanksgiving

From Here to There

¨   Hymn #495 Black Called as Partners In Christ’s Service Beecher

The Sending and Blessing

Postlude (please be seated)    
Prayer in Action Reflections
Space is provided for you to write notes, to reflect, or draw responses to questions on the included sheet, at the tables, or holy questions of your own.
Out that should be In: Jesus talked about what’s inside the human heart, some good, some not. As you pray, what are you aware of inside you? Anything that’s come out that shouldn’t have? If yes, then let the taking in of the bread and cup start a cleansing prayer. Are there healing steps you need to take? Imagine the path forward in this moment of communion.
In that Should Be Out: Now think about what is inside your heart that you want to come out? What good things do you have inside you that you have been afraid to reveal?  Take time to pray about a next step.
Möbius strip meditation: this loop of paper has only one side, and one edge. True! Take a pen or pencil and draw a line down the middle of the paper. Keep drawing until you come back to the start. There is no “front” and “back”, no “inside” or “outside.”  What does this suggest to you about where you are right now? What does this suggest in your prayers about community that matters to you?
All In: What are you really “in” to? What brings out your deepest commitment? We all have things for which we feel a lukewarm commitment, and things we are deeply passionate about. What things do you make time for, and who are the people you make time for? What       do they need right now from you?
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 Benin, Côte d’Ivoire and Togo and our brothers and sisters at St. Clare Catholic Church 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.
¨ Children in detention centers, that they may be reunited with their families soon.
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes, or who are homebound: Ruth Butwell, Edith Hansen, Nancy Hindman, Loyal Jones, Mary Miller, Alva Peloquin.
¨ Dan Rohrer, who is suffering from a severe liver disorder.
¨ Dave Wellinghurst, with a recurrence of glioblastoma. Hospice is involved now.
¨ David Duffee, recovering from surgery for a torn rotator cuff.
¨ Maurice Hibbard, still suffering from pancreatitis.
¨ Critley King’s father, recovering from open heart surgery.
¨ Grant Mims, Amy Williams’ cousin, who had a successful double lung and liver transplant on Aug. 17 in Houston.  Prayers are for healing for him and for the family that graciously offered the organs as they grieved.
¨ For Jack Marshall, in the work to restore right relationship with self and others.
¨ For those imprisoned at the Madison County Detention Center and around the state.
¨ Unnamed prayers for Keijo, received online.
¨ Emily Spires, daughter of Randy Stone, diagnosed with breast cancer.
Announcements
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.
Need an awesome water bottle? Water bottle fundraiser $10.00, $5.00 goes to support Faith Development programs!
Sermon Series “All In?” All This September. Union Church wants you to be “In”: In for work that matters, and In for transformative living. This month we’ll be exploring what’s “In” as we build a beloved community with the very people who may have thought they were “out.” Come back next week when even Jesus gets “Called Out to Be In.”
Rekindle and Renew and Restart! Next Sunday is “Bring a friend, Bring Yourself, Get Back “IN” to Church Sunday!” It’s the start of wonderful, it’s the start of new community. Don’t miss it! You put the “U” in Union! Special events September 9:
· Childrens Church returns! Our teaching team includes Ashley Cochrane, Jeff From, Maria Hartz, Melissa Neal, Mary Lou Wiese, and Laura Nagle. This year, our format for Children’s Church is changing from a curriculum-based model to a Learnshop model. We will spend each month focusing on a different topic and project, and then will present our projects to the congregation. During September, we will be exploring the art of Found Poetry, and the difference between Looking At and Seeing things in the world around us. We are looking forward to sharing our process with you as we proceed through this year together.

• New members welcomed! As a family of faith committed to boldly and creatively embodying the life and ministry of Jesus, we would like to join with YOU. We’d like to be a context and inspiration for your own spiritual path, and work with you to make your heart, your world, your life more peace-filled and joy-full. Next Sunday there will be an opportunity to covenant together. No prior action on your part is required, but if you have any questions at all, we’d like to help. Working together, we want to make God’s love visible and real to all.

· Stephen Ministers to be commissioned! Stephen Ministry is a one-to-one lay caring ministry where trained and empower lay caregivers – called Stephen Ministers – provide high-quality, confidential, accepting, compassionate care to people who are going through a rough patch or transition in life. 
On September 9^th we will commission our newly trained Stephen Ministers to serve our church and community. They are:
Jen Eich
Susan Kramer
John Payne
Amy Williams
This commissioning will be a public acknowledgement of their commitment to serve as Stephen Ministers and an assurance to the quality of care they will give. Stephen Ministers go through fifty hours of training before commissioning. After commissioning they participate a bi-monthly peer supervision groups and continuing education to support them in their ministry. Please join Union Church in the celebration of the accomplishment and service of these wonderful servants.
Psalm Study to resume September 4, 4:00 pm, Classroom. Study the psalms the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month. Source book will be Thomas Merton’s Praying the Psalms, available at Robie Books (or by order if not in stock).
Potluck Wednesday, Sept. 5! Wednesday Nite Live! begins its year with a potluck. Bring a dish and catch up with old friends, make new ones! All welcome. (If you don’t have time to make something, that’s ok!)
Time to make a Joyful Noise! Handbell Choir meets Wednesdays, 7 pm. Vocal Choir meets Thursdays at 6:15 pm. Both in the 3rd floor Choir Room and YOU are very welcome to join them!
Socks & underwear needed for kids 5– 12 year olds, boys & girls, for back-to-school. Bring to the church office and Dodie Murphy will collect and deliver them. Or write a check to Union Church with “No Child Cold, No Child Hungry” in the memo line.
Spoonbread Festival (Sept. 21-23) and Berea Business Fest (Sept. 13) need Union Church Ambassadors! Staffing the Spoonbread Festival table for 2-hour shifts, and the Business Fest event for the entire 11-2 event (plus set-up and take-down). Offer church brochures, postcards, and conversation. Photos of fellowship, mission, worship events needed too! Contact the office & we’ll get you the info.
New Church Directory Coming. Last call! We plan to print next week.
The Healing Arts Retreat has just a few spaces left. Saturday, September 15, 8:30-5:30. Led by Donna Eder, this year retreatants will enjoy the centering and meditative movement of calligraphy, brush painting (bamboo), and Tai Chi. Chinese brush work is an ancient tradition which strengthens “chi,” while promoting sensi-tivity and an appreciation for simplicity. 
Registration requested online at union-church.org or by calling the Union Church office, by September 5. Please bring a suggested $25 materials & lunch fee to the retreat (can be waived).  Adults only.  Limit 12.
Please Sign up to Read Scripture or to Help Greet and Usher!  Please use our electronic sign up system, http://signup. com/go/xkdVtB, where you can pick a date that works for you and get reminders!  OR you can also call the office and we’ll get you on the lists.
Church Council Votes to Partner with Thrivent Financial. At the August Church Council Meeting, board members voted unanimously to accept the recom-mendation of the Finance Board to partner with Thrivent Financial and their affiliated agencies to create Union Church endowment funds and strategies for long term generosity.
In the coming weeks, Finance Board will be working closely with Thrivent’s InFaith Foundation to craft the legal language and ongoing mission statement for our endowment funds. Stay tuned to learn how we can live generously together and serve God and our Community in new ways!