September 24, 2023, Worship Bulletin & Prayer Concerns

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

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost 10:30 am

About Today’s Service: The Fee Memorial Sanctuary of Union Church was begun in 1920 and completed in 1922. It was dedicated September 17, 1922 and it was the congregation’s intention to celebrate “the Grace in this Place” in its centennial year.

Covid restrictions of 2020-2022, however, meant gathering was curtailed and planning was delayed. A sprinkler head failure in the sanctuary ceiling in December of 2022 necessitated more than 6 months of repair to the historic building. But delay has only sweetened the celebration, now that one is possible. With the building restored, we rejoice to remember the past, but actively live into the future!

Meditation

“We should be false to our early leader and to those who learned his great language and caught his great spirit, if we should linger this day in memory. This day is rather a day of hope…Into the far coves and “hollers” of the hills the message of this building will be sent, and men who have been torn from their brothers by old hates, by race or creed or color, will hear of the Gospel of impartial love.” ~ from the Sanctuary Dedication Sermon “The Open Door,” by Berea College President, William J. Hutchins, September 17, 1922

From There to Here: We Gather

Prelude

Unfold Ye Portals Gounod Bernardo Scarambone, organ; Olivia Puckett, trumpet

Welcome

The Call Diane Bailey, Reader

One: The Lord is in His Holy Temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him.

All: I was glad when they said unto me, let us go to the house of the Lord!

One: O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness,

All: O come, let us worship; and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker, for He is our God.

One: God is Spirit, and they that worship Him, must worship in spirit and truth.

All: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.

¨ Hymn #386 The Church’s One Foundation Aurelia

The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord; we are Christ’s new creation by water and the word. From heaven Christ came and sought us in love to set us free; with precious love Christ bought us, for all eternity.
Elect from every nation, yet one o’er all the earth; one charter of salvation, one God, one faith, one birth; one holy name to gather blessing, one holy food we share, to one hope we are pressing, at work in love and prayer.
Mid toil and tribulation, and tumult of our war, we wait the consummation of peace forevermore; till, with the vision glorious, our longing eyes are blessed, and the great church victorious shall be the church at rest.
Yet we on earth have union with God the Three in One, and mystic sweet communion with those whose rest is won. O happy ones and holy! God, give us grace that we, like them, the meek and lowly, may live eternally.

¨ Passing the Peace of Christ

All who come to this sanctuary are welcome companions on the journey of faith. Please turn to those nearest you and greet them with words of peace.

Word and Worship

O Come Let Us Sing Eugene Butler Union Church Choir

O come, let us sing before the Lord, Let us make a joyful noise to God! Come, let us kneel before our Maker; in God’s hand are the depths of the earth. The mountain heights are God’s also. O come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the

Scripture Lesson Exodus 16:2-15

The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.”

So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaining against the Lord. For what are we, that you complain against us?” And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the complaining that you utter against him–what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the Lord.”

Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, ‘Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.'” And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. The Lord spoke to Moses and said, “I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.'” In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.

When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.”

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.

Scripture Lesson Ephesians 4:1-16

I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace: there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it is said,

“When he ascended on high, he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people.”

When it says, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things. He himself granted that some are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love. ~ New Revised Standard Version: Updated Edition (Friendship Press, 2021), Eph 4:1–16.

Sermon The Open Door of Impartial Love The Rev. John G. Fee, as portrayed by The Rev. Kent Gilbert

Video Reflection

Thanks to the work of the Berea College Archives and hundreds of Union Church members who have kept minutes, served on committees, cleaned rooms, taken pictures, helped lead worship, and kept the spirit of Impartial Love open to all, we celebrate in these pictures some of the faith of our forbearers.

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.

Act of Dedication (adapted from the original service, 1922)

One: Blessed be Thou, Lord God, forever and ever. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine; Thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and Thou art exalted, as head above all. Both richness and honor come of Thee, and Thou rulest over all.

All: Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things; And blessed be God’s glorious name forever; the whole earth be filled with God’s glory,

One: Being prospered by the good hand of the Lord our God to finish the work,

All: We do now, with gratitude and joy, solemnly re-consecrate this church.

One: To the glory of God our Maker, Creator of All, to the honor of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to the praise of the Holy Spirit, source of light and life;