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

Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

September 30, 2018         10:30 am

Meditation
“Great faith is the product of great fights. Great testimonies are the outcome of great tests. Great triumphs can only come out of great trials. Every stumbling block must become a stepping stone. And every opposition must become an opportunity.”
― Smith Wigglesworth

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 Bachianas Brasileiras #4 Villa Lobos
The Call  A Heart of Light by Carrie Newcomer
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

Anthem My Lord, What a Morning Robert Benson
My Lord, what a morning; My Lord, what a morning; My Lord what a morning when the stars begin to fall.
You’ll hear the trumpet sound, to wake the nations underground. Looking to my God’s right hand when the stars begin to fall.
You’ll hear the sinner cry, to wake the nations underground, Looking to my God’s right hand, when the stars begin to fall.
You’ll hear the Christian shout, to wake the nations underground, Looking to my God’s right hand when the stars begin to fall.
Lesson from the Psalms                    Psalm 19:7-14 (p. 659)
A psalm by David for the music leader.
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 Children’s Church in Cowan Chapel. They are also welcome to stay in the service if they prefer. The Children’s Worship Center in the back of the sanctuary has toys, books, and drawing materials for children (or parents) 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 9:38-50 (p. 1207)
Jesus warns of the need for decisive action in accord with the demands of the reign of God.
Sermon All In: Barriers and Blessings Rev. Kent Gilbert

Living Water~Living Prayer

Invitation And Introduction of Vera Stevens Garrett
Today we celebrate the relationship with God made manifest in Vera, daughter of Mary Robert and Andrew Garrett. Together as a congregation we pledge to be spiritual guides to Vera and to all who seek life in Christ. With joy we welcome members of Vera’s extended family and pray for blessings to all.
Questions to Family and Congregation
When invited by the ministers you are invited to join in this covenant:
All: We rejoice to welcome you, Vera, to our care. With you we commit to be a community that embodies Christ’s life and ministry and lives as faithful heirs of Christ’s promise.
In all that we do, we will seek God’s grace to make the radical and inclusive love of God, the beloved community proclaimed by Jesus, and the continuing inspiration of the Holy Spirit visible and real to you and to all.
Blessing of Water and Baptismal Prayer
Blessing of Parents, Family and Friends
Hymn #351 Black I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry Borning Cry
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.
Prayers in Action and Reflections
You are invited to reflect and pray, either in your pew or at one or more of the 4 stations.  Some suggested prayer direction is printed in the worship bulletin and at the tables you visit.  You are also free to choose to rest in private prayer, remaining with your own thoughts and in your pew. The reflection page is provided for your thoughts, notes, drawings or other meditations at any time during the service.
Our Offering
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’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 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)
When invited, please join in singing “Give Me a Clean Heart”
Give me a clean heart so I may serve you. God, fix my heart so that I may be used by you. For I’m not worthy of all these blessings. Give me a clean heart and I’ll follow you.
Community Prayer & 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
¨  Hymn #181 Black You Are Salt for the Earth, O People Bring Forth
¨  The Sending and Blessing
Postlude (please be seated) I’ve Been in the Storm so Long arr. David Kidwell
Prayers in Action and Reflections
Today we baptize a child and make promises. Consider here how you will keep these promises. What specifically will you do this week to act on behalf of all seeking a whole, rich life?
The Gospel calls  us to wonder how we have stumbled by excluding others. Have you cut something or someone off  that needs to be addressed? Pray for wisdom, pray for wellbeing.
In your prayers, consider saltiness. Who is a salt source for you. How is that person both salty and able to be at peace with all? How are you? With your breath, hold both.
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 Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela and our brothers and sisters at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in 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, returning home to Berea after treatment for a severe liver disorder.
¨ Dave Wellinghurst, with a recurrence of glioblastoma. Hospice is involved now.
¨ 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.
¨ Emily Spires, daughter of Randy Stone, diagnosed with breast cancer.
¨ Dick and all the Drake family in the death of Dick’s sister, Jane, who passed away early in the week. Memorial services were held in Michigan where she lived for many years.
¨ For Reid Livingston and Livingston-Bosley family in the death of Reid’s mother, Betsy, who passed away Monday at the Compassionate Care Center.
¨ For Vera Garrett, our newest member of the beloved community, and her family.
¨ Congratulations to church members Maggie Park and Alan Connor who were married here yesterday!
¨ For Samuel Mugabe, director of Samuel’s Kid’s Orphanage in Uganda who is hospitalized for malaria and other serious complications.
We’re Worshiping with First Christian Church in a Combined Service, October 7! On October 7th there will be no service at Union Church. Instead, we will be the guests of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) two blocks away at 206 Chestnut St! There are even two services to choose from: 8:30am or 10:40am. All three pastors: our Rev. Kent and FC’s Rev. Mark and Rev. Lisa will be leading both services. In addition our choirs, both handbell and vocal, will be combining for some wonderful praise and song. You will not want to miss!
The choirs are performing only at the 10:40am service, but everyone is welcome to either or both worship opportunities. Our offering will support the church named on the check or envelope. Any undesignated plate offering will be shared to Berea Faith Community Outreach (BFCO) to assist their vital work. Contributions to the Food Bank especially welcomed, as well on this Sunday.
Rev. Kent will be away leading our sister city delegation to Japan Oct 8-20.
2 spaces  available for New York City Church Trip! Act Fast! Due to unforeseen circumstances, two spaces have opened up for the November 23-27 Union Church Trip to see the choir sing at Carnegie Hall. Non-Singers can come and receive backstage passes, tickets to the concert, and admission to special performers reception. If you are able and willing to rehearse with the choir leading up to the trip, you are more than welcome to sing in the performance! Cost is $1700 per person, and we have to know before October 5. You will be sharing a double room, so it’s good to have a buddy!
September’s Sermon Series “All In” finishes today. Union Church wants you to be “In”: In for work that matters, and In for transformative living. This month we’ve be explored what’s “In” as we build a beloved community with the very people who may have thought they were “out.” Thank you for being a part of it!
Welcome to Dr. Bernardo Scarambone, our Interim Director of Music! Dr. Scarambone is professor of piano and keyboard at Eastern Kentucky University and has a long history with church music.  Originally from Brazil, Bernardo lives in Richmond with his wife and 3 children.
Lunch today!  Fundraiser lunch after worship. Our development partner CoCoDA has several projects underway in El Salvador and Nicaragua, to provide clean piped water to villages, and even more ambitiously, to run the water pumps with solar-produced electricity. We are partnering with CoCoDA to help raise the needed funds to complete these projects, and will kick off the effort with a Salvadoran-themed lunch next Sunday. There will also be a short informational presentation on the project by Deborah Payne.
Come to Wednesday Nite Live! It’s a potluck for the first Wednesday of the month! All welcome for supper at 5:45 pm ($5 donation if able). Youth Group at 6:30, Handbell rehearsal at 7.
Pick up your Directory in the vestibule or the office. PDFs available for the asking. We didn’t include the skill share section—though it’s a terrific idea, we didn’t get a lot of participation. We’ll ask again at Stewardship season. Thank you!
Meals for Jennie Kiteck. Friends, if you or your children ever played strings with Jennie Kiteck, now might be a nice time to reconnect briefly. She’s not doing much cooking these days and Union Church has set up a MealTrain to provide a home-cooked meal for her once a week on Friday evenings. She is an adventurous eater and does a great job washing up your containers! Use this MealTrain link: https://mealtrain.com/dwkg44 (the link will be live in the emailed Monday announcements).
About to turn 65 and want to know about your Medicare options? Confused by the Individual Marketplace? Info sessions October 10 in the Training Room off the Community Room. Union Church friend and insurance guru, Karen Hoskins, will come help us again! Come at 5:30 to talk about individual insurance plans and 6:15 to talk Medicare. Grab dinner at WNL before or after.
Anybody Can Use a Stephen Minster! Ever have a feeling that life is getting a bit too hard to handle? Would you like to be able to talk to someone regularly? Stephen Ministry just added four new caregivers. If you would like to talk to someone, please contact Mary Lou Wiese at 26-571-4959. If you have a friend with a need, let them know about Stephen Ministry at Union. They do not have to be church members. This can be either a short-term or a long-term match, so pass on the news.
The nursery and children’s church are both in need of  volunteer substitutes for those rare occasions when our amazing nursery worker and children’s church teachers aren’t here. If you’re called to this way of serving the church family, please contact Laura Nagle (358-0106) or Jenny Hobson (893-1075) and we’ll get the process started.
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.
Witness for Peace Southeast Speaker and Program on October 17 at Wednesday Nite Live. We are fortunate that Berea, KY is once again on the Witness for Peace Southeast Fall Speakers Tour. Union Church will be privileged to host Alicia Sevila Hidalgo from Havana, Cuba on Oct. 17 at WNL.
She will also be speaking at a luncheon event on campus that day, sponsored by the Peace and Social Justice Program.. Alicia Sevila Hidalgo from Havana, Cuba’s Martin Luther King Center lives and works in Matanzas, Cuba as a pastor, ecumenical leader, popular educator and prison educator focusing on gender and liberation theology. She will be accompanied by a WFP Team from Raleigh, NC.
Union Church has been privileged to serve as a host for the Fall Speakers Tour for a number of years, thanks to Michelle Tooley’s involvement as a Board Member and arranging for Berea to be a stop on the Tour while she was on the Berea College Faculty. Mark October 17 on your calendar now!!