A Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the Church of Christ, Union
Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost Sharing the Lord’s Supper September 6, 2015, 10:30 am
Meditation
The quality of mercy is not strain’d, It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest; It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
–William Shakespeare, in a speech by Portia in The Merchant of Venice
From there to here
Prelude Prelude in Classical Style G. Young
* Call to Worship
One: Those who trust in God are like the mountains, immovable and abiding.
All: God shelters the people: today and for eternity.
One: Let us worship the rock on which our faith stands.
All: Let us sing in praise together! —based on Psalm 125
* Opening Hymn #31 All Things Bright and Beautiful Royal Oak
* Prayer of Approach & Confession
* Words of Assurance
* 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.
Celebrating the Joy of Baptism
Anthem Come, All Who Thirst Luigi Cherubini
Union Church Choir
“Come, all who thirst, come to the waters. You that have no money, buy and eat without a price. Listen, come to me and your soul shall live. My love is ever true.”
Invitation And Introduction of Elijah Shakespeare Confer
Today we celebrate the relationship with God made manifest in Elijah, son of Kelly Richards and Shayne Confer. Together as a congregation we pledge to be spiritual guides to Elijah and to all who seek life in Christ. We joy we welcome members of Elijah’s extended family and pray for blessings to all.
Questions to Family and Congregation
All: We rejoice to welcome you, Elijah 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 seeks 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 I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry Borning Cry
The Word in our Midst
Epistle Lesson James 2:1-17
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 are welcome to return to their seats or follow volunteers to the front entrance of the sanctuary to 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 age & under, care is available in the Nursery, downstairs off the Community Room.
Gospel Lesson Mark 7:24-37
Sermon Double Dog Dare Rev. Kent Gilbert
GIfts Given for Love to Flow
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 Meditation arr. G. Evans
* Doxology Avery/Marsh
Sharing God’s Love in Communion
* Invitation to Communion
One: God be with you!
All: And also with you!
One: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them up to God.
One: Let us give thanks to God.
All: It is right to give God thanks and praise.
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 of the Community
Communion Prayer
One: Loving God, Source of all, we thank you and praise you with our lips and with our lives, that, having created us and all things through your Word, you welcome our prayer and praise.
One: For the goodness of creation, and the glory of redemption, we praise you.
One: For the law of holiness, inviting our obedience, and the call of prophets, rebuking our disobedience, we praise you.
One: Therefore, with all that is, seen and unseen, and with the faithful of every time and place, we join in this hymn of praise and thanksgiving:
Communion Sanctus please join in singing:
Words of Institution
One: Loving God, Holy One, we offer you praise and thanksgiving over this bread and cup, because in Jesus Christ, your only Son, you have joined yourself forever to us, uniting heaven and earth.
One: Now, therefore, we gratefully remember: Jesus’ birth into our humanity, baptism for our sin, compassion for our suffering, intimacy with our frailty, rebuke of our pride, bearing of the cross with its death, and rising from the tomb by the power of God.
One: On the night before he died, it was Jesus who took a loaf of bread, gave you thanks, broke it, and said,
All: “Take, and eat; whenever you do this, remember me.”
One: Likewise, after supper, he took the cup, saying,
All: “This is the new covenant, remember me.”
One: Loving God, creative Power, blessing your name, we seek your Spirit. Come to us and bless these gifts of bread and wine, that they may be for us the body and blood of Christ; the sign and seal of our forgiveness in him, and our adoption as the children of God. As we eat and drink together, make us one with Christ and one in Christ, a sign of his eternal reign in the world.
Serving One Another
All who seek the love of God are welcome at this meal and are invited to freely receive from it. We will share the elements today by intinction, dipping the bread in the cup. When invited please come to one of the stations by exiting your pew to the left and returning by the right. 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.
If it is not your tradition to receive, you are invited to join in prayers for the unity of the Spirit and all people, within your tradition.
Blessing for Those Who Will Receive at Home
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.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
From Here to There
* Closing Hymn #349 I Come with Joy Dove of Peace
* Benediction & Sending Forth
Postlude (please be seated) Processional M. Kellner
____________________
* Please rise in body or in spirit as you wish
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 the Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and our brothers and sisters at Bearwallow Pentecostal Holiness Church in your hearts, and pray for them.
Please also hold these concerns in your prayers, today and throughout the week:
* Our church family members in nursing homes, or who are homebound: Edith Hansen, Nancy Jones, Mary Miller, Averill Kilbourne, Alva Peloquin
* Former president Jimmy Carter, diagnosed with cancer
* Marlene Payne and her family, in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. The cards and letters are much appreciated.
* Jay Long, brother of Elizabeth Long, with pancreatic cancer
* The Coynes’ neighbor, Sheila Johnson, fighting breast cancer
* Elijah Confer, baptized today and welcomed by his parents and grandparents
This week we celebrate the third anniversary of the call of Rev. Rachel Small Stokes as our Associate Pastor. Thanks be to God for all the blessings her ministry has made possible!
Marlene Payne now has a CaringBridge site for those who would like to leave greetings and keep informed. http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/marlenepayne
Wednesday Night Live is back! We will gather at 5:45 for supper.
Here is a schedule of a typical Wednesday Night Live:
5:15 Joyful Noise Choir (for kids ages 4-1st grade) meets in Room 104
5:45 Announcements and Prayer before dinner
6:00 Dinner served!
6:30 Jubilee Choir, (for kids 2nd-5th grades)
7:00 Handbell choir rehearses; Other short-term classes and studies are offered
It’s not too late to join our musical ensembles! If you’re interested in either group, please contact Gabriel Evans at gevans@union-church.org.
Choir: Thursdays from 6:15-7:45pm.
Handbell Ensemble: Wednesdays from 7:00-8:15pm.
Childcare is provided for both rehearsals.
New Class Taught by Rev. Kent and Rev. Rachel begins Sept. 9: Big A** Themes of the Bible!
Ever felt like you could use a good overview of the Good Book? Big Ass Themes of the Bible is for you! This four session short course will leave you grounded, growing, and hopeful as we look at the BIG themes of God’s love that run through the 66 books of the scriptures. (Didn’t know there were 66 books? Perfect! You’ll fit right in!) Rev. Kent and Rev. Rachel will explore:
Week 1: What is “the Bible,” how did we get it, and what are the pieces-parts?
Week 2: Creation! The Bible proclaims God the ultimate material girl who made and is making all things. Why is this important?
Week 3: Liberation! God is a God of freedom and not just from captors, but also from all kinds of personal bondage. How does this relate to us?
Week 4: Redemption! The Bible is a record and reminder of God’s unending (and sometimes tough) love. Reconnecting, revaluing, redeeming is a seriously Big Theme. How does it affect the way we move through the world today?
WHERE: The class meets in the office classroom of Union Church, on the second floor of the education wing. (Use the door closest to James Hall, where the access ramp leads to a glass door. Enter the building, turn left up the short flight of stairs, and proceed to the end of the hall. You’ve arrived!)
WHEN: The class starts at 7:00pm, Wednesday, Sept 9 and the three following Wednesdays. If you can, join us for a home cooked supper at 5:45, in the downstairs community room.
BRING: If you have a Bible, bring it! If you don’t, you can use one of ours!
September 14: The third season of the Chorale begins at 7:00 pm – NEW SINGERS are invited! Those interested in joining us are asked to visit with director Larry Brandenburg for a brief (and painless) voice check in the Choir Room Sun., Sept. 13 from 7 – 8 PM. No prepared music required. Rehearsal are at 7 pm on Mondays.
The featured work for this Fall is Vivaldi’s “Gloria” (with chamber orchestra). If you enjoy choral singing, don’t miss out on this exciting season.
Sunday, Sept 20th, Union Church will be co-hosting a World Peace Day celebration from 12-4 PM. Everyone is encouraged to bring a picnic lunch, their lawn chair/or blanket (and a can of food for the Food Bank), and join us on the front lawn for an old fashioned church “Picnic for Peace.” A full afternoon of fun and meaningful activities are planned – including music, dancing, guest speakers, children’s activities, group games for young and old, meditations for peace in Cowan Chapel, between 25-30 nonprofits educating us on the elements necessary to create a culture of peace. Also, the Appalachian Center will host a series of conversations/stories beginning at 1 PM focusing on Building Bridges of Peace featuring a mix of Berea College students, faculty and local storytellers/musicians. Activities planned at Peacecraft will include children’s crafts, face painting and children’s music. So invite your neighbors and friends and come enjoy the festivities. Some tables/chairs will be set up for the elderly and some sack lunches (PB&J) will be available for a donation. Peace “to go” food will also be available at some Main Street restaurants.
ABLE meets Sept. 22, 5:30 pm You are welcome at the next ABLE meeting! ABLE is a confidential group for those who self-identify as differently-abled: to inspire, encourage, and empower one another, and to, as a community, support making Berea and its surroundings more accessible. An opportunity to share successes, challenges, and resources. ABLE – Achieving and Building Life Equally!
ABLE meets monthly on the fourth Tuesday of every month in the community room
Accessible entry to community room: enter via the door at the very back of the church near the playground; pass through nursery room; turn right and head up ramp.
Volunteers are needed to help host Safe Haven at Union Church when Tornadoes threaten. Call Alison Szecweyk at 859-302-6996.
Check out the flower chart on the back bulletin board — sign up to bring some pretties from your garden, florist, special occasion, etc.
Library Fundraiser! Make a small quilt based on a favorite book! Contact Rita Barlow at lashleybarlow@gmail.com for details.
Special Call to Help Feed Our Neighbors: Did you know that many Bereans will face an extra challenge in feeding their families this September? As Kentucky’s EBT system (formerly known as “food stamps”) makes changes to its calendar, some families will have to find ways to feed their children for a week longer than usual.
You can make a financial contribution to the FRYSC, and staff will convert your dollars into filling meals for families who are facing food shortages. Your donation is tax deductible.
Write a check to Berea FRYSC and be sure to mark “family meals” in your memo line. You can mail that check to Berea FRYSC, 3 Pirate Parkway, Berea, KY 40403. Call Jenny Hobson at 893-1075 or email jenny.hobson@berea. kyschools.us
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