Friends, Berea College’s Willis D. Weatherford Campus Christian Center has prepared the service bulletin for December 9. In this service we will also recognise mid-year graduates and hear from Rev. John G. Fee.
What follows is the Advent Wreath-lighting wording and our usual Sunday announcements.
Advent Candle Lighting: PEACE
The Advent Wreath tradition reaches back to pre-Christian northern Europeans who lit candles awaiting the winter solstice. By the 1500s, both Lutherans and Catholics had adopted the Advent Wreath as a devotional way to prepare for the coming of Christ, the Light of the World. Each week as we wait through Advent, we light a new candle representing an aspect of the light God intends for all people. This Sunday the candle of PEACE is lit.Lighting the Candle of Peace
One: As this season of “sparkle and bright” unfolds around us, the silent prayers of peace lie like stars hidden in a clouded night.
One: May we inspire the world with peace.
One: May we touch it to our lives that in every place of stress, frustration, or fear, we might feel the presence of peace easing our hearts and transforming our lives.
One And may we share the its healing power with our children and students, that they might become the inspiration through which peace makes its way to a new yet-dreamt-of world.
After the candle is lit, please respond:
All: May Peace light the world this Christmas.
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 Cape Verde, the Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Senegal and our brothers and sisters at Dixie Park Cornerstone Baptist Church in your hearts, and pray for them. Please also hold these concerns in your prayers today and throughout the week.
¨ Those in harm’s way in the service of our country
¨ Greg Bolster, brother of Steve, who is suffering painful abdominal complications related to his long-term cancer treatments.
¨ David Spearen, brother of Sandy Bolster, recovering from partial amputation of a leg due to severe diabetes.
¨ Abi Dietz, Berea College senior and friend of Willie Dodson and many others, who was badly injured in a car accident. Last week she had surgery to insert a shunt to draw fluid from the brain, and is recovering.
¨ Edith Hansen, at The Terrace nursing home
¨ Shirley Dean, on hospice care for lung cancer
¨ Iris Brandenburg and family, at the death of her mother, Leuella Cawood,
¨ Ruth Wesley, very ill at home. Cards welcome, to 215 Peachbloom Hill
¨ Hamdy Kemp’s address has changed to 3217 Mist Lake Court, Lexington, KY 40515, and cards are very welcome.
¨ Jean Huffman, at Morning Pointe
¨ Larry Shinn, recovering from a fall
¨ The Coyne family, at the death of John Coyne’s uncle Austin Coyne
¨ Barb Taylor’s father, Russell Thayer, as he approaches the end of his life
¨ Renee Wellinghurst, hospitalized to try to avoid premature delivery of her baby. She is at UK Hospital. Cards welcome to Room 307, UK Healthcare, 900 S. Limestone, Lexington, KY 40536
Assisting in Worship
Worship Leader is Courtney Matthews.
Announcements
Funds Critically Short: Can You Help? Budget Meeting December 12. Union Church’s annual budget meeting, at which we consider and adopt the 2013 budget, will be December 12 at the Quaker Meeting House, after Weds. Nite Live, at 6:30 pm. Due to lengthy construction and other unforeseen circumstances, we are critically short of pledged income for 2013 and for current operations in fiscal 2012. We are short approximately $20,000 for this year and currently have an approximate $50,000 gap for needs in 2013. We are prepared to use our very limited reserve funds and we continue to receive support for our new salaried positions from our successful capital fund raising. However, in order to be sustainable we fervently hope for generosity in this month. There will be opportunities at the Budget Meeting and weeks following if you are able to increase current (or make a new) pledges so our ministry can thrive. And, of course, any contributions for the loving service needs of the church currently can be made by check in the offering plate. To change your pledge, contact Patty Boyce at 986-9210. Budgets are available in the vestibule, on the web or by email.
Advent Hymn Study – Sundays at 6:30 pm during Advent (Dec. 2, 9, 16 & 23), Union Church Choir Room. Larry Brandenburg will offer a series of studies, will giving us the opportunity to look in depth at five great hymns that are sung during Advent.
Advent Events!
Danish-American Christmas Party TODAY! 5:30 pm, at the Acton Folk Center. You are welcome!
Poinsettias Needed for Christmas decorating! If you would like to bring a poinsettia to church, please do so by Friday, Dec. 14. If it is to be “in honor of” or “in memory of” someone, please get that dedication to the office by noon on Thursday, Dec. 13.
Food, drink, and song! Progressive caroling party Saturday, December 15, 5:00 pm at Pastor Kent’s, 298 Harrison Rd. where we will start with appetizers and then board the Trolley for a night of singing to our Dear Ones. We will finish around 9:00 pm at Carla and Kevin’s with dessert. Questions? Call Kevin at 985-1144.
Ryan Shirar and Teri Thompson will perform a concert at the Berea Arena Theater on Saturday, December 15 at 8:00 pm. They will perform a wide range of holiday, jazz, and musical theater music. The acoustic duo Bourbon and Lace will make an appearance, so you’ll hear a little indie/pseudo-country/bluegrass too. Call (859) 986-9039 for tickets. The show sold out quickly last year and we hope to have a full house again this year!
The 8th Annual Christmas With a Conscience (aka Alternative Giving Christmas Market) will take place on Sunday, December 16, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Clare Catholic Church’s Fellowship Hall. A soup lunch will be served, all donations to go to Berea Faith Community Outreach, Inc. (BFCO). Come and shop for a gift that will match the passion and concern of the recipients, while at the same time benefitting local, regional and wider not-for-profit organizations. If you are part of an organization that would like to participate, contact Gina Chamberlain at jakeberea@yahoo.com or 859-985-9526.
Visit to Berea Health Care Center on Wednesday, Dec 19 at 7:00, the youth group would like to invite you to join us at Berea Health Care for a Christmas craft with the residents.
Long Night Service for Prayers of Healing on December 19 at 7:00 pm. This special quiet service is for anyone who is suffering in body, mind, or spirit during the holidays: Those who have lost loved ones, who are divorced or widowed, suffering depression, lost their jobs, or are simply mindful of the pain of the world. Set on the longest night of the year, the service is meant as a loving community of care as we wait for the light to return.
Christmas pageant December 23- this much beloved tradition will once again be part of our morning worship!
There will be two services on Christmas Eve: 5:30 pm followed by a potluck finger-food reception for all, and a special 11:00 pm service in Cowan Chapel to welcome the Christ child at midnight. There will be no Christmas Day services at the church so everyone can keep Christmas with their families and friends.
Woman’s Industrial Christmas help! Woman’s Industrial, directed by Hope Hounshell, is Union Church’s oldest ministry, founded in 1894 (yup, that’s 118 years!). Every year the program gives gifts to the participating women & their children, and vouchers from Save-a-Lot for food. It’s often the only gifts the women receive. If you can make a monetary gift toward this effort, it would be greatly appreciated. The Steering Committee will do the shopping, since they are most familiar with the women’s needs and know their kids as well. You can bring contributions to the office and we’ll get them to the right person — thanks!! Oh—and “like” them on Facebook!
Can you help a student(s) during Christmas break? During the Christmas season about 60 students, both international and American, will be staying on campus because they are not able to go home due to distance or circumstances. They will be charged a flat price, which will include their dorm room and some meals from Food Service. The Center for International Education (CIE) is organizing meals for the days that Food Service will not be open. We would like to feed them one hot meal a day, along with a snack-pak for them to take for their breakfast or lunch, as well as some programming and entertainment. Dates help is needed: Dec. 15-24 and Jan. 2-4.
You can get involved by sponsoring one (or more, of course), of the following:
Richmond Trip Shuttle: $50, Lexington Trip Shuttle: $75, Snacks for on-Campus Event: (i.e. movie marathon): $50, New Year’s Eve Party: $300, To-Go Snack Pak (for one day): $150, Christmas Stockings: Any amount or small item (60-75 pieces of candy, gender-neutral toiletries, etc), Dinner (for one day): $300, Volunteering to serve a meal or help with cooking (2:30 to 6 PM daily)
Thank you in advance for your consideration! Contact Sue Rosa at susan_rosa@berea.edu or 859-985-3114
Faith Development Board news: The Christmas Pageant is coming! We have parts for people of ALL ages! We’ll be rehearsing on Wednesday nights after WNL and on Saturday, Dec. 15 and Dec. 22. We will present the pageant during worship on Sunday, December 23rd. If you want to be part of the fun, contact Rev. Rachel at rsmallstokes@union-church.org, or call the church office, or just show up at Wednesday Night Live at the Berea Friends Meeting House on December 5th!
There will be no Sunday School on Dec. 23rd or Dec. 30th, due to the Christmas break. We will resume classes on Jan. 6, Epiphany!
Church member Loriel Warren is offering Christmas decorating help and taking appointments for holiday pictures. She has a new digital camera and will be offering great bargains for Union Church members only. Call her at 606-643-5448.
Looking for Book Reports…Share The Wealth of Good Reads Union Church members and friends are great readers and often know of powerful resources in Spirituality, Fiction, Science, and the Arts. If you’re reading something interesting, why not share your find on the Union Church website? All you have to do is list the book title, author and publisher. Comment briefly (500 words or less) and email it to office@union-church.org. We’ll take care of the rest!
The Pastoral Relations Committee wants your input. The Pastoral Relations Committee acts both as an information gathering body and as intermediary between the congregation and the pastors. To that end, we want your opinions. We want to know if you have praise, suggestions or concerns about any aspect of pastoral care here at Union Church. All opinions and information are considered seriously, and are held in strictest confidence. Please contact Committee Chair Paul Smithson at 985-3716, or other committee members Dottie Blackburn, Mary Nash and Stephanie Woodie.
Anniversary celebration! Judy and Rich Royalty are inviting the folks of Union Church to join them for an open house on Dec. 30, 2012, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. to celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary. The address is 101 Bryon Ave., Berea. No gifts, please, unless it is a gift to the church.
Leave a Reply