A Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the Church of Christ, Union
10:30 am, Second Sunday after Pentecost
Meditation
“We shall not cease from exploration and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” ~T.S. Eliot
From There to Here: We Gather
Prelude
Welcome and Special Greetings
Today we welcome Alumni/ae, faculty and staff of Berea College for a special summer reunion celebration. We celebrate more than 168 years of relationship with Berea College founded by Union Church in 1853, and are proud to offer continuing blessing and support. Today we recognize the retirement of President Lyle and Laurie Roelofs, who complete service and retire to Michigan at the end of this month. Bringing greetings this morning on behalf of the college is The Rev. Dr. Andrew Baskin who will introduce President Lyle Roelofs’ remarks.
The Call Alvera Stallard Perman, Reader
One: Each minute, each act, with every turn of the second hand we poise on the possible.
All: Infinite thresholds send us on our infinite paths.
One: From home to Home, with love and in love, to challenges and triumphs that bring more challenges we seek and we serve.
All: God of journeys and return, God of graces revealed, you call to us across the tracings of our paths. In this minute, in these acts, in the turn of this second, make possible the greater life and your deeper grace. Let us return to you and to be made, unmade, and remade in the image of your Love.
One: In Christ’s holy name, we pray:
All: Amen.
¨ Hymn O Love of God, How Strong and True Wareham
6. O love of God, our shield and stay, through all the perils of our way; eternal love, in you we rest, forever safe, forever blest.
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¨ 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
Scripture Lesson Hosea 5:15-6:6
I will return again to my place until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face. In their distress they will beg my favor: “come, let us return to the Lord, for it is he who has torn, and he will heal us; he has struck down, and he will bind us up. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.
Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord; his appearing is as sure as the dawn;
he will come to us like the showers, like the spring rains that water the earth.”
What shall I do with you, o Ephraim? What shall i do with you, o Judah?
Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes away early. Therefore i have hewn them by the prophets; i have killed them by the words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light. For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of god rather than burnt offerings.
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 Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax-collection station, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous but sinners.”
While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from a flow of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, for she was saying to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that moment. When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. 26 And the report of this spread through all of that district.
Sermon Mercy, Not Religion Rev. Kent Gilbert
Video Reflection
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. Rev. Kent will ring the companion bell in Hokuto, Japan.
A Chance for Generosity: www.easytithe.com/union
A community of caring relies on support. Your recurring or one-time donation will make a ministry of healing, justice, and teaching available to all in need.
· Use your smart phone or computer and go to www.easytithe.com/union. No registration required, but registering once makes future generosity an amount and a click.
· Baskets are located at the head of each aisle for those who wish to make an in-person donation.
· Give by Text. Text an amount to 859-448-3403 (Example: Text “$50.00 Offering”)
· Give by Mail to: 200 Prospect St., Berea, KY 40403
Your contribution is love made visible. Thank you!
Prayer Reflection Questions
Healing the Broken Places:
Hosea speaks of God’s power to heal and to restore despite brokenness. In your prayer time today, see if you can be in touch with some of the hurting places in you. Where do you feel broken?
As you sit in silence, or perhaps with a trusted friend, imagine loving binding cloth being wrapped around all the broken places. Breathe in and allow yourself to imagine the mercy filling you again.
Mercy, Not Sacrifice, Not Religion… What does this phrase from Hosea and from Jesus mean to you? In what ways could you put more mercy into the world than “religion.”
How does God wanting mercy for you rather than some sacrifice change your understanding of what true religion discipleship might be? As you listen to God’s word in your world, see if you can pay more attention to where you could offer mercy.
See if there are places where you need more mercy. Ask for what you need. Give what you can.
Offertory Deep River arr. K. McChesney Union Church Handbell Ensemble
Silent Prayer & Prayers of the Community Alvera Stallard Perman, Reader
Healer of ills, breaker of rules, maker of mercy: we return to you now in this moment of quiet seeking peace. Heal and bind our broken places, our distracted minds, our fractured relations with each other and with you. Like the woman touching the hem of Christ’s robe, we fear to ask but have no less need. And you have no less mercy. Thank you for your care even in the midst of trial. As we seek to be ambassadors of your grace, give us yet a little strength to see others with the eye of your heart. Call us like Matthew, to drop what is harmful and follow you to towards a “kin-dom come” of right relationship, just mercy, and loving joy. Healer of ills, breaker of rules, maker of mercy, in all the journeys we take from here go with your people and show us the way.
This we pray as Jesus taught, reaching to you as….
Lord’s Prayer
All: 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: We Depart
¨ Hymn #539 Black Won’t You Let Me Be Your Servant? Servant Song
- Won’t you let me be your servant Let me be as Christ to you? Pray that I may have the grace To let you be my servant too
- We are pilgrims on a journey We are travelers on the road We are here to help each other Walk the mile and bear the load
- I will hold the Christ-light for you In the night time of your fear I will hold my hand out to you Speak the peace you long to hear
- I will weep when you are weeping When you laugh I’ll laugh with you I will share your joy and sorrow Till we’ve seen this journey through
- When we sing to god in heaven we shall find such harmony, Born of all we’fe know together of Christ’s love and agony.
- Won’t you let me be your servant Let me be as Christ to you? Pray that I may have the grace To let you be my servant too
Community Connections
Announcements
We share opportunities for Beloved Community and ways to serve.
Lighting the Justice Candle to Lead us Forth
Today we light the Justice Candle in honor of Berea College alumna Julia Britton Hooks, (1852 – 1942), known as the “Angel of Beale Street,” a musician and educator whose work with youth, the elderly, and the indigent was highly respected in her family’s home state of Kentucky and in Memphis, Tennessee, where she lived with her second husband, Charles F. Hooks. She was a charter member of the Memphis branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and her example served as an inspiration for her grandson, Benjamin Hooks, executive director of the NAACP from 1977 to 1992. Julia was also a leader for African-American women and active in the civil rights movement. At the age of eighteen, Hooks entered Berea College where she was one of the first African-American women to attend college in the state of Kentucky. After graduation in 1874, Julia became the first African-American on the faculty at Berea College. She was active in musical groups such as the Liszt Mullard club, which performed classical music in the community during the 1880s. She taught music at the school from 1870 to 1872.
¨ Benediction
¨ Benediction Response Woyaya (We Will Get There)
Reprinted with permission using OneLicense #A-723786
Our Prayers for Others
¨ 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 (World Council of Churches Ecumenical Prayer cycle: union-church.org/ministries/prayer) Let us hold the people of Botswana and Zimbabwe; and our brothers & sisters at Pilot Knob Missionary Baptist Church in our hearts, and pray for them today and throughout the week.
¨ Prayers for all the people of Ukraine for their safety and sovereignty. Prayers also that the government of Russia will turn to reason & respect for their own peoples’ lives as well as for Ukrainian families.
¨ All those seeking a new and just society and those fearful that they will be supplanted, may God open their hearts and include them in grace.
¨ For the survivors of the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria and all those in the aftermath of natural, and man-made, disasters.
¨ JoAnn Russell, Reda Hutton’s aunt, facing several medical challenges.
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes or who are homebound: Jan Hamilton, Doug Hindman, Betsy Hoefer, Dorie Hubbard, Loyal Jones, Lois Morgan, Tom & Sara Parker, Cheryl Payne, Alva Peloquin, Laura Robie, Betty Wray, Sally Zimmerman
¨ Patsy Boyce, sister-in-law of Bob and Jean Boyce, undergoing chemotherapy.
¨ Rita Barlow, receiving care at home.
¨ Thomas Chapman, recovering from recent surgery
¨ Angela Anderson, traveling to MD Anderson Hospital in Texas for treatment of her colon.
¨ Betty Sarafin’s family. Her brother-in-law, Thomas Aquinas Cook, Jr. Esq, has ALS and is declining.
¨ John Stanley & Heather Lundy former Union Church members & still beloved friends, as John recovers from a stroke.
¨ Lorilyn Howie-Kipphut in her move to Cynthiana.
¨ Prayers for the Evans-Quigley family at the death of Marty Quigley, Rev. Kent’s cousin/Carla Gilbert’s nephew from liver cancer on June 5. Services will be at a later time with Rev. Kent officiating.
¨ Paul Jacobs and family, at the death of his father, Paul Jacobs, Sr.
¨ Dorie Hubbard, recovering from Covid.
¨ Joyce Mosher, home from the hospital and due to start chemotherapy in a couple of weeks.
Celebrations with Prayers of Joy!
Birthdays: June 12 – Patti Smithson; 13 – Gene Chao; 14 – Teresa Gowler; 15 – Kelly Anderson; 18 – Kate Grigg
Anniversaries—Today, June 8 – Richard & Jenny Bromley; 9 – Bob & Jean Boyce; 11 – John & Cheryl Payne
If we haven’t got your important dates, let us know. We’ll help you get connected in FellowshipOne Go!
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