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

Second Sunday after Pentecost

June 23, 2019 10:30 am

 
Meditation
Like the joy of the sea coming home to shore,
May the relief of laughter rinse through your soul.
As the wind loves to call things to dance,
May your gravity by lightened by grace.
Like the dignity of moonlight restoring the earth,
May your thoughts incline with reverence and respect.
As water takes whatever shape it is in,
So free may you be about who you become.
― excerpt from “For Equilibrium, a Blessing,”
John O’Donohue

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 Beethoven Concerto 4        Beethoven
The Call    Madeleine L’Engle
At Berea in this fateful hour,
I place all Heaven with its power,
And the sun with its brightness,
And the snow with its whiteness,
And the fire with all the strength it hath,
And the lightning with its rapid wrath,
And the winds with their swiftness along their path,
And the sea with its deepness,
And the rocks with their steepness,
And the earth with its starkness:
All these I place,
By God’s almighty help and grace
Between myself and the powers of darkness!”
¨  Hymn #404 Black  Give Up Your Anxious Pains Ich Halte Treulich Still
¨  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 
A Joyful Song         Robert Leaf
Union Church Summer Choir
A joyful song, we sing to the Lord, all glory and praise for to the risen Lord. A joyful song, we sing to the Lord, let all who will serve rejoice and sing their praises to God. Hallelujah
Praise we sing to honor the Lord together with music our praise we bring. Oh raise your voice with praise to the Lord that all of God’s children be glad and sing.
Rejoice, rejoice, the victory is won, the Lord has risen, God’s holy son.  Let all who will serve rejoice and sing their praises to God. Hallelujah. 
Gospel Lesson  Luke 8:26-39 (p. 1241)
Jesus encounters a terribly tormented man and rebukes the demons within him, restoring him to health.
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. 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.
Hebrew Scripture Lesson 1 Kings 19:1-15a (p. 436)
Elijah the prophet has his life threatened by wicked queen Jezebel.
Sermon In The Cave Debbonnaire Kovacs

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.
Acts of Reflection and Prayer
Some resources for reflection prayer are provided. You are free to use  – or ignore –  these prompts as you find helpful. In whatever prayer manner you adopt, please hold the concerns of those listed and those you know about in God’s peace-giving light.
Consider what is foundational in your life. What is strong, firm, and immovable?In what ways do the waters of Spirit birth, nurture, and heal your heart?What winds of Spirit are filling your sails? Winds of change? New beginnings? Storm winds? Winds of joy and uplift?What kind of hearth are you building for the fire in your soul? Is the hearth tamping down your fire? Is it letting your fire billow out of control? Does it gently contain a warming fire?
Prayer Corner All prayer and all words are breath. All your breath can be prayer. What is breathing in you right now?
Bell Corner Touch the water and feel the healing flow of God’s love through you.
Children’s Fire You will find small amounts of play dough to fashion little people (or whatever you like). Did you know God made you out of the same “stuff” as the earth and stars?
Community Sharing Table When we give, whether time, material, or money, we can send the warmth of our love–our inner hearthfire–to those who may be “in the cave” right now.
A Chance for Generosity: Offering Baskets in the Aisles
Offering baskets are placed in the aisle, and can also be brought to your seat. 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 those in need via many external agencies.
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)
Your contribution is love made visible. Thank you!
Please sing when invited:
Let there be Peace on Earth, and let it begin with me; let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be. With God, our creator, children all are we. Let us walk with each other in perfect harmony.
Let peace begin with me; let this be the moment now. With every step I take, let this be my solemn vow: to take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally. Let there be peace on earth and let  it begin with me.
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 #403 Black My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less Solid Rock
¨  The Sending and Blessing
Postlude (please be seated)
_________________________________
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 Kenya and Tanzania, and our brothers and sisters at the Liberty Avenue Baptist Church 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.
¨ Families and Friends in Crises…may God be present to every need and heal every rift and wound.
¨ For Children in detention centers, that they may be reunited with their families soon. 15,000 are now detained in the US.
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes, or who are homebound: Edith Hansen, Nancy Hindman, Loyal Jones, Jennie Kiteck, Mary Miller, Alva Peloquin.
¨ For those who are without homes and safe places, that we may work together for solutions.
¨ Mary Lou Wiese’s brother, Dean Jacobs, having pain and seizures associated with new clinical trials.
¨ Tom Warth, recovering at home.
¨ Judy Rowell, recovering at home.
¨ The Drake family, at the death of Dick Drake last week. Arrangements pending.
¨ Hazel Morris, recovering at Berea Health Care Center.
¨ The evergreen on the altar is for the family of Jennie Kiteck. Jennie’s grand-daughter-in-law and great-grandson, who were killed, while out on a family walk, by a mentally unstable man driving a car.
Announcements
Next Sunday! June 30 –  Come to Worship, meet our Sabbatical Replacement Minister, Rev. Nate Craddock, and then join in a picnic at Rev. Kent and Diana’s at 300 Harrison Rd. after church to welcome Rev. Nate and family.
Arrive around 12:30 p.m., bring a dish to share, along with picnic plates,  utensils, and cups, lawn chairs or a blanket to sit on. Then stay around for Stream Clean-up at 2:30 p.m. or to continue visiting and/or to help with clean-up.
Grilled beef, veggie burgers and hot dogs, buns and condiments provided, along with drinks.
Footwear for Stream Clean-up: old sneakers, crocs, or waders, wear clothes you won’t mind getting wet. Garbage bags, gloves, and instructions will be provided. Bring a “grabber” if you have one.
Rain Location (hopefully not needed)! Community Room at the Church.
Update from Church Council  After this past year of house meetings, visioning groups, congregational family meetings followed by more visioning resulting in our 5-4-3-2-1 Plan for moving forward, our Church Council, which by our Constitution(5.5.1) serves as the interim decision-making body, approved the hiring of Rev. Nate Craddock as our sabbatical replace-ment minister for July-October, 2019.  You will meet him and his family next Sunday.  This month CC approved the hiring of Generis as financial consultants to help us with  #4: Vital Skills Sets: Fundraising and Stewardship. Up to $10,000 for this year’s work will be drawn from transition resources set aside after Rev. Rachel’s departure.
About Rev. Nate: The Rev. Nate Craddock is a writer, composer, pastor, podcaster, and spiritual director in the Bluegrass, where he has a produces the Jailbreak the Sacred podcast, drinks a lot of Diet Dr Pepper, and helps people to tell their stories using ancient technologies for understanding one’s place in space and time.
Nate completed his MDiv at Asbury Theological Seminary, [most of] his MA in historical musicology at the University of Kentucky, and a BA in music composition at Asbury University. After finishing seminary (and coming out), he worked in human services as a youth care worker and job coach for adults with disabilities for several years while figuring out where to land within the Church, and eventually found his way to the United Church of Christ after orbiting the world of Indepen-dent Catholicism and the Episcopal Church for a while. Because of that, he’s church mutt and, for better or for worse, a terrible Protestant, but he absolutely and utterly adores the United Church of Christ and is beyond thrilled to have found a home that takes seriously its covenant to welcome all and work for justice.
Nate welcomes the opportunity to bring all of his stories and passions with Union for the next few months. Nate lifts weights, writes music, and reads dead languages for fun when not working. Nate lives with his husband Michael, daughter Lucy, and their Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Calvin, in Lexington, KY, where Michael is complet-ing his Ed.S. degree in School Psychology.
Loyal Jones and Robert Boyce were each honored (June 20th) by the Madison County Historical Society with Certificates of Commendation as authors for their research on and writing about the arts and culture in Madison County and the region. Congratulations!
Quilt Raffle — Two children’s quilts, made by Jo Wernegreen, will be raffled off! Proceeds to benefit Samuel’s Kids. Watch for more info next week.
Do you wear contact lenses that come in blister packs? I just found out that Bausch & Lomb accepts them for recycling (any brand). The packs are too small to recycle conventionally and are usually discarded. Bring them to the office and I’ll send them off when we have a small box’s worth. — Joan
Summer Music
Summer Choir and Hymns w/ Handbells

• Choir: No Robes – No Stairs – No Commitment! Rehearsal is 9:30 am   Sundays in June & July. We’ll learn the anthem for the day and sing it at      the 10:30 service.
• Handbells: Meet at the handbell tables before service for guidance and a           preview of the note chart. We’ll ring along with the hymn after the time of Reflection and Prayer.

Community Hymn Sings in Cowan Chapel June 23 and July 21 at  1:00 pm
Share your Music Sunday August 11. Please contact Music Director, Bernardo Scarambone Bernardo.Scarambone@eku.edu if you’d like to participate.
Bernardo is looking into starting a Union Church orchestra! Please see the gold slips in the vestibule & the back hallway to indicate your interest, and use the other side to share your ideas about Union Church’s music program. Meet him at the front of the sanctuary after worship for a brief meeting to talk about goals, ideas, etc.

Regular Events Happening all Summer—you’re Invited!

Zen Meditation every weekday, 8:00 am. Join us for 20 minutes of unstructured quiet meditation in beautiful Cowan Chapel, on the Scaffold Cane Road side of the church.
Zen Teaching Mondays at 6:30 pm, Cowan Chapel. David Parks will offer Zen teaching: Meditation, Koans, Conversation, 6:30 – 8:00 pm, Cowan Chapel.
Thursday Noon Bible Study. Meet with Rev. Carla in the Classroom at noon to reflect upon the Scripture for the week and issues of the day.
Fridays – Bridge Club, 1:30 pm in the Classroom. Call Doug Hindman, 582-5806 if interested.
First & Third Sundays, 1:30 pm in the Parlor ShapeNote Singers. Shape notes are a music notation designed to facilitate congregational and community singing. The notation, introduced in late 18th century England, became a popular teaching device in American singing schools.
Fourth Sundays – Learn More About the Church. Enquirers’ Class for new members, prospective members, or those just interested in learning what Union Church is about. Meet in the Classroom after the worship service.
First & Third Tuesdays Memory Keepers, 7:30 pm, Wayside Room. Memory Keepers is a support group for those caring for loved ones with memory loss. For more information or resources call Doug Hindman at 582-5806 or Carla Gilbert at 985-1144.
Fourth Tuesdays – Psalm Study, 4:00 pm, in the Classroom.