A Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the Church of Christ, Union
10:30 am Trinity Sunday
Meditation
The doctrine of the Trinity is not closed. It can neither be discarded nor accepted in its traditional form. It must be kept open in order to fulfill its original function—to express in embracing symbols the self-manifestation of the Divine life to [man]. ~Paul Tillich
From There to Here: We Gather
Prelude
Welcome
Opening Prayer Ally Nurre, Reader
God of delight, your Wisdom sings your Word
at the crossroads where humanity and divinity meet.
Invite us into your joyful being where you know and are known
in each beginning,
in all sustenance,
in every redemption,
that we may manifest your unity
in the diverse ministries you entrust to us,
truly reflecting your triune majesty
in the faith that acts,
in the hope that does not disappoint, and in the love that endures.
¨ Hymn Sing of a God in Majestic Divinity Uttingen
¨ 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 Psalm 8
O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes, to silence the enemy and the avenger.
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are humans that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?
Yet you have made them a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
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 28:16-20
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him, but they doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Sermon This Wondrous Mystery Rev. Carla Gilbert
Video Reflection
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.
Silent Prayer and Reflection Actions
You are invited to Reflect on what the Trinity might look like to you.
Below are some which may assist in your reflection. (Think “out of the box”)
From: Jennifer Melton
This speaks “trinity” to me in the manifestation of the beloved all around:
Pay attention to the world around you, to the leaves and the flowers, to the birds and the rain. If you can stop and look deeply, you will recognize your beloved manifesting again and again in many forms. ~ Thich Nhat Hanh
Kitchen Trinity
Three women
at a table
hold the world.
One gets up
to stir the stars
one makes the fire
another blows on it
to keep it going,
and still they have time for play,
three women hunched over a cup,
hands open in invitation
as the table tilts
in Rublev’s icon,
three angels
with the same face.
My mother is the tree trunk I climb,
my grandmother’s hands
kneading bread
make the table shake.
Tell me the story
of three hungry angels
who appeared one day at Abraham’s tent,
to make Sarah work
and laugh.
~ Kathleen Norris, in Little Girls in Church
Responding to God’s Love
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!
Serving One Another
All who seek the love of God are welcome at this table and are invited to freely receive from it. By tradition, unfermented grape juice is used in the cup on Sunday mornings. If it is not convenient to come forward, the elements can be brought to your seat by signaling to the usher. If it is not your tradition to receive, you are invited to join in prayers for the unity of the Spirit within your tradition. You may remain in you seat, or you may come forward for a blessing, as you wish.
Holy Communion
Friends, this is the joyful feast of the people of God!
By the mysterious wonder of our triune God,
we gather here to celebrate a feast for all time,
joining with Jesus and his disciples in an upper room,
with the church of the ages who have come here so often,
with sisters and brothers in faith all along the way,
with people we know well and we don’t know at all.
Here we trust that the mystery of God will become real.
Here we gain a taste of the divine.
And here we are fed that we may go forth to serve in the world.
Come, all of you, and share this feast of the holiness and wonder of God.
Invitation to Communion
One: The Lord be with you!
All: And also with those you cherish.
One: Lift up your hearts!
All: We lift them to the Lord.
One: Let us give thanks to God!
All: It is right to give God thanks and praise.
One: We praise your name, most holy God,
for it is good and you are good.
You reveal yourself to us in countless ways,
even inviting us into the mystery of your inmost being
where you are one in three and three in one.
In your creation, you show us the marks of your hand,
and in creating us in your image,
you call us to bear your presence into all the world.
For your wondrous being and your glorious creation,
we join our praise with the sound of all creation
to sing joyfully in praise of your wondrous glory:
Sanctus #793 Black Singing first in Spanish, then in English
Santo, santo, santo, mi Corazon te adora! Mi Corazon te sabe decir: santo eres Dios.
Holy, holy, holy, my heart, my heart adores you! My heart is glad to say the words: you are holy, God.
One: Eternal God, for in your threefold glory we know Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord.
One: Fully human, fully God,
he was born of low estate and lived among us,
an ordinary man in an ordinary time
who yet showed your extraordinary grace.
He proclaimed your coming kingdom in word and deed,
challenging the powerful,
healing the sick and distressed,
and calling all people to live in light and life.
Even though he was executed by the powers of the day,
you raised him to new life
to show that your power was stronger than death.
Still now he reigns in glory,
united in your holy oneness
to show your presence to all people. Let us pray…
Communion Prayer (unison)
We thank You, God, for your Son and our brother Jesus – bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh – whose life, death and resurrection reveal your love for humanity, your desire for human freedom, your passion for justice. We gather at this table as he did to share this feast of heaven and earth. Come Holy Spirit and let these gifts of bread and cup become for us the Bread of Life and the Cup of Blessings. Amen.
Words of Institution
One: We remember that Jesus gathered at table with his friends in a time of struggle and fear, took bread, blessed it and gave it to them saying “Take and eat:
All: “This is my body which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
One: And after supper, he took the cup and blessed it, saying “Take this, all of you and drink
All: “This cup is a new covenant of my life and blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Just as we have known your presence and love in the gift of Father and Son, so, O God, reveal yourself to us in the wonder and power of your Holy Spirit. Pour out this Spirit of love and hope, that we might rise from this holy meal to love and serve in your world.
Keep us faithful in our service to you, that we might give you glory and honor and praise forevermore, we pray, reaching out 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 #278 Black Creator God, Creating Still St. Anne
- Creator God creating still, by will and word and deed, create a new humanity to meet the present need.
- Redeemer God, redeeming still, with overflowing grace, pour out your love on us, through us, make this a holy place.
- Sustainer God, sustaining still, with strength for every day, empower us now to do your will. Correct us when we stray.
- Great Triune God, for this new day we need your presence still. Create, redeem, sustain us now to do your work and will.
Community Connections
Announcements
We share opportunities for Beloved Community and ways to serve.
Lighting the Justice Candle to Lead us Forth
June is Pride Month On June 28, 1969 police raided Stonewall, a small dive bar on Christopher Street in Manhattan where Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer people gathered. This was not unusual. Rather it happened frequently. However, this night the people fought back against the injustice of being harassed, beaten and arrested for being different. The riot that ensued is remembered as the Stonewall Uprising.
The following year activists Lili Vincenz and Frank Kameny organized a parade in New York to commemorate this day in which thousands of homosexuals went to the streets to demonstrate against centuries of abuse. It is estimated that between three and five thousand people took part in the inaugural Pride in New York City. Now the number is in the millions and Pride celebrations happen throughout the world.
We light this candle to honor those brave people who stood up to injustice and to the activists who created a movement when they planned the first Pride march.
Click here to see footage from this first Pride march. https://www.loc.gov/item/mbrs01991430/
¨ Benediction
¨ Benediction Response Woyaya (We Will Get There)
Please sing as you form our larger circle (words on the screens & opposite) then we will sing it twice so that we may fully see each other and sing at the same time.
Reprinted with permission using OneLicense #A-723786
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 (World Council of Churches Ecumenical Prayer cycle: union-church.org/ministries/prayer) Let us hold the people of Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Eswatini; and our brothers & sisters at Blue Lick 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.
¨ Melissa Zook and all the family, at the death of her father, Frank Zook.,
¨ Thomas Chapman, recovering from recent surgery
¨ The Brandenburg family, at the sudden death of Iris’ brother, Clayton, in Bristol, Tennessee.
¨ All those suffering from mental strain, trauma, and disease: may God soothe and heal all who are troubled.
¨ 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 member s& still beloved friends, as John recovers from a stroke.
¨ Lorilyn Howie-Kipphut in her move to Cynthiana next week.
¨ Joan Bates, recovering at home from a short hospital stay for treatment of an ulcer
¨ Marty Quigley, nephew of Carla gilbert, recently diagnosed with extensive cancer, and unable to receive chemotherapy.
¨ Paul Jacobs and family, at the death of his father, Paul Jacobs, Sr.
¨ Joyce Mosher, home from the hospital and due to start chemotherapy in a couple of weeks.
¨ Alva Peloquin, in her recent hospital stay
Celebrations with Prayers of Joy!
Birthdays: Today, June 4 – Laura Menefee-Greene, Rhonda Whiston-Edwards, Loretta Reynolds, Eef Fontanez; 5 – Ethan Connelly; 6 – Mim Pride, Luke Woodie, Deborah Payne; 7 – Adria Sutherland
If we haven’t got your important dates, let us know. We’ll help you get connected in FellowshipOne Go!
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