Weekly Bulletin & Announcements

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

June 14, 2026 10:30 am Third Sunday after Pentecost

Meditation “The caged bird sings with a fearful trill, of things unknown, but longed for still, and his tune is heard on the distant hill, for the caged bird sings of freedom.” ~ Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

From There to Here: We Gather

Prelude

¨ Call to Worship Deb Beishline, Reader

One: Today, we gather to remember, to reflect, to celebrate FREEDOM!

All: Freedom is not free. We thank You, O God, today for our freedom in You and remember those for whom freedom was so costly a price to pay.

One: We remember those who were enslaved. We recognize that slavery tried to erase the humanity of so All of Your people – those who were enslaved and those who brutalized and dehumanized others, not realizing the cost for their own souls. Lord, have mercy!

All: Forgive us, O God. Help us to always treat one another as we want to be treated and to, above all, recognize that we are all created in Your image and likeness. We remember today. In Your mercy, O God, hear our prayers.

One: We reflect on the gift of freedom today and the All ways that the struggle continues. We lament those who are still treated as less than Your very own as we recommit to fight for freedom and dignity for all of Your people.

All: Help us, O God, to be courageous in fighting for justice and righteousness for all of Your people until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream!

One: We celebrate today! For freedom has come and will come again. For those in cages at our borders, for those locked up in jail cells away from their families, for those who are caught up in human trafficking, for those living without clean water, for those trapped in the bondage of an opioid addiction – God as we celebrate freedom today, help us to continue the fight for freedom across the global village in every form and in every way.

All: We celebrate FREEDOM today! We celebrate with renewed determination, knowing that our work is not done and our task has not been fully accomplished until all of God’s children are truly free from bondage.

We remember, we reflect, we celebrate this Juneteenth. Thank You, O God, for reminding us that freedom is possible, necessary and a promise from You.

~ Copeland-Tune, Leslie. “Responsive Reading, National Council of Churches Chapel Service.” 2019.

¨ Hymn I’m Goin’a Sing When the Spirit Says Sing

2. I’m goin’a breathe…

3. I’m goin’a rise…

4. I’m goin’a shout…

¨ Invocation

One: Blessed are you, holy and living One.

All: You come to your people and set them free.

One: Almighty God, you rescued your people from slavery in Egypt, and throughout the ages you have never failed to hear the cries of the captives.

We remember before you our sisters and brothers in Galveston, Texas, who on June 19, 1865, received the glad tidings of their emancipation; forgive us for the many grave sins that delayed that liberating word; anoint us with your Spirit to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim the year of your favor; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

All: Amen.

¨ Passing the Peace

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.

¨ Prayer of Approach & Confession Box Breath Prayer (3x)

As we pray, we slow our breathing and our lives in order to attend to God. The leader will guide this meditation three times, and you are invited to pattern your breath with each phrase as indicated below.

Inhale: God’s breath is freedom.

Hold: Liberation comes in a body.

Exhale: Liberation is ours.

Hold: God, teach me the sound of freedom.

¨ Words of Assurance

One: The world may feel suffocating, but the breath of the Almighty gives life. As long as we are breathing, we are not defeated.

All: Our soul breathes and our hearts sing for we have seen the Lord at work! Amen!

Word and Worship

Scripture Reading Romans 5:1-5

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

Luke 4:14-21

Then Jesus, in the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread
through all the surrounding regions. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because God has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.
God has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

~ New Revised Standard Version, updated

Children’s Moment as the children return to their seats we sing:

May God’s blessings 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 Reading Matthew 9:35-10:23

Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not take a road leading to gentiles, and do not enter a Samaritan town, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Cure the sick; raise the dead; cleanse those with a skin disease; cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff, for laborers deserve their food. Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. As you enter the house, greet it. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.

If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

“I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the gentiles. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you at that time, for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Sibling will betray sibling to death and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in this town, flee to the next, for truly I tell you, you will not have finished going through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”

~ New Revised Standard Version, updated

Sermon “’Til earth and heaven ring… with the harmonies of Liberty” Rev. Christina Ryan Perkins

Video Reflection

Hymn #593 Lift Every Voice and Sing Lift Every Voice

Lift every voice and sing, till earth and heaven ring, ring with the harmonies of liberty. Let our rejoicing rise high as the listening skies, let it resound loud as the rolling sea. Sing a song full of the faith that the harsh past has taught us. Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us. Facing the rising sun of our new day begun, let us march on till victory is won.
Stony the road we trod, bitter the chastening rod, felt in the days when hope unborn had died; yet with a steady beat, have not our weary feet come to the place for which our people sighed? We have come over a way that with tears has been watered. We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered, out from the gloomy past, till now we stand at last where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.
God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, God who has brought us thus far on the way, God, who by your might led us into the light, keep us forever in the path, we pray. Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met you; lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, forget you; shadowed beneath your hand, may we forever stand, true to our God, true to our native land.

Living Prayer

Call to Prayer

One: Generous God, just as you provided for all our needs in your creative acts, you have made us caretakers of your good creation. Let us accept the call to faithful discipleship, the opportunity to trust in your provision, and the generous nature you have embedded in us.

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. Next week, let us hold the people of Botswana and Zimbabwe; and our siblings at Farristown Baptist Church in our hearts, and pray for them today and throughout the week.

Ringing 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.

Embodied Prayer

You are invited to reflect and pray at the candle table. You may also choose to source the essential ingredient of solitude and private prayer, remaining with your own thoughts in your pew and using the bulletin insert for further inspiration.

For Reflection

Christ Breathes Peace-Do We?

So-called “Box Breathing” is an ancient prayer practice now credited with deep neurological benefits. Slowing your breathing settles nerve responses and increases oxygen uptake. More oxygen feeds and frees the brain. It lowers blood pressure. It resets the vagus nerve stem. With our thoughts clear, our heart settles, and the space opens to receive what God is offering in each moment. Here is prayer meditation to center and ground you for this week:

Breath Prayer for The Week:

Inhale (count of 3): God’s breath is freedom.

Exhale (count of 3): Liberation comes in a body.

Inhale (count of 3): Liberation is ours.

Exhale (count of 3): God, teach me the sound of freedom.

Repeat the pattern until you are deeply at peace. Ten times is a good start, but do more if you need or have time. Do this anytime you find your anxieties on the rise, or you need the spiritual support of Christ’s love.

Christ Lifts Our Hearts…

Easter is the sure sign that joy is part of God’s plan. Far from condemnation and guilt, Christ seeks to lift the hearts of everyone he touches. What would lift your heart? What makes it sing? Stopped because what you want or need feels preposterous? Well, is it more preposterous than a risen Christ appearing in a locked room… TWICE? Even if only in this prayer relax your judgement and offer up what would free your heartsong. Hold the vision and allow Christ to breathe peace over it. Pray for what you need to lift your heart.

Offertory

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¨ Doxology Old Hundredth

To God all glorious heavenly Light, To Christ revealed in earthly night, To God the Spirit now we raise Our joyful songs of thankful praise. Amen.

Silent Prayer and Prayers of the Community Deb Beishline, Reader

One: As we enter this Juneteenth holiday celebration, we offer prayers for ourselves
and the world. That those entrusted with authority in our nation may serve the common
good and lead in a way that promotes healing in an authentic, responsible,
and peaceful manner, we pray . . .