Weekly Bulletin & Announcements

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

October 11, 2026    10:30 am

Meditation “To be human is to live by sunlight and moonlight, with anxiety and delight, admitting limits and transcending them, falling down and rising up.” ~ Barbara Brown Taylor

From There to Here: We Gather

Prelude 

Welcome

Welcome to this service of worship!  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! During the service, you are invited to rise in body or in spirit, standing or sitting, at points in the service marked “<>.” 

¨ Invocation All We Need Is Here

All we need is here!  All we need is here! God is among us,  All we need is here!

¨ Call to Worship Sue Goldsmith, Reader

One: We come from scattered lives to this sanctuary, seeking unity in the Spirit, seeking the grace of Christ, seeking the peace of God.

All: We have come seeking comfort, inspiration, community, and insight.

One: We have come to open ourselves to the power of God’s presence in our midst.

All: We have come to offer up the seasons and the turnings in  our lives, and to be present with God in our learning and in our growing.

One:      Come, then, let us worship the Lord of all Creation that we may be challenged and changed.

¨ Hymn             Make Me a Channel of Your Peace              Temple, Fedak

¨ Prayer of Approach & Confession 

One:      Let us pray:  Thank you, dear Lord, for rising with us this day. Thank you for helping us rise above the trials we are facing, and the rocks we put in our own paths. We are still learning. We are still works in progress. There is still both brilliance and brokenness inside and we ask that in your wisdom and mercy you might bring from us the one and heal us of the other.  We are so thankful for your love that returns to us again and again, even when we have made mistakes, and we lift our praise to you for all the ways you are guiding us anew each day.

All: We need your healing, merciful God: give us true wisdom, true repentance and true renewal. Some sins are plain to us; some escape us, some we cannot face alone.

Forgive us. Set us free to hear your Word to us; set us free to serve you.

~Adapted from a prayer in “Celebrate God’s Presence” (United Church Publishing House, 2000)

¨ Words of Assurance              Come, Bring Your Burdens to God            South African                                              English Trans: Barbara Clark,  Mairi Munro, Martine Stemerick

Come, bring your burdens to God (3x) For Jesus will never say no.

¨ 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.

Word and Worship

Anthem Take Thou Our Minds, Dear Lord Foulkes, Laufer Union Church Choir

1. Take thou our minds, dear Lord, we humbly pray; give us the mind of Christ each passing day; teach us to know the truth that sets us free; grant us in all our thoughts to honor thee.

2. Take thou our hearts, O Christ, they are thine own; come thou within our souls and claim thy throne;  help us to shed abroad Thy deathless love; use us to make the earth like heaven above.

3. Take thou our wills, Most High! hold thou full sway; have in our inmost souls thy perfect way;
guard thou each sacred hour from selfish ease; guide thou our ordered lives as thou dost please.

4. Take thou ourselves, O Lord, heart, mind, and will; through our surrendered souls thy plans fulfill. We yield ourselves to thee: time, talents, all! We hear, and henceforth heed, thy sovereign call.

Scripture Reading Exodus 32:1-14

When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Come, make gods for us, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” Aaron said to them, “Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring them to me.” So all the people took off the gold rings from their ears and brought them to Aaron. He took these from them, formed them in a mold, and cast an image of a calf, and they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”

When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it, and Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a festival to the Lord.” They rose early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought sacrifices of well-being, and the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to revel. The Lord said to Moses, “Go down at once! Your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have acted perversely; they have been quick to turn aside from the way that I commanded them; they have cast for themselves an image of a calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!'”

The Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, how stiff-necked they are. Now let me alone so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, and of you I will make a great nation.” But Moses implored the Lord his God and said, “O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring disaster on your people.

Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, how you swore to them by your own self, saying to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.'”

And the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people.  

~ 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 22:1-14

Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.’

But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’

Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad, so the wedding hall was filled with guests. “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

   ~ New Revised Standard Version, updated

Sermon        Say “Yes” to the Dress                          Rev. Kent Gilbert

Video Reflection

Living Prayer

Call to Prayer 

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 Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Panama; and our siblings at Lighthouse Baptist Church in our hearts, and pray for them today and throughout the week.

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.

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.

Laugh at the Calf, Say Yes to the Dress…

Faced with uncertainty, people tend to crave whatever they know best…even if it’s not right, good, or healing. That’s what the golden calf was to the recently freed but not yet secure Israelites. They went right back to the false gods of the enslavers, instead of keeping faith with YHWH, the liberating God of Moses. Similarly, Jesus tells a story of people offered a fantastic deal, but who act ungratefully and against their own interest.

Today for embodied prayer, think about the times you might have experience with one or both of the responses in scripture.

What would be a good symbol of rejecting that response in your life?

Pray about how you might do something physical to practice stepping away from the shiny, familiar, but idolatrous things we all have in our lives and or to put on the party clothes (and attitude) of the feast Jesus is offering in his call to a Godly community. It might be a thread around your wrist to remind you; it might be a faithful tithe to show gratitude, not greed; or maybe it would be to sit at a feast with others who may not be sure they are welcome, but would be glad of a friendly face. All of this is prayer. All of this is holy work.

What else can you think of, and more importantly, which ones will be your work this week?

Offertory “Psalm XXIII” Geoffrey Shaw Union Church Orchestra

A Chance for Generosity: 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 easytithe.com/union. No registration required, but registering once makes future generosity simply entering an amount and a click.

¨ Baskets for checks or cash 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!

¨  Doxology  I’ll Shout the Name of Christ Who Lives Tune #234 Philippine Folk Melody

Once more we shout our joy and praise to one we love, who throne is grace, Whose way is Life, whose Word gives Peace Christ’s steadfast love will never cease.

Silent Prayers & Prayers of the Community  Sue Goldsmith, Reader

One: Lord of the feast, we are praying to dressed for success by your love and grace this morning. We are praying to be ready, to be worthy, to be eager as you invite us to what is better, what is loving, and what is transforming for breaking hearts and a breaking world.

Help us say “yes,” as you bless. Uphold those who are weary and worried that hanging on for better isn’t worth it. Turning from glittering emptiness, leaning into the fullness of your community table, we lift to you those who have no party to attend, no roof to shelter them, no feast and little hope. Button us into your mercy as we would button up a shirt.

Yes to your way, of helping all people, Lord. Yes, to the dignity and worth you see in all. Yes, to the poor and the poor in spirit. Yes to the dress of your kin-dom and kindness. Yes, to our saving Christ who taught us to reach to you as… 

Lord’s Prayer  

Our Maker, Our Mother, and Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; Thy kin-dom 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 kin-dom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

¨ Hymn             Let Us Put on the Clothes of Christ

Refrain:

Let us put on the clothes of Christ and live as equals with everyone.

Let us put on the clothes of Christ and reunite the family of God.

1.    Jew and Greek will live side by side (with the garments of justice on.)

      And every door will be open wide (in that sweet and delightful dawn.)

Hate and fear shall not come between. (Oh, let us unite in love!)

We’ll celebrate our diversity (as we welcome the reign of God.)

2. All the captives will be set free, (with the garments of justice on.)

Discrimination will cease to be, (in that sweet and delightful dawn.)

To the poor we will bring good news. (Oh, let us unite in love!)

Our faith will travel beyond the pews, (as we welcome the reign of God.)

3. Men and women will live as one, (with the garments of justice on.)

With equal priv’lege for everyone (in that sweet and delightful dawn.)

Domination will finally end. (Oh, let us unite in love!)

The pains of history we will mend (as we welcome the reign of God.)

4. Let us rise up completely new (with the garments of justice on.)

Living fully in Christ, we’ll bloom (in that sweet and delightful dawn.)

Like the threads of a tapestry, (Oh, let us unite in love!)

And weave a joyful community. (as we welcome the reign of God.)

~ Words and music by Bret Hesla. © 1990 Bret Hesla. Admin. Augsburg Fortress. Licensed via OneLicense.net. All rights reserved

From Here to There

Community  Connections

        Announcements                           

We share opportunities for Beloved Community and ways to serve. Please see the listing  of church & community events, prayers, and notices in the pages following the service.

Lighting the Justice Candle to Lead us Forth

John Marshall Harlan: Born in Boyle County, Kentucky, this U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice earned the moniker “The Great Dissenter”. He was the historic, lone dissenting voice in the infamous Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) ruling, which upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the “separate but equal” doctrine. Harlan was alone in advocating for a “color-blind” Constitution and equal protection under the 14th Amendment.

America’s schools are still largely segregated by race, ethnicity and social class. Rural, inner-city and majority-minority school districts remain neglected and underfunded, perpetuating and worsening historic inequalities. We should all follow Judge Harlan’s example in defense of equal rights and equal opportunity.

¨ Benediction  

One: Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

As for the things that you have learned and received and heard and noticed in your observation of Godly folk, do them, and the God of peace will be with you.

~ New Revised Standard Version: Updated Edition (Friendship Press, 2021), Php 4:8–9.

¨ Benediction Response All We Need Is Here

All we need is here!  All we need is here! God is among us,  All we need is here!

Our Prayers for Others

¨ 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.

¨ Those in danger in the continuing war in Iran. For the leaders of nations to set aside assassination and warfare in favor of just, diplomatic solutions to conflict. 

¨ We pray for our country, and those who are directly affected by the actions and inaction of our government to address the needs of its people and the world.

¨ Our neighbors experiencing housing and food insecurity.

¨ JoAnn Russell, Reda Hutton’s aunt, facing several medical challenges.

¨ The children and staff of Samuel’s Kids School and Orphanage in Uganda.

¨ Our church family members in nursing homes or who are homebound: Dorie Hubbard, Susan Kramer, Hattie Parks, Alva Peloquin, Laura Robie, Theresa Scherf.

¨ In thanksgiving for all those who offer help to others in their need. Ambassadors of God’s grace and goodwill are so needed and appreciated.

¨ Kari Howie, Lorilyn’s sister-in-law, receiving treatment for pancreatic cancer

¨ Denis Burton, recovering well from abdominal surgery, at home.

¨ Mark Workman, struggling with heart issues.

¨ Misty Phillips, recovering from surgery.

¨ Betsy Whaley, recovering from surgery last week.

¨ Stephanie Woodie, at the passing of her mother, Carole Mobley.

¨ Amber Lawson, Deb & Terry Beishline’s daughter-in-law, continuing treatment for  breast cancer.

¨ Celebrations with Prayers of Joy!

Birthdays:  Oct. 11 – Matt Jadud, Jack Cates, Katie Basham; 12 – Gene Daniels; 15 – Jessi Montgomery; 18 – June Fish, AnnaBella Christine Wescott

If we haven’t got your important dates, let us know. We’ll help you get connected in FellowshipOne Go!

Welcome to participants and guests from the 53rd Annual Celebration of Traditional Music! We’re so glad you ’re here—at Union Church and in Berea!  The final event: a concert TODAY at 3 pm in Gray Auditorium — music by the Berea College Traditional Ensembles Showcase: Folk-Roots Ensemble, Bluegrass Ensemble, Mariachi Berea, Black Music Ensemble, Country Dancers. No charge, all welcome!! 

Open Table Supper for ALL Community Meals – Every Wednesday 5:30pm-6:30pm: “Open Table” is a “pay what you can” ($0-$$) meal open to anyone. Chef Deb Beishline and a wonderful crew of volunteers prepare the meal each week – always with gluten free and vegetarian-friendly options. Our hope is to remember the gifts of connection with great food the chance to “rub elbows” with neighbors. The food is great, the company is better, the hungry are fed, and we pray the love Jesus will be shown!

Menu for October 14

Chasing away the cold/flu season…..

· Creamy Butternut Soup

· Chicken Noodle Soup

· Rolls/Butter

· Crackers

· Brownies

Volunteer needed: Union Church is looking to support our community with a KYnector, which is a person trained to help others apply for health insurance, Medicaid, SNAP and other benefits. Training is provided and is self-paced. Please contact Rev. Kent (859-979-5368 kgilbert@union-church.org) or Laura Nagle (859-358-0106 joyfulsunflower @gmail.com) if you’re interested.

Back by Popular Demand! Summer Holmes, mosaic artist and sister of Debbonnaire Kovacs, will offer another mosaic class from 9 am to 1 pm, Saturday, October 24, in the community room of Union Church. This time, instead of creating one large piece, we will each make several small ones of our choice, such as refrigerator magnets, Christmas ornaments, or small gifts. You can see images at HolmesMadeArt on Facebook. Instruction and basic materials will cost $40, and the (four or so) items you choose to make will cost from $3 to $7 depending on size. The easiest way to pay will be cash on the day, since you won’t know exactly how much until you’ve chosen your items, but there are digital ways of paying, as well. CALL 859-779-0793 TO REGISTER NOW; SPACE IS LIMITED!

Founders Day is October 25. Rev. John G. Fee, our founder, will bring The Word. In 1859, ahead of a mob riding from Richmond to lynch church leaders, the original charter and register of Union Church was burned to protect their identities. The binding covenant of the congregation was and is:

“The Church of Christ, Union receives all followers of Christ and works with all who work with him:  respecting each one’s conscience; serving in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.” 

This meant, then and now, that it is what love demands that unites us, not skin color, creed, denomination, or back-ground. On Founder’s Day we remember that commitment to God’s impartial love by offering everyone a chance to remake our lost ledger. All who wish are invited to sign the banner indicating a pledge to rise to Union Church’s early and ongoing ideals! Don’t miss this special service!

Would you like a nametag? We’ve got plenty of the single use stick-on ones, but if you’d like a reusable one on a lanyard—please let us know!!

What’s Going on Around Here?

*3^rd Sundays of the month

         1:30 pm, ShapeNote Singers, Parlor

*2nd Tuesdays

         11 am Blood Drive in Community Room

*3rd  Tuesdays  

         7:00 pm Book Club, Training Room, The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali

*Wednesdays

          10 am Zoom Coffee Hour with the Pastor

  1-4 pm Bridge

  5:30 pm Open Table Meal for ALL—No charge

  6:15 pm Handbell Ensemble, 3rd floor Choir Room

*1^st & 3^rd Wednesdays

6:30 (after supper) Theological Explorations, Conference Room or Zoom

*2^nd  Wednesdays

4:00 pm Psalm Study, Office Level Classroom

*Thursdays

10:30 am Zoom Bible Study

 5:30 pm Orchestra, 3rd floor Choir Room

 6:30 pm Choir, 3rd floor Choir Room

 *Fridays

9:00 am Meditation in Cowan Chapel

Oct. 24 – Summer Holmes’ Mosaic Class; Old Time Music Jam

Oct. 25 – Founders Day – Special Guest: Rev. John G. Fee

Nov. 7 – Black Music Ensemble Concert

Nov. 11 – Historical Presentation about Camp Nelson after Open Table Supper

Nov. 15 – Union Church Giving Day

Dec. 13 – Budget Meeting

Are You Registered To Vote? Election Day is Nov. 3. Visit the website for info: govoteky.org