July 18, 2021, Worship Bulletin and Prayer Concerns

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

Seventh Sunday after Pentecost 10:30 am 

Meditation

I am so small I can barely be seen. How can this great love be inside me. Look at your eyes. They are small, but they see enormous things. ― Jelaluddin Rumi

From There to Here: We Gather

Gathering Music  

Welcome

The Call Chip and Diane Bailey, Readers

“Remember that there are truths all around us, and within us. They twinkle in the night sky and bloom upon the earth. They fall upon us every day, silent as the snow and gentle as the rain. The people, clutching their one truth, forget that it is part of all the small and lovely truths of life. They no longer see these truths, no longer hear them.” — Douglas Wood, “Old Turtle and the Broken Truth”

Passing of the Peace Please remain seated.

Hymn #558 Black Oh How Glorious, Full of Wonder In Babilone

1. O how glorious, full of wonder is your name o’er all the earth, God, who wrought creation’s splendor, bringing suns and stars to birth! Rapt in reverence we adore you, marveling at your mystic ways. Humbly now we bow before you, lifting up our hearts in praise.
2. When we see your lights of heaven, moon and stars, your powers displayed, who are we that you should love us, creatures that your hand has made? Born of earth, yet full of yearning, mixture strange of good and ill, from your ways so often turning, yet your love does seek us still.
3. You have set us in communion with the wonders of your hand, made us fly with eagle pinion, pilgrims over sea and land. Soaring spire and ruined city, these our hopes and failures show. Teach us more of human pity, that we in your image grow.
4. O how wondrous, O how glorious is your name in every land, God, whose purpose shines before us toward the goal that you have planned! Yours the will our hearts are seeking, conscious of our human need. Spirit in our spirit speaking, make us yours, O God, indeed.

The Living Word Among Us           

Hebrew Scripture Lesson                     2 Samuel 7:1-14a Chip Bailey, Reader

Now when the king was settled in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, ‘See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent.’ Nathan said to the king, ‘Go, do all that you have in mind; for the Lord is with you.’

But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’ Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies.

Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. When he commits iniquity, I will punish him with a rod such as mortals use, with blows inflicted by human beings.

Children’s Moment                     Please join in singing as we bless children everywhere:

May God’s blessing 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. 

Gospel Lesson Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, ‘Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the market-places, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.

Sermon A House Not Made with Hands Rev. Kent Gilbert

Living Prayer

Call to Prayer and Offering

A Chance for Generosity: www.easytithe.com/union. 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 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”)

You can also use US mail!  Mail to: CPO 2105, Berea, KY 40404

Your contribution is love made visible. Thank you!

Offering Music Cantilena Verena Hatch

Offertory 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.

Prayers of the Community Diane Bailey, Reader

Great architect of creation, and builder of worlds, we come to you for no other shelter than the hollow of your hand. You who dwelt in tents, you who inhabit refugee camps, and migrant tenements, and humble porches: nothing we could build would ever be big enough to house your mercy and love. Draw all those who are suffering close to your healing power. Protect those with no shelter from the storms of this life, even as you tear down our facades of false praise and unequal sharing. Let no temple to you be built with stone alone. Show your people how to love, how to make such shelter for others, and how to look past the glint of gilt and gold to the true gift of your people healed and whole. Jesus has shown us the way. Help us follow and raise up your house in our hearts, in his name. We pray as your Christ taught us, saying…

Our Lord’s Prayer

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 #543 Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life Germany

1 Where cross the crowded ways of life, where sound the cries of clan and race, above the noise of selfish strife, O Christ we hear your voice of grace.

2 In haunts of wretchedness and need, on shadowed thresholds fraught with fears, from paths where hide the lures of greed, we catch the vision of your tears.

3 From tender childhood’s helplessness, from human griefs and burdened toil, from famished souls, from sorrows’ stress, your heart does not recoil.

4 The cup of water given for you still holds the freshness of your grace; yet long these multitudes to view the sweet compassion of your face.

5 O Savior, from the mountainside, make haste to heal these hearts of pain; among these restless throngs abide; O tread the city’s streets again;

6 Till all the world shall learn compassion’s might, and follow where your feet have trod; till glorious from your realm of light, shall come the city of our God.

Benediction

Postlude The Fifers Jean Fracois Dandrieu

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. Let us hold the people of Sudan, South Sudan and Uganda and our brothers and sisters at Wallaceton Baptist Church in our hearts, and pray for them. Please hold these concerns in your prayers, today and throughout the week.

¨ 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.

¨ Our church family members in nursing homes or who are homebound: Alva Peloquin, Loyal Jones, Jennie Kiteck, Mary Miller, Lois Morgan, Jan Hamilton, Laura Robie

¨ Families and Friends in Crises…may God be present to every need and heal every rift and wound and those who care for them.

¨ John McWilliam’s mother, Betty, for pain relief and fast healing from her broken back.

¨ Colleen, and the Chao family. Colleen, mother of Gene and Dorothy’s grandson, is missing in the Arizona desert.

¨ Tom Hubbard, receiving evaluation and care at Ephraim-McDowell Hospital.

¨ Robert Rorrer, celebrating continuing success with chemotherapy.

¨ Sally Hindman, recovering from shoulder surgery.

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

¨ Mary Ann Murray and family, at Charley’s death on July 4. Mary Ann’s address is 147 North Hanover Ave. Lexington, KY, 40502.   

¨ Steve Parsley, Clem Pearson and the family and friends of Heather Richardson, at her death.

¨ Children in detention centers, that they may be reunited with their families soon.

¨ Those affected by the Covid-19 virus, their families and friends living with fear, anxiety, and feelings of isolation, may God bring peace to all who love them; and our wider community as we cope with the new realities of living, including the over 7300 Kentucky residents, and 112 Madison County residents, who have died to date from Covid-19.

¨ Important dates—if we haven’t got yours, let us know. We’ll help you get connected in FellowshipOneGo!

Birthdays coming up this week: Today, July 17 – Jeff Hutton; 20 – Deborah Martin, Mallory Lakes, Cavan Kobersmith; 21 – Tennant Kirk; 22 – Emma White; 24 – George Hardman

Anniversaries this week: July  23 – Laura Nagle & Melissa Sparks