September 26, 2021, Worship Bulletin, Prayer Concerns, Link to Zoom Coffee Hour

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

Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost 10:30 am 

Meditation “Those who love us never leave us alone with our grief. At the moment they show us our wound, they reveal they have the medicine.” — Alice Walker

From There to Here: We Gather

Gathering Music

Welcome

The Call John Payne and Alice White,  Readers

One: Grieving is the practice of feeling the pain of loss. Grief is the price of love. We grieve what we have loved. Loving someone means that one day, there will be grieving. They will leave you, or you will leave them. The more you love, the more you will grieve in this lifetime.

One: Loving someone also means grieving with them. It means letting their pain and loss bleed into your own heart. And when you see that pain coming, you may want to put up the guardrails, sound the alarm, raise the flag. But you must keep the borders of your heart porous when you love someone. Valarie Kaur

Passing of the Peace at Home

Lighting the Justice Candle

We light the justice candle today for the Afghan women who are standing up to the Taliban in an effort to protect their rights and the rights of their daughters to get an education, to hold a job, to go out alone, to dress as they wish, to drive a car.  They’ve been silent now for a couple of weeks, so I’m sure they need our moral support and prayers.

Hymn Be Still My Soul Finlandia

1. Be still my soul, for God is on your side; bear patiently the cross of grief or pain; leave to your God to order and provide; in every change God faithful will remain. Be still my soul you best, eternal friend through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

2. Be still, my soul, for God will undertake to guide in future days as in the past. Your hope, your confidence let nothing shake; all now mysterious shall be clear at last. Be still, my soul, the waves and winds still know how Jesus’ power ruled them long ago.

3. Be still, my soul; the hour will soon be here when we shall be with God whom we adore, with disappointment gone, no grief or fear, sorrow replaced with joy forevermore. Be still, my soul; when change and tears are past, all safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

Epistle Lesson James 5:13-16 John Payne, Reader

Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.

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 9:38-50

John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us. For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward. “If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched. For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

Sermon      To Grieve is a Revolutionary Way of  Love            Rev. Kent Gilbert

Commissioning our Stephen Ministers

Welcome

Scripture Lesson               2 Corinthians 1:3–4 and Colossians 3:23–24

Dear brothers and sisters, you have been equipped to serve as Stephen Ministers at Union Church and beyond. Listen now to these words from Scripture: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God” “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

About Stephen Ministry

Requests

Vows

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

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 Alice White,  Reader

Author of life, you have taught us to pray without ceasing, to pray in good times and bad; to live our love out loud and to seek you in every face. With sorrow, then, we come to you having fallen short. We know we love, but we stifle the grief of loss. We know we need help, but we turn away and not toward. Our hearts are broken by so much we can barely acknowledge the hurt. And still, we are children of your revolutionary love, so when our hearts are broken open, the love pours out, and your light pours in. Through the cracks and fissures, Lord, send your grace. Minister through your servants to all the love and grief we know, but carry us through in healing and wholeness. To love is to grieve that which is not yet right. May you transform mourning into dancing in us, and in the world you cherish. In Jesus name we pray reaching to you as…

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 Rooted and Grounded in Love Words and Music:                                                        Amanda Udis-Kessler; arr.  Bryan T. Johnson

1. In a time of disease, we are called to be healers embodying Love’s holy care. We follow the healer who tended the suffering, restoring the wounded, our work and our prayer. We are joyful and strong as our faith is revealed in the richest abundance of fruit that we yield.

Chorus: We are rooted and grounded in love. Like a tree by the river, we’re planted so deep. We are rooted and grounded in love with each gift that we bring and each promise we keep. As we birth a new world where we all have enough, we are rooted and grounded in love.

2. In a time of distrust, we are called to be teachers embodying Love’s holy grace. We follow the teacher who welcomed the stranger, enlarging Love’s realm with each sacred embrace. We are joyful and strong as our faith is revealed in the richest abundance of fruit that we yield. Chorus.

3. In a time of despair, we are called to be prophets, proclaiming all people as one. We follow the prophet who cried out for justice, our lives offered up so Love’s will can be done. We are joyful and strong as our faith is revealed in the richest abundance of fruit that we yield.

Benediction

Postlude

OUR FELLOWSHIP PRINCIPLES:

“Union Church welcomes all followers of Christ and works with all who work with Him; respecting each person’s conscience; working by love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.”

Come to Coffee Hour after worship! https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87387600761

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 Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay; and our brothers and sisters at Glades Christian 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.

¨ Tom Hubbard

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

¨ Sharona Nelson, as she faces decisions regarding a difficult family situation.

¨ Dorie Hubbard’s great grand-niece, Marie, whose cancer has gotten worse.

¨ Shelagh Quigley, dear friend of Dodie Murphy, who has Covid-19.

¨ Sandy and Bob Kittendorf, relocating after long and successful careers and retirement in Louisville.

¨ New Stephen Ministers commissioned today. These dedicated people have been training for several months and are ready to begin their caring ministry among us here at Union Church.  We thank God for all our Stephen Ministers and pray that God will bless their ministries. These lay ministers will provide care for people in and around our congregation who are going through many kinds of difficulties in their lives. Please show your support and appreciation for  Doug Hindman, Tennant Kirk, Hazel Morris, Susie Ritchie and Betsy Whaley at the commissioning service and through your prayers.

¨ Prayers for those in danger from fires and flood, especially those in western wildfires and cleaning up after Hurricane Ida. 

¨ 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 now over 8450 Kentucky residents, and 126 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 FellowshipOne Go!

Birthdays coming up: September 27 – Olin Shaw Perry; 28 – Pat Barrett; 29 – Abi Woodie; October 2 – Jennie Kiteck, Jennifer Melton; 3 – Dorie Hubbard, Ellen Mink, Dana Carlberg

Anniversaries: September 30 – Claudia & John Munson-Schrumpf; October 3 – Kelly & J.R. Anderson, Meaghan & Brice Catlett