Sunday, October 3, 2021, Worship Bulletin, Prayer Concerns, Zoom Coffee Hour Link

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

Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

World Communion Sunday

Meditation “The norms and institutions that order this world are not inevitable, but constructed, and therefore, can be changed.”— Valarie Kaur

From There to Here: We Gather

Gathering Music

Welcome

The Call Colin Perman and Betty Hibler,  Readers

One: We must summon the wisdom to discern between threats that are real rather than imagined, and respond in ways that give life rather than deal death.

One: The question therefore is not whether or not we will fight in our lives, but how we choose to fight. –Valarie Kaur

Passing of the Peace at Home

Lighting the Justice Candle

Today we light the Justice Candle for the organization, No One Left Behind, a nonprofit veteran service organization that was founded by a US Army Captain Matt Zeller and his Afghan Interpreter, Janis Shinwary in 2014 to ensure that America keeps its promise to our allies and their families who risked their lives to support US troops.  We recognize other co-founders Captain Jason S. Gorey and Brian Steblay and all the volunteers who work with Special Immigrant Visa applicants to get to and then resettle in the U.S.   In addition, the group advocates for changes to the 14 step process and the 3.5 year wait time for SIVs. No One Left Behind provided critical support during the recent military evacuation of Afghanistan.  Many war veterans who had forged close bonds with their Afghan interpreters spent countless hours maintaining contact with then in a frantic effort to guide them and their families to the Kabul airport and weave a path through the maze of desperate people and Taliban forces to reach the safety of the US planes for evacuation.  We want to especially recognize Peter James Kiernan, Doug Livermore, Ryan Jackson, Andrew Darlington who were among those veterans successful in helping their Afghan friends. We grieve for other allies who have not made it to safety.  

Hymn As We Gather at Your Table Beach Spring

1. As we gather at your Table, as we listen to your Word, help us know, O God, your presence; let our hearts and minds be stirred. Nourish us with sacred story till we claim it as our own; teach us through this holy banquet how to make Love’s victory known.

2. Turn our worship into witness in the sacrament of life; send us forth to love and serve you, bringing peace where there is strife. Give us, Christ, your great compassion to forgive as you forgave; may we still behold your image in the world you died to save.

3. Gracious Spirit, help us summon other guests to share that feast where triumphant Love will welcome those who had been last and least. There no more will envy blind us nor will pride our peace destroy, as we join with saints and angels to repeat the sounding joy.

Hebrew Scripture Lesson Job 1:1, 2:1-10 Colin Perman, Reader

There was once a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. One day the heavenly beings came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil. He still persists in his integrity, although you incited me against him, to destroy him for no reason.” Then Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for skin! All that people have they will give to save their lives. But stretch out your hand now and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, he is in your power; only spare his life.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and inflicted loathsome sores on Job from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. Job took a potsherd with which to scrape himself, and sat among the ashes. Then his wife said to him, “Do you still persist in your integrity? Curse God, and die.” But he said to her, “You speak as any foolish woman would speak. Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

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 10:2-16

Some Pharisees came, and to test him they asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her.” But Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.” People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

Sermon Revolutionary Love: The Fight for Right 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 Intermezzo Brahms

Offertory Prayer

Responding to God’s Love in Communion

Invitation to Communion

One: God be with you!

Two: And also with those you cherish!

One: Lift up your hearts!

Two: Let us lift up our hearts and give thanks to God who meets us everywhere we are.

One: The world is full of the Glory of God!

Two: Friends, I’m from First Christian;

One: And I’mBetty Hibler from Union Church. Together we want to invite you to join us in our celebration of holy communion commemorating not only our two church’s shared history and mission, but all the places around the world  where God’s spirit is shared. The meal takes many forms, in many places, made by many different hands, but the hope of Christ is that “We may all be one.”

Two: At home, or from wherever you are celebrating worship today,  gather the elements that you will use as we share these prayers and actions with you.

Remember that Jesus took everyday elements and with his blessing made them holy. So let it be in our in our houses: what you have will be enough because God’s grace is a gracious plenty. This meal and every meal: Let us offer it to Christ’s service.

Let us center ourselves with 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

One:  Holy and loving God, we offer thanks for this day— for the beauty of the earth, for your love and care for every creature, for this table that is before us. We offer gratitude for the virtual community that surrounds this table, and for the many tables and faces we cannot see that make this community of grace. We rejoice that you call the entire human family to this marvelous mosaic made of many colors, speaking many tongues, sharing many joys.

Two: In between the mundane and the miraculous—the sipping of our morning coffee, the buttering of bread—we encounter your divine presence ever so delicately. You meet us there—here—in our gardens and in our chapels, in between our fervent faith and our unbelief. Even when we foolishly ignore the prophets telling of your wondrous and miraculous love, you do not abandon us. Instead, you find new ways of meeting us, over and over again, until your presence is made known. For that, we give you praise.

One: We offer prayers for those without tables to gather around, without food to eat, without beverage to quench their thirst, without a loving home to shelter them. Some are with us now, and many are suffering unknown. Communion and community are for them too. Meet them where they are, Righteous One, and we’ll remind each other to do the same. Meet us as we pray the words that Jesus taught us, reaching to you as…

Our Lord’s Prayer                    Betty Hibler, Reader

Our Creator, Parent, Mother of us all, who dwells within and beyond, Sacred is your name. May your holy vision for collective flourishing come to fruition among us. May your dreams of justice, love, compassion,  and connection be enfleshed on earth. Provide us today with what we need to be nourished in body, soul, and heart. Forgive us for the harm we cause as we seek to forgive those who have harmed us. Lead us away from everything that destroys and liberate us from the hands of evil. For you are the ultimate source of hope. You are the ultimate source of healing. Your power-with exceeds all power-over. Your presence incites eternal wonder. All praise to you, our comfort and strength. Amen.

The Disciple’s Prayer ©enfleshed.  All rights reserved. Written by M Barclay

Prayer of Thanksgiving

One: Life-giving God, we thank you for all you provide and for the chance to share together across time, across distance, across language, across thought and action in your name.

Two: May we who share Christ’s body, live his risen life; we who drink his cup, bring new life to others; we whom the Spirit lights, give light to the world God loves.

Both: 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. Chorus.

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

¨ 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 Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Peru and our brothers and sisters at Berea Church of Christ 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.

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

¨ 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 8800 Kentucky residents, and 133 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: today, October 3 – Dorie Hubbard, Ellen Mink, Dana Carlberg; 6 – Scott Smith, Paige Garrett; 7 – John McWiliams, Laurinda Pool; 8 – Eric Dodson, Landon Connelly (turning 1!)

Anniversaries: today, October 3 – Kelly & J.R. Anderson, Meaghan & Brice Catlett