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The Union Church

Newsletter

May 2016

Sunday Worship 10:30

Mailing address CPO 2105; Berea, KY; 40404 Physical address 200 Prospect St.; Berea, KY; 40403 Phone 859-986-3725

Office office@union-church.org Rev. Kent kgilbert@union-church.org Rev. Rachel rsmallstokes@union-church.org

CONSIDER . . .

Inside this issue: From inauspicious

b e g i n n i n g s , J o h n

McCutcheon has emerged

as one of our most

respected and loved

fo lks ingers . As an

instrumentalist, he is a

master of a dozen

di f ferent tradit ional

instruments, most notably

the rare and beautiful

hammer dulcimer.

His songwriting has

been hailed by critics and

singers around the globe.

His thirty recordings have

garnered every imaginable

honor including seven

Grammy nominations. He

has produced over twenty

albums of other artists,

from traditional fiddlers

to contemporary singer-

s o n g w r i t e r s t o

e d u c a t i o n a l a n d

documentary works.

H i s books and

instructional materials

have introduced budding

players to the joys of

their own musicality. And

his commitment to grass

r o o t s p o l i t i c a l

organizations has put him

on the front lines of many

of the issues important to

c o m m u n i t i e s a n d

workers.

This great musician

will be hosting a special

concert at Union Church

May 27th, with special

guest, Berea’s own Sam

Gleaves!

S a m p e r f o r m s

innovative mountain

music with a sense of

history. Sam carries on

the ballads, dance music

and storytelling he

learned from numerous

m e n t o r s i n t h e

Appalachian tradition and

writes poignant new

songs that tell the region’s

contemporary stories.

Sam’s debut record of

original songs, titled

AIN’T WE BROTHERS, is

produced by Cathy Fink

and has been featured by

National Public Radio, No

Depression, and The

Bluegrass Situation.

In the U.S., Sam has

performed extensively in

the Appalachian region

and beyond, playing

venues such as Mountain

Stage and the Woodsongs

Old Time Radio Hour,

and he has toured in

Ireland, Japan, England and

Canada.

Tickets for this

church fundraiser will be

$25 ($30 at the door),

and a very limited number

of VIP tickets will bring

you special seating, a CD

signed by the artist, and

an exclusive photo

opportunity at an after-

concert reception with

the performer.

If you’d like to see

the concert for free, we

need about 25 volunteers

to serve as ushers, ticket

takers, and general

assistants. Contact Jack

Marshall if you’d like to

help or see the church

volunteer spot to sign up!

John McCutcheon In Concert with Special

Guest Sam Gleaves, May 27, 7:30 pm Union Church!!

Tickets are available now at http://johnatunion.brown papertickets.com/

John McCutcheon & Sam

Gleaves at Union!

1

Birthdays, Anniversaries,

News of the Family

2

From Rev. Kent 3

“Cool” News on Energy

Efficiency

4

Travelling in Guatemala by

Dorothy Chao

6

CL&G, Summer lunch, All

Y’all Faith Day

8

Alluring Handbell Concert 9

Worship in Photos 10

Regular Events, Board

Meetings, Staff, Mission

Statement

11

May Birthdays & Anniversaries

Birthdays! 2 Jenny Hobson

3 Jason Bailey

3 Edd Easton-Hogg

5 Steve Rhodes

6 Ann Butwell

7 Annriette Stolte

7 Tom McClure

8 Christian Neal

11 Linda Parsons

12 Neil Mecham

14 Debbie Brown

14 Andrew Garrett

15 Betty Hibler

16 Doug Hindman

21 Steve Gowler

21 Mike Panciera

21 John Wernegreen

22 Ann Rhodes

23 Rachel Lakes

25 Al White

26 Carter Brownrobie

26 Sarabeth Brownrobie

28 Hazel Morris

29 Yvonda Center

29 Maggie Park

30 David Vaughn

31 Sean Perry Anniversaries

1 Charles & Megan

Hoffman

12 Sean Perry & Laura Wick

18 Marvin & NoraRuth

Jenkins

18 David & Sarah Vaughn

22 Patti & Paul Smithson

24 Mike & Anne Panciera

28 Pat & Jim Barrett

If we don’t know your

birthday or anniversary, we

want to! Or if we’ve made a

mistake please call or email

the office.

Our Fellowship Principles

“Union Church welcomes al l

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.”

You can join this movement! New

members are received the second

Sunday of every month, and you are

very welcome here! Come, be part of

this family working for Christ’s justice

and joy! Next chance—May 8!

F o u r t h S u n d a y N e w

Membership Info May 29: Come

One Come All! Each fourth Sunday

of the Month anyone wanting to

know more about Union Church or

want ing to exp lore church

membership, as well as new members

who have not been able to

participate in a previous meeting, are

invited to come to the classroom

two doors past the church after

lunch for conversation with the

Pastors and the Community Life and

Growth Board.

Rev. Rachel and Leslie Small

Stokes are expecting a baby at the

beginning of October!

Meta Mendel-Reyes reported

that Berea College approved the

adoption of Peace and Social Justice

Studies as a Berea college major,

acknowledg ing and honor ing

Michelle Tooley. Majors are

concerned with building peace with

just ice local ly: with famil ies,

communities and organizations, and

will also strive to reduce injustice and

bu i l d peace na t i ona l l y and

internationally.

Tennant Kirk received the

Appalachian Spirit Award from Berea

College Partners for Education at

their annual awards ceremony, April

21 . Congratulations!

We are saddened by the loss of

two dear and long term members.

Dr. Lester Pross, passed away on

April 20th after a short illness, and

Nancy Jones, wife of Loyal, died the

next day. Our prayers surround the

families of both of these great

contributors to our church family.

May God grant them rest in peace

and in power.

A service for Nancy will be held

May 6, 3 pm; and for Les, May 14.

Congrats to Jeannine Roe,

former member and wife of Derek

Roe, who will graduate with a Master

of Library Science on May 6th from

Indiana University!

Over 20 Union Church

members and friends participated

in the recent conference “Racism in

Higher Education” presented on

campus by the Carter G. Woodson

Center for Interracial Education.

Union Church was a co-sponsor of

this event. Many of the lectures and

workshops were to be archived on

the Berea College website for those

who missed them!

Consider...page 2

News of the Family

Where There's a Will There's a Way!

Please come to lunch and a brief presentation on planned giving on Thursday, May 26, 2016 from Noon until 2:00

p.m. in the classroom next to the board room. Berea attorney Charlie Hoffman will be discussing ways to benefit Un-

ion Church in your Last Will and Testament and estate plan.

Spring Forward!!

As I write, the redbuds of April

are only just beginning to glow green

from their purple haze. The grass has

shot up 3” in just 2 days, and the

early tulips are quitting Spring’s first

flush to make room for later

perennials and the herbs planted in

hope of this year’s summer suppers.

Change is everywhere. Spring has

sprung and we are catapulted into the

flurry of Derby!, Mothers Day!

Graduations!, Pentecost! and the

summer beyond.

In such a season it seems natural

to think about what has been planted

and what needs to go in the ground

to be ready to thrive. For the church

community in North America this

coincides with the Pentecost

celebration: the remembrance of the

Holy Spirit blew through the hearts

and mind of Christ’s disorganized

disciples and made from their

confusion a new body committed to

bearing Christ’s light with new hands.

That early group of followers

started by seeking those most

vulnerable and organizing food. Then

shelter. They disregarded the class

and gender and purity divisions. They

subverted the paradigms of propriety.

They healed on the sabbath, they

welcomed the foreigner. They

proclaimed that truly anyone could

be loved by God and participate in a

new order, a new kin-dom built on

Christ’s love and commandment to

love one another.

But not everywhere are those

seeds of impartial love bearing the

fruit that I think Jesus hoped for. We

live in a world where “Christians” can

claim Jesus as a reason to elect them

to off ice, but then ignore--

systematically and emphatically--

everything Jesus taught: kill programs

for children, dismantle mechanisms

and means to healing, and privilege

prisons and tax breaks over the very

lives of the most vulnerable.

Christian voices of hope for the

poor and welcome for the outcast

are out shouted by some and

replaced with a narrow puritanical

civil zealotry masquerading as the

religion of the Prince of Peace and

Love.

This why I hope we can use all our

heart, mind, body, and soul to spring

forward into something different. We

hope to do that with every Sunday

worship and every chance to teach a

young person to reach beyond the

walls that divide our world. And we

do it with anti-racism hope, and pro-

family graces, and like Spring crocus

heads poking through frozen ground,

Union Church shouts of God’s well-

spring of an

inclusive love

meant for all.

All this we

bear imperfectly,

but to our credit,

we bear i t

relentlessly. In the

next weeks, I

hope you’ll continue your relentless

and generous support of this mission

to shout love in a world of increasing

hate. Our “Spring Forward” campaign

is short, but important. It’s a chance

to give a thank offering for all the

love needed. It’s a time for some to

join in pledging to the work they have

witnessed. It’s an opportunity to

redirect resources toward seeds of

the future we hope to build. I hope

you will join Rev. Rachel, myself, and

the members of the Church Council

in considering an over and above gift

or an addition to your 2016 pledge.

We cannot allow the only plants to

bear such bitter fruit as we have seen.

With your help, God’s message of

love can Spring forward as powerfully

and irresistibly as green shoots

breaking the stone of winter.

This Pentecost, when we receive

our “Spring Forward” offering, let’s

make that green and loving way of

Christ visible and real. By such

investment I truly believe we can be

bearers of a light no less powerful

and no less needed than the tongues

of flame that first touched disciples

two millennia ago. Hate’s winter and

racism’s cold wind have prevailed for

far too long. Spring Forward instead!

From the Pastor

Consider...page 3

Union Church

shouts of God’s

well-spring of an

inclusive love

meant for all.

May 22

Proverbs 8:1-4,22-31

Psalm 8

Romans5:1-5

John 16:12-15

Bible Reading for May May 1

Acts 16:9-15

Psalm 67

Revelation 21:1-

10,22-22:5

John 14:23-29

May 8

Acts 16:16-34

Psalm 97

Revelation 22:12-14,16-

17,20-21

John 17:20-26

May 15

Acts 2:1-21

Psalm 104:24-34,35b

Romans 8:14-17

John 14:8-17,25-27

May 29

1 Kings 18:20-39 30-39

Psalm 96

Galatians 1:1-12

Why cool? It tells the story of

an eight year (and ongoing) successful

effort by the Properties Board to

improve energy efficiency at Union

Church – and in the process to save

money and cut down on energy waste.

The purpose of this article is to make

sense out of part of the story being

told and to tell you a little about how

we got there.

First, what is meant by “energy

efficiency?” One definition is to find

ways to obtain the same benefits from

energy consuming appliances (heating

and air conditioning, lights, water

heaters etc.) while using less energy -

electricity and natural gas.

Now look at the second column in

the table – “electric usage in kWh.”

This column tells you year by year

how many kilowatt hours of electricity

we used at Union Church, starting

with 130,080 kilowatt hours in 2007

and ending with 86,180 kilowatt hours

in 2015 – a significant decrease!

The fourth column tells us how

much natural gas we have used in the

units reported to us on our natural

gas bills – the number of 100-cubic

foot units used. This column tells the

same kind of story about natural gas, a

significant decrease from 6,724 100-

cubic foot units used in 2007 to 2,448

in 2015.

So by how much have we

decreased our total energy use –

electricity plus natural gas? A problem

in answering is that while electricity

and natural gas are both forms of

energy, they are given to us on our

bills in different units – kilowatt hours

of electricity and the number of 100-

cubic feet units of natural gas. That’s

like trying to add 1.37 miles and 458

meters. To do so, you first need to

convert those distances to common

units.

The common unit used here for

electricity and natural gas is “millions

of British Thermal Units” symbolized

by “MMBtu.” You can see the results

of those unit conversions for

electricity and natural gas in columns

five and six respectively – “Electrical

usage MMBtu” and “Nat gas usage

MMBtu.” Adding those two columns

gives a measure of total energy

showing a decrease from 1,116

MMBtu in 2007 to 539 MMBtu in

2015.

That’s a decrease of 51.6% - or

cutting the amount used in 2007 by

slightly more than half in 2015 and

saving more than $6,300 in 2015

expenditures for electricity and

natural gas! There’s more in the

table about peak demand and the

influence of weather (degree days),

but this is the main point – the

amount of energy used at Union

Church has been cut in half while the

energy services have improved!

How did we get there? A lot

could be said here, but one thing that

shouldn’t go unsaid is the help we

received over the entire eight year

project from MACED’s Energy

Efficient Enterprises Program and (Continued on page 5)

Energy Usage Report: from Jan 2007 through Dec 2015 (2012 excluded)

Year

Electric usage in

kWh

Peak demand

in kW

Nat gas

usage 100ft3

Electrical usage

MMBtu

Nat gas usage

MMBtu

Total usage

MMBtu

Heating degree

days

Cooling degree

days

Total degree

days

MMBtu per deg

day

2007 130,080 658 6,724 444 672 1,116 3,919 1,490 5,409 0.2064

2008 108,320 674 7,478 370 748 1,117 4,377 1,140 5,517 0.2025

2009 111,120 573 6,801 379 680 1,059 4,577 1,042 5,619 0.1885

2010 112,640 609 6,460 384 646 1,030 4,814 1,572 6,386 0.1613

2011 100,320 515 5,070 342 507 849 4,236 1,462 5,698 0.1491

2013 109,280 669 2,701 373 270 643 4,851 975 5,826 0.1104

2014 100,960 605 3,466 344 347 691 5,185 997 6,182 0.1118

2015 86,180 593 2,448 294 245 539 4,412 1,081 5,493 0.0981

Here

’s a ve

ry co

ol table

! Energy Efficiency at Union Church

Consider...page 4

Consider...page 5

Joshua Bills, MACED’s Certified

Energy Manager assigned to our

project. Union Church was one of

the program’s first EEE

clients starting in 2008.

After many site visits,

conversations, and much

data gathering, Mr. Bills

completed an energy audit

and generated many

recommendations that

have been very helpful.

Here is one example of

the sort of work Mr. Bills

has led us to. In

December, 2009, he

trained volunteer workers

to complete a lighting

upgrade in the office area,

ha l lway out s ide the o f f i ce ,

community room, and kitchen. The

upgrade consisted of replacing T-12

lamps and magnetic ballasts with T-8

lamps and electronic ballasts. Each

T-8 lamp used less than half the

electricity of the T-12 it replaced,

and due to the superior quality of

the light we were able to use fewer

T-8 lamps.

There were many other specific

projects undertaken to lower energy

usage, including

encouraging the

congregation keep

doors closed as

signs indicate and

to be tolerant of

less heating and

cooling. But the

2012 renovation

with its badly

n e e d e d n e w

HVAC equipment

and insulation for

the Educat ion

Wing made a

major contribution.

It is worth noting,

however, that the total energy use

had already decreased 24% by 2011 -

before the renovation started - and

in the three post renovation years,

2013 to 2015, has decreased another

16%. So the change is not due

primarily to the renovation.

We plan to keep working at

improvement. For example, there

are still many single pane windows

that could be replaced, and lights of

the first and third floor of the

Education Wing have yet to be

upgraded.

But at this point, let’s take a

moment to celebrate what we have

all achieved in the area of energy

efficiency!

One final note. When energy

experts evaluate a home or

c o m m e r c i a l b u i l d i n g f o r

improvement, they advise addressing

low-hanging fruit opportunities for

energy efficiency first – before

renewable energy. More bang for

the buck is the reason given. We

have done that now at Union

Church, and the time is right move

o n t o r e n e w a b l e e n e r g y

improvements. We are in the

process of doing so, but that’s

another story for next month’s

Consider.

Energy (Continued from page 4)

Tickets are available now at http://johnatunion.brown papertickets.com/

Consider...page 6

by Dorothy Chao

I spent two and a half weeks in

Guatemala this past March. I was

working with Michelle’s friend, Ila

Abernathy, for the St. Michaels’

Guatemala Pro ject and the

Guatemalan members of the Mayan

Communities of Population in

Resistance of the Sierra (CPR-Sierra).

Much, much thanks to the Union

Church Mission Board for sending a

gift to the Project in memory of

Michelle!!

To learn about the Project

(history and philosophy) or if you are

interested in participating in a

delegation, please see:

http://www.cprguatemalaproject.org/

And to get a daily account of our

time there please see my blog:

http://kyplantmama.wix.com/travel-

blog. I want to use this space to tell

you about the parts of the project

we actively participated in.

Solar project in Nuevo Amanacer:

We climbed straight up the mountain

to the small community of Nuevo

Amanacer. A private donation was

made so that the community could

purchase a solar panel. Currently,

the clinic is a two room building with

a dirt floor; the only light comes

from the open door in the room

used for interviews.

Community leaders met while we

were there. They were inspired by

the gift to commit to building a new

clinic. Consensually they agreed to

work on the foundation and

supply lumber and labor to

construct it.

A week later, two of the

community members showed up

with a photograph showing the

completed excavation! Ila helped

them compose a letter of

application to the local government

asking for the funds for a cement

floor and a metal roof.

Legado Elisabet Children’s Fund:

We had the pleasure of meeting up

with Petrona and her family.

Petrona is a 13-year-old girl who was

born with a severe cleft palate.

Thanks to funding from the Project

and diligent follow up by the Health

Care Promoters of the CPR-Sierra,

she is now a 13-year-old girl with a

beautiful smile!

Encuentro of Health Care

Promoters: We attended a gathering

of all the CPR-Sierra Health Care

Promoters in Chajul. Many of them

left their homes as early as 1 – 2AM

in order to arrive on time. A Nurse

and Social Worker from the

G u a t e m a l a n g o v e r n m e n t

joined us. By late afternoon, I was

twisting around in my seat, longing

for a break. The promoters were

still totally and actively engaged in the

process.

Before everyone departed,

medical supplies and medicines

purchased with Project money were

distributed. The Project also

supports the Promoters (who are

not paid by the Guatemalan

government) with small stipends.

Florez Teranza: We visited with

Margarita, the Promoter in her small

community in the mountains above

Nebaj. Her work is an example of

the changes that are taking place for

the Promoters. Doctors Without

Borders trained many of them during

the Guatemalan Civil War. Now

with resettlement and the effects of

“Structural Violence” as opposed to

physical violence, they are working to

become more prof i c ient in

management of long-term health

problems. Margarita maintains a

pharmacy o f both Western

medicines and traditional Mayan

herbal extracts. She is cultivating an

herb garden and has a traditional

small sweat lodge.

Petrona de la Paz of Xecojo: Ila

and I made our way through the

rural communities following the

requests of the Promoters of the

CPR-Sierra. They were extremely

concerned about Petrona, a 37-year-

old woman with eight children living

in the very remote community of

Xecojo. She was diagnosed with

breast cancer three years previously.

For several reasons, she had refused

to go out of her community for

treatment. Instead of finding a

person in the last stages of cancer,

we found an alert, appropriate

woman with stable vital signs. A little

research revealed that she has

C o m i d o c a r c i n o m a , a n o n -

(Continued on page 7)

Traveling to Guatemala in Memory of Michelle

metastasizing type of cancer. After

three years, the tumor was huge,

open, weeping and infected. She was

not taking anything for pain or

infection. We managed to convince

her and her husband, Domingo, to go

out with us to the Cancer Hospital in

Guatemala City.

In our accompaniment, Ila and I

came face to face with the racial and

structura l barriers that the

indigenous face in attempting to

access the health care system. An

ambulance (a covered long bed

Toyota 4-Runner) arrived for her and

her husband the next morning. Ila

and I, Petrona, Domingo, another

patient and her daughter were all

crammed into the back, along with all

our stuff and a tiny kitten that the

ambulance driver got from someone

in the community. It was 7 hours of

very rough travel just to get her to

Nebaj. Petrona never complained

once. The only way I could te

ll she was suffering was to look at her

face. We stopped along the way for

an injection of something for pain; I

gave her some Dramamine and a

coke for motion sickness.

Petrona was admitted to the

hospital in Nebaj, but instead of

stabilizing her and moving her on to

Guatemala City, they kept her there

in Nebaj for several days, treating the

infection, giving her something for

pain, and completing several required

tests. On Monday morning at 5AM

we began the journey; Petrona and

Domingo in an ambulance and Ila and

myself following first in a hired

pickup truck, then a public bus. We

all arrived at the hospital about the

same time: 5PM; only to discover

that the hospital would not admit

anyone after 2PM! Petrona was

given an appointment for the

following morning at 5 AM.

The next morning all of us were

there at 5AM – along with about 200

other people!! Yep, they give

EVERYONE an appointment for

5AM. And the clinical workers do

not show up until 9:30!! It was a

totally exhausting day of waiting and

seemingly pointless shuffling from

one office in the hospital to another.

Services were supposed to be free

(she is indigent), but there was one

fee after another. Finally at 1:30,

Patrona got to see the doctor, who

looked at her and her records for

about 20 minutes and told her to

come back in 3 weeks!! As we were

expecting her to be admitted and

surgically treated, we

were stunned, and

tried (unsuccessfully)

to move up her

treatment.

In retrospect and

from a distance, I can

look at the situation

and see so many

barriers to health care

for anyone who is

indigenous. First of

all, many who live in

r e m o t e r u r a l

communities have never left their

homes. Even a small town can seem

frightening. Second, many, like

Petrona, do not speak Spanish. She

is an Ixil speaker. Third, although

not deliberately malicious, the system

requires multiple visits and consults;

a real barrier to those who have no

money, are far from home, and are

dependent for survival on following a

crop cycle. Fourth, although it is

expected in this country that

something would be done to shrink a

tumor of that size before surgery, in

the case of someone whose culture

does not allow them to move to a

city for months on end, it would

seem far more appropriate to go

ahead and do the surgery, or to at

least speed the process up, using a

rural hospital, such as the one in

Nebaj, for backup/fol low up

treatment.

As it is, Petrona’s father died a

couple of weeks later; her culture

required her to return home for a

period of time. Ila continues to

follow her case closely, but we do

not know at this time what the

outcome will be. I became very close

to her though those days of struggle.

Although I feel discouraged about her

personal situation, I remain totally

committed to the Guatemala project.

I think it is only by listening and

accompanying that all of us will

continue to move forward.

(Continued from page 6)

Consider...page 7

Consider...page 8

The final Wednesday Night Live

for this school year will be May 25.

The plan is to grill burgers and dogs

(the meat and vegetarian varieties)

outside, but eat downstairs, as usual.

If you can volunteer to help grill,

contact Kevin Burke. Let’s celebrate a

great year together!

Reminder: May 4 (First

Wednesday) is Pot-Luck Night!

“Coffee in the Parlor” following

Worship turns into “Lemonade on

the Porch” beginning on June 5.

Look for a sign-up sheet on the

bulletin board in the back of the

sanctuary if you are willing to bring

snacks and/or help with clean-up for

any of the after-worship fellowship

times.

Do you have an idea for enhancing

our community life? For making it

easier to get acquainted with new

members? Your Community Life and

Growth Board would love to hear

from you: Betty Hibler, Susie

Ritchie, John Stanley, Annriette

Stolte, Alice White.

FAll Y'All Faith Day: Earth Day Adventure Journalling

Saturday, April 23, 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Everyone is welcome to a time of experience and reflection as we contemplate, revel in, and celebrate

God's creation!

We will meet at church at 11:00. Everyone will make a sack lunch and then choose their own adventure.

Choices can include gardening in the church's raised beds, walking around the College campus, striking

out for Anglin Falls, and more. You may strike out on your own, but are encouraged to join a small group

to share with along the way. Go with your journal, a booklet full of suggestions, and your lunch. We will

gather back at church at 2:30 to share our insights, reflections, drawings, and prayers with each other.

We will have paper available if you do not have your own journal. Event will be held rain or shine! Any

questions can be directed to kim.kobersmith@gmail.com or alveralisabeth@yahoo.com.

Tree by Sayer Kobersmith

T ruly tall

R eally rad

E xtremely essential

E xtraordinarily earthy

Pansies by Kim Kobersmith

kids planting flowers

fat worm wriggles in her hand

pansies light the way to joy

Community Life & Growth News for May

Are you a kid, do you have a kid,

or know a kid??

Spread the word: FREE lunch will be served here at Union

Church from 11:45-1:15 every weekday (May 23—July 29) in the

Community Room, in partnership with Grow Appalachia and

funded by the USDA.

There are 6 locations in Berea where breakfast and/or lunch

will be served, more details coming soon. No income

restrictions, no ID required, kids can just show up and eat a

healthy lunch!

All Y’all faith Day Earth Day journaling project

Here are some samples of the pieces written on the journaling

day—a pretty day spent in nature, celebrating creation!

Consider...page 9

Consider...p. 10

Worship at Union Church

Photos by Rachael White

Regular Weekly Happenings

Sundays 9:30 am ...... Adult Book Study, Conference Room

9:45 am..... Creativity, Community, Coffee, Community

10:30 am ..... Morning Worship and Childrens Church

Weekdays 8:00 am ...... Zen Meditation, Cowan Chapel

Mondays 4:00 pm ..... Womens Spirituality Reading Group, Wayside

5:30 pm ..... QiGong, Cowan Chapel

6:00 pm ..... AlAnon meets, Wayside Room

7:00 pm ..... AA, Comm. Room

Tuesdays 9:00 am ...... GED Class, Classroom

6:00 pm ..... AlAnon Step Study, Classroom

7:30 pm ..... Berea Community Drumming Circle, Cowan

Weds 5:15 pm ..... Kids’ Choir, Rm. 104

5:45 pm ..... WNL supper($5 donation if able) MAY 4

.................. POTLUCK

6:30 pm ..... Youth Group, 3rd floor

7:00 pm ..... Handbell Choir

Thursdays 9:00 am..... GED Class, Classroom

12:00 pm ... Bible Study

1:00 pm ..... Quilters, Classroom

6:15 pm ..... Union Church Choir

Saturdays 10:00 am……...Depression & Bipolar disorder support group,

Wayside Room

11:00 am ..... ACA (Adult Children of Alcoholics), Classroom

Other Regular Events 1st & 3rd Sundays 1:30 pm…….ShapeNote Singers, Parlor

2nd Sundays New Members welcomed at Morning Worship

4th Sundays Noon………..Newcomers’ Gatherings 2nd & 4th Mons 9:30 am…….Berea Knitters, Classroom

2nd Tuesdays 6:30 pm……..Bereans for Fairness

3rd Tuesdays 1:00 pm……..Widows’ Group, Wayside Room

4th Tuesdays 5:30 pm……..ABLE, Room 101

6:30 pm …….BURJ, Room 101

Board Meetings

May 3 5:30 pm .............. Community Life & Growth Board

May 5 5:00 pm .............. Worship Board

May 9 3:00 pm .............. Properties Board meets

6:00 pm .............. Administration & Faith Development Boards

May 10 6:30 pm .............. Finance Board

7:00 pm .............. Mission & Service Board

Bloodmobile May 17, Community Room

WE, THE PEOPLE OF UNION

CHURCH, SEEK TO LIVE OUT OUR

DISCIPLESHIP TO GOD AS A COMMUNITY

INSPIRED BY JESUS’ TRANSFORMING LOVE.

AS A GATHERING OF THOSE SEEKING TO

BOLDLY AND CREATIVELY EMBODY CHRIST’S

LIFE AND MINISTRY, WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO

WORK AND FELLOWSHIP THAT MAKES THE

RADICAL AND INCLUSIVE LOVE OF GOD, THE

BELOVED COMMUNITY PROCLAIMED BY JESUS,

AND THE CONTINUING INSPIRATION OF THE

HOLY SPIRIT VISIBLE AND REAL TO ALL.

AS ONE IN BODY WITH CHRIST, WE COMMIT

OURSELVES TO ACTS OF:

UNBOUNDED HOSPITALITY TO BUILD A

BELOVED COMMUNITY OF CHRIST

THOUGHTFUL, INSPIRATIONAL AND

INTENTIONAL FAITH DEVELOPMENT

PASSIONATE WORSHIP

RISK-TAKING MISSION AND SERVICE

EXTRAVAGANT GENEROSITY AND CARE

IN OUR STEWARDSHIP

About Us...

All who seek & serve the love of God are ministers

of Union Church

Gail Wolford, Moderator

Rev. Kent Gilbert, Pastor

Rev. Rachel Small Stokes, Associate Pastor

Dave Kobersmith, Church Administrator

Gabriel Evans, Director of Music Ministries

Pearl Marshall, Handbell Director

Carrie Jadud, Kids’ Choir Director

Chris McKenzie, Youth Director

Joan English, Office Administrator

Consider...page 11

Watch the Sunday service at

union-church.org/live-broadcast/