The Church of Christ, Union

CPO 2105

Berea, KY 40404

Phone: 859-986-3725

E-mail: office@union-church.org

Website: www.union-church.org

Non-Profit Postage Paid

Permit Number 169

Berea, KY 40403

Kevin Burke

Mallory Lakes

Dave Kobersmith

Naomi Shulz

Hamrick Walters

Wyndee Holbrook

Kim Kobersmith

Ashley Cochrane

LENTEN REFLECTIONS

Short meditations written by members of Union church, young and old, are the focus of the lovely Lenten Reflections

book produced by the Faith Development board and the FD director Wyndee Holbrook. Copies are available in the

Narthex and in the church office. If you would like one sent to your home, please contact the church office at 986-3725.

A big “thank you” to the following contributors:

I N S I D E T H I S

I S S U E :

T H E C H U R C H O F C H R I S T , U N I O N

CONSIDER . . . T H E U N I O N

C H U R C H

N E W S L E T T E R

About Us...

All who seek and serve the love

of God are ministers of Union

Church

Rev. Kent Gilbert, Pastor

Merlin Kindel, Moderator

Larry Brandenburg, Director of

Music Ministries

Dave Kobersmith, Church

Administrator

Joan English, Office

Administrator

Rev. Wyndee Holbrook,

Director of Faith Development

Youth Directors, Chris & Grace

McKenzie

Hope Hounshell, Woman’s

Industrial Director

Jennifer Shelton, Bea Chasteen,

Dorie Chasteen, Childcare

Erik Reinhart, Custodian

Building the

Vision .................. 1

Birthdays &

Anniversaries,

News of

the Family .......... 2

From the

Pastor .................. 3

From the Church

Admin., Youth

Group News ....... 4

Activities for All . 5

RAISE Jamaica,

and other news .. 6

March

Calendar ............. 7

Lenten

Reflections ... Back

Page

Join Us Sunday

Mornings!

Sunday School,

9:30 am

Worship, 10:30 am

BUILDING THE VISION!

Congregation Unanimously Approves Project Scope

At a Special Called Meeting of the Congregation on February 26,

2012 Union Church officially adopted a renovation project estimate

of $1,411,528. The scope includes work in both the 1921 century

building and the 1964 education wing, focusing mainly on HVAC and

critical water/mold abatement issues.

This project estimate exceeds our available funds on hand by

approximately $450,000. The congregation unanimously voted to

authorize the Finance and Stewardship Board to borrow this amount

at the best possible terms. Dave Kobersmith, Church Administrator,

reported that it should be possible to get excellent terms because of

the great amount of existing cash on hand for the project. He and Church Council anticipate

establishing a line of credit so we will borrow only what we need for the duration of the

construction. If we were to borrow the full amount, it would add approximately $3559 per

month to our expenses.

Counterbalancing this are several different kinds of income within the church that could be

used to help defray the cost, and there will be energy savings from the new HVAC systems

that we hope will significantly impact our bills. It was also reported that the Lambert trust

fund will be converting to nonprofit status and therefore realizing approximately $30,000 per

year (it has been realizing approximately $10,000 per year), and this additional revenue could

also be applied to debt service.

We are hugely indebted to the design team, who have labored for nearly 2 years bringing

this project to fruition. With this vote of the congregation the architects are now moving

ahead finalizing last-minute drawings and will rebid portions of the work in order to begin

construction in mid-April. Our last worship service in the sanctuary will be Easter morning,

April 8. Stay tuned for additional information about how you can help with the move and

where our offices will be located!

Ready, Set, GO … !

M A R C H 2 0 1 2

PA G E 2

Birthdays! 2 Maurice Hibbard

3 Amanda Bates

3 Brielle LeMaster

3 Rita Barlow

4 Katie Heckman

4 Helen Connelly

5 Jenny Bromley

7 Tom Frazier

7 Judy Royalty

8 Betsy Hoefer

10 Judy Rowell

11 Melissa Neal

12 David Shroyer

14 Myrna Sisson

14 Paul Wells

16 Sarah Vaughn

17 Teresa Kidwell

21 Tammy Horn

22 Carla Gilbert

23 Nancy Jones

23 Harry Rice

24 Anne Vaughn

26 Cron Carpenter

28 Sally Wilkerson

31 Colin Perma

Anniversaries! 10 Karl & Triss Holland

14 Kevin Burke &

Carla Gilbert

22 BG & Maurice Hibbard

24 Steve & Teresa

Gowler

28 John & Marlene

Payne

29 Bill & Rebecca Baker

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.

March Birthdays & Anniversaries

T H E U N I O N C H U R C H N E W S L E T T E R

News of the

Family

Congratulations to Naomi

Schulz who was awarded a

summer fellowship at Mayflower

House at the Lake Chautauqua

Institute in New York State this

summer. The Chautauqua Institute

is an ecumenical, eight- week

extravaganza of lectures and arts

events related to "living the word."

This year's themes run the gamut

from "What informed voters need

to know," to global water issues, to

how living in a digital age shapes us

and our relationships, and more.

She will be host to visitors to the

house and be able to attend the

lectures all summer long. Naomi

hopes to see you there!

Union Church members and

friends were well represented in

the recent debut of Silas House’s

new play, “This is My Heart for

You,” at Berea College. This

powerful play about acceptance

and justice included action inspired

by recent Berea fairness ordinance

discussions. Thanks to all of you

for powerful work!

Joan English, our faithful and

fabulous Office Administrator is

recuperating from an unexpected

abdominal operation. She is

regaining her strength and will

return to the office for half days

beginning March 5.

Prayers for Hamdy Kemp

who is recuperating after a fall and

hip break at Cardinal Hill in

Lexington.

Mary Lou Pross is in our

prayers, at St. Joseph Lexington,

w i t h k i d n e y a n d h e a r t

complications.

After suffering a stroke on

February 14, Edith Hansen is

now at the Terrace nursing home.

Many prayers surround her as she

recovers.

Shirley Dean has been

diagnosed with lung cancer and is

now at home with hospice care

and all our love.

Bob Berger is regaining his

strength and painting up a storm

after his operation to remove his

infected knee. He is scheduled for

a replacement later this spring.

Sally Wilkerson was brought

back home from the Hospice

Compassionate Care Center late

last month and is still in our

thoughts and prayers.

The RAISE Jamaica service

trip members and friends put on

a GREAT mardi gras party for the

church AND raised nearly $1800

for the trip. They depart March 10

for their journey!

Seven young people have joined

this year’s confirmation class.

They were recently introduced to

the congregation by their mentors

and have just completed their first

retreat!

Rev. Kent will travel at the end

of this month to lead the baptism

of a dear friend’s newborn.

The Associate Pastor Search

Committee will be interviewing

candidates March 5-10. Hold them

in your prayers! They hope to

present a candidate by the annual

meeting, March 18.

MARCH, 2012, at Union Church

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A Very Special Mardi Gras!

Special Party on February 19, 2012

What do the colors of Mardi Gras mean?

Purple for justice – for all people.

Green for faith – to follow the Way.

Gold for power – to work for peace and justice in the

Way taught by Jesus.

The Mardi Gras Celebration on Feb. 19 was a

wonderful gathering of sunny smiles on a cold

and snowy morning. The Mission and Service

Board and the Jamaica travel team says,

“THANK YOU” to everyone who supported the

celebration through donated auction items, capa-

ble hands-to-work, monetary donations, food

donations, creativity, and supportive words and

prayers. We also thank our friends from St.

Clare and Berea College students who attended

and worked at the celebration to make the activ-

ities happen in a fun way. Did you get your hat,

your Fun Photo? Did you like Kent’s purple,

green, and gold bow tie and hat?

It is so gratifying to know that the Jamaica

travel team will be leaving March 10 with so

many helpful SEND-ers who are very much a

part of the mission. With God’s grace, with

much love and enthusiam, and with your faithful

support, the trip to Jamaica is being shared by all

of us.

The team plans to bring back photos and trip

highlights from Jamaica. Watch your upcoming

Consider for more!

Habitat for Humanity

Habitat will be building in Berea at

404 Brown Street beginning in

March. This will be a "passive

house build", meaning it will be

very energy efficient. The house

needs to be completed by the end

of June so many volunteers are

needed. Call the Habitat office at

625-9208 for more information.

Empty Bowls

On March 7 at 5:30, Berea College

is again sponsoring “Empty Bowls”

to raise awareness of hunger in the

world. In exchange for $10, you

will be served a simple meal of soup

and bread in a ceramic bowl make

by the BC Ceramic Apprenticeship

Program and local potters. You

keep the bowl as a reminder of all

the empty bowls in the world. It

also features a silent auction. All

proceeds go to local food banks.

St. Joseph Talent Show

Here in the sanctuary on Friday,

March 2 from 7:30pm — 9:30pm.

Prizes will given to 1st, 2nd and 3rd

place winners. There is no entry

fee; however, donations will be

taken at the door. All proceeds

will go to raise colon cancer

awareness. For more information

or to register, call 986-6535.

Mary Nash Doug Hindman Debbonnaire Kovacs

Rev. Kent

Small Angel in disguise

T H E U N I O N C H U R C H N E W S L E T T E R PA G E 3

From the Pastor

Happy Lent, dear ones!

Happy Lent? Happy? This is not

a season commonly associated

with joy, but still I contend that

even the somber and slowed

hymns speak of ineffable joy.

Even difficult and trying work

can be natural consequence of joy,

and I’ve come to believe that

happiness is not the equal of

“giggly” or “giddy.” Sometimes we

are happiest when we are about

the hardest, most important work

of our lives.

When, during this season the

mood seems about as dark as the

purple that adorns it, it’s good to

remember that the reflection and

silence is supposed to help us mark

the work of Christ’s love in our

midst, the love and the cost of that

love, too. Jesus’ life was short even

by the standards of his day and yet

see what the hard work of standing

up for love has meant to us all

over all these centuries.

I think Lent is like that: it can be

hard, costly labor, yes, but it is

more specifically a time to look

closely, rigorously, critically at the

life of our own spirit.

As Borges poem (right) points

up, we don’t have to be good, or

smart, and especially not worthy.

We need only to notice that Love

is being spent on our behalf: A love

not even death could end or

thwart. That indeed is a deep joy

to me, and a great hope. So, yes:

Happy, joyous, ambivalent, costly,

lively, lovely Lent to you and to us

all.

In much peace,

Luke XXIII

Jorge Luis Borges

Gentile or Hebrew or simply a man

Whose face has been lost in time;

We shall not ransom from oblivion

The silent letters of his name.

He knew of clemency what could

Be known by a petty thief Judea had

Nailed to a cross. Of the preceding time,

We can, today, find nothing. In his final

Task of death by crucifixion,

He heard, among the taunts of the crowd,

That the one who was dying next to him

Was God, and he said, blindly:

Remember me when you come into

Your kingdom, and the inconceivable voice

That will one day be judge of every being

Promised, from the terrible cross,

Paradise. They said nothing more

Until the end, but history

Will not allow the memory to die

Of that afternoon in which these two died.

Oh friends, the innocence of this friend

Of Jesus Christ, the candor that made him

Ask for and be granted Paradise

From the ignominy of punishment

Was what tossed him many times

To sin, to the blood-stained gamble.

Translated form the Spanish by David Curzon

Remember me when you come into your kingdom.

PA G E 4 T H E U N I O N C H U R C H N E W S L E T T E R

From the Church

Administrator

This early in the year for the

usual graph of our income didn’t

seem necessary. Be looking for

that again this summer/fall.

I wanted to share with you

some other ways folks have given

to our ministries. Did you know

that the Church can accept

donations by credit card? We use

a credit card reader on a Smart

phone. The fee for this service is

just under 3% so if you are willing

to add that amount to your gift it

is an additional way to contribute

to the Church.

The min i st r ie s o f our

congregation have also been

enriched by the

forethought of folks

wh o r e m e m b e r

Union Church in

their estates and/or

name the Church as a

beneficiary on a life insurance

policy. These gifts can be directed

any number of ways, but

unrestricted giving benefits the

church in a number of respects.

Unrestricted gifts, per our financial

policy, have 20% of the gift applied

to four (4) designated accounts –

Capital Improvements, Worship

and Arts, Leadership Development

and Mission Outreach. The

balance of the gift is decided up on

by the Church Council.

If you have questions about any

of these ways to give to Union

Church please contact me.

Dave

DID YOU KNOW ...

You can make

donations to

the church

with your

credit card?

What's up with Youth?

Sleepy confirmands were recently rousted from their beds on the morning of February 12th.

Kent, Chris, and Grace were all glad that no violent acts were committed as we barged into their

bedrooms to abduct them for a Confirmation kick-off breakfast. Held at the Black Feather with

mentors and confirmands, the breakfast was a huge success (which I think is the only possible out-

come when we feed people amazing food).

Anna Baumann, a local soon-to-be seminarian, lead a retreat February 24-25 at the Baumann farm on Hwy 21.

Following the "Making Disciples" curriculum, confirmands explored the topics of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit

during this retreat. Lively discussions, laughter, games and wonderful food were enjoyed by all. Many thanks to

Kevin Burke for the spaghetti dinner, Rachel Lakes for waffles, and Michelle Tooley for lunch fixings. Confirmands

were given survival braclets with their names engraved on them as a

symbol of the tools we are hoping to empower them with. They ended

the retreat with quiet reflection on their how they experience God.

During Wednesday Nite Live, youth have recently worked together to

create a covenant, in which they set guidelines for the group’s behavior

and by which they agreed to act.

Youth also helped serve during the Maris Gras pancake luncheon to help

the R.A.I.S.E Jamaica team in their fundraising efforts. Thanks to all the

youth who participated and thanks to everyone else who put in lots of

hours to make the event a success!

On each Wednesday in March, beginning on the

7th, we are offering a special musical activity for

children from 6:30 – 7:00 p.m. Following our

fellowship meal, we would encourage you to bring

your child(ren) to the choir room (# 303) on the

third floor. Teri Thompson will offer 4 weeks of

classes to get your child engaged and excited about

music. The classes will incorporate movement,

storytelling, and imaginary play through music.

Teri will lead the classes from

piano and guitar, and will be up

and moving with the children

throughout the class. She has wide

experience and training in music

education for children and we are delighted to have

her share her love of music with us. For more

information, please contact Larry Brandenburg (986-

3725) a t t he church o r Ter i a t

teriethompson@gmail.com.

PA G E 5 T H E U N I O N C H U R C H N E W S L E T T E R

"Divine Frolics" Bibliodrama Workshop for adults

Saturday, March 3 9 am to 1 pm

The second "Divine Frolics" Bibliodrama workshop is on March 3rd, from 9-1 pm in Cowan Chapel.

Come play! We'll be exploring a New Testament story with a Lenten theme. Drawing on a Jewish idea, Bibliodrama

can be understood as an emersion in the "white fire" of scripture. The "black fire" of scripture is the words on page

or scroll, but the "white fire" is the space between those words. The "black fire" is the received text handed down

over generations, but the "white fire" is the unwritten thoughts and feelings going on behind the scenes in holy

stories.

Bibliodrama is a space for us to discover and reflect on the "white fire" of scriptural narratives by bringing our life

experiences to interpreting the text. If inspired, bring a potluck dish to share for lunch together after the workshop;

but most importantly, bring yourself! Call Naomi (our associate pastor intern) at 858-986-3725 for more details.

KFTC PIE AUCTION & SQUARE DANCE

March 23, 7pm, in the Community Room

Pie Auction and Square Dance to benefit Kentuckians

for the Commonwealth and Radical Action for

Mountain People’s Survival (RAMPS) Campaign.

Suggested donation $5-or more (no one turned away).

Come hear your favorite local pickers and move your

feet to caller Mike Ismerio’s smooth instructions. Bid

up a sweet treat for these good causes and we’ll call

the evening a success. You are also most invited to

bake a pie or bring an instrument, contact

meganpielady@gmail.com for more info.

The Music Box

A Musical Month Of March for Elementary Children