Sixth Sunday in Easter: The Story of Achsah

Sunday, May 9, 2021
10:30 AM 11:30 AM 10:30 11:30

Union Presbyterian Church 200 E Main St Endicott, NY, 13760 United States (map)

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A story from another era, of a woman promised as a prize to a successful warrior. Then, she makes an unusual request of her father. A story of power, and privilege, and a mostly unknown woman who speaks up.

Join the Rev. Michelle Wahila, stepping virtually into our UPC pulpit from her home in France. Worship in the sanctuary at 10:30 AM, simultaneously live-streamed! Video available immediately afterward.

We require pre-registration for worship, masks covering the nose and mouth for those over the age of 2, and social distancing for all who wish to attend. We will be so glad to see you. You are invited!

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6th Sunday of Easter Season

Union Presbyterian Church

May 9, 2021

God’s Story and Our Story: The Story of Achsah

Sharing the Light of Christ, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Liturgist: Carlton Sackett Preacher: Rev. Michelle Wahila

Prelude Heather Ingraham, Organ

Announcements Carlton Sackett

Prelude Heather Ingraham, Organ

“Meditation on Joy,” Garrett Parker

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.

Welcome Rev. Michelle Wahila

Invocation (responsive) Carlton Sackett

How joyful it is, to celebrate the good news of God’s love!

We are called to be Easter people!

Darkness cannot claim us!

Fear cannot bind us!

Christ is risen!

Christ is risen, indeed!  Amen!

(written by Nancy C. Townley, and posted on the Worship Connection page of the Ministry Matters website.)

Hymn #598 W&R “Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken”

(Public Domain)

Singers: Barbara Fuller, Judy Marsh, Peg Williams, Chris Bartlette, Colin DeLap, Heather Ingraham

Glorious things of thee are spoken, Zion, city of our God;

He whose Word cannot be broken formed you for his own abode.

On the Rock of Ages founded, what can shake your sure repose?

With salvation’s walls surrounded, you may smile at all your foes.

See, the streams of living waters, springing from eternal love,

Well supply your sons and daughters and all fear of want remove.

Who can faint while such a river ever will their thirst assuage?

Grace, which like the Lord, the giver, never fails from age to age.

Round each habitation hovering, see the cloud and fire appear,

For a glory and a covering, showing that the Lord is near!

Thus deriving from their banner light by night and shade by day,

Safe they feed upon the manna which God gives them on their way.

Savior, since of Zion’s city I through grace a member am,

Let the world deride or pity, I will glory in your name.

Fading are the world’s best pleasures, all its bloated pomp and show;

Solid joys and lasting treasures none but Zion’s children know.

Call to New Life

God’s promises of new life are good and true. We need not be afraid of what that new life can bring. We need only to take one faithful and courageous step at a time. Let us pray.

Prayer for Wholeness and Peace

God of new life,

We thirst for all you have to offer.

We hope for the promises of wholeness

but so often settle for less.

We were made for abundance;

yet, find ourselves satisfied with scarcity.

We were made for joy, but we settle for pleasure.

We were made to seek justice, but clamor for vengeance.

We were made to see the beautiful, but settle for sentiment.

We were made for relationship, but we insist on our own way.

Allow us to leave behind the scarcities that steal life.

Remind us that the brokenness of the present has been sealed away in the tomb with Jesus. Give us just enough boldness to follow you out of the tomb. Draw us into the world and into the abundance of your new life.* Amen.

We pause now, for a time of silent prayer.

*based on the writings of  N.T. Wright in Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense. 

Assurance of God’s Grace

With bold courage we receive God’s promises of new life – blessings of abundance for all of us. With our own Spirit inspired words and the work of our very own hands, we take what we have into the world, to claim these promises of wholeness for all of creation. Alleluia! Amen.

Sharing of the Peace

Hear the teaching of Christ:

A new commandment I give to you,

that you love one another as I have loved you.

Let us share the peace of God’s love with one another—

by a look, by smiling eyes, by a wave.

May the peace of God be with us all.

Scripture John 7:37-38 Carlton Sackett

A reading from Gospel of John, beginning at chapter 7, verse 37.

On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’”

Children’s Message Rev. Michelle Wahila

“Deep and Wide” Heather Ingraham, Organ (Public Domain)

Scripture Joshua 15:15-19 Rev. Michelle Wahila

Response Holy Wisdom, Holy Word:

Thanks be to God!

Meditation Rev. Michelle Wahila

Anthem “Living Water,” Travis Greene, Stephen Washington

I was down until I got tired and got up

I was broken until I got to the potter

I was alone no one could help me out

I was empty and dry
Until the rain fell down

So where do we go from here?
Lost in the middle of nowhere close to home
And I can hear your voice so clear
Saying come to where you are
So I'm running

'Cause I need living water
I'm coming back to the well where we first met
I need living water, pour yourself in me
'Cause you are all I need
Living water

Moving fast, through life
Tryin’ to be the best I can
Outside, while forgetting what I need to last
This time would you lead me and hold my hand?

So where do we go from here?
Caught in the middle of somewhere close to home
And I can hear your voice so clear
Saying come here where you are
So I'm running

'Cause I need living water
I'm going back to the place where we first met
I need living water, pour yourself in me, yeah
‘Cause I need living water
I'm going back to where we first met
I need, I need living water, pour yourself in me
‘Cause you are all I need, living water

You're living water, living water

Prayers of the People Rev. Jeff Kellam

The Lord’s Prayer

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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

Prayer Response #311 W&R (verse 4) Barbara Fuller

“Now the Green Blade Rises”

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE,

When our hearts are wintery, grieving or in pain,
Your touch can call us back to life again;
Fields of our hearts that dead and bare have been:
Love is come again, like wheat arising green.

Call for Offering Rev. Jeff Kellam

Doxology Claire Bombard, Handbells

“Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow”

(Public Domain)

Prayer of Dedication Rev. Jeff Kellam

Hymn #68 W&R “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”

(Public Domain)

Singers: Barbara Fuller, Judy Marsh, Peg Williams, Chris Bartlette, Colin DeLap, Heather Ingraham

Come, thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace;

Streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise.

Teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above;

Praise his name—I’m fixed upon it—name of God’s redeeming love.

Here I raise to thee an altar, hither by thy help I’ve come;

And I hope, by thy good measure, safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God;

He, to rescue me from danger, bought me with his precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be!

Let thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee;

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love;

Here’s my heart, O, take and seal it; seal it for thy courts above.

Benediction Rev. Jeff Kellam

Postlude “River of Glory,” Dan Schutte

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE,