One of the most famous and often quoted passages of scripture happens to be, not about a couple getting married, but a congregation in conflict. Hear Paul’s timeless words on love.
Join us this morning for worship as we explore another glimpse of God light shining through God’s people in the early church. Worship with us in our sanctuary, or join us right here online if you are traveling or joining us from home. God’s love shines through you, too. You are invited!
4th Sunday After Epiphany
Union Presbyterian Church
January 30, 2022
Sharing the Light of Christ, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
Liturgist: Cindy Surrena Preacher: Rev. Joe Sellepak
Prelude Chris Bartlette, piano
“The Power of Your Love,” Jane Holstein
©2006, Maranatha Music
Used by permission. CCLI License #CSPL068847
Welcome
Call to Worship Cindy Surrena
Sisters and brothers, as we gather in the welcome of God’s love,
as we gather in the joy of our unity in Christ,
as we gather in the power of the Spirit,
let us listen for the Word of God.
Let us worship God, who has spoken and still speaks
to those who attend to the roar or the whisper of the Holy One.
Hymn #642 W & R
“Earth and All Stars,” Herbert F. Brokering, David N. Johnson
©1968, Augsburg Fortress, All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.
License #A-728112. All rights reserved.
Earth and all stars, loud rushing planets
Sing to the Lord a new song!
Hail, wind, and rain, loud blowing snowstorm
Sing to the Lord a new song!
God has done marvelous things.
We will sing praises with a new song!
Trumpet and pipes, loud clashing cymbals
Sing to the Lord a new song!
Harp, lute and lyre, loud humming cellos
Sing to the Lord a new song!
God has done marvelous things.
We will sing praises with a new song!
Steel and machines, loud pounding hammers
Sing to the Lord a new song!
Limestone and beams, loud building workers
Sing to the Lord a new song!
God has done marvelous things.
We will sing praises with a new song!
Classrooms and labs, loud boiling test tubes
Sing to the Lord a new song!
Athlete and band, loud cheering people
Sing to the Lord a new song!
God has done marvelous things.
We will sing praises with a new song!
Knowledge and truth, loud sounding wisdom
Sing to the Lord a new song!
Daughter and son, loud praying members
Sing to the Lord a new song!
God has done marvelous things.
We will sing praises with a new song!
Call to New Life
Prayer for Wholeness and Peace
We pray that you, O God, will bring into our hearts and minds, our plans and actions, our hopes and prayers, a greater love for all people. Break the silence of prejudice, the isolation of ignorance, the false sense of security in earthly fortresses, and erase the fear that prevents openness to our neighbors near and far. Help us to welcome your all-embracing love, and find ourselves in one family on this planet we call home.
Assurance of God’s Love
In our striving to follow Christ, God is a sure and constant presence, never coercing commitment but always inviting it.
God holds before us priorities that emerge from the Word, God enlightens us when our understandings are dim, and God calls us to embody belief in action.
God strengthens us in spirit and truth.
It is so that we are loved by God! Amen!
Sharing of the Peace
May the peace of God be with you.
And also with you.
Let us offer one another a sign of God’s peace.
Scripture Jeremiah 1:4-10 Cindy Surrena
A reading from the Book of Jeremiah, beginning at chapter 1, verse 4.
The word of the Lord came to me, saying,
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
“Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”
But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.
Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”
Children’s Message
Music: “Jesus Loves Me,” Mark Hayes
©1981, Shawnee Press, All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.
License #A-728112. All rights reserved.
Scripture 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Corinthians, beginning at chapter 13, verse 1.
If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.
Response Holy Wisdom, Holy Word:
Thanks be to God!
Meditation
Anthem Barb Fuller
“A Canticle of Love,” Bill Carter
© Presbybop Music, All rights reserved. Used with permission.
Faith, hope, and love abide, and the greatest of these is love.
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is born of God.
All who love are born of God and know God.
All who do not love do not love God.
Faith, hope, and love abide, and the greatest of these is love.
Love does not insist on its own way, is not quick to take offense.
It does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right.
Faith, hope, and love abide, and the greatest of these is love.
Love is patient and kind, it is not envious or boastful.
It is not arrogant or rude.
Love bears all things, believes all things,
Love hopes all things, endures all things.
Love will never end.
Faith, hope, and love abide, and the greatest of these is love.
Prophecies will vanish, tongues will cease,
And knowledge will pass away.
For our knowledge and our prophecy are imperfect,
But when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away.
Faith, hope, and love abide, and the greatest of these is love.
Now I know in part, then I will know fully,
Even as I’ve been fully known.
Now abide faith, hope, and love these three,
And the greatest of these is love.
Faith, hope, and love abide, and the greatest of these is love.
Prayers of the People
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 #173 W & R
“Sing Out My Soul – Magnificat,” Jacques Berthier, Taizé
©1979, GIA Publications, All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.
License #A-728112. All rights reserved.
Sing out, my soul. Sing out, my soul.
Sing out and glorify the Lord who sets us free.
Sing out, my soul. Sing out, my soul.
Sing out and glorify the Lord God!
Call for Offering
Doxology
“Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow”
Tune: Public Domain
Text: Brian Wren, ©1989, Hope Publishing Company, All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.
License #A-728112. All rights reserved.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise God, all creatures high and low.
Praise God, in Jesus fully known:
Creator, Word, and Spirit one.
Prayer of Dedication
Hymn #595 W & R
“They’ll Know We Are Christians,” Peter Scholtes
©1991, Lorenz Publishing, All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.
License #A-728112. All rights reserved.
We are one in the Spirit; we are one in the Lord.
We are one in the Spirit; we are one in the Lord.
And we pray that all unity may one day be restored.
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love.
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
We will walk with each other; we will walk hand in hand.
We will walk with each other; we will walk hand in hand.
And together we’ll spread the news that God is in our land.
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love.
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
We will work with each other; we will work side by side.
We will work with each other; we will work side by side.
And we’ll guard each one’s dignity and save each one’s pride.
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love.
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
All praise to the Father, from whom all things come.
And all praise to Christ Jesus, his only Son.
And all praise to the Spirit, who makes us one.
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love.
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
Benediction
The way is long; let us go together.
The way is difficult; let us help each other.
The way is joyful; let us share it.
The way is Christ’s for Christ is the Way; let us follow.
The way is open before us, so let us go:
with the love of God,
the grace of Christ,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit.
Amen!
Postlude Chris Bartlette, piano
“His Love Never Fails,” Craig Courtney
©2004, Beckenhorst Press, Inc., All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.
License #A-728112. All rights reserved.
[The Call to Worship, the Prayer for Wholeness and Peace, the Assurance of God’s Love, and the Benediction are “reprinted by permission of the publisher from Touch Holiness, ed. Ruth C. Duck and Maren C. Tirabassi. Copyright 1990 The Pilgrim Press.]