But She Persisted

Sunday, October 16, 2022
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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Trying to get justice from a judge who is completely checked out, doesn’t seem to give a… fig. What an awful experience. How harrowing. How frightening. But that is exactly what the woman in this parable faces. What can we learn from her… not only about the wheels of justice, but about tenacity in some of the most essential tools for strengthening our faith?

Join us for worship in our sanctuary, or right here, if you are at home or on the road. You can also find the live-stream and worship videos on the Union Presbyterian Church of Endicott YouTube page! Worship videos are available Sunday after 1:00 PM.

Stewardship 3

But She Persisted

Psalm 121; Luke 18:1-8

Union Presbyterian Church

October 16, 2022

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

Liturgist: Cindy Surrena Preacher: Rev. Pat Raube

Prelude Chris Bartlette

“Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” Robert Vandall

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

Welcome Rev. Pat Raube

Call to Worship Cindy Surrena

We call on the power of God

to meet us in our helplessness:

God in our thinking, God in our speaking.

We call on the clarity of God

to meet us in our confusion:

God in our acting, God in our stillness.

We call on the mercy of God

to meet us in our brokenness:

God in our waking, God in our sleeping.

We call on the Spirit of God to meet us in our worship:

God in our meeting, God in our parting.

Hymn  #10 W & R “Sing a New Song,” Daniel Schutte

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

Sing a new song unto the Lord;

Let your song be sung from mountains high.

Sing a new song unto the Lord,

Singing, “Alleluia.”

Yahweh’s people dance for joy;

O come before the Lord.

And play for him on glad tambourines,

And let your trumpet sound.

Sing a new song unto the Lord;

Let your song be sung from mountains high.

Sing a new song unto the Lord,

Singing, “Alleluia.”

Rise, O children, from your sleep;

Your Savior now has come.

He has turned your sorrow to joy,

And filled your soul with song.

Sing a new song unto the Lord;

Let your song be sung from mountains high.

Sing a new song unto the Lord,

Singing, “Alleluia.”

Glad my soul for I have seen

The glory of the Lord.

The trumpet sounds; the dead shall be raised.

I know my Savior lives.

Sing a new song unto the Lord;

Let your song be sung from mountains high.

Sing a new song unto the Lord,

Singing, “Alleluia.”

Call to New Life Cindy Surrena

Prayer for Wholeness and Peace

God of life, you meet us here as two or three are gathered together. We are grateful for your love, and your Spirit who calls us to be together. But we do not know how to approach you. Do you hear our frustrated prayers? Do you hear our sorrowful prayers? Do you hear our angry prayers? Do you hear our bubbling-over-with joy prayers? God of love, give us the confidence to reach out to you, knowing that you hear us. God of mercy, remind us that you are with us. Omnipotent God, remind us that you knew what we were going to ask before we folded our hands or lifted our heads to heaven. We pray in the name of Jesus your son and our brother. Amen.

Words of Assurance

With the whole church:

We affirm that we are made in God’s image,

befriended by Christ, and empowered by the Spirit.

With people everywhere:

We affirm God’s goodness at the heart of humanity,

planted more deeply than all that is wrong.

With all creation:

We celebrate the miracle and wonder of life and the unfolding purposes of God, forever at work in ourselves and the world. Thanks be to God. Amen!

Sharing of the Peace

May the peace of God be with you. 

And also with you.

Let us share a sign of God’s peace with one another.

Scripture Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills;
    from where is my help to come?
My help comes from the Lord,
    the maker of heaven and earth.

The Lord will not let your foot be moved
    nor will the one who watches over you fall asleep.
Behold, the keeper of Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you;
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
The sun will not strike you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

The Lord will preserve you from all evil
    and will keep your life.
The Lord will watch over your going out and your coming in,
    from this time forth forevermore.

Children’s Message Rev. Pat Raube

Music: “Seek Ye First,” Karen Lafferty

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

Scripture Luke 18:1-8

Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my accuser.’ For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Response  Holy Wisdom, Holy Word: 

Thanks be to God! 

Meditation

Anthem

“I Lift My Eyes,” Bruce Harding

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

I lift my eyes to the hills,

From where will my help come?

My help comes from God,

God who made heaven and earth.

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!

Reception of New Members by Affirmation of Faith

Elaine Calderone Warren Calderone Donald Christman

Words of Scripture

Pastor: Hear these words from Holy Scripture:

As many of you as were baptized into Christ

have clothed yourselves with Christ.

There is no longer Jew or Greek,

there is no longer slave or free,

there is no longer male and female,

for all are one in Christ Jesus. ~Galatians 3:27-28

Presentation

Clerk of Session: On behalf of the Session I present Elaine Calderone, Warren Calderone, and Donald Christman, who this day are received into the membership of this congregation by reaffirmation of faith.

Pastor: In baptism you were claimed by God,

marked as Christ’s own forever,

and joined to his body by the Holy Spirit.

You come to us, then, not as strangers,

but as friends in Christ and members of the household of God.

We rejoice that you now desire to join with this congregation

in the worship and mission of the church.

Clerk of Session: Please join me in these words from Holy Scripture:

There is one body and one Spirit,

just as you were called to the one hope of your calling,

one Lord, one faith, one baptism

one God and Father of all,

who is above all and through all and in all. ~Ephesians 4:4-6

Profession of Faith

Pastor: As members of the body of Christ, let us reaffirm the faith into which we were baptized.

The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth,

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

Pastor: Elaine, Warren, and Don, we have professed our faith as one body.

Will you be a faithful member of this congregation,

share in its worship and mission through your prayers and gifts,

your study and service,

and so fulfill your calling to be a disciple of Christ?

Elaine, Warren, and Don: I will, with God’s help.

Clerk of Session (to the Congregation):

Do you, as members of the church of Jesus Christ, promise to uphold Elaine, Warren, and Don in the promises they make this day, by word and deed, with love and prayer?

Congregation: We do.

Pastor: I invite the congregation to raise their hands in a gesture of blessing:

Holy God,

thank you for calling us to be your people

and joining us to Christ’s body, the church.

We praise you for leading Elaine, Warren, and Don to this congregation.

Empower us by your Spirit,

that we might love one another as Christ loves us,

honoring him in all that we say or do,

giving our lives in service to others.,

through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

Welcome

Pastor (one at a time, to Elaine, Warren, and Don): Name, remember your baptism, and be thankful, and know that the Holy Spirit is at work in you.

Elaine, Warren, and Don (reply): Thanks be to God.

Pastor: Welcome to this ministry that we share in Jesus Christ.

The peace of Christ be with you.

Congregation: And also with you.

Hymn #248 W & R

“I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light,” Kathleen Thomerson

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE,

I want to walk as a child of the light;

I want to follow Jesus.

God set the stars to give light to the world;

The star of my life is Jesus.

In him there is no darkness at all;

The night and the day are both alike.

The Lamb is the light of the city of God:

Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.

I want to see the brightness of God;

I want to look at Jesus.

Clear Sun of righteousness, shine on my path,

And show me the way to the Father.

In him there is no darkness at all;

The night and the day are both alike.

The Lamb is the light of the city of God:

Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.

I’m looking for the coming of Christ;

I want to be with Jesus.

When we have run with patience the race,

We shall know the joy of Jesus.

In him there is no darkness at all;

The night and the day are both alike.

The Lamb is the light of the city of God:

Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.

Minute for Mission Stewardship Campaign

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  #475 W & R 

“Eternal Spirit of the Living Christ,” Frank von Christierson

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

Eternal Spirit of the living Christ,
We know not how to ask or what to say;
We only know our need, as deep as life,
And only you can teach us how to pray.

Call for Offering

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything that is in it. God created it all in love, and we are invited to be a part of God’s great plans for healing the world. Let us bring our tithes and offerings for just that: let us be among those who help to see that prayers are answered, that people are fed, and that God’s love might go out into the world.

Doxology  

“Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow,” Brian Wren  

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

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

O God, we know that you hear our prayers. Today we pray for all the people your love might touch through the gifts we bring. We pray for the lonely and disheartened. We pray for the struggling and insecure. We pray for the hungry, both for food and for meaning. We pray that our gifts might be a part of the solution, bring your loving presence wherever we possibly can. We pray in your holy name. Amen.

Hymn  #687 W & R

“All Things Are Yours,” Bryan Jeffery Leech

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

All things are yours! We make that true

When we return our gifts to you.

And so we give, and so we share,

In Christ’s strong name expressing care.

“Give out of love,” your Word commands.

We are your head, your heart, your hands.

Your Word you underscore with deeds

By using us to answer needs.

O what a joy to give and then,

Out of compassion, give again.

You have no needs. Though that be true,

The gifts we share are given to you.

All things are yours! We make that true

When we return our gifts to you.

And so we give, and so we share,

In Christ’s strong name expressing care.

Benediction

Go into the world in peace.

Have courage!

Hold fast to what is good.

Return no one evil for evil.

Strengthen the faint-hearted,

support the weak,

help the suffering.

Honor all people.

Love and serve the Lord your God,

rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit.

And may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

and the love of God,

and the sweet communion of the Holy Spirit,

be with each and all of us,

This day and forevermore.

The Spirit is among us, so go in peace.

Thanks be to God. Amen

Postlude  Chris Bartlette

“How Majestic Is Your Name,” Heather Sorenson

Used by permission, CCLI License #CSPL068847

Where an * is indicated, please rise in body and/or in spirit.

“W & R” ~ the red Worship and Rejoice hymnal.

“PH” ~ the blue Presbyterian Hymnal

Call to Worship from the Iona Community, Scotland.