Ash Wednesday: With All Your Heart

Wednesday, March 2, 2022
7:00 PM 8:00 PM 19:00 20:00

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

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Lent is often seen as a sober season, one of a heightened focus on discipline and self-denial. But this year the scriptures appointed for Lent tell a different story. Lent is a season of grace, filled to the brim with reminders of God’s extravagant and expansive love for us.

Join us, then, for Ash Wednesday when we mark ourselves with a sign that reminds us who we are, and whose we are, as we seek to turn to God with all our hearts. Worship with us in our sanctuary, or join us online, right here, via live-stream. You are invited to join us in this season of grace!

PLEASE NOTE:

Those of you worshiping at home may wish to bring something with which to mark yourself in place of ashes. Baby powder, eyeshadow, or the remnants of a burned piece of paper (which has cooled) might be used… whatever you bring, you will be making the sign of God’s claim on your life.

Online Bulletin
Full to the Brim

Ash Wednesday: With All That You Are

March 2, 2022

Union Presbyterian Church

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

Liturgist: Cathie Makowka Preacher: Rev. Pat Raube

Prelude Colin DeLap, piano

“This Is My Father’s World”, Roger Summers

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

Call to Worship Cathie Makowka

Even now, declares the Lord,

return to me with all your heart.

Roll up your sleeves.

Let down your guard.

Come in from the storm.

Make yourself at home.

Pull up to the table.

Release the tension in your jaw.

Take a deep breath.

Return to God with all your heart.

God’s love endures forever.

Evening Hymn #257 W & R

“What Wondrous Love Is This”

(Public Domain)

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul,
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul!

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down, sinking down;
When I was sinking down beneath God's righteous frown,
Christ laid aside his crown for my soul, for my soul,
Christ laid aside his crown for my soul!

To God and to the Lamb I will sing, I will sing,
To God and to the Lamb I will sing!
To God and to the Lamb, who is the great "I AM,"
While millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing,
While millions join the theme, I will sing!

And when from death I'm free, I'll sing on, I'll sing on,
And when from death I'm free, I'll sing on!
And when from death I'm free, I'll sing and joyful be,
And through eternity I'll sing on, I'll sing on,
And through eternity I'll sing on!

Call to Prayer Cathie Makowka

… Let us pray; I’ll go first.

Prayer for Wholeness and Peace

Holy God, I confess: I don’t return to you fully.

I share with you the pieces of my life that are convenient.

I put on different hats in different rooms.

I forget that I am called, invited, and loved with all that I am—

including my mess, my beauty, my faith, and my doubt.

Forgive me, and give me a heart that longs to return.

Friend, God sees you. God hears you. God loves you. You are forgiven and healed and claimed with all that you are. Rest in that good news.

Holy God, we confess: we don’t return to you fully.

We share with you the pieces of our lives that are convenient.

We put on different hats in different rooms.

We forget that we are called, invited, and loved with all that we are—

including our mess, our beauty, our faith, and our doubt.

Forgive us, and give us hearts that long to return.

Friends, God sees you. God hears you. God loves you. You are forgiven and healed and claimed with all that you are. Rest in that good news.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

Scripture Matthew 6: 2-6, 16-21 Cathie Makowka

Jesus said,

“So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

“And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

“And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Scripture Joel 2:12-13 Rev. Pat Raube

Yet even now, says the Lord,
    return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;

rend your hearts and not your clothing.
Return to the Lord, your God,
    for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love,
    and relents from punishing.

Response Holy Wisdom, Holy Word:

Thanks be to God!

Meditation “With All That You Are” Rev. Pat Raube

Anthem Pat Raube and Colin DeLap

Angel DeLap, piano

“Beautiful Things,” Lisa Gungor, Michael Gungor

Used by permission. CCLI License #CSPL068847

All this pain,

I wonder if I’ll ever find my way;

I wonder if my life could really change at all.

All this earth,

Could all that is lost ever be found?

Could a garden come up from this ground at all?

You make beautiful things,

You make beautiful things out of the dust.

You make beautiful things,

You make beautiful things out of us.

All around,

Hope is springing up from this old ground;

Out of chaos life is being found in you.

You make beautiful things,

You make beautiful things out of the dust.

You make beautiful things,

You make beautiful things out of us.

Oh, you make beautiful things,

You make beautiful things out of the dust.

You make beautiful things,

You make beautiful things out of us.

You make me new,

You are making me new.

You make me new,

You are making me new.

You make beautiful things,

You make beautiful things out of the dust.

Invitation to the Lenten Disciplines  

“Blessing the Dust”

All those days

you felt like dust,

like dirt,

as if all you had to do

was turn your face

toward the wind

and be scattered

to the four corners

or swept away

by the smallest breath

as insubstantial—

did you not know

what the Holy One

can do with dust?

This is the day

we freely say

we are scorched.

This is the hour

we are marked

by what has made it

through the burning.

This is the moment

we ask for the blessing

that lives within

the ancient ashes,

that makes its home

inside the soil of

this sacred earth.

So let us be marked

not for sorrow.

And let us be marked

not for shame.

Let us be marked

not for false humility

or for thinking

we are less

than we are

but for claiming

what God can do

within the dust,

within the dirt,

within the stuff

of which the world

is made

and the stars that blaze

in our bones

and the galaxies that spiral

inside the smudge

we bear.

Imposition of the Ashes

Remember that you are God’s Beloved Dust, and to dust you shall return.

“I Love You, Jesus,” Ruth Elaine Schram

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

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.

Hymn  #250 W & R

“Throughout These Lenten Days and Nights,” James Gertmenian

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.   

Throughout these Lenten days and nights
We turn to walk the inward way,
Where, meeting Christ, our guide and light,
We live in hope till Easter Day.

The pilgrim Christ, the Lamb of God,
Who found in weakness greater power,
Embraces us, though lost and flawed,
And leads us to his Rising Hour.

We bear the silence, cross and pain
Of human burdens, human strife,
While sisters, brothers help sustain
Our courage till the Feast of Life.

And though the road is hard and steep,
The Spirit ever calls us on
Through Calv'ry's dying, dark and deep,
Until we see the coming Dawn.

So let us choose the path of One
Who wore, for us, the crown of thorn,
And slept in death that we might wake
To life on Resurrection Morn!

Rejoice, O sons and daughters!
Sing and shout hosannas! Raise the strain!
For Christ, whose death Good Friday brings
On Easter Day will rise again!

Benediction  

… In the name of the Lover, the Beloved, and Love itself,

go in peace, full to the brim.

Amen.

Postlude Colin DeLap

“And Then There is my God...,” Jason W. Krug

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

Portions of liturgy taken or adapted from “A Sanctified Art.” Used with permission.