Lent 3: You Are Worthy

Sunday, March 20, 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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Jesus tells a parable, and at its center is a struggling fig tree. See how much love the gardener lavishes upon it!

Join us on this third Sunday in Lent as we continue to our journey through a season in which we are filled to the brim with reminders of God’s extravagant love. Worship with us in our sanctuary, or right here as we live-stream. You are invited to share in this season of grace!

Online Bulletin

Full to the Brim

Lent 3: You Are Worthy

Union Presbyterian Church

March 20, 2022

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

Liturgist: Ryan DeLap Worship Leader: Elder Judy Marsh

Prelude Colin DeLap, piano

“In Christ Alone,” Glenda Austin

Used by permission, CCLI License #CSPL068847

Welcome Elder Judy Marsh

Call to Worship Ryan DeLap

Come, all who are thirsty.

Come, all who are seeking.

Come, all who are waiting.

Come, all who labor.

Come, all who need rest.

Come, all who dream dreams.

Come—

whether you’re young or old,

confident or curious,

lonely or hopeful.

This is God’s house. All are welcome here.

Let us worship Holy God.

Hymn

“I Am a Child of God” (see music on p. ___)

Tune: Public Domain

Lyrics: Mary Jackson Cathey

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

I am a child of God, the One who made and keeps me.

By God's free gift of love, God's child I always will be.

Forever I belong, I know that this is true;

And with my mind and heart, I trust and love God, too.

God's image is in us, the people of creation.

No matter where we live, we share a close relation.

God's covenant is sure, eternal word for all

Who follow in God's way and answer to God's call.

God never turns from us, not even in our sinning.

God loves and waits for us to claim a new beginning.

By opening our hearts, we then prepare the way

For God's love to come in and guide us every day.

I thank God for that love and all the world around me,

The seen and unseen things, and promised things that will be.

Through worship, trust, and prayer, may I reflect God's will.

Let love be seen in me as I God's word fulfill.

Call to New Life  

Prayer for Wholeness and Peace  

Holy God, we treat our self-worth like something that can be bought at a store; but you know this even better than we do.

Instead of trusting that we are made good,

instead of trusting that we are loved exactly as we are,

we stockpile our value in earthly things—

in trophies and awards, in likes and follows, in wealth and power.

Forgive us for creating our own measuring stick.

Heal our open wounds

and tell our hearts that we won’t be forgotten if we slow down.

We won’t be forgotten if we rest. Gratefully we pray: Amen.

Assurance of God’s Love 

Friends, take a deep breath.

Release the tension in your jaw.

There is good news here.

For even when we stumble,

even when we take the easy way out,

even when we forget our own self-worth,

even when we lose our way—we belong to God.

Say it with me—

We are loved. We are claimed. We are

under God’s wing. We are worthy of grace.

We belong to 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 Isaiah 55:1-9

Ho, everyone who thirsts,
    come to the waters;
and you that have no money,
    come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
    without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
    and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,
    and delight yourselves in rich food.
Incline your ear, and come to me;
    listen, so that you may live.
I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
    my steadfast, sure love for David.
See, I made him a witness to the peoples,
    a leader and commander for the peoples.
See, you shall call nations that you do not know,
    and nations that do not know you shall run to you,
because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel,
    for he has glorified you.

Seek the Lord while he may be found,
    call upon him while he is near;
let the wicked forsake their way,
    and the unrighteous their thoughts;
let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them,
    and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Children’s Message Rev. Jeff Kellam

Music: “How Firm A Foundation” (Public Domain)

Scripture Luke 13:1-9 Elder Judy Marsh

At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.”

Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

Response Holy Wisdom, Holy Word:

Thanks be to God!

Meditation “You Are Worthy” Elder Judy Marsh

Anthem

“Come to the Water,” John Foley

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

O let all who thirst, let them come to the water.

And let all who have nothing, let them come to the Lord:

Without money, without price.

Why should you pay the price, except for the Lord?

And let all who seek, let them come to the water.

And let all who have nothing, let them come to the Lord:

Without money, without strife.

Why should you spend your life, except for the Lord?

And let all who toil, let them come to the water.

And let all who are weary, let them come to the Lord:

All who labor, without rest.

How can your soul find rest, except for the Lord?

And let all the poor, let them come to the water.

Bring the ones who are laden, bring them all to the Lord:

Bring the children without might.

Easy the load and light: Come to the Lord.

Prayers of the People Elder Judy Marsh

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 #450 W & R (Claire on bells)

“Be Still and Know,” Jack Schrader

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

Be still and know that I am God,

Be still and know that I am God.

Call for Offering    Elder Judy Marsh

Doxology  

“Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow”

Tune: Public Domain 

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    Elder Judy Marsh

Hymn  (sung to the tune #156 W & R)

“God of My Life, To Thee Belong”

(Public Domain)

God of my life, to thee belong
The thankful heart, the grateful song;
Touched by thy love, each tuneful chord
Resounds the goodness of the Lord.

Thou hast preserved my fleeting breath,
And chased the gloomy shades of death;
The venom'd arrows vainly fly,
When God our great Deliverer's nigh.

Yet why, dear Lord, this tender care?
Why does thy hand so kindly rear
A useless cumberer of the ground,
On which no pleasant fruits are found?

Still may the barren fig-tree stand!
And, cultivated by thy hand,
Verdure, and bloom, and fruit afford,
Meet tribute to its bounteous Lord.

So shall thy praise employ my breath
Through life, and in the arms of death
My soul the pleasant theme prolong
Then rise to aid th'angelic song.

Benediction   Rev. Jeff Kellam

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

go in peace, full to the brim.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

Postlude Colin DeLap

“Come, Thou Fount,” Cindy Berry

Used by permission, CCLI License #CSPL068847

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