Lent 5: Brazen Acts of Beauty

Sunday, April 3, 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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In the wake of Jesus’ miraculous raising of her brother from the dead, Mary of Bethany is moved to commit a brazen act of beauty: she anoints Jesus with expensive, fragrant oil. Then the complaints begin.

Join us throughout the season of Lent as we find the beauty and the grace in the gospel stories. Join us for worship in our sanctuary, or right here as we live-stream, from your home or the road. You are invited to share this season of grace!

Full to the Brim

Online Bulletin

Lent 5: Brazen Acts of Beauty

Union Presbyterian Church

April 3, 2022

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

Liturgist: Barbara Lustgarten Preacher: Rev. Pat Raube

Prelude Chris Bartlette, piano; Colin Delap, baritone

“Here I Am to Worship” (Tim Hughes)

Used by permission. CCLI License #CSPL068847

Light of the world, you stepped down into darkness,

Opened my eyes, let me see.

Beauty that made this heart adore you,

Hope of a life spent with you.

So, here I am to worship, here I am to bow down,

Here I am to say that you’re my God.

And you’re altogether lovely, altogether worthy,

Altogether wonderful to me.

King of all days, oh so highly exalted,

Glorious in heaven above.

Humbly you came to the earth you created,

All for love’s sake became poor.

So, here I am to worship, here I am to bow down,

Here I am to say that you’re my God.

And you’re altogether lovely, altogether worthy,

Altogether wonderful to me.

And I’ll never know how much it cost

To see my sin upon that cross.

And I’ll never know how much it cost

To see my sin upon that cross.

So, here I am to worship, here I am to bow down,

Here I am to say that you’re my God.

And you’re altogether lovely, altogether worthy,

Altogether wonderful to me.

Welcome Rev. Pat Raube

Call to Worship Barbara Lustgarten

May we find courage here—

courage to follow our call, courage to live out our faith.

May we find hope here—

hope for a better world, hope that refuses to let us go.

May we find truth here—

truth that lives in sacred community, truth that lives in ancient stories.

May we find all that we seek—

And in our seeking, may we know God. Amen.

Hymn #40 W & R

“For the Beauty of the Earth”

(Public Domain)

For the beauty of the earth,
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the wonder of each hour
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale and tree and flower,
Sun and moon and stars of light,

Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth and friends above;
For all gentle thoughts and mild,

Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the church that evermore
Lifteth holy hands above,
Offering up on every shore
Her pure sacrifice of love,

Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

For thyself, best gift divine,
To our race so freely given;
For that great, great love of thine,
Peace on earth and joy in heaven.

Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

Call to New Life  

There are very few things as powerful as a group of persons that admits they are not perfect, and asks for grace as they grow. Imagine what our world might be like if every community [institution?] had such a weekly rhythm?

Friends, we can light they way. May we be brave in our truth-telling and honest in our confession. Remember: we will always be met be grace. Let us pray…

Prayer for Wholeness and Peace  

Jesus of Nazareth, we admit that we often tuck our faith into our pockets, hiding in a place of comfort rather than proudly declaring: yes, we are Christian, yes we believe, yes, this faith has changed me. We are so afraid of offending others or embarrassing ourselves that we have established rules: no faith at the dinner table, no faith in politics, no faith with strangers. Forgive us for whispering when we could be singing. Forgive us for being quiet when we could be part of rewriting the narrative. We want to be brave. We want to pour out perfume over your feet. These things we pray: Amen.

Assurance of God’s Love

Family of faith, hear the good news:

Even in our silence, God loves us.

Even in our fear or shame, God chooses us. 

Even when we sin, God wraps us in grace.

You are free, to be bold, to be brazen, to be exactly who God called you be.

Thanks be 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 43:16-21

Thus says the Lord,
    who makes a way in the sea,
    a path in the mighty waters,
who brings out chariot and horse,
    army and warrior;
they lie down, they cannot rise,
    they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:
Do not remember the former things,
    or consider the things of old.
I am about to do a new thing;
    now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
    and rivers in the desert.
The wild animals will honor me,
    the jackals and the ostriches;
for I give water in the wilderness,
    rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
   the people whom I formed for myself
so that they might declare my praise.

Children’s Message Rev. Pat Raube

Music: “Hail to the Lord’s Anointed,” Thomas Noble

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

Scripture John 12:1-8

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

Response Holy Wisdom, Holy Word:

Thanks be to God!

Meditation “Brazen Acts of Beauty” Rev. Pat Raube

Anthem

“Come As You Are,” Deirdre Browne

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

Come as you are, that’s how I want you.

Come as you are, feel quite at home.

Close to my heart, loved and forgiven;

Come as you are, why stand alone?

No need to fear, love sets no limits.

No need to fear, love never ends.

Don’t run away shamed and disheartened.

Rest in my love, trust me again.

I came to call sinners, not just the virtuous.

I came to bring peace, not to condemn.

Each time you fail to live by my promise,

Why do you think I’d love you the less?

Come as you are, that’s how I love you.

Come as you are, trust me again.

Nothing can change the love that I bear you.

All will be well, just come as you are.

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 #450 W & R

“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   

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   

Hymn

“Sacred the Body”

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

Sacred the body God has created,

Temple of Spirit that dwells deep inside.

Cherish each person; nurture creation.

Treat flesh as holy, that love may abide.

Bodies are varied, made in all sizes,

Pale, full of color, both fragile and strong.

Holy the difference, gift of the Maker,

So let us honor each story and song.

Love respects persons, bodies and boundaries.

Love does not batter, neglect, or abuse.

Love touches gently, never coercing.

Love leaves the other with power to choose.

Holy of holies, God ever loving,

Make us your temples; indwell all we do.

May we be careful, tender and caring,

So may our bodies give honor to you.

Benediction  

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

go in peace, full to the brim.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

Postlude  Chris Bartlette

“To God Be the Glory,” Lloyd Larson

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

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