How to Love Your Enemy

Sunday, June 19, 2022
10:30 AM 11:30 AM 10:30 11:30

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

Google Calendar ICS

Love your God—sure! Of course. Assumed.

Love your neighbor—absolutely! And… who is my neighbor, again?

Love your enemy—uh, hold on…

We begin our summer sermon series with one of the most challenging teachings of Jesus: that we should love our enemies, pray for those who hate us. How, exactly, are we to do such a thing? This also marks the beginning of our engagement with the translations of Dr. Wil Gafney, as found in “A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church: Year W.” (More about this can be found on the Home Page of this website.)

Join us for worship in our sanctuary, or right here if you are worshiping from home or on the road. You can also find the live-stream on our YouTube page. Worship videos are available Sunday after 1 PM. We hope you will join us for this adventure!

How to Love Your Enemy

Psalm 107: 1-9, 19-22; Matthew 5:43-48

Union Presbyterian Church

June 19, 2022

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

Liturgist: Claire Bombard Preacher: Rev. Pat Raube

Prelude       Colin DeLap

“Good, Good Father,” Chris Tomlin

Announcements Claire Bombard

Prelude Colin DeLap

 “The Lord’s My Shepherd,” Cindy Berry

Used by permission, CCLI License #CSPL068847

Welcome Rev. Pat Raube

Call to Worship Claire Bombard

For just as the body is one and has many members,

and all the members make up one body, so it is with Christ.

For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,

and we were all given the gift of the one Spirit.

If one member suffers, all suffer together;

if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

We are all members of the one body;

We are all one in the body of Christ.

Hymn  #35 W & R

“Morning Has Broken,” Eleanor Farjeon, David Evans

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

Morning has broken like the first morning,

Blackbird has spoken like the first bird.

Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning!

Praise for them, springing fresh from the Word!

Sweet the rain’s new fall sunlit from heaven,

Like the first dewfall on the first grass.

Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden,

Sprung in completeness where his feet pass.

Mine is the sunlight! Mine is the morning,

Born of the one light Eden saw play!

Praise with elation, praise every morning,

God’s recreation of the new day!

Call to New Life

Prayer for Wholeness and Peace

God of mystery and might, you have gathered us together; you have called us to follow Jesus. In him we find both comfort and challenge. We are called to love you—and we barely know how. We are called to love one another as we love ourselves—and some days, we don’t even like ourselves. We are called to love our enemies, which feels impossible, hopeless. But you are a God of endless hope. By your power at work within us, you can accomplish infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Do that now. Teach us all these lessons of love, that we might follow faithfully. We pray in Jesus’ name. 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 107: 1-9, 19-22 Claire Bombard

Give thanks to She Who Is Majesty, for she is good,

and her faithful love endures forever.

Let the redeemed of She Who Saves proclaim,

that she redeemed them from the hand of the foe.

And she has gathered them from all the lands,

from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

They wandered in the wilderness, in the desert;

no path to a city fit for settling did they find.

They were hungry and thirsty,

their souls fainted within them.

Then they cried to She Who Hears in their trouble,

and from their distress she delivered them.

And she led them on a straight path,

to a city fit for settling.

Let them give thanks to the Womb of Life for her faithful love

and her wonderful works for the woman-born.

For she satisfies the thirsty soul

and the hungry souls she fills with goodness.

They cried to the Mother of All in their trouble,

and she delivered them from their distress.

She sent forth her word and healed them,

and saved them from their pits.

Let them give thanks to the Womb of Life for her faithful love

and wonderful works for the woman-born.

Let them sacrifice sacrifices of thanksgiving

and tell of her acts with shouts of joy.

Translation from “A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church” Year W by the Rev. Dr. Wilda C. Gafney, p. 221.

Children’s Message Rev. Pat Raube

Music: “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” (Public Domain)

Scripture Matthew 5:43-48 Rev. Pat Raube

“You have all heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ Yet I say to you all: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of the One in heaven who begot you; for the sun—which belongs to God—rises on the evil and on the good, and God rains on the righteous and on the unrighteous woman or man. For if you all love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your sisters and brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Sovereign is perfect.”

Translation from “A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church” Year W by the Rev. Dr. Wilda C. Gafney, p. 222.

Response  Holy Wisdom, Holy Word: 

Thanks be to God! 

Meditation Rev. Pat Raube

Anthem

“Come Out the Wilderness,” Evelyn Simpson-Curenton

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE. 

Tell me, how did you feel when you come out the wilderness,

Come out the wilderness,

Come out the wilderness.

Tell me, how did you feel when you come out the wilderness,

Leaning on the Lord.

I am leaning on the Lord,

I am leaning on the Lord.

I am leaning on the Lord who died on Calvary.

Did you get baptized when you come out the wilderness,

Come out the wilderness,

Come out the wilderness.

Did you get baptized when you come out the wilderness,

Leaning on the Lord.

I am leaning on the Lord,

I am leaning on the Lord.

I am leaning on the Lord who died on Calvary.

Did your soul feel happy when you come out the wilderness,

Come out the wilderness,

Come out the wilderness.

Did your soul feel happy when you come out the wilderness,

Leaning on the Lord.

I am leaning on the Lord,

I am leaning on the Lord.

I am leaning on the Lord who died on Calvary.

Prayers of the People    Rev. Pat Raube

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 Rev. Pat Raube

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 Rev. Pat Raube

Hymn  #539 W & R

“O Day of Peace,” Carl P. Daw, Jr.

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

O day of peace that dimly shines
Through all our hopes and prayers and dreams,
Guide us to justice, truth, and love,
Delivered from our selfish schemes.
May swords of hate fall from our hands,
Our hearts from envy find release,
Till by God's grace our warring world
Shall see Christ's promised reign of peace.

Then shall the wolf dwell with the lamb,
Nor shall the fierce devour the small;
As beasts and cattle calmly graze,
A little child shall lead them all.
Then enemies shall learn to love,
All creatures find their true accord;
The hope of peace shall be fulfilled,
For all the earth shall know the Lord.

Benediction Rev. Pat Raube

Postlude  Colin DeLap

“Faith of Our Fathers,” Henri Hemy

Used by permission, CCLI License #CSPL068847