Great Is Her Faithfulness

Sunday, June 26, 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 was testing her.”

That’s the usual explanation for what seem to be the most callous words ever uttered by the one we call Lord and Savior.

What if we read the story on its own terms, and believed what Jesus actually says? “Woman, great is your faith!” Who might be the rabbi, and who, even for a moment, might be the student?

This morning we continue 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. Come along for this adventure—all are welcome!

Great Is Her Faithfulness

Psalm 77:1-12, 19-20, John 14:25-31

Union Presbyterian Church

June 26, 2022

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

Liturgist: Jane Park Preacher: Rev. Pat Raube

Prelude Chris Bartlette

“Invocation,” Henry Kihlken

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE. 

Welcome Rev. Pat Raube

Call to Worship Jane Park

Come, children of God:

Great is your faithfulness!

Come to worship the Almighty:

Wide is your welcome!

Come, where there is no longer Jew or Greek;

Come, where there is no longer slave or free;

Come, where there is no longer male and female:

Come, for all are one in Christ the Lord.

Hymn  #72 W & R

“Great is Thy Faithfulness,” William Runyan, Thomas O. Chisholm

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE. 

Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with thee;
Thou changest not, thy compassions they fail not;
As thou has been thou forever wilt be.

Great is thy faithfulness!
Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed thy hand hath provided—
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Great is thy faithfulness!
Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed thy hand hath provided—
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is thy faithfulness!
Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed thy hand hath provided—
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Call to New Life

Prayer for Wholeness and Peace

Holy God, you are the Wisdom of the ages, and by your love everything was created. But we struggle to live into your invitation to new life. We do not love you with our whole heart and soul, mind and strength. We fail to love our neighbors as ourselves. Help us, God, to do better. Help us to notice the tiniest crumbs of improvement and change. Help us to look at one another with fresh eyes, and to look at ourselves with honesty. All of it is possible, with you, our healer and our hope. In Jesus’ name we pray. 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 113 Jane Park

Hallelujah! Give praise, you slaves of the Most High;

praise the name of the Wisdom of the Ages!

Let the name of the Holy One of Old be blessed,

from this time forth forevermore.

From the rising of the sun to its going down

the name of the Author of Life is praised.

She Who Is Wisdom is high above all nations,

and her glory is above the heavens.

Who is like the Mother of All, our God, who sits enthroned on high,

yet bends down to behold the heavens and the earth?

She takes up the weak out of the dust

and lifts up the poor from the ashes.

She sets them with the rulers,

with the rulers of her people.

She makes the woman of a childless house

to be a joyful mother of children.

Children’s Message Rev. Pat Raube

Music: “For All the Faithful Women,” David Evans

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE. 

Scripture Matthew 15:21-28 Rev. Pat Raube

Jesus left the place [where he had been teaching] and went back to the regions of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that area came out and shouted, “Have mercy on me, Sir, Son of David; my daughter is badly demon-possessed.” But Jesus did not answer her a word. Then his disciples came and implored him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” Now Jesus answered, “I was not sent to any except the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before Jesus saying, “Rabbi, help me.” Then Jesus said, “It is not good to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” But she said, “Yes, rabbi, but the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their lord’s table.” Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

Response  Holy Wisdom, Holy Word: 

Thanks be to God! 

Meditation Rev. Pat Raube

Anthem

“I Will Trust in the Lord,” Chuck Marohnic

I will trust in the Lord, I will trust in the Lord,

I will trust in the Lord till I die.

I will trust in the Lord, I will trust in the Lord,

I will trust in the Lord till I die.

Brother, will you trust in the Lord,

Brother, will you trust in the Lord till you die?

Brother, will you trust in the Lord,

Brother, will you trust in the Lord till you die?

Sister, will you trust in the Lord,

Sister, will you trust in the Lord till you die?

Sister, will you trust in the Lord,

Sister, will you trust in the Lord till you die?

I will trust in the Lord, I will trust in the Lord,

I will trust in the Lord till I die.

I will trust in the Lord, I will trust in the Lord,

I will trust in the Lord till I die.

Prayers of the People    Rev. Pat Raube

Please respond: Hear our prayer.

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  #395 W & R

“The Bond of Love,” Otis Skillings

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

We are one in the bond of love;

We are one in the bond of love.

We have joined our spirit with the Spirit of God;

We are one in the bond of love.

Let us sing now, everyone;

Let us feel God’s love begun.

Let us join our hands that the world will know

We are one in the bond of love.

Benediction Rev. Pat Raube

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 Holy One, 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 in us, so go in peace.

Thanks be to God. Amen

Postlude  Chris Bartlette

“Louré,” J.S. Bach, Tom Birchwood

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE. 

All translations of scripture are by the Rev. Dr. Wilda A. Gafney from her book, “A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church, Year W.”