A Much-Desired King

Sunday, July 31, 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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After a long time of chaos God relents (reluctantly) and permits the Israelites to have the king they have longed for. We meet him today, as he is anointed by the prophet Samuel. A “fine young man,” the text tells us. What fruits would his time as king over God’s people yield?

We continue our engagement today 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!

A Much-Desired King

Psalm 22:23-31; 1 Samuel 9:1-3, 15-18, 10:1

Union Presbyterian Church

July 31, 2022

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

Liturgist: Carlton Sackett Preacher: Rev. Pat Raube

Prelude Chris Bartlette

“Lead On, O King Eternal,” Gregg Sewell

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

Welcome Rev. Pat Raube

Call to Worship Carlton Sackett

The world belongs to God;

The earth and all its people.

How good it is, how wonderful,

to live together in unity.

Love and faith come together,

justice and peace join hands.

Open our lips, O God,

and our mouths shall proclaim your praise.

Hymn  #9 W & R “Come, Let Us Praise the Lord,” Timothy Dudley-Smith

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

Come, let us praise the Lord, with joy our God acclaim,
His greatness tell abroad and bless his saving Name.
Lift high your songs before his throne
To whom alone all praise belongs.

Our God of matchless worth, our King beyond compare,
The deepest bounds of earth, the hills, are in his care.
He all decrees, who by his hand
Prepared the land and formed the seas.

In worship bow the knee, our glorious God confess;
The great Creator, he, the Lord our Righteousness.
He reigns unseen: his flock he feeds
And gently leads in pastures green.

Come, hear his voice today, receive what love imparts;
His holy will obey and harden not your hearts.
His ways are best; and lead at last,
All troubles past, to perfect rest.

Call to New Life

Prayer for Wholeness and Peace

Before God, and with the people of God, we confess to our brokenness: to the ways we wound our lives, the lives of others, and the life of the world. May God forgive us, Christ renew us, and the Spirit enable us to grow in love. 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 22:23-31 Carlton Sackett

You who revere the Fount of Life, praise her!

All the offspring of Leah and Rachel, Bilhah and Zilpah, glorify her.

Stand in awe of her, all you of Rebekah’s line.

For she did not despise or abhor

the affliction of the afflicted;

she did not hide her face from me,

and when I cried to her, she heard.

On your account is my praise in the great congregation;

my vows I will pay before those who revere her.

The poor shall eat and be satisfied;

those who seek her shall praise the Mother of All.

May your hearts live forever!

All the ends of the earth shall remember

and turn to the Wellspring of Life;

and all the families of the nations

shall worship before her.

For sovereignty belongs to She Who Is Holy,

and she rules over the nations.

They consume and they bow down, all the fat ones of the earth before her,

they bend their knees, all who go down to the dust,

and cannot save their soul.

Later descendants will serve her;

future generations will be told about our God

they will go and proclaim her deliverance to a people yet unborn,

saying that she has done it.

Children’s Message Rev. Pat Raube

Music: “Mighty Is Our God,” Eugene Greco, Gerritt Gustafson, Don Moen

Used by permission, CCLI License #CSPL068847

Scripture 1 Samuel 9:1-3, 15-18, 10:1 Rev. Pat Raube

Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish son of Abiel son of Zeror son of Becorath son of Aphiah [himself] son of a Benjaminite, a warrior-hearted man of substance. He had a son whose name was Saul, a fine young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel finer than he; he stood above and beyond everyone else. Now the female donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, had strayed. So, Kish said to Saul, “Take one of the boys with you, get up and look for the donkeys.”

Now the Holy One had uncovered the ear of Samuel the day before Saul came, saying: “About this time tomorrow I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be a leader over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines, for I have seen the humiliation of my people, because their cry has come to me.” When Samuel saw Saul, the Holy One told him, “Here is the man of whom I spoke to you. He it is who shall govern my people.” Then Saul approached Samuel in the center of the gate, and said, “Tell me, please, where is the house of the seer?”

Samuel took a vial of oil and poured it on Saul’s head, and kissed him, and said, “Has not the Holy One of Old anointed you leader over God’s own heritage?”

Response  Holy Wisdom, Holy Word: 

Thanks be to God! 

Meditation Rev. Pat Raube

Anthem

"All the Ends of the Earth,” Chris Bartlette

All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord,

And all the families of the nations will bow down before him.

You who fear the Lord, praise him!

All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!

Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!

For he has not despised or scorned

The suffering of the afflicted one;

He has not hidden his face from him

But has listened to his cry for help.

All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord,

And all the families of the nations will bow down before him.

From you comes the theme of my praise

In the great assembly;

Before those who fear you I will fulfill my vows.

The poor will eat and be satisfied;

Those who seek the Lord will praise him—

May your hearts live forever!

All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord,

And all the families of the nations will bow down before him.

For dominion belongs to the Lord

And he rules over the nations.

All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;

All who go down to the dust will kneel before the Lord—

Those who cannot keep themselves alive.

All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord,

And all the families of the nations will bow down before him.

Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord.

Posterity will also serve him.

His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born.

They will hear about everything that the Lord has done.

All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord,

And all the families of the nations will bow down before him.

Prayers of the People    Rev. Pat Raube

Holy One, in your mercy, 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  #686 W & R “What Does the Lord Require,” Albert F. Bayly

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

What does the Lord require for praise and offering?

What sacrifice, desire, or tribute bid you bring?

Do justly, love mercy, walk humbly with your God.

Rulers of earth, give ear! Should you not justice know?

Will God your pleading hear while crime and cruelty grow?

Do justly, love mercy, walk humbly with your God.

Still down the ages ring the prophet’s stern commands:

To merchant, worker, king, he brings God’s high commands:

Do justly, love mercy, walk humbly with your God.

How shall our life fulfill God’s law so hard and high?

Let Christ endue our will with grace to fortify.

Then justly, in mercy, we’ll humbly walk with God.

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 among us, so go in peace.

Thanks be to God. Amen

Postlude  Chris Bartlette

“Trust,” Roger Summers

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

Where an * is indicated, please rise in body and/or in spirit.

“W & R” ~ the red Worship and Rejoice hymnal.

“PH” ~ the blue Presbyterian Hymnal

Scripture translations by the Rev. Dr. Wilda C. Gafney can be found in “A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church: Year W.”