Royals

Sunday, August 7, 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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Ah, the royals. The parties they throw. The revenge they get. We leave the byways of Galilee with Jesus and his disciples and find ourselves at the birthday party of none other than King Herod Antipas. There is a dance. There is a promise. And there are gruesome consequences.

We enjoy a kind of party of our own today, worshiping outside (weather permitting). It will be very different from Herod’s bash. And 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 on our Liberty Avenue parking lot (weather permitting). Later Sunday afternoon or evening, you can find the worship video here or on our YouTube page. We are glad to have you with us for this adventure—all are welcome!

Royals

Psalm 146, Mark 6:14-29

Union Presbyterian Church

August 7, 2022

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

Liturgist: Peg Williams Preacher: Rev. Pat Raube

Prelude “How Beautiful,” Twila Paris Colin DeLap

Used by permission, CCLI License #CSPL068847

Welcome Rev. Pat Raube

Call to Worship

Let the heavens be glad

and the earth rejoice:

God will reign forever and ever.

God has established the world,

and God’s realm will never be shaken.

God will reign forever and ever.

God will judge the world with righteousness

and the peoples with equity.

God will reign forever and ever.

Hymn #6 W & R “Let the Whole Creation Cry” (Public Domain)

Let the whole creation cry,
"Glory to the Lord on high!"
Heaven and earth, awake and sing,
"Praise to our almighty King!"
Praise him, angle hosts above,
Ever bright and fair in love;
Sun and moon, lift up your voice;
Night and stars, in God rejoice.

Christian striving for the Lord,
Prophets burning with his Word,
Those to whom the arts belong
Add their voices to the song.
Those of knowledge and of law,
To the glorious circle draw;
All who work and all who wait,
Sing, "The Lord is good and great!"

Men and women, young and old,
Raise the anthem loud and bold,
And let children's happy hearts
In this worship bear their parts;
From the north to southern pole
Let the mighty chorus roll:
“Holy, Holy, Holy One,
Glory be to God alone!”

Call to New Life

Prayer for Wholeness and Peace

Eternal God, maker of the skies above, lowly Christ, born amidst the growing earth, Spirit of life, wind over the flowing waters, in earth, sea and sky, you are there. O hidden mystery, sun behind all suns, soul behind all souls, in everything we touch, in everyone we meet, your presence is around us, and we give you thanks. But when we have not touched but trampled you in creation, when we have not met but missed you in one another,

when we have not received but rejected you in the poor, forgive us, and hear now our plea for healing. 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 offer one another a sign of God’s peace.

Scripture Psalm 146

Hallelujah! Praise the Ageless One, O my soul!

I will praise the Ever-Living God all my life;

I will sing praises to my God throughout my living.

Put not your trust in the great, nor in any child of earth,

for there is no help in them.

When they breathe their last, they return to earth,

and in that day their thoughts perish.

Happy are these for whom the God of Rebekah’s line is their help,

whose hope is in the Creator of All, their God.

Maker of heavens and earth, the seas, and all that is in them;

keeping faith forever.

Bringer of justice to the oppressed,

bringer of bread to the hungry;

the Compassionate God sets the prisoners free.

The All-Seeing God opens the eyes of the blind,

the Just God lifts up those who are bowed down;

the Righteous God loves the righteous.

The Mother of All cares for the stranger,

orphan and widow she bears up,

but the way of the wicked she confounds.

The Majestic One shall reign forever,

your God, O Zion, from generation to generation. Hallelujah!

Children’s Message

Music: “Rejoice in the Lord Always” (Public Domain)

Scripture Mark 6:14-29

Now King Herod heard of [the teaching of Jesus], for Jesus’ name had become known and some were saying, “John the Baptizer has been raised from the dead and that is why these powers work through him.” Yet other said, “It is Elijah,” while others said “It is a prophet, like one of the prophets [of old].” But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.”

For Herod himself had sent men who seized John and bound him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, for Herod had married her. For John had told Herod, “It is not right for you to have your brother’s wife.” Now Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to kill him. But she could not. This is because Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous man and a holy man and he protected him and listened to him, thought greatly perplexed; yet it pleased him to listen to him.

Now an opportune time came on Herod’s birthday when he gave a banquet for his courtiers and commanders and for the leaders of Galilee. And Herod’s daughter Herodias came in and danced, pleasing Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” And he swore to her repeatedly, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half my kingdom.” And she went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask?” She replied, “The head of John the baptizer.” Immediately she returned to the king with haste and asked, saying, “I want immediately for you to give me on a platter the head of John the baptizer.” The king was deeply sorry, yet because of his oaths and the guests, he did not want to refuse her. Immediately the king sent a soldier under orders to bring John’s head. And he went and beheaded him in the prison. And he brought the head on a platter and gave it to the girl and the girl gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.

Response Holy Wisdom, Holy Word:

Thanks be to God!

Meditation Rev. Pat Raube

Hymn  “O Healing River,” Michael Joncas

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

O healing river,

Send down your waters,

Send down your waters

Upon this land.

O healing river,

Send down your waters,

And wash the blood

From off the sand.

This land is parching,

This land is burning,

No seed is growing

In the barren ground.

O healing river,

Send down your waters,

O healing river,

Send your waters down.

Let the seed of freedom,

Awake and flourish,

Let the deep roots nourish,

Let the tall stalks rise.

O healing river,

Send down your waters,

O healing river,

From out of the skies.

The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper

The Invitation

The Great Thanksgiving

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

The Words of Institution

…Our thankful praise, which we call out now,

in concert with angel choirs, and the faithful who came before us

and the peoples yet unborn who join in our song:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might.

Heaven and earth are filled with your glory:

Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord:

Hosanna in the highest!

Prayers of the People

…Loving God, you cause rain to fall on the just and the unjust,

Hear our prayers for your church and your world.

For the hungry and the overfed,

may we have enough.

For the mourners and the mockers,

may we laugh together.

For the victims and the oppressors,

may we share power wisely.

For the peacemakers and the warmongers,

may clear truth and stern love lead us to harmony.

For the silenced and the propagandists,

may we speak our own words in truth.

For the unemployed and the overworked,

may our mark on this earth be kindly and creative.

For the troubled and the secure,

may we live together as wounded healers.

For the homeless and the pampered,

may all know the dignity of safety and security.

For the vibrant and the dying,

may we all know the life abundant that can only be found

in knowing we are loved by you.

Invocation of the Spirit

…Blood in hospitals, on battlefields, even in your church,

Fire sweeping over crops, and forests

Flames that hiss in politics and pulpits

The broken, the wounded, the naked

Show us how to hold them.

The hungry, the homeless, the lost,

Show us how to feed them.

The world, the nation, our cities small and large,

Show us how to imbue them with your love.

Our lives, this day and always,

Show us how to walk with you

Our lives, this day and always,

Show us how to live for you

Our lives this day and always,

Show us how to preach you

Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

Show us how to praise you and pray to you

Until you come again.

We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, praying as he taught us,

debtors, trespassers, and sinners together:

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.

The Communion

O taste and see the goodness of the Lord!

Happy are those who rest in God.

Music: “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace,” Lloyd Larson.

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE. 

Prayer of Thanksgiving After Communion

We praise you God that you turn us loose to go with you beyond the edges of our experience, to welcome the new, to see our possibilities, to accept our limits, and yet to begin living to the limit of passion and compassion until, released by joy, we live into your reign of grace and justice and mercy. Amen.

Hymn  #709 W & R “Hallelujah, We Sing Your Praises”

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

Hallelujah! We sing your praises,