Join us this morning as our young people lead us in worship, sharing the story of God our Creator! Our young people will serve as readers, ushers, and musicians, welcoming us all and sharing their gifts with the congregation. You can join us in our beautiful sanctuary, or right here online. You are invited!
Ordinary Time: God Our Creator
Psalm 8; Genesis 1:1-2:4
Union Presbyterian Church
June 11, 2023
Sharing the Light of Christ, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
Liturgist: Youth of UPC Preacher: Rev. Pat Raube
Announcements Rev. Pat Raube
Prelude
“Hot Cross Buns” Xavier Fletcher, viola
“For Those Tears I Died” by Marsha J. Stevens Channel Rivera, vocals
“Romance” by Peter llyich Tchaikovsky Arianna Neal, piano
Welcome Rev. Pat Raube
Call to Worship (responsive) Jay Rivera
Rejoice in the Lord! God loves you!
God loves us!
How cool is it, that the same God
who created mountains and oceans and galaxies,
decided the world needed one of you, too.
God created us!
How amazing: Our Creator God!
It’s time to give God all our attention
and all our praise!
Hymn #23 W & R
“All Creatures of Our God and King”
(Public Domain)
All creatures of our God and King,
Lift up your voice and with us sing
Alleluia, Alleluia!
O burning sun with golden beam,
And silver moon with softer gleam,
O praise him, O praise him,
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
O rushing wind that art so strong,
You clouds that sail in heaven along,
O praise him, Alleluia!
O rising morn in praise rejoice,
O lights of evening, find a voice,
O praise him, O praise him,
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
O flowing water, pure and clear,
Make music for your Lord to hear,
Alleluia, Alleluia!
O fire so masterful and bright,
Providing us with warmth and light,
O praise him, O praise him,
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
All you who are of tender heart,
Forgiving others, take your part,
Sing praises, Alleluia!
All you who pain and sorrow bear,
Praise God and on him cast your care,
O praise him, O praise him,
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Let all things their Creator bless,
And worship him in humbleness,
O praise him, Alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three in One,
O praise him, O praise him,
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Call to New Life Arianna Neal
God promises to love us, not because we’re perfect, not because we’re good all the time, but because God IS love. Let’s trust God to help us when we need it most.
Prayer for Wholeness and Peace
God of love, every day you open your arms wider and wider, welcoming everybody. But that’s not enough for us! We still turn away, we still doubt your love. You tell us that you love all people, and our response is, “Even them?” We think goodness shows on the outside, but you remind us that you welcome everyone—even people we don’t think belong. Help us, God. Heal our hearts, so that we can trust you, and love everyone, just as you do. Amen.
Words of Assurance
Even at our worst, God loves us.
Even when we can’t forgive ourselves, God forgives and heals us.
The mercy of God is from forever to forever.
The Lord is kind and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.
God loves us, God makes us whole.
Let’s imitate God: Let’s love and forgive, too. Thanks be to God! Amen.
Sharing of the Peace Ben Mann
O God, teach us to be still, and to know that you are God.
Teach us to be still, and to rest in your presence.
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 Genesis 1:1-2:4 Common English Bible
Pat: A reading from the Book of Genesis, beginning at chapter one, verse one.
First Reader: Jay Rivera
When God began to create the heavens and the earth— the earth was without shape or form, it was dark over the deep sea, and God’s wind swept over the waters—God said, “Let there be light.”
And so light appeared. God saw how good the light was. God separated the light from the darkness. God named the light Day and the darkness Night. There was evening and there was morning: the first day.
Second Reader: Channel Rivera
God said, “Let there be a dome in the middle of the waters to separate the waters from each other.” God made the dome and separated the waters under the dome from the waters above the dome. And it happened in that way. God named the dome Sky.
There was evening and there was morning: the second day.
Third Reader: Ben Mann
God said, “Let the waters under the sky come together into one place so that the dry land can appear.” And that’s what happened. God named the dry land Earth, and he named the gathered waters Seas. God saw how good it was. God said, “Let the earth grow plant life: plants yielding seeds and fruit trees bearing fruit with seeds inside it, each according to its kind throughout the earth.” And that’s what happened. The earth produced plant life: plants yielding seeds, each according to its kind, and trees bearing fruit with seeds inside it, each according to its kind. God saw how good it was.
There was evening and there was morning: the third day.
Fourth Reader: Mahkayla Fletcher
God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night. They will mark events, holy seasons, days, and years. They will be lights in the dome of the sky to shine on the earth.” And that’s what happened. God made the stars and two great lights: the larger light to rule over the day and the smaller light to rule over the night. God put them in the dome of the sky to shine on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. God saw how good it was.
There was evening and there was morning: the fourth day.
Fifth Reader: Xavier Fletcher
God said, “Let the waters swarm with living things, and let birds fly above the earth up in the dome of the sky.” God created the great sea animals and all the tiny living things that swarm in the waters, each according to its kind, and all the winged birds, each according to its kind. God saw how good it was. Then God blessed them: “Be fertile and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.”
There was evening and there was morning: the fifth day.
Sixth Reader: Arianna Neal
God said, “Let the earth produce every kind of living thing: livestock, crawling things, and wildlife.” And that’s what happened. God made every kind of wildlife, every kind of livestock, and every kind of creature that crawls on the ground. God saw how good it was.
Then God said, “Let us make humanity in our image to resemble us so that they may take charge of the fish of the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and all the crawling things on earth.”
God created humanity in God’s own image,
in the divine image God created them,
male and female God created them.
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and master it. Take charge of the fish of the sea, the birds in the sky, and everything crawling on the ground.” Then God said, “I now give to you all the plants on the earth that yield seeds and all the trees whose fruit produces its seeds within it. These will be your food. To all wildlife, to all the birds in the sky, and to everything crawling on the ground—to everything that breathes—I give all the green grasses for food.” And that’s what happened. God saw everything God had made: it was supremely good. There was evening and there was morning: the sixth day.
Seventh Reader: Pat Raube
The heavens and the earth and all who live in them were completed. On the sixth day God completed all the work that God had done, and on the seventh day God rested from all the work that God had done. God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all the work of creation. This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created.
Response Holy Wisdom, Holy Word
Thanks be to God!
Time for Young Disciples “God Our Creator”
Music: “What A Friend We Have In Jesus,” Melody Bober
© 2008, Alfred Publishing Co.
Used by permission, CCLI License #CSPL068847
Affirmation of Faith From “A Brief Statement of Faith,” PCUSA
In life and in death we belong to God. Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel, whom alone we worship and serve.
We trust in God, whom Jesus called Abba, Father. In sovereign love God created the world good and makes everyone equally in God’s image, male and female, of every race and people, to live as one community. But we rebel against God; we hide from our Creator. Ignoring God’s commandments, we violate the image of God in others and ourselves, accept lies as truth, exploit neighbor and nature, and threaten death to the planet entrusted to our care. We deserve God’s condemnation. Yet God acts with justice and mercy to redeem creation. In everlasting love, the God of Abraham and Sarah chose a covenant people to bless all families of the earth. Hearing their cry, God delivered the children of Israel from the house of bondage. Loving us still, God makes us heirs with Christ of the covenant. Like a mother who will not forsake her nursing child, like a father who runs to welcome the prodigal home, God is faithful still.
With believers in every time and place, we rejoice that nothing in life or in death can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Hymn #29 W & R
“God of the Sparrow,” Carl Schalk
©1983, GIA Publications, All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.
License #A-728112. All rights reserved.
God of the sparrow, God of the whale,
God of the swirling stars.
How does the creature say Awe?
How does the creature say Praise?
God of the earthquake, God of the storm,
God of the trumpet blast.
How does the creature cry Woe?
How does the creature cry Save?
God of the rainbow, God of the cross,
God of the empty grave.
How does the creature say Grace?
How does the creature say Thanks?
God of the hungry, God of the sick,
God of the prodigal.
How does the creature say Care?
How does the creature say Life?
God of the neighbor, God of the foe,
God of the pruning hook.
How does the creature say Love?
How does the creature say Peace?
God of the ages, God near at hand,
God of the loving heart.
How do your children say Joy?
How do your children say Home?
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 #475 W & R
“Eternal Spirit of the Living Christ,” Frank von Christierson
©1974, Hope Publishing Company, All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.
License #A-728112. All rights reserved.
Come with the vision and the strength I need
To serve my God, and all humanity;
Fulfillment of my life in love outpoured—
My life in you, O Christ, your love in me.
Call for Offering Rev. Pat Raube
Doxology
“Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow,” Brian Wren
©1989, Hope Publishing Company, All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.
License #A-728112. All rights reserved.
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 #389 W & R
“Put Peace Into Each Other’s Hands,” Fred Kaan
©1989, Hope Publishing Company, All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.
License #A-728112. All rights reserved.
Put peace into each other's hands
And like a treasure hold it;
Protect it like a candle flame,
With tenderness enfold it.
Put peace into each other's hands
With loving expectation;
Be gentle in your words and ways,
In touch with God's creation.
Put peace into each other's hands,
Like bread we break for sharing;
Look people warmly in the eye:
Our life is meant for caring.
As at communion, shape your hands
Into a waiting cradle;
The gift of Christ receive, revere,
United round the table.
Put Christ into each other's hands,
He is love's deepest measure;
In love make peace, give peace a chance
And share it like a treasure.
Benediction Youth and Rev. Pat
Postlude
“Shine, Jesus, Shine,” Graham Kendrick.
© 1987, Make Way Music.
Used by permission, CCLI License #CSPL068847
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