Guest Preacher Rev. Bob Heinle: Aggressive Love

Sunday, August 27, 2023
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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In this morning’s passage from the gospel according to Matthew, Jesus observes the great need of people for leadership, healing, and caring, and notes that “the harvest is great, but the laborers are few.” He then proceeds to send his apostles out into that harvest, on a mission of preaching, teaching, healing, and casting out demons.

This morning we welcome the Rev. Bob Heinle to the UPC pulpit! Bob served as a pastor and teacher, as well as co-chairing the presbytery’s Committee on Ministry, prior to his retirement. He continues to provide pulpit ministry to local churches.

Join us for worship in our beautiful (air conditioned!) sanctuary, or right here online. Worship videos are available here or on Youtube following the service. You are invited!

Aggressive Love

Romans 5:6-11; Matthew 9:35-10:15

August 27, 2023

Union Presbyterian Church

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

Liturgist: Peg Corwin Preacher: Rev. Bob Heinle

WELCOME

ANNOUNCEMENTS Peg Corwin

PRELUDE Chris Bartlette

“Our Hearts in Christian Love,” Mark Roberts

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

*CALL TO WORSHIP (responsive) Peg Corwin

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage;

yea, wait for the Lord! Let us worship God!

*HYMN #244 PH

“Let Us with a Gladsome Mind”

(Public Domain)

Let us with a gladsome mind
Praise the Lord who is so kind:
For God's mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

God, with all commanding might,
Filled the new-made world with light:
For God's mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

All things living God does feed,
With full measure meets their need:
For God's mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

Let us with a gladsome mind
Praise the Lord, who is so kind:
For God's mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

*CALL TO NEW LIFE

*PRAYER FOR WHOLENESS AND PEACE (unison) Based on Psalm 130

Out of the depths we call to you. Lord, hear our cry. Let your ears be attentive to our plea. If you, O Lord, should keep an account of sin, who could stand? But in you there is forgiveness and we honor you. We wait for the Lord with all our being. In God’s word we hope. We look for the Lord more eagerly than a watchman looks for the morning: for with the Lord is steadfast love and plenteous redemption, and the Lord will save us from all our sins. Amen.

*WORDS OF ASSURANCE (responsive)

If anyone is in Christ, he or she becomes a new person altogether!

The past is finished and gone; everything has become fresh and new.

Friends, believe the Good News of the Gospel!

In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. 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 READING Romans 5:6-11

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely

will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone

might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. Much more surely, therefore, since we have now been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

TIME FOR YOUNG DISCIPLES Rev. Bob Heinle

Music: “So Send I You,” John W. Peterson

Used by permission, CCLI license #CSPL068847

SCRIPTURE READING Matthew 9:35-10:15

Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not take a road leading to gentiles, and do not enter a Samaritan town, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Cure the sick; raise the dead; cleanse those with a skin disease; cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff, for laborers deserve their food. Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. As you enter the house, greet it. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

RESPONSE: Holy Wisdom, Holy Word 

Thanks be to God! 

SERMON “Aggressive Love” Rev. Bob Heinle

*AN AFFIRMATION OF FAITH From the Brief Statement of Faith, PC(USA)

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 the Holy Spirit, everywhere the giver and renewer of life. The Spirit justifies us by grace through faith, sets us free to accept ourselves and to love God and neighbor, and binds us together with all believers in the one body of Christ, the Church. The same Spirit who inspired the prophets and apostles rules our faith and life in Christ through Scripture, engages us through the Word proclaimed, claims us in the waters of baptism, feeds us with the bread of life and the cup of salvation, and calls women and men to all ministries of the Church. In a broken and fearful world the Spirit gives us courage to pray without ceasing, to witness among all peoples to Christ as Lord and Savior, to unmask idolatries in Church and culture, to hear the voices of peoples long silenced, and to work with others for justice, freedom, and peace.

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. 

ANTHEM  

“O Breath of Life”

(Public Domain)

O Breath of Life, come sweeping through us,
Revive your church with life and power;
O Breath of Life, come, cleanse, renew us,
And fit your church to meet this hour.

O Wind of God, come bend us, break us,
Till humbly we confess our need;
Then in your tenderness remake us,
Revive, restore—for this we plead.

O Breath of Love, come breathe within us,
Renewing thought and will and heart;
Come, Love of Christ, afresh to win us,
Revive your church in every part!

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE  

THE LORD’S PRAYER (Traditional Version)  

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 

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

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. Bob Heinle

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   

*HYMN  #376 PH

“Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”

(Public Domain)

Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heaven to earth come down,
Fix in us Thy humble dwelling,
All Thy faithful mercies crown!
Jesus, Thou art all compassion,
Pure, unbounded love Thou art;
Visit us with Thy salvation,
Enter every trembling heart.

Breathe, O breathe Thy loving Spirit
Into every troubled breast!
Let us all in Thee inherit,
Let us find that second rest;
Take away the love of sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
End of faith, as its beginning,
Set our hearts at liberty.

Come, Almighty to deliver,
Let us all Thy life receive;
Suddenly return, and never,
Nevermore Thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
Serve Thee as Thy hosts above,
Pray, and praise Thee without ceasing,
Glory in Thy perfect love.

Finish, then, Thy new creation;
Pure and spotless let us be;
Let us see Thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in Thee;
Changed from glory into glory,
Till in heaven we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before Thee,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise.

*BENEDICTION  

POSTLUDE Chris Bartlette

"Lead On, O King Eternal,” Gregg Sewell

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   