Stewardship 2: The Impossible Ask

Sunday, October 13, 2024
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 encounters a rich young man who is sincerely seeking to be closer to God and to walk in the paths of righteousness. When Jesus gives him the final prescription for how to attain that, the young man is incapable of doing it, and leaves in sorrow. The path to righteousness seems impossibly narrow. But here’s the question: Who among us could have said yes? And what does that mean for those of us who seek to follow Jesus here and now?

You can join us for worship in our beautiful sanctuary, or right here online. Worship is live-streamed; videos are available here or on Youtube following the service. You are invited! You are always welcome.

The Impossible Ask

Psalm 90:12-17; Mark 10:17-31

Union Presbyterian Church

October 13, 2024

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

Liturgist: Cindy Surrena Preacher: Rev. Pat Raube

Welcome

Announcements Cindy Surrena

Prelude Chris Bartlette

“Have Thine Own Way, Lord,” Gregg Sewell

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.  

* Call to Worship

The word of God is alive and active,
sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow;
it can judge our thoughts and intentions of our hearts.

We cannot hide
for we are naked and laid bare
to the one whom we must render an account.

Let us hold fast to our confession before Jesus who was tested as you and I
and yet was without sin.

We approach the throne of grace with boldness,
so that we may receive mercy
and find grace to help in our time of need.

* Hymn # 288 PH

“I Sing the Mighty Power of God”

(Public Domain)

I sing the mighty power of God
That made the mountains rise;
That spread the flowing seas abroad
And built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained
The sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at God’s command,
And all the stars obey.

I sing the goodness of the Lord
That filled the earth with food;
God formed the creatures with a word
And then pronounced them good.
Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed,
Where’er I turn my eyes;
If I survey the ground I tread,
Or gaze upon the skies!

There’s not a plant or flower below
But makes Thy glories known;
And clouds arise, and tempests blow,
By order from Thy throne;
While all that borrows life from Thee
Is ever in Thy care,
And everywhere that we can be,
Thou, God, art present there.

* Call to New Life

Jesus calls upon us today to take notice of how possessions direct our lives and distract us from his mission. Let us open our hearts to ponder this challenge.

* Prayer for Wholeness and Peace

Almighty and Holy One,
we cannot begin to count all our possessions.
We have things in our closets, our attics, and our basements.
We have things tucked away in boxes we haven’t opened in years,
and still we acquire more.
We have so much stuff and yet, there are those in our communities
who can fit all their worldly possessions in a shopping cart.
We know that you, O God,

will defend the poor and come to them in their need.
But we, O God, need your forgiveness
for we are more attached to our things than we willingly acknowledge.
Help us confront our attachment to possessions more honestly
so we can share our own abundance more equitably. Amen.

* Words of Assurance

The Lord is kind and merciful.

God overflows with steadfast love.

By the love and mercy of God, we are forgiven and made whole!

Thanks be to God! Amen!

* Sharing of the Peace

Things do not give us peace—if anything, tending them, accounting for them, organizing them can fill us with anxiety.

Only the Spirit can descend upon us with 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 90:12-17 (NRSVUE)

A responsive reading from the Psalter, Psalm 90, beginning at verse 12.

So teach us to count our days
    that we may gain a wise heart.

Turn, O Lord! How long?
    Have compassion on your servants!

Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
    so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us
    and as many years as we have seen evil.

Let your work be manifest to your servants
    and your glorious power to their children.

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us
    and prosper for us the work of our hands—
    O prosper the work of our hands!

Time for Young Disciples Rev. Pat Raube

Music: “Give Thanks,” Henry Smith

Used by permission, CCLI license #CSPL068847

Anthem Choir

“Consecrated, Lord, to Thee,” Lloyd Larson

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.  

Take my life and let it be

Consecrated, Lord to Thee.

Take my moments and my days;

Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my hands and let them move

At the impulse of Thy love.

Take my feed and let them be

Swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice and let me sing

Always, only, for my King.

Take my lips and let them be

Filled with messages from Thee.

Take my silver and my gold;

Not a mite would I withhold.

Take my intellect and use

Every power as Thou shall choose.

Use my heart, my mind and will.

Through my life Thy plans fulfill.

Use my life: my talents, time, my all.

May I hear They holy sovereign call.

Lord, take my will, and make it Thine;

It shall be no longer mine.

Take my heart, it is Thine own;

It shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love, my Lord, I pour

At Thy feet its treasure store.

Take myself and I will be

Ever, only, all for Thee.

Take my life and let it be

Consecrated, Lord, Lord, to Thee.

Scripture Mark 10:17-31 (NRSVUE)

A reading from the Gospel according to Mark, beginning at chapter 10, verse 17.

As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness. You shall not defraud. Honor your father and mother.’ ” He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.” Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” They were greatly astounded and said to one another, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”

Peter began to say to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the good news who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

Response  Holy Wisdom, Holy Word: 

Thanks be to God! 

Sermon “The Impossible Ask”

* Statement of Faith A Creed by the Rev. Mary Luti

We believe in the God of Life, whose breath is in us

and whose mercy encircles the creation.

We believe in Jesus Christ, who loved us indestructibly

and who shared our pain.

He is with us now as he promised, even to the end of the age.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, who welcomes us

into the household of faith, gives us gifts in abundance,

enlivens our hearts with joy, and urges us into the world

to testify without fear to God’s justice and grace.

Hoping against hope for the promised realm of peace,

we love one another while we live,

we honor every creature God has made,

we stand against the power of sin and death,

and we bless the earth and all that fills it.

Glory, thanks and praise be yours,

O Living God, now and forever!

Amen.

* Hymn # 339 PH

“Be Thou My Vision”

(Public Domain)

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art–
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Riches I heed not, nor vain empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
Great God of heaven, my treasure Thou art.

Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.

Minute for Mission: Stewardship

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 #489 W & R

“Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying” Ken Medema

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.  

Lord, listen to your children praying,

Lord, send your Spirit in this place;

Lord, listen to your children praying,

Send us love, send us power, send us grace.

Call for Offering

We should not forget that our offering should be
the first fruits of our labors which we dedicate to God.
Not only do we honor God by this offering,
but it also helps us not to keep the best of what we have for ourselves.
By giving our first fruits to God,
we help to ensure that those who have little will receive something
and we who have much do not keep it entirely for ourselves.

Let us bring offerings of our lives, labor, and love.

* 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

Generous God, we thank you for all that we have
for all of it comes from you.
We gratefully return a portion of what we have to you.
May our offerings sustain and support
the work of this church to close the disparity
between those who have much and those who have little
in this community. We pray in your holy name. Amen.

* Hymn # 405 PH

“What Does the Lord Require?” Albert Bayly, Erik Routley

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.

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

May God bless us. May God keep us in the Spirit’s care,

and lead our lives with love.

May Christ’s warm welcome shine from our hearts,

and Christ’s own peace prevail through this and every day,

till greater life shall call. Amen.

Postlude Chris Bartlette

“We Bow Down,” Mark Hayes

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

Call to Worship, Prayer for Wholeness and Peace, Call for Offering, and Prayer of Dedication taken or adapted from Worship-Way, lectionary-based worship resources from the United Church of Christ.