Stewardship 4: Our Abundance

Sunday, November 10, 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 observes a poor widow give all she has to the Temple. What does he think about that? Do we give from our need or from our abundance?

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.

Stewardship 4

Our Abundance

Food Pantry 6th Anniversary Celebration

Psalm 146:1-10; Mark 12:38-44

Union Presbyterian Church

November 10, 2024

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

Liturgist: Pat Sullivan Preacher: Rev. Pat Raube

Welcome

Announcements Kevin Kelley

Prelude Chris Bartlette

“It Is Well With My Soul,” John Carter

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.  

* Call to Worship

The God of heaven has made a home on earth.

Christ dwells among us, and is one with us.

The highest in all creation lives among the least,

Christ journeys with the rejected and welcomes the weary.

Come now, all who thirst,

and drink the water of life.

Come now, all who hunger,

and be filled with good things.

Come now, all who seek,

and be warmed by the fire of love.

* Hymn #84 W & R

“O God, Our Help in Ages Past”

(Public Domain)

O God, our help in ages past,

Our hope for years to come,

Our shelter from the stormy blast,

And our eternal home.

Under the shadow of your throne

Your saints have dwelt secure;

Sufficient is your arm alone,

And our defense is sure.

Before the hills in order stood

Or earth received her frame,

From everlasting you are God,

To endless years the same.

A thousand ages in your sight

Are like an evening gone,

Short as the watch that ends the night

Before the rising sun.

Time, like an ever rolling stream,

Bears all of us away;

We fly, forgotten, as a dream

Dies at the opening day.

O God, our help in ages past,

Our hope for years to come,

Be now our guide while life shall last,

And our eternal home.

* Call to New Life

Our God is with, in, and among us, and knows every aspect of our unsettled souls. Let us turn to God for the healing our hearts need.

* 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 mercy. 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

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 (Responsive)

A responsive reading from the book of Psalms, Psalm 146.

Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
    I will sing praises to my God all my life long.

Do not put your trust in princes,
    in mortals, in whom there is no help.

When their breath departs, they return to the earth;
    on that very day their plans perish.

Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
    whose hope is in the Lord their God,
who made heaven and earth,
    the sea, and all that is in them;
who keeps faith forever;

   who executes justice for the oppressed;
    who gives food to the hungry.

The Lord sets the prisoners free;

   the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
    the Lord loves the righteous.

The Lord watches over the strangers;
    he upholds the orphan and the widow,
    but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

The Lord will reign forever,
    your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the Lord!

Time for Young Disciples Rev. Pat Raube

Music: “When the Poor Ones,” Miguel Manzano, José Antonio Olivar

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.  

Anthem Choir

“What I Have, I Will Give Thee,” Mark Patterson

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.  

I have no silver, I haven’t any gold,

I’ve no gifts to offer, no riches to bring.

Two copper coins, that is all that I hold;

What I have I will give Thee.

All that I own, all that you give me,

All the blessings of this life I bring.

Lord of all, my God and King,

What I have I will give Thee.

A humble servant of ordinary means,

I know not of wisemen or pundits, or kings,

But as I become what you made me to be,

What I have I will give Thee.

All that I am, all that I will be,

All Thy hand hath created in me.

Lord of all, my God and King,

What I have I will give Thee.

Lord of all, my God and King,

What I have I will give Thee.

Scripture Mark 12:38-44 (NRSVUE)

A reading from the Gospel according to Mark, beginning at chapter 12, verse 44.

As he taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

He sat down opposite the treasury and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Response  Holy Wisdom, Holy Word: 

Thanks be to God! 

Sermon “Our Abundance”

* Statement of Faith Adapted from the Shorter Westminster Catechism

Q. 9. What is the work of creation?

A. The work of creation is God’s making all things out of nothing,

by the word of God’s power… and all very good.

Q. 10. How did God create humanity?

A. God created humanity male and female, after God’s own image, in

knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over the creatures.

Q. 11. What are God’s works of providence?

A. God’s works of providence are the most holy, wise, and powerful

preserving and governing all God’s creatures, and all their actions.

* Hymn # 685 W & R

“What Gift Can We Bring,” Jane Marshall

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

What gift can we bring, what present, what token?
What words can convey it–the joy of this day?
When grateful we come, remembering, rejoicing,
What song can we offer in honor and praise?

Give thanks for the Past, for those who had vision,
Who planted and watered so dreams could come true.
Give thanks for the Now, for study, for worship,
For mission that bids us turn prayer into deed.

Give thanks for Tomorrow, full of surprises,
For knowing whatever Tomorrow may bring,
God gives us his word that always, forever,
We rest in his keeping and live in his love.

This gift we now bring, this present, this token,
These words can convey it–the joy of this day!
When grateful we come, remembering, rejoicing,
This song we now offer in honor and praise!

Minute for Mission

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 celebrate today six years of serving our neighbors with care, kindness, and consistency. We celebrate today a ministry of our congregation that changes lives. We celebrate the faithful volunteers at the pantry, who give the offerings of their time, their manual labor, and their compassion. And we celebrate the clients they serve, in all their glorious diversity and their vulnerability and their own desire to show up to help, to be part of the solution. This is just one piece of the gospel work of Union Presbyterian Church, but it is an important piece. So we celebrate it! On the day, as we dedicate our pledges for the work of our congregation next year, we lift up this beautiful ministry. Join me as, with joy and hope, we bring our tithes and offerings.

* 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 of Our Pledges for 2025

The earth is the Lord’s, and all that is in it. 
We remember, mighty God, 

and give thanks for all the gifts of your creation. 
We offer our thanks, for you are good; your steadfast love endures forever. 

We give thanks, God our Maker,  

and we release the anxiety that tells us that we are not enough. 
You love a cheerful giver.  
We give you thanks, generous God,  

and reimagine our lives enriched by the joy of giving. 

We give you thanks, God of all abundance,

for the ministry of feeding with which you have entrusted us.

We give you thanks, loving God, for the privilege of serving our neighbors.

Accept our gifts, Lord God, and bless them. 
Accept our offerings, Mighty One, and make them fruitful. 
Take these gifts, Creating God, and use them to do your work in the world. 
Take the works of our hands, Giving One,  

and let our footprints upon this earth be gentle and nurturing.  
Restore us, O God, restore all of who we are to you. 

Let us be the people you have created and called us to be. 

For yours is the glory, Holy One of Israel. 
We restore to you what is yours, in the name of Christ our Lord. Amen. 

* Hymn # 444 W & R

“Rain Down,” Jaime Cortez

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.      

Rain down, rain down,

Rain down your love on your people.

Rain down, rain down,

Rain down your love, God of life.

Faithful and true is the word of our God.

All of God’s works are so worthy of trust.

God’s mercy falls on the just and the right;

Full of God’s love is the earth.

Rain down, rain down,

Rain down your love on your people.

Rain down, rain down,

Rain down your love, God of life.

We who revere and find hope in our God

Live in the kindness and joy of God’s wing.

God will protect us from darkness and death;

God will not leave us to starve.

Rain down, rain down,

Rain down your love on your people.

Rain down, rain down,

Rain down your love, God of life.

God of creation, we long for your truth;

You are the water of life that we thirst.

Grant that your love and your peace touch our hearts,

All of our hope lies in you.

Rain down, rain down,

Rain down your love on your people.

Rain down, rain down,

Rain down your love, God of life.

* 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

"God of Our Fathers,” Alex-Zsolt

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

Call to Worship, Prayer for Wholeness and Peace, and Benediction from the Iona Community, Scotland.