Easter 7: Guest Preacher the Rev. Jim Martin

Sunday, May 12, 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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We give a warm welcome to the Rev. Jim Martin, who comes to preach while Rev. Pat is away. We continue to preach the stories and themes of the Easter Season.

Join us throughout this Easter Season as we wonder together what it might mean to life be an Easter people. Join us in our beautiful sanctuary, or right here online. Worship is live-streamed; videos are available here or on Youtube following the service.

7th Sunday in the Easter Season

Signs and Nicknames

Psalm 16; John 20:1-10, 24-31

Union Presbyterian Church

May 12, 2024

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

Liturgist: Doug Moore Preacher: Rev. Jim Martin

Welcome

Announcements Doug Moore

Prelude Angel and Colin DeLap

“You Say,” Marcia Wells

Used by permission, CCLI License #CSPL068847

*Call to Worship based on Psalm 95 (responsive)

Come, let us worship and bow down;

let us kneel before God our Maker.

We are the people of his pasture;

we are the sheep under his care;

Harden not your hearts, but hear God’s voice;

O Lord, speak, for we have come to listen and be led.

*Hymn #502 W & R

“Be Thou My Vision,” Jack Schrader

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

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.

Be thou my Wisdom, and thou my true Word,
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord;
Thou and thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my Treasure thou art.

High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

*Call to New Life

Someone passes by and ‘shakes our cage’

the disturbance pulls us out of our familiar rut

We are told a new order is coming: ‘Get Ready’

suddenly, it’s clear we are on a dead-end street

Turn around and go the other way! Follow that Shepherd!

*Prayer for Wholeness and Peace

Holy Shepherd, we confess that we do not always hear your voice, nor follow your direction. Like stubborn sheep, we make our own path, thinking to know what is best. Forgive our disobedience, O God, and strengthen us in love, so that we may serve you as a faithful people, and live together in your joy, through Jesus’ Name we pray.

(silent confession)

*Words of Assurance

Even if our sins stain us like the worst stain,

The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all unrighteousness and brings his forgiving love home everywhere in our lives.

Friends, believe the Good News –

In Jesus Christ we are forgiven and made new!

* Gloria Patri #734 W & R

(Public Domain)

Glory be to the Father,
And to the Son,
And to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning,
Is now, and ever shall be,
World without end.
Amen. 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 16

A reading from the Book of Psalms, Psalm 16.

Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;

I have no good apart from you.”

As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble,
in whom is all my delight.

Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names upon my lips.

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

I have a goodly heritage.

I bless the Lord, who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.

I keep the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;
my body also rests secure.
For you do not give me up to Sheol
or let your faithful one see the Pit.

You show me the path of life.
In your presence there is fullness of joy;
in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Time for Young Disciples Rev. Jim Martin

Music: “Rejoice in the Lord Always”

(Public Domain)

Anthem Choir

“Then Sings My Soul,” Mary McDonald

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

O Lord, my God! When I in awesome wonder

Consider all the worlds thy hands have made,

I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,

Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

When through the woods and forest glades I wander,

And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees,

When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,

And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze.

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee:

How great thou art, how great thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee:

How great thou art, how great thou art!

And when I think that God, his Son not sparing,

Sent him to die, I scarce can take it in,

That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,

He bled and died to take away my sin.

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation

And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!

Then I shall bow in humble adoration,

And there proclaim, “My God, how great thou art!”

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee:

How great thou art, how great thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee:

How great thou art, how great thou art!

Scripture John 20:1-10, 24-31

A reading from the Gospel according to John, beginning at chapter 20, verse 1.

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

Response  Holy Wisdom, Holy Word: 

Thanks be to God! 

Sermon “Signs and Nicknames” Rev. Jim Martin

*Affirmation of Faith

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; he descended to the grave; the third day he rose gain from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and is seated on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

*Hymn #593 W & R

“Lord, Speak to Me”

(Public Domain)

Lord, speak to me, that I may speak
In living echoes of your tone;
As you have sought, so let me seek
Your wandering children, lost, alone.

O lead me, Lord, that I may lead
The stumbling and the straying feet;
And feed me, Lord, that I may feed
Your hungry ones with manna sweet.

O teach me, Lord, that I may teach
The precious things which you impart;
And wing my words, that they may reach
The hidden depths of many a heart.

O fill me with your fullness, Lord,
Until my heart shall overflow
In kindling thought and glowing word,

Your love to tell, your praise to show.

Minute for Mission Peg Corwin

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 

“Glory Be to God, Creator,” Richard K. Carlson  

Glory be to God, Creator,  

Glory be to God the Son,  

Glory be to God the Spirit,  

Known as Three, yet God the One. 

Call for Offering

The Offering

*Doxology

“Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow” 

(Public Domain) 

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; 
Praise him, all creatures here below; 
Praise him above, ye heavenly host: 
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. 

*Prayer of Dedication

*Hymn  #398 W & R

“O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus”

(Public Domain)

O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!
Rolling as a mighty ocean
In its fullness over me!
Underneath me, all around me,
Is the current of thy love–
Leading onward, leading homeward,
To thy glorious rest above!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus–
Spread his praise from shore to shore!
How he loves us, ever loves us,
Changes never, nevermore!
How he watches o'er his loved ones,
Died to call them all his own;
How for them he's interceding,
Watching o'er them from the throne!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
Love of every love the best!
'Tis an ocean vast of blessing,
'Tis a haven sweet of rest!
O the deep, deep love of Jesus–
'Tis a heaven of heavens to me;
And it lifts me up to glory,
For it lifts me up to thee!

*Benediction

Postlude  Angel and Colin DeLap

“This Little Light of Mine,” Joel Raney

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

Cover Image: