Bread from Heaven

Sunday, August 4, 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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In this morning’s gospel lesson, the people Jesus has fed connect that experience to Moses providing manna to the people in the wilderness. Then, Jesus reminds them that it was—and is—God who feeds us, body, soul, and heart.

Please 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.

18th Sunday in the Ordinary Time

Bread from Heaven

Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15; John 6:24-35

Union Presbyterian Church

August 4, 2024

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

Liturgist: Doug Moore Preacher: Rev. Pat Raube

Welcome

Announcements Doug Moore

Prelude Colin DeLap

“Brethren, We Have Met To Worship,” George Atkins and William Moore.

Used by permission, CCLI License #CSPL068847

* Call to Worship (responsive, from Psalm 78) Doug Moore

Hear God’s holy teaching, good people of God.

We will open our ears to God’s Word.

I will open my mouth in a parable,

declaring God’s mysteries from ancient times.

We will recount to the generations to come

the praiseworthy deeds and power of the Lord,

and the wonderful works God has done!

* Hymn #55 W & R

“Great God Your Love Has Called Us Here,” Brian Wren, Erik Routley

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.  

Great God, your love has called us here,
As we, by love, for love were made.
Your living likeness still we bear,
Though marred, dishonored, disobeyed.
We come, with all our heart and mind
Your call to hear, your love to find.

We come with self-inflicted pains
Of broken trust and chosen wrong,
Half-free, half-bound by inner chains,
By social forces swept along,
By powers and systems close confined,
Yet seeking hope for humankind.

Great God, in Christ you call our name
And then receive us as your own,
Not through some merit, right or claim,
But by your gracious love alone.
We strain to glimpse your mercy seat
And find you kneeling at our feet.

Then take the towel, and break the bread,
And humble us, and call us friends.
Suffer and serve till all are fed,
And show how grandly love intends
To work till all creation sings,
To fill all worlds, to crown all things.

Great God, in Christ you set us free
Your life to live, your joy to share.
Give us your Spirit's liberty
To turn from guilt and dull despair
And offer all that faith can do
While love is making all things new.

* Call to New Life

* Prayer for Wholeness and Peace

Merciful God, you created us in love, and for love. Everything you have given us invites us to live in community, in a society of mutual care and support. But that is not how we experience the world. Instead of seeing the beauty all around us, we can find the world frightening, angry, and lonely. Instead of open-hearted listening, we find ourselves walled-off and unable to hear perspectives other than our own. Loving God, break our hearts of stone, and give us hearts for love alone. Then, send us out into your world, beacons of the love we were meant to share. We ask this in your holy name. Amen.

* Words of Assurance

The love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting.

Our God is kind and merciful,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God;

everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 

By the grace of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven, healed and made whole.

Thanks be to God! Amen.

* Sharing of the Peace

Let the love of God fill you with inner peace.

Let the peace of God flow out into the world.

The peace of God be with you.

And also with you.

Let us share a sign of God’s peace with one another.

Scripture Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15

The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and ate our fill of bread, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not.”

Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites: ‘Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.’” And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. The Lord spoke to Moses, “I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ”

In the evening quails came up and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.”

Time for Young Disciples Rev. Pat Raube

Music: “Jesus Loves Me”

(Public Domain)

Anthem Choral Ensemble

“Bread of Angels,” Robin Mann

Used by permission, CCLI License #CSPL068847

You're like the sun that warms me,

With wind and clay you formed me,

And yet we touch and taste you here,

You are the bread of angels.

You are the heart of laughter,

The beauty we're all after,

The perfect joy in every dream,

You are the bread of angels.

In the desert they defied you,

They protested, they complained,

"Give us banquets, keep us happy,

Entertained."

Can any book contain you?

No system can explain you.

How can a mystery be defined?

You are the bread of angels.

But here you are before us,

To comfort and restore us.

With heaven's host we praise and sing:

You are the bread of angels.

We are hungry in our desert.

You can give us what we need.

You alone are satisfaction

Guaranteed.

Compassion is your nature;

No gift was ever greater.

Your blood and body feed us all,

You are the bread of angels.

Your blood and body feed us all,

You are the bread of angels.

Scripture John 6:24-35

 So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “What sign are you going to give us, then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” 

Response  Holy Wisdom, Holy Word: 

Thanks be to God! 

Sermon “Bread from Heaven”

* Statement of Faith The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God,

eternally begotten of the Father,

God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,

begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father;

through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven,

was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary

and became truly human.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;

he suffered death and was buried.

On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;

he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,

and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,

who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy universal and apostolic Church.

We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead,

and the life of the world to come. Amen.

* Hymn #697 W & R

“Eat This Bread,” Jacques Berthier

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.      

Eat this bread, drink this cup,

Come to me and never be hungry.

Eat this bread, drink this cup,

Trust in me and you will not thirst.

Prayers of the People

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

* 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

Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper

The Invitation

Jesus said:

I am the Bread of Life.

Whoever comes to me will never be hungry.

Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they will be filled.

The Great Thanksgiving

This is the joyful feast of the people of God! At this table all are welcome. At this table there is more than enough. At this table, Love abounds. For God is love. And those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.

Love be with you

And also with you

Lift up your hearts

We lift them up to Love

Let us give thanks for Love

It is right to give our thanks and praise

It is a good and right and joyful thing, always to give you thanks and praise.

Out of nothing but love, you conceived our world and gave form to your people.

Love’s breath gave us life.

Love’s honesty named our wrongdoing.

Love’s leading guided us to freedom.

Love’s counsel rebuked our avarice, violence, and fear.

Love’s mercy offered the opportunity to live anew in covenant relationship,

again and again and again.

In the fullness of time Love came to earth, born of a woman, human to the core,

touching the sick, embracing children, challenging the powerful, refusing to turn

away from the suffering and hope of your people.

You are holy and we praise your name.

Sanctus

“Holy, Holy, Holy Lord,” Marty Haugen

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

Holy, holy, holy Lord, 

God of power, God of might, 

Heaven and earth are filled with Your glory. 

Hosanna in the highest. 

Blessed is He who comes  

In the name of the Lord. 

Hosanna in the highest, 

Hosanna in the highest. 

The Words of Institution

Jesus, friend, brother, stranger, love, on that night when you were taken by the

government, while you were still at table you took bread, broke it and gave it to

friends and betrayers alike saying, “Take. Eat. This is my body, given for you.

Whenever you do this, remember me.”

Then after supper you took the cup, lifted it high and said “Take. Drink. This is

the blood of the new covenant, my blood, poured out for you and for many for

the forgiveness of sin. Whenever you drink this. Remember me.”

And so, we proclaim the mystery of our faith

Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

Pour out your Holy Spirit upon these gifts of bread and vine, that they may

become for us the body and blood of Jesus Christ, and that as we eat them we

may be united in love with you and with all creation.

As our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to pray:

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. 

Communion of the People

The gifts of God for the people of God. Come. For all is ready.

The Communion

Jesus said, I am the bread of life.

Jesus said, I am the vine, you are the branches.

Come to me and never be hungry;

trust in me, and never thirst.

The gifts of God for the people of God.

Thanks be to God.

Music during Communion:

“El Shaddai,” Michael Card and John Thompson.

Used by permission, CCLI License #CSPL068847

Prayer After Communion

God of grace, 

you renew us at your table with the bread of life. 

May this food strengthen us in love 

and help us to serve you in each other.

Rise now within us,

that we may be your ambassadors of Love’s Reign.

In your holy name we pray. Amen.

* Hymn  #350 W & R

“The Summons,” John L. Bell

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.   

Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?

Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same?

Will you let my love be shown, will you let my name be known,

Will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?

Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?

Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?

Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare?

Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?

Will you let the blinded see if I but call your name?

Will you set the prisoners free and never be the same?

Will you kiss the leper clean, and do such as this unseen,

And admit to what I mean in you and you in me?

Lord, your summons echoes true when you but call my name.

Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.

In your company I’ll go where your love and footsteps show.

Thus I’ll move and live and grow in you and you in me.

*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  Colin DeLap

“Mighty Is Our God,” Eugene Greco, Gerrit Gustafson, Don Moen.

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

Communion prayers adapted from a prayer created by Noelle Damico and Sarah Henkel.