What Comes from Within

Sunday, September 1, 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 speaks of the ritual laws of cleanliness with a frankness that makes us squirm. He wants us to know where the true offense to God lies.

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.

What Comes from Within

Psalm 15; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Union Presbyterian Church

September 1, 2024

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

Liturgist: Carlton Sackett Preacher: Rev. Pat Raube

Welcome

Announcements Carlton Sackett

Prelude Chris Bartlette

“How Can I Keep From Singing?” Edward Broughton

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.  

* Call to Worship (from James 1 and Psalm 46)

You must understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters:

let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.

Be still and know that I am God.

Our anger does not produce God’s righteousness.

Be still and know that I am.

Welcome with gentleness the Word God has placed in your soul.

Be still and know.

God’s word has the power to save your souls.

Be still.

Remember: Every perfect gift is a gift from above.

Be.

Let us worship God together!

* Hymn # 25 W & R

“Let All Creation Bless the Lord,” Carl P. Daw

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.  

Let all creation bless the Lord,
Till heaven with praise is ringing.
Sun, moon, and stars, peal out a chord,
Stir up the angels' singing.
Sing, wind and rain! Sing, snow and sleet!
Make music, day, night, cold and heat!
Exalt the God who made you.

All living things upon the earth,
Green fertile hills and mountains,
Sing to the God who gave you birth!
Be joyful, springs and fountains,
Lithe waterlife, bright airborne birds,
Wild roving beasts, tame flocks and herds!
Exalt the God who made you.

O men and women everywhere,
Lift up a hymn of glory.
Let all who know God's steadfast care
Tell out salvation's story.
No tongue be silent—sing your part,
You humble souls and meek of heart!
Exalt the God who made you.

* Call to New Life

We’ve all done it, or at least, we’ve all had close calls where we almost did it: we’ve all allowed words to come out of our mouths that we regretted. Words we wish we’d never thought, let alone said. Words that left another stunned, or tearful, or confused. We are all invited to a time of reflection and contrition for the words with which we’ve done harm. God offers us another way.

* Prayer for Wholeness and Peace

O God, you created all that is by the power and beauty of your words. We come before you fully aware of the times when we have used words in anger, or disdain, or our need to be right. We understand we may not be aware of words we thought were perfectly fine, but which left someone reeling. Oh God, we can hurt with our words. Sticks and stones may break our bones, but names, insults, and cruel words hurt our hearts. Help us to surrender to you the feelings that come out in hateful speech or words meant to cut others down to size. Help us to know our failings when it comes to verbal harshness or sneers. And help us to allow your Word and Spirit to dwell within us, and to let our hearts and our speech be gentle. We pray in your holy name. 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!

Thank be to God! Amen!

* Sharing of the Peace

Our words can make war or make peace.

Let us use our words to be a part of God’s plan for a peaceful world.

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 15 (Responsive) NRSVUE

A responsive reading from the Psalter, Psalm 15.

O Lord, who may abide in your tent?
    Who may dwell on your holy hill?

Those who walk blamelessly and do what is right
    and speak the truth from their heart;

who do not slander with their tongue
    and do no evil to their friends
    nor heap shame upon their neighbors;

in whose eyes the wicked are despised
    but who honor those who fear the Lord;
who stand by their oath even to their hurt;

who do not lend money at interest
    and do not take a bribe against the innocent.

Those who do these things shall never be moved.

Time for Young Disciples Rev. Pat Raube

Music: “I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light”

Used by permission, CCLI License #CSPL068847

Anthem

“Create in Me a Clean Heart,” Arnold B. Sherman

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.  

Create in me a clean heart, O God;

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

And renew a right spirit,

A holy spirit in me.

Cast me not from thy presence,

O cast me not from thy presence,

But renew a right spirit within me.

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation,

And uphold me with thy loving spirit.

Create in me a clean heart, O God;

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

And renew a right spirit,

A loving spirit, a holy spirit in me.

Create in me a clean heart, O God.

Scripture Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 NRSVUE

A reading from the Gospel according to Mark, beginning at chapter 7, selected verses.

Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders, and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash, and there are also many other traditions that they observe: the washing of cups and pots and bronze kettles and beds.) So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders but eat with defiled hands?” He said to them, “Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written,

‘This people honors me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
    teaching human precepts as doctrines.’

“You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.”

Then he called the crowd again and said to them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.”

For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

Response  Holy Wisdom, Holy Word: 

Thanks be to God! 

Sermon “What Comes from Within”

* Statement of Faith from the Confession of Belhar, South Africa

We believe in the triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who gathers, protects and cares for the church through Word and Spirit. This, God has done since the beginning of the world and will do to the end.

We believe in one holy, universal Christian church, the communion of saints called from the entire human family.

We believe:

that Christ’s work of reconciliation is made manifest in the church as the community of believers who have been reconciled with God and with one another; that unity is, therefore, both a gift and an obligation for the church of Jesus Christ; that through the working of God’s Spirit it is a binding force, yet simultaneously a reality which must be earnestly pursued and sought: one which the people of God must continually be built up to attain; that this unity must become visible so that the world may believe that separation, enmity and hatred between people and groups is sin which Christ has already conquered, and accordingly that anything which threatens this unity may have no place in the church and must be resisted.

* Hymn #397 W & R

“The Gift of Love,” Hal H. Hopson

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.  

Though I may speak with bravest fire,
And have the gift to all inspire,
And have not love, my words are vain,
As sounding brass, and hopeless gain.

Though I may give all I possess,
And striving so my love profess,
But not be given by love within,
The profit soon turns strangely thin.

Come, Spirit, come, our hearts control,
Our spirits long to be made whole.
Let inward love guide every deed;
By this we worship, and are freed.

Prayers of the People   

who taught us to pray together saying,

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

* 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 #389 W & R

“Put Peace Into Each Other’s Hands,” Fred Kaan

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

Put peace into each other's hands
And like a treasure hold it;
Protect it like a candle flame,
With tenderness enfold it.

Put peace into each other's hands
With loving expectation;
Be gentle in your words and ways,
In touch with God's creation.

Put peace into each other's hands,
Like bread we break for sharing;
Look people warmly in the eye:
Our life is meant for caring.

As at communion, shape your hands
Into a waiting cradle;
The gift of Christ receive, revere,
United round the table.

Put Christ into each other's hands,
He is love's deepest measure;
In love make peace, give peace a chance
And share it like a treasure.

* 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

"Sing to the Lord,” 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