Lent 5: Love!

Sunday, April 6, 2025
10:30 AM 11:30 AM 10:30 11:30

Union Presbyterian Church 200 E Main St Endicott, NY, 13760 United States (map)

Google Calendar ICS

Imagine an act of love so outlandish, so extravagant, a fight breaks out afterward, That’s what happens in our passage from the gospel of John this morning. What does Jesus have to say about it?

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 always welcome!

Lent 5

Love!

Psalm 126; John 12:1-8

Union Presbyterian Church

April 6, 2025

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

Liturgist: Cindy Surrena Preacher: Rev. Pat Raube

Prelude Chris Bartlette

Prelude on “St. Crispin,” George J. Elvey

Prayer Joys and Concerns Rev. Pat Raube

Welcome

Announcements Cindy Surrena

Prelude

“A Prophet Woman Broke a Jar,” Brian Wren

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

A prophet-woman broke a jar,

The sneers of scorn defying.

With rare perfume she filled the room,

Preparing Christ for dying.

A faithful woman left a tomb,

With resurrection gospel.

She saw, she heard, she preached the Word,

Apostle to apostle.

The Spirit’s breath, the Spirit’s fire,

With free and slave descending,

Can tumble our dividing walls,

Our shame and sadness mending.

The Spirit knows, the Spirit calls,

From women, men, and children,

The friends we need, to serve and lead.

Rejoice, and make them welcome!

* Call to Worship

Out of darkness came light, and the power of God was revealed:

In the running wave and the flowing air,

in the quiet earth and the shining stars.

Out of dust came life, and the image of God was revealed:

In the human face and the gentle heart,

in the warmth of flesh and the depth of soul.

Out of justice came freedom, and the wisdom of God was revealed:

In the need to grow, and the will to love,

in the chance to know and the power to choose.

And God looked at creation,

and behold, it was very good.

* Hymn # 489 PH

“Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty”
(Public Domain)

Open now thy gates of beauty,
Zion, let me enter there,
Where my soul in joyful duty
Waits for God who answers prayer;
O how blessed is this place,
Filled with solace, light, and grace!

Gracious God, I come before Thee,
Come Thou also down to me;
Where we find Thee and adore Thee,
There a heaven on earth must be;
To my heart O enter Thou,
Let it be Thy temple now.

Speak, O Lord, and I will hear Thee,
Let Thy will be done indeed;
May I undisturbed draw near Thee,
While Thou dost Thy people feed.
Here of life the fountain flows,
Here is balm for all our woes.

* Call to New Life

We tend to think of saltiness as irritability or downright rudeness. But scripture has another sense altogether: salt is about flavor, steadiness, individuality, and most of all presence. If it is not present, you know it. Let us open our hearts for healing to our God, who wants each of us, not just to survive, but to thrive, to shine. Let us pray together.

* Prayer for Wholeness and Peace

Salt is good, but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Giving God, you blessed us with saltiness, but we became bland. You trusted us with your Word, but we did not keep it. You lit a flame in our midst, but we hid it under formality, smothered it with our fears. God, in your mercy: forgive us. In Jesus; name we pray: Amen.

* Words of Assurance

Forgiving God, we believe that you have called us

To be salt and light!

We believe that you offer us time and space and strength

To begin again!

Giving and forgiving God,

We thank you!

* Sharing of the Peace

Have salt in yourself,

and be at peace with one another.

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 126 NRSVUE (Responsive)

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
    we were like those who dream.

Then our mouth was filled with laughter
    and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then it was said among the nations,
    “The Lord has done great things for them.”

The Lord has done great things for us,
    and we rejoiced.

Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
    like the watercourses in the Negeb.

May those who sow in tears
    reap with shouts of joy.

Those who go out weeping,
    bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
    carrying their sheaves.

Time for Young Disciples Rev. Pat Raube

Music: “As Water to the Thirsty,” Timothy Dudley-Smith

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

Anthem

“As Evening Fragrance Fills the Air,” Mary Louis Bringle, David Kirby

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

As evening fragrance fills the air

And twilight stars begin to glow,

Our hearts recall the perfumed care

Of loving women long ago.

Despite a judging world’s recoil,

They felt no shame at tears they shed.

With alabaster flasks of oil

They knelt to bless Christ’s feet and head.

On Calvary’s hill, they grieved their loss

As daylight’s brightness dimmed to gloom.

They kept their vigil by the cross

And carried spices to the tomb.

So God keeps vigil, hears our cries,

And comforts at a Mother’s breast.

God wipes all tears from crying eyes,

Anointing hearts to peace and rest.

Scripture John 12:1-8 (NRSVUE)

A reading from the Gospel according to John, beginning at chapter 12, verse 1.

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’s feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” (He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

Response  Holy Wisdom, Holy Word: 

Thanks be to God! 

Sermon “Love!”

Affirmation of Faith Faith from the Iona Community, Scotland

We believe in God above us, maker and sustainer of all life,

of sun and moon, of water and earth, of all God’s children.

We believe in God beside us, Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh,

born of a woman’s womb, servant of the poor.

He was tortured and nailed to a tree.

A man of sorrows, he died forsaken.

He descended into the earth to the place of death.

On the third day he rose from the tomb.

He ascended into heaven to be everywhere present,

and his kingdom will come on earth.

We believe in God within us, the Holy Spirit of Pentecostal fire,

life-giving breath of the church, Spirit of healing and forgiveness,

source of resurrection and of life everlasting.

Amen.

* Hymn # 335 PH

“Though I May Speak,” Hal 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   (Responsive)

Jesus remember us when we come into your kingdom. Hear our intercessions.

For your church around the world,

we ask new life.

For all who carry out ministries in your church,

we ask grace and wisdom.

For people who have accepted spiritual disciplines,

we ask inspired discipleship.

For Christians of every land,

we ask new unity in your name.

For Jews and Muslims and people of other faiths,

we ask your divine blessing.

For those who cannot believe,

we ask your faithful love.

For governors and rulers in every land,

we ask your guidance.

For people who suffer and sorrow,

we ask your healing peace.

God of mercy, you are full of tenderness and compassion,

slow to anger, rich in mercy, and always ready to forgive.

Grant us grace to cling to Christ,

that in every way we may learn to be your loving children;

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 # 461 W & R (verse 1)

“Breathe on Me, Breath of God”

(Public Domain)

Breathe on me, breath of God,
Fill me with life anew,
That I may love whate'er you love,
And do what you would do.

Call for Offering

* Doxology # 244 W & R (verse 6)

“O Love, How Deep, How Broad”

(Public Domain)

All glory to our Lord and God
For love so deep, so high, so broad–
The Trinity whom we adore
Forever and forevermore.

* Prayer of Dedication

* Hymn # 85 PH

“What Wondrous Love Is This”

(Public Domain)

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul,
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul!

To God and to the Lamb, I will sing, I will sing,
To God and to the Lamb, I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb who is the great I Am,
While millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing;
While millions join the theme, I will sing!

And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on.
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on;
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing and joyful be,
And through eternity, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on.
And through eternity I’ll sing on.

* Benediction

Postlude Chris Bartlette

“My Jesus, I Love Thee,” Mark Hayes

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

Worship With Us

Lent 5: Love!