Please join UPC as the congregation welcomes the Rev. Bob White to the pulpit! Rev. White has chosen a little-heard passage from the book of the prophet Hosea—one whose material is provocative and significant to God’s relationship with God’s people.

You can join us for worship in our beautiful sanctuary or by livestream right here, every Sunday at 10:30 AM. You are invited! We would love to see you.

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time 

Love Prevails

Psalm 85:1-13; Hosea 1:2-10

Union Presbyterian Church

July 27, 2025

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

Liturgist: Barbara Ann Dailey Preacher: Rev. Dr. Bob White   

Prayer Joys and Concerns Rev. Dr. Bob White

Welcome   

Announcements Barbara Ann Dailey

Prelude Robin Lostetter

“The Gift of Love,” Hal Hopson

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.  

* Call to Worship Doug Moore

We are where we belong, where we are loved and where we will find healing. Where are you?

Here we are God! Unite and challenge us to bring your Good News to the world, especially to those whose ears do not hear!

We unite to feel, hear and tell of God’s love that is so generously poured upon us.

We come together in joyful praise to share this time of service, in worship.

YES! Morning is here, the time is now, let us sing, give thanks and worship God!

* Hymn # 469 PH

“Morning Has Broken,” Dale Grotenhuis

Used by Permission. CCLI License #CSPL068847

Morning has broken like the first morning,

Blackbird has spoken like the first bird.

Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning!

Praise for them, springing fresh from the Word!

Sweet the rain’s new fall sunlit from heaven,

Like the first dewfall on the first grass.

Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden,

Sprung in completeness where God’s feet pass.

Mine is the sunlight! Mine is the morning

Born of the one light Eden saw play!

Praise with elation, praise every morning,

God’s re-creation of the new day!

* Call to New Life    

It is right and proper when we come to worship God, that we come as we are; the good with the bad, the bright with the dark, the cheery with the gloomy. Hear us now, O God, as we pray for forgiveness, wholeness and the assurance of peacefulness.

* Prayer for Wholeness and Peace   

God of compassion; when I hesitate to be with another, strengthen me. When I question the quality of my presence, assure me. When I want to show my worth through action, humble me. When I miss the needs of the one who suffers, awaken me. When I forget the beauty of a loving presence, remind me. When I miss an opportunity, help me to show kindness and generosity, today and always! Hear my special prayers, O God, in the silence of this gathering . . .

(Silence)

* Assurance of God’s Love

God of Mercy, you understand our human failings. You embrace us in our incompleteness. You help us to move on from our failures and defeats.

How merciful and gracious is your forgiveness, kindness, generosity and unceasing love, for which we are forevermore thankful.

* Sharing of the Peace  

The peace of God is available to you right now.

May the peace of our loving God be with you.

And also with you.

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

Scripture Psalm 85:1-13 (NRSV)  (Responsive) 

LORD, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob,

You forgave the iniquity of your people; you pardoned all their sin.

SELAH! (74x = a pause or musical interlude)

You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger.

Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us.

Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations?

Will you not revive us again, so that your people may rejoice in you?

Show us your steadfast love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation.

Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.

Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.

Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.

Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky.

The LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.

Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps.

Time for Young Disciples (& A Re-Tired Pastor) Rev. Dr. Bob White

Music: “Jesus Loves Me” (Public Domain)

Anthem

“God is Like a Foolish Farmer,” David Bjorlin, Owen F. Pugh

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.  

God is like a foolish farmer

Sowing rare and costly seed

In a soil too hard and arid

For the harvest to succeed.

God is like a foolish lover,

Disregarded and betrayed,

Vowing to be fiercely faithful,

Loving still the one who strayed.

God is like a foolish ruler

Throwing guests a lavish feast,

Shutting out the rich and mighty,

Welcoming the lost and least.

God is like a foolish shepherd

Losing countless nights of sleep

For away from flock and family

Searching for a single sheep.

God, subvert our human wisdom—

Law and logic’s cold embrace—

Use instead your “foolish” methods;

Startle us with stunning grace.

Scripture Hosea 1:2-10 (NRSV)  

When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take for yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.” So he went and took Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. And the Lord said to him, “Name him Jezreel; for in a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. On that day I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.” She conceived again and bore a daughter. Then the Lord said to him, “Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will no longer have pity on the house of Israel or forgive them. But I will have pity on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the Lord their God; I will not save them by bow, or by sword, or by war, or by horses, or by horsemen.”

When she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son. Then the Lord said, “Name him Lo-ammi, for you are not my people and I am not your God.” Yet the number of the people of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which can be neither measured nor numbered; and in the place where it was said to them, “You are not my people,” it shall be said to them, “Children of the living God.”

Response Holy Wisdom, Holy Word:  

Thanks be to God!  

Sermon ”Love Prevails" Rev. Dr. Bob White

*Affirmation of Faith From the United Church of Canada

We are not alone, we live in God’s world.

We believe in God;

who has created and is creating,

who has come in Jesus, the Word made flesh,

to reconcile and make new,

who works in us and others by the Spirit.

We trust in God.

We are called to be the church:

to celebrate God’s presence,

to love and serve others,

to seek justice and resist evil,

to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,

our judge and our hope.

In life, in death, in life beyond death,

God is with us.

We are not alone.
Thanks be to God. Amen.

* Hymn # 349 PH

“Let All Who Pray the Prayer Christ Taught,” Thomas H. Troeger

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.  

Let all who pray the prayer Christ taught

First clear the cluttered heart.

Make room to breathe the living thought

Those well-worn words impart.

Dismiss the fear that this world drifts

With no one in command.

Your pulse and breath are signs and gifts

From God’s attentive hand.

Refine and test each passing aim

Against this final one:

Has your life hallowed heaven’s name

And has God’s will been done?

Discard each vengeful hope that’s fed

The dreams of wars you’ll win,

Then freely ask for daily bread

And pardon from your sin.

Examine how temptation breeds

Inside the mind’s dark maze,

Acknowledging that your life needs

Deliverance from its ways.

By faithful discipline prepare

An inward holy space

That when you offer Jesus’ prayer

Your heart may fill with grace.

Prayers of the People & Pastor

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  # 352 W & R (verse 2)    

“Spirit Song,” John Wimber   

O come and sing this song with gladness   

as your hearts are filled with joy.  

Lift your hands in sweet surrender to his name.  

O give him all your tears and sadness;   

give him all your years of pain,   

and you’ll enter into life in Jesus’ name. 

Call for Offering      

* Doxology # 145 W & R (verse 1)  

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

Used by Permission.  CCLI License #CSPL068847  

Glory Be to God, Creator,  
Glory be to God the Son,  
Glory be to God the Spirit,  
Known as three, yet God the One. 

* Dedication of Offering  

* Hymn  # 315 PH

“Every Time I Feel the Spirit,” Melva W. Costen

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.       

Every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart I will pray.
Yes, every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart I will pray.

Upon the mountain, when my Lord spoke,
Out of God's mouth came fire and smoke.
Looked all around me, it looked so fine,
Till I asked my Lord if all was mine.

Every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart I will pray.
Yes, every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart I will pray.

Jordan river, chilly and cold,
It chills the body but not the soul.
There is but one train upon this track;
It runs to heaven and then right back.

Every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart I will pray.
Yes, every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart I will pray.

* Benediction  

Postlude Chris Bartlette 

“Let There Be Peace on Earth,” Dan Coates

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

Guest Preacher: The Rev. Bob White