A Deeper Life 6: Loving Our Uncomfortable Neighbors

Sunday, July 19, 2026
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 tells us to love our enemies. How on earth are we supposed to do that? When discomfort exists between us and a neighbor/ colleague/ fellow church-goer, how do we manage the love part?

You are invited to join us for worship this Sunday in our beautiful sanctuary at 200 East Main Street in Endicott. Or. if you wish, you can join our livestream from home or travel by clicking on the Youtube video below. You are always welcome!

A Deeper Life 6
Loving Our Uncomfortable Neighbors
1 Peter 3:13-17; Matthew 5:43-48

Union Presbyterian Church

July 19, 2026

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

Liturgist: Doug Moore Preacher: Rev. Pat Raube

Welcome

This is the day that the Lord has made!

Let us rejoice and be glad in it! ~Psalm 118:24

Announcements Doug Moore

Prelude Chris Bartlette, Jim Mica

“Hyfrydol”

(Public Domain)

Call to Worship

As a shepherd seeks a lost sheep,

God seeks and saves the lost.

Like a woman who searches for a lost coin until it is found,
God rejoices over one soul restored to wholeness.

As a father receives a returning, wayward son,

God welcomes us and lets the past be the past.

We give thanks to God that we are received!

Let us receive and welcome and rejoice in one another!

* Hymn # 664

“Morning Has Broken”

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

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  

At the opening of the day and of our worship, we turn to God with open hearts, ready to share our need for healing with God.

* Prayer for Wholeness and Peace

O Life that surges through all living things, we confess that we have often closed ourselves off from you. O source of all that lives, we confess that we have prevented the river of life from flowing through us. We have lost touch with the unique worth of the life each of us has to live. Our eyes fail to receive the beauty present in all your people, everywhere. Open our eyes, that we may walk in newness of life through the One who is the Resurrection and the Life. Amen.

* Assurance of God’s Love

Morning has broken, like the first morning!
Our God is kind and merciful, 
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.

Our hearts receive the healing of God’s faithfulness.
By the love of God we are healed and made whole.

Thanks be to God!

* Sharing of the Peace

Let us walk in newness of life,
in faith, hope and love.

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 1 Peter 3:13-17

Now who will harm you if you all are zealots for good? Yet if you suffer because of righteousness, you all are blessed: “Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated.” Rather, “sanctify as Sovereign,” Christ in your hearts. Always have ready a defense for anyone who asks from you an account for the hope that is in you. Yet do so with gentleness and reverence, maintaining a good conscience clear, so that when you are maligned, they who abuse you for a good way of life in Christ may be put to shame. For suffering for doing good is better, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil.

Time for Young Disciples Rev. Pat Raube

Music: “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less” (Hymn #353)

(Public Domain)

Anthem Summer Choir

“Jesus’ Wondrous Words of Grace”

Used by permission.

Jesus' wondrous words of grace
Welcome all to God's embrace:
Welcome if you're rich or poor,
If you're knocking at the door,
If you come from far away,
If you need a place to stay.
If you suffer want or pain,
You are welcome in God's reign!

Do you live in fear and doubt?
Do you seek to leave some out?
Do you think that some can't get
To the table God has set?
Think there is no room for you?
Jesus says you're welcome, too.
Think you're different, sinful, odd?
You are welcome, child of God!

Jesus says to all the church:
Welcome in the ones who search,
Welcome in the ones who mourn,
Welcome in the tired and worn,
Welcome those who live in fear,
Welcome in the sinners here.
As you do to these, you see,
So you also welcome me.

Scripture Matthew 5:43-48

“You all have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ Yet I say to you all: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of the One in heaven who begot you; for the sun—which belongs to God—rises on the evil and on the good, and God rains on the righteous and on the unrighteous woman or man. For if you all love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your sisters and brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Sovereign is perfect.

Response Holy Wisdom, Holy Word:

Thanks be to God!

Sermon “Loving Our Uncomfortable Neighbors” Rev. Pat Raube

* Affirmation of Faith from A Brief Statement of Faith, PC(USA)

We trust in God, whom Jesus called Abba, Father. In sovereign love God created the world good and makes everyone equally in God’s image, male and female, of every race and people, to live as one community. But we rebel against God; we hide from our Creator. Ignoring God’s commandments, we violate the image of God in others and ourselves, accept lies as truth, exploit neighbor and nature, and threaten death to the planet entrusted to our care. We deserve God’s condemnation. Yet God acts with justice and mercy to redeem creation. In everlasting love, the God of Abraham and Sarah chose a covenant people to bless all families of the earth. Hearing their cry, God delivered the children of Israel from the house of bondage. Loving us still, God makes us heirs with Christ of the covenant. Like a mother who will not forsake her nursing child, like a father who runs to welcome the prodigal home, God is faithful still.

* Hymn # 162

“O Carpenter, Why Leave the Bench”

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

O carpenter, why leave the bench

Where wood yields to your art,

And take instead, to try your skill,

The stony human heart?

O carpenter, why leave the tools

To carry out your plans,

And go instead to do God’s work

With empty, open hands?

O carpenter, why leave the world

Of table, bed, and house,

To face the empire’s carpentry,

To lift a Roman cross?

O carpenter, why leave repairs

With wood and clamp and glue,

And rise from death to seek instead

To make the whole world new?

O carpenter, who else could do

The work that you have done?

What can we do but sing your praise,

O Savior, Mary’s son!

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 # 414

“Be Still and Know That I Am God,” John L. Bell

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

(Sing twice:)

Be still and know that I am God.

Call for Offering     

* Doxology # 675 (verse 4)

“All Praise to Thee, My God, This Night”

(Public Domain)

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow,

Praise God, all creatures here below:

Praise God above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

* Dedication of Offering 

* Hymn # 170

“You Walk Along Our Shoreline,” Sylvia G. Dunstan

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

You walk along our shoreline

Where land meets unknown sea.

We hear your voice of power,

“Now come and follow me.

And if you still will follow

Through storm and wave and shoal,

Then I will make you fishers

But of the human soul.”

You call us, Christ, to gather

The people of the earth.

We cannot fish for only

Those lives we think have worth.

We spread your net of gospel

Across the water’s face,

Our boat a common shelter

For all found by your grace.

We cast our net, O Jesus;

We cry the kingdom’s name;

We work for love and justice;

We learn to hope through pain.

You call us, Lord, to gather

God’s daughters and God’s sons,

To let your judgment heal us

So that all may be one.

* Benediction

Postlude Chris Bartlette, Jim Mica

“They’ll Know We Are Christians,” Mark Hayes

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

Where an * is indicated, please rise in body and/or in spirit.

Scripture Translations from the Rev. Dr. Wilda Gafney, “A Women’s Lectionary for the
Whole Church,” Year A, unless otherwise noted.

Call to Worship and Prayer for Wholeness and Peace adapted from prayers found in Bread for the Journey: Resources for Worship by Ruth C. Duck, United Church Press, Cleveland, Ohio.

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A Deeper Life 6: Loving Our Uncomfortable Neighbors