The Gate of Heaven: Guest Preacher Rev. Robin Lostetter

Sunday, August 16, 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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Jacob is one of the most fascinating characters in scripture—a true scoundrel, yet someone whom God continually blesses. Eventually, he is the patriarch of the 12 Tribes of Israel! This morning, we encounter Jacob, on the run, encountering God in a dream.

Today we welcome Retired Rev. Robin Lostetter as our guest preacher. She has lived in New Mexico, Roswell, New Jersey, and now upstate New York. She served the former “1st Presbyterian” in Binghamton before her ordination and call to New Jersey. She’s now back, having served churches in Palmyra and Naples (NY), and is happily retired in Owego with her two cats, Luna and Gwen.

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!

The Gate of Heaven

Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24; Genesis 28:10-19a

Union Presbyterian Church

August 16, 2026

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

Liturgist: Doug Moore Preacher: Rev. Robin Lostetter

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

“Holy Ground,” Mark Hayes

Used by Permission. CCLI License #CSPL068847

Call to Worship Doug Moore

How awesome is this place!

This is none other than the house of God.

Let this moment and this space

be a gateway to wholeness of life for all!!

Praise be to you, God of life!

* Hymn # 49

“The God of Abraham Praise”

(Public Domain)

The God of Abraham praise,
Who reigns enthroned above,
The Ancient of Eternal Days,
The God of love!
The Lord, the great I AM,
By earth and heaven confessed,
We bow before your holy name,
Forever blest.

Your spirit still flows free,
High surging where it will.
In prophet's word you spoke of old
And you speak still.
Established is your law,
And changeless it shall stand,
Deep writ upon the human heart
by your strong hand.

Your goodly land we seek,
With peace and plenty blest,
A land of sacred liberty
And Sabbath rest.
There milk and honey flow,
And oil and wine abound,
And trees of life forever grow
With mercy crowned.

You have eternal life
Implanted in the soul;
Your love shall be our strength and stay,
While ages roll.
We praise you, living God!
We praise your holy name:
The first, the last, beyond all thought,
And still the same!

* Call to New Life  

It is so simple to say, yet so difficult to live out - 'do not be afraid!' Yet, whatever fear burdens us, God will lift from our souls. Whatever foolishness we have uttered, God whispers mercy to us. Whatever wrong we have done, God's forgiveness is poured out upon us. I invite you to join with me as we pray to the One whose love is constant in every moment, in every place, of our lives.

* Prayer for Wholeness and Peace

God of wonder and joy, we look in the mirror and do not see holiness reflected back. We long to be sisters and brothers with others, but don't want to be an intrusion in our friends' lives. We yearn to be more compassionate, yet it is often spite and malice we offer to someone else. We are so busy listening to our internal tapes, that we have trouble hearing the cries of loneliness coming from those around us.

Forgive us, God who longs to be enthroned in our hearts. You call us to different lives, so we might make a difference for all who hurt. You invite us into your kingdom, so we might show others the way. You challenge us to take a risk by following Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, so we might become your children once again.

* Assurance of God’s Love

The One who alone is Holy became wholly human so we might see the face of grace. The One who is seated in the heavens endured the cross so we might see the face of salvation. This is our good news: we are forgiven!

By God's grace, with God's grace, we are who we are meant to be: forgiven, restored, called people. Thanks be to God. Alleluia! Amen.

* 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.

Prayer for Illumination (Unison)

God who knows us completely,

who knows our words

before we even have a chance to speak,

wrap us in your presence.

Still the distractions that well up in us.

Search us, know us,

and guide us to the wisdom

you would have us hear today. Amen.

Scripture Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24 (NRSVUE)

O Lord, you have searched me and known me.

You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

you discern my thoughts from far away.

You search out my path and my lying down

and are acquainted with all my ways.

Even before a word is on my tongue,

O Lord, you know it completely.

You hem me in, behind and before,

and lay your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

it is so high that I cannot attain it.

Where can I go from your spirit?

Or where can I flee from your presence?

If I ascend to heaven, you are there;

if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.

If I take the wings of the morning

and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,

even there your hand shall lead me,

and your right hand shall hold me fast.

If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,

and night wraps itself around me,”

even the darkness is not dark to you;

the night is as bright as the day,

for darkness is as light to you.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my thoughts.

See if there is any wicked way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting.

Time for Young Disciples Rev. Robin Lostetter

Music: “Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty” (Hymn #403)

(Public Domain)

Anthem Summer Choir

“Psalm 139,” Larry Olson

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

You have looked deep into my heart, Lord,

And you know all about me.

When I work, when I rest my head, Lord,

You are there all around me.

Everything I do, everywhere I go,

Before I speak, my words you know.

Your arms protect from every side,

Your knowledge is far, far beyond my mind.

You have looked deep into my heart, Lord,

And you know all about me.

When I work, when I rest my head, Lord,

You are there all around me.

Where could I hide? Where could I go?

Your eyes, they see. Your Spirit knows.

From highest heavens to depths of death,

Lord, you will be there for my every breath.

You have looked deep into my heart, Lord,

And you know all about me.

When I work, when I rest my head, Lord,

You are there all around me.

You knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you, Lord, for all you do.

You have looked deep into my heart, Lord,

And you know all about me.

When I work, when I rest my head, Lord,

You are there all around me.

Scripture Genesis 28:10-19a (NRSVUE)

Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. And he dreamed that there was a stairway set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And the Lord stood beside him and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring, and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land, for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!” And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He called that place Bethel, that is, house of God, but the name of the city was Luz at the first.

Response Holy Wisdom, Holy Word:

Thanks be to God!

Sermon “The Gate of Heaven”

* Affirmation of Faith (from A Brief Statement of Faith)

In life and in death we belong to God.

Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the love of God,

and the communion of the Holy Spirit,

we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel,

whom alone we worship and serve.

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.

With believers in every time and place,

we rejoice that nothing in life or in death

can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

* Hymn #475

“Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing”

(Public Domain)

Come, thou Fount of every blessing;
Tune my heart to sing thy grace;

Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above;
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of God’s unchanging love!

Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Hither by thy help I’m come;
And I hope, by thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed his precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let that grace now, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart; O take and seal it;
Seal it for thy courts above.

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 (Unison)

God of mystery and grace, you have met us and blessed us with such abundant promise. In gratitude we offer what we carry in our hearts and our pockets. We pray that you would use us and our gifts. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

* Hymn # 547

“Go, My Children, With My Blessing,” Jaroslav J. Vajda

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

“Go, my children, with my blessing, never alone.

Waking, sleeping, I am with you, you are my own.

In my love’s baptismal river

I have made you mine forever.

Go, my children, with my blessing, you are my own.”

“Go, my children, sins forgiven, at peace and pure.

Here you learned how much I love you, what I can cure.

Here you heard my dear Son’s story;

Here you touched him, saw his glory.

Go, my children, sins forgiven, at peace and pure.”

“Go, my children, fed and nourished, closer to me.

Grow in love and love by serving, joyful and free.

Here my Spirit’s power filled you;

Here my tender comfort stilled you.

Go, my children, fed and nourished, joyful and free.”

Benediction

Postlude Chris Bartlette

“Great is Thy Faithfulness,” Joel Raney

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

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

Worship With Us

The Gate of Heaven: Guest Preacher Rev. Robin Lostetter