With Ruth: Recognition and Restoration

Sunday, August 9, 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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In this second Sunday with Ruth, we find her living out a story of homecoming in a foreign land. Her mother-in-law, far from trying to send her away, is now her cheerleader and coach in seeking the stability both women need in a society that looks down upon women unless men are caring for them.

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!

With Ruth: Recognition and Restoration
Ruth 3:1-4:22

Union Presbyterian Church

August 9, 2026

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

Liturgist: Peg Corwin 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 Peg Corwin

Prelude Robin Lostetter

François Couperin, “Kyrie” from Messe pour les Convents

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

Call to Worship From Ruth 1 and Revelation 21

See, the home of God is among mortals.
Where you go, I will go.

God will dwell with them; they will be his peoples.
where you abide, I will abide…

and God himself will be with them and be their God.

…your people shall be my people, and your God my God.

God will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.
Our God makes everything new!

* Hymn  # 665

“As Morning Dawns,” Fred R. Anderson

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

As morning dawns, Lord, hear our cry.

O sovereign God, now hear our sigh.

As first light brings the sun’s warm rays,

Accept our sacrifice of praise.

Before you, Lord, the wicked fall,

And none shall dwell within your hall.

The proud shall never gain a place,

Nor evil live to see your face.

Your steadfast love shall welcome all

Who seek your house and on you call.

O lead us, Lord, in righteousness,

As through this day your name we bless.

Let all who seek you then rejoice,

And sing to you with joyful voice.

For you shall bless the righteous, Lord.

Forever be your name adored.

* Call to New Life  

So often God is at work in our lives… quietly, invisibly, and yet powerfully. Let us open our hearts to God’s true presence and saving grace.

* Prayer for Wholeness and Peace

Loving God, how close you are to us, and yet we don’t notice you. How good and loving, and yet we don’t recognize your presence. When someone is kind to us, you are there, in their voice and touch. When someone listens to us, you are taking in every nuance of our heart and every inflection of our voice. When we are alone in the quiet, or in the midst of a raucous crowd, you are there, nearby, as close as the breath in our lungs, as near as the breeze that ruffles our hair. Help us to notice. Help us to recognize your love in the love that surrounds us, and help us to breathe our thanks. We pray in your holy name. Amen.

* Assurance of God’s Love

The journey continues, and our God will be with us.
Our God is kind and merciful, 
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.

God will wipe every tear from our eyes.
Our God makes everything new!
By the love of God we are healed and made whole.

Thanks be to God!

* Sharing of the Peace

God, let us feel your presence.

You are the perfect peace we need.

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 Ruth 3:1-7; 9-11; 13b-16

In chapter three of the Book of Ruth, Naomi presses her daughter-in-law to make a bold approach to Boaz. Boaz, a relative of Naomi’s husband, is in a position to help the two women find family and stability.

A reading from the book of Ruth, selected verses, beginning with chapter three, verse 1.

Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law, said to her, “My daughter, am I not seeking respite for you, that will be good for you? Now is not Boaz our kin, with whose girls you have been? Look! He is winnowing barley on the threshing floor tonight. Now bathe and anoint yourself and put on your best clothes and go down to the threshing floor; do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. When he lies down, note the place where he lies, and go and uncover his thighs and lie down, and he will tell you what you should do.” Ruth said to Naomi, “All that you tell me I will do.” Then Ruth went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law commanded her.

Now Boaz had eaten and drunk and his heart was content, and he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then Ruth came in secret and uncovered his thighs and lay down… Then Boaz said, “Who are you?” And she said, “I am Ruth, your slave-woman; spread your cloak over your slave-woman, for you are a kin-redeemer.” And he said, “May you be blessed by the Most High, my daughter; your most recent act of fidelity is greater than the first; you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, fear not; all that you have spoken, I will do for you, for all the assembly of my people know you are a warrior-hearted woman …as the Ageless God lives, I will redeem you as kin myself. Lie down until the morning.” …Then he said, “Bring the cloak you are wearing and hold it out.” So she held it and Boaz measured out six helpings of barley, and put it on her back; then he went into the city. And Ruth came to her mother-in-law and Naomi asked, “Who are you, my daughter?” And she told Naomi all that the man had done for her.

Time for Young Disciples Rev. Pat Raube

Anthem “Bless the Arms that Comfort” Summer Choir

Bless the arms, that comfort, strong to shoulder care,

Gentle in their healing, reaching through despair.

Bless the hands that labor. Martha's daily deeds;

Mary's precious ointment, balm for different needs.

Bless the ears that listen, sharing joys and fears—
laughing in our triumphs, weeping with our tears.
Bless the eyes whose wisdom sees through pride's facade,
cherishing our weakness with the heart of God.

Bless the feet that follow, Like Naomi's Ruth—

constant friend through sorrow, speaking holy truth:
through our journeys, lead us far in time and space,
God anoints companions, ministers of grace.

Scripture Ruth 4:9-22

Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I am acquiring all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon from the hand of Naomi. Also, Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon am I acquiring for myself as a wife to maintain the dead man’s name on his inheritance, to reestablish the name of the deceased on his heritable property, that it may not be cut off from his kin and from the gate of his native place; today you are witnesses.” All the women and men who were at the gate, along with the elders, said, “We are witnesses. May the Faithful God grant that the woman who is coming into your house be like Rachel and Leah; the two of them built up the house of Israel. May you prosper in Ephrathah and establish a lineage in Bethlehem; and may your house, through the children that the Faithful God will give you by this young woman, be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar gave birth to for Judah.” So Boaz took Ruth as his own for a wife. He came to her and the Faithful God granted her a pregnancy, and she gave birth to a son. Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Faithful God, who has not deprived you this day of next-of-kin; and may the child’s name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a provider in your latter years; for your daughter-in-law has given birth to him, she who loves you, she who is more to you than seven sons.” Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her bosom, and she fostered him. The neighbor-women gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed; he became the father of Jesse, the father of David.” Now these are the descendants of Perez: Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron of Ram, Ram of Amminadab, Amminadab of Nahshon, Nahshon of Salmon, Salmon of Boaz, Boaz of Obed, Obed of Jesse, and Jesse of David.

Response Holy Wisdom, Holy Word:

Thanks be to God!

Sermon “With Ruth: Recognition and Restoration” Rev. Pat Raube

* Affirmation of Faith “The Immigrant’s Creed by” José Luis Casa

I believe in Almighty God, who guided the people in exile and in exodus, the God of Joseph in Egypt and Daniel in Babylon, the God of foreigners and immigrants.

I believe in Jesus Christ, a displaced Galilean, who was born away from his people and his home, who fled his country with his parents when his life was in danger. When he returned to his own country he suffered under the oppression of Pontius Pilate, the servant of a foreign power. Jesus was persecuted, beaten, tortured, and unjustly condemned to death. But on the third day Jesus rose from the dead, not as a scorned foreigner but to offer us citizenship in God’s kingdom.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the eternal immigrant from God’s kingdom among us, who speaks all languages, lives in all countries, and reunites all races.

I believe that the Church is the secure home for foreigners and for all believers. I believe that the communion of saints is revealed when we embrace all God’s people in all their diversity. I believe in forgiveness, which makes us all equal before God, and in reconciliation, which heals our brokenness. I believe that the Resurrection God will unite us as one people in which all are distinct, and all are alike at the same time. I believe in life eternal, in which no one will be foreigner, but all will be citizens of the kingdom where God reigns forever and ever. Amen.

* Hymn # 19

“God of Great and God of Small,” Natalie Sleeth

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

God of great and God of small,
God of one and God of all,

God of weak and God of strong,
God to whom all things belong,

Alleluia, alleluia, praise be to your name.

God of land and sky and sea,
God of life and destiny,
God of neverending power,
Yet beside me every hour,

Alleluia, alleluia, praise be to your name.

God of silence, God of sound,
God by whom the lost are found,

God of day and darkest night,
God whose love turns wrong to right,

Alleluia, alleluia, praise be to your name.

God of heaven and God of earth,
God of death and God of birth,

God of now and days before,
God who reigns forevermore,

Alleluia, alleluia, praise be to your name.

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 # 42

“Your Faithfulness, O God, Is Sure”

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

Your faithfulness, O Lord, is sure
In all your words, your gracious deeds;
You gently lift all burdened souls
And well provide for all our needs.

The eyes of all are fixed on you;

By you their wants are all supplied;
Your open hand is bountiful
And every soul is satisfied.

Lord, you are just in all your ways,
And kind in everything you do;
Forever near you stand to hear

And help all those who call on you.

My mouth shall speak your praise, O Lord;
My soul shall bless your holy name;
Let all things living join the song
Of praise, from age to age the same.

* Benediction

Postlude Robin Lostetter

“Praise to the Lord, the Almighty,” Bernadine Johnson

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 B, unless otherwise noted.

Worship With Us

With Ruth: Recognition and Restoration