The Prelude
Scripture for Reflection
“This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that”
The Message
The Welcome, News and Announcements
The Introit
The Call to Worship
Karen Perkins
One: The world belongs to God.
All: The earth and all its people.
One: How good it is, how wonderful.
All: To live together in unity.
One: Love and faith come together,
All: Justice and peace join hands.
One: If Christ’s disciples keep silent,
All: These stones would shout aloud.
One: Open our lips, O God,
All: And our mouths shall proclaim your praise.
One: Let us wait, wonder, and worship in the Name of Jesus Christ.
The Prayer of Confession
O Great Love, thank you for living and loving in us and through us. May all that we do in our lives flow from our deep connection with you and all beings. We admit even in your presence we do have difficulty sharing our burdens, but when we do we find space where we can be who we are without dilemma, without scorn, without stereotype – your space you give to us. Your space and time where help is plentiful. Listen to our hearts’ longings for the healing of our world. Knowing you are hearing us better than we are speaking, we offer this prayer in all the holy names of God, Amen.
Hymn #366, “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”
1 Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heav’n to earth come down:
fix in us thy humble dwelling,
all thy faithful mercies crown:
Jesus, thou art all compassion,
pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation,
enter ev’ry trembling heart.
2 Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit
into ev’ry troubled breast;
let us all in thee inherit,
let us find the promised rest:
take away the love of sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
End of faith, as its Beginning,
set our hearts at liberty.
3 Come, Almighty to deliver,
let us all thy life receive;
suddenly return, and never,
nevermore thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray and praise thee without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.
4 Finish, then, thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be:
let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee;
changed from glory into glory,
’til in heav’n we take our place,
’til we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.
The Recognition of Service Personnel and Veterans Karen Perkins
The New Testament Lesson Luke 3:1-3; Luke 12:48b Karen Perkins
3 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler[a] of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler[b] of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler[c] of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
And thus saith the Lord:
“From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.” Luke 12:48b
The Hebrew Scripture Reading Genesis 4:1-7
4 Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have produced[a] a man with the help of the LORD.” 2 Next she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel for his part brought of the firstlings of his flock, their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. 6 The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.”
Hymn #250, “In the Bulb There is a Flower”
1 In the bulb there is a flower;
in the seed, an apple tree;
in cocoons, a hidden promise:
butterflies will soon be free!
In the cold and snow of winter
there’s a spring that waits to be,
unrevealed until its season,
something God alone can see.
2 There’s a song in every silence,
seeking word and melody;
there’s a dawn in every darkness
bringing hope to you and me.
From the past will come the future;
what it holds, a mystery,
unrevealed until its season,
something God alone can see.
3 In our end is our beginning;
in our time, infinity;
in our doubt there is believing;
in our life, eternity;
In our death, a resurrection;
at the last, a victory,
unrevealed until its season,
something God alone can see.
We Proclaim God’s Word
Prayer of Illumination
Sermon “The Air Is Bruised Around Here”
Organ Music for Meditation
We Respond to God’s Word
The Offertory
The Offertory Anthem
The Doxology
The Unison Prayer of Dedication
May our offerings give support to building the world you intend. May we turn from anxious toil to effective service. We commit ourselves once again to lead lives worthy of you, O God. We bear witness to the world through all we gladly give, not to call attention to ourselves, but to bless your name. Prosper our efforts as we find joy in the ministries you entrust to us. Amen.
The Joys and Concerns
The Silent, Intercessory and the Lord’s Prayer
…Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your name, _
_ your kingdom come, your 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_
We Go Forth in God’s Name
The Announcements
The Charge and Benediction
The Sending Hymn “Go Now in Peace”
Go now in peace. Never be afraid.
God will go with you each hour of every day.
Go now in faith, steadfast, strong and true.
Know He will guide you in all you do.
Go now in love, and show you believe.
Reach out to others so all the world can see.
God will be there watching from above.
Go now in peace, in faith, and in love.
Postlude
Attributions:
The hymns for today are from Glory to God: The Presbyterian Hymnal, Westminster Press, 2013. Call to Worship adapted & reprinted from The Pattern Of Our Days, The Iona Community; Unison Prayer of Dedication reprinted from Fresh Winds of the Spirit, Book 2 by Lavon Bayler
After the benediction, feel free to place your tithes & offerings in the basket at the rear of the sanctuary. Please continue to give of your tithes and offerings as your church continues to minister to a widening audience both in person and over the world wide web.
Departing the sanctuary requires special care and coordination on all of our parts. Congregants will exit the church the same way they came in. Please wait for the usher to tap your pew. In the mean time and while waiting, being seated, enjoying the postlude complete, please avail yourselves of the hand sanitizer in the pews.
We understand that an important part of church is greeting each other and catching up on news. We ask that this occur outside in the front or side lawn after church using proper distancing and masks. Speaking to each other inside without distancing poses the greatest risk that we will face, so we want to avoid this. Continue to wear your mask when speaking to others outside.
Please sign up to be a Greeter. The Greeter sees folks as they come to the front door. To smile, to welcome, to hold the door open, and to ensure proper distancing at the entry point is the work of the Greeter. To be a greeter, you have to endure the weather on the porch. Dress warmly, wear your goulashes.
Coffee hour will remain on hiatus for the time-being.
Do You Have Ideas You Would Like to Share with the Session? Comment cards are in the pews. Please fill them out and place in the offering box. One convenient way to get in touch with any Session member is to go to your e-news and click on the hyperlinked email address.
Helpful Information:
• Need a hearing device for Worship? – You can get one at the rear of the Sanctuary at the sound booth
• Prayer Requests and announcements for the Bulletin/FPCU Family News should be sent to Administrative Assistant Kristin Parry at FPCUlysses@gmail.com
• Reservations for the Chapel should be made through Kristin Parry at 315-283-3137 or FPCUlysses@gmail.com
• Contact Information changes should be sent to Clerk of Session Kris Alling at krisalling56@gmail.com
Helpful Information (Continued)
• Birthday Calendar Updates should be sent to Linda Andrew at lka@ottcmail.com
• To sign up to be a liturgist, usher, or greeter, please see the sign-up sheets in the Chapel.
Cinnamon Done, Sexton
Kristin Parry, Administrator
Joseph Pepper, Music Director
Joseph Pepper, Accompanist
The Rev. Dr. Daniel J. Russell, Interim Pastor
69 East Main Street, P.O. Box 597, Trumansburg, NY 14886
Web Address: http://www.fpcu.info
Email Address: FPCUlysses@gmail.com
Telephone: 607-387-8185
Leave a Reply