For Reflection
May the gifts and graces of this hour be a blessing to friends and strangers, those like us and those not, those deserving and those not, for in this way the love of God reaches all of God’s beloved. Amen.
The Prelude
Scripture Song for Reflection
Though I may speak with bravest fire, and have the gift to all inspire,
And have not love, my words are vain, as sounding brass, and hopeless gain. Though I may give all I possess, and striving so my love profess,
But not be given by love within, the profit soon turns strangely thin.
Come, Spirit, come, our hearts control, our spirits long to be made whole.
Let inward love guide every deed; by this we worship and are freed.
Based on I Corinthians 13:1
The Welcome, News and Announcements
The Introit
The Responsive Call to Worship
Polly Gutilius
One: As we worship the God of Light and Love, we remember Jesus finding
solitude and prayer, then going out to speak God’s Word.
All:The disciples looked upon Jesus who shone with the majesty of God’s
glory as he cast out demons and healed the sick.
One:From the mystery of an outdoor amphitheater, a trusted environment was
created, and all heard a voice declaring Jesus to be God’s Son.
All:Though we quarantine, and aren’t able to join indoor or outdoor
amphitheaters we too experience God’s glory.
One:Holy One. In the mundane predictability of our lives may there be for us,
moments of solitude giving way to insight, giving way to action for the poor, the outcast, the downtrodden in our neighborhoods.
All: In this way, may the paths of the earth become the road to heaven!
One:Fill us with your transforming love, Source of all that is. We worship you.
Amen.
The Confession of Sin
In humility and faith let us confess our sin to God. (1 John 1:9)
Mighty and merciful God, you have called us to be your people and claimed us for the service of Jesus Christ. We confess that we have not lived up to our calling. We have been timid and frightened disciples, forgetful of your powerful presence and the strength of your Spirit among us.
The Silent Prayers of Confession
Your name, O God, is to be spoken with reverence, joy and hope, but, at times, we have spoken it irreverently and not at all when we might have called upon you with hope and expectation. We know you are present but we put you out of our minds when we worship wealth and power. Most of us would not acknowledge ourselves as devil worshipers and yet we succumb to temptations that Jesus resisted with a strength of your word. Forgive our lack of faith in your saving power. Forgive us for wanting to be saved only from the consequences of our sins and not from the sins of the world through Jesus Christ our Savior, Amen.
The Assurance of Pardon
Friends, hear and believe the Good News! Everyone who calls on the name of Jesus Christ will be saved.
The Peace of Christ
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. To this peace we were called as members of a single body. The peace of Christ be with you.
People: And also with you.
Hymn “Rise Up, O Saints of God”
1 Rise up, O saints of God!
Have done with lesser things;
Give heart and soul and mind and strength
To serve the King of kings.
2 Rise up, O saints of God!
The kingdom tarries long;
Bring in the day of Christlike love
And end the night of wrong.
3 Lift high the cross of Christ!
Tread where his feet have trod;
Led onward by the Son of Man,
Rise up, O saints of God!
The Hebrew Scripture Lesson
Psalm 91:9-12, 14-16
9 Because you have made the Lord your refuge,
the Most High your dwelling place,
10 no evil shall befall you,
no scourge come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
12 On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.
14 Those who love me, I will deliver;
I will protect those who know my name.
15 When they call to me, I will answer them;
I will be with them in trouble,
I will rescue them and honor them.
16 With long life I will satisfy them,
and show them my salvation.
NRSV
The New Testament Lesson
Mark 1:34-39 _________N.____________
35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, (Jesus) departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.
Hymn “Sweet Hour of Prayer”
1 Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
that calls me from a world of care,
and bids me at my Father’s throne
make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
my soul has often found relief,
and oft escaped the tempter’s snare
by thy return, sweet hour of prayer!
2 Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
thy wings shall my petition bear
to God whose truth and faithfulness
engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since God bids me seek God’s face,
believe God’s word, and trust God’s grace,
I’ll cast on God my every care,
and wait for God, sweet hour of prayer!
We Proclaim God’s Word
Prayer of Illumination
The Sermon “Going Deeper than the Divide”
Music for Meditation
We Respond to God’s Word
The Offertory
The Offertory Anthem
The Doxology
The Unison Prayer of Dedication
Thank you, God, for the opportunity to invest in the healing ministry of the church. As we reach out to offer hope of wholeness to our fragmented world, we find new meaning for our lives. We are grateful for your faithfulness even when we do not respond. We rejoice that your love is constant through our long nights of weeping and days of suffering. Even in these moments, we celebrate the joy of giving. Amen.
The Joys and Concerns
The Silent, Intercessory and the Lord’s Prayer
…Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your 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
We Go Forth in God’s Name
The Charge and Benediction
1 Peter 4:7–11
The end of all things is near; therefore, be serious and discipline yourselves for the sake of your prayers. Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaining. Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.
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.
The Postlude
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Many thanks to our Liturgist, Marvin Pritts, our elder for O/I, Kris Alling.
Thanks also do our tech team, Videographer, Stephen Little, Audiographer- Larry Beckwith, Recorder, Joe Pepper, Zoom Co-host, Marvin Pritts, Webmaster, Kristin Parry, and Projectionist – Rylan Erickson.
Attributions
The hymns for today are from https://hymnary.org/hymn/CH1995/611 and https://hymnary.org/text/sweet_hour_of_prayer_sweet_hour_of_prayer. Call to Worship reprinted and adapted from Stages on the Way, Wild Goose Worship Group; The Prayer of Confession reprinted from Psalms and Prayers by B. David Hostetter, 1982, p.54. Prayer of Dedication reprinted from reprinted from Led By Love by Lavon Bayler.
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.
Kristin Parry, Administrative Assistant
Joseph Pepper, Music Director and Keyboardist
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
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