Union Congregational Church United Church of Christ

An Open and Affirming Congregation

June 28, 2020

Photo by Dan Milbauer

The Reverend Dr. Robert Marrone, Pastor 33 Concord Street, Peterborough, New Hampshire 03458

603-924-3272 (church office) 603-425-4578 (pastor) officeucc@comcast.net www.uccpeterborough.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/peterboroughucc

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We are glad that you are with us today as we worship! All hymns are reprinted with permission under One License #A700240. All rights reserved.

All Bible verses are reprinted with permission from www.biblegateway.com. All rights reserved.

Boldface indicates passages to be read by all.

Greetings & Announcements Rev. Dr. Bob Marrone Prelude: All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name Mary Ann Fleming Homer Whitford, H.W. Gray/Alfred Publishing, 1949

Call to Worship The ONA Covenant of Union Congregational CHurch

Jesus accepts all people. We aspire to follow his example. We gladly invite and welcome all persons into the life and ministry of this faith community and to full participation in all the sacraments and rites of this church. Since we believe that all people are created in the image of God and are loved by God, we welcome those of every age, race, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, faith background, national or ethnic origin, physical and mental ability, kind of family, socioeconomic status, and physical appearance.

Seeking justice for everyone, we promise to offer intentional and extravagant welcome to all God's children. Come worship God!

*Hymn In the Midst of New Dimensions The New Century Hymnal #391

Page #8 in your Bulletin Reprinted with permission under One License #A700240. All rights reserved.

Morning Prayer

Holy One of Blessing, eternally we co-create ourselves in your love. All companionship orientations; All gender identities and expressions; All ways of having family. We celebrate LGBTQ+ peoples everywhere Knowing that many are still not safe to come out; To be free; To live life abundantly. Heal all who are ill in body, mind, heart or spirit.

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Bind up all wounds and provide adequate care. Extinguish any stigma people are enduring. We celebrate because everyone should be celebrated. We are your body on earth. May our love and hope be sent on the wings of this prayer To all who need refreshing, affirmation, and love’s embrace. May it be so. Amen.

Message for All Ages

Special Music: Grace Soloists: Dick and Dotty

Carolyn Hamlin, Purifoy/Lorenz Corporation, 1995

Prayers of the People & Pastoral Prayer

*Hymn God, Speak to Me that I May Speak The New Century Hymnal #531 Page #9 in your Bulletin Reprinted with permission under One License #A700240. All rights reserved.

Scripture Reading: Genesis 22:1-14: New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Command to Sacrifice Isaac

22 After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.” 6 Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. 7 Isaac said to his father Abraham, “Father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.

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9 When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

Sermon: Bad Connection Rev. Dr. Bob Marrone

Prayer of Thanksgiving

For all the great and wondrous things you have done for us, O God, we are grateful. You give us strength to go on when we are troubled and discouraged. You grant newness of life as we share in Christ’s resurrection. We want to pass on the good news through our giving and by the way we live each day. Lead us, and guide us with your steadfast love, that we might channel your gifts to all we meet. Amen.

*Hymn Here I Am, Lord Dan Schutte, OCP Publications, 1991 Page #10 in your Bulletin

*Benediction

*Choral Benediction: Peace Bryan Sirchio, Crosswinds Music Ministries, 2009 Page #5 in your Bulletin

Postlude Mary Ann Fleming The postlude ends our gathered worship and sends us into the world, where our service begins.

The flowers on the altar this week are given by Beth Fredrickson

in loving memory of her sister-in-law, Lauren Gibbs.

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Peace

SERVING TODAY

Music: Dick, Dotty, and Mary Ann

Deacon: Jenny

Cover art photo credit is due to Dan Milbauer.

OFFERING: Please remember that the church still has bills to pay and payroll to fund. Please send in or drop off your pledges with—Attn: assistant treasurer—in the lower left corner of the envelope.

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Please keep in your prayers this week:

We pray for all of our community members, especially those home alone, those who are sick, and those who are in need. Please contact the church office with your prayer

requests by Thursday at 10 am to go out in the next Sunday Worship Info email.

You may send them to: officeucc@comcast.net, or pastorbob@uccpeterborough.org ________________________________

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Church Information

Office hours: Mon.–Fri., 8:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

The office is currently closed physically, please call or email; Cindy is there to help you.

Cindy will be on vacation this Wednesday, 7/1-Friday, 7-3

Pastor’s office hours: Mon.–Thurs., 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Pastor’s office hours are from home. Please call or email him.

This Week’s Calendar: June 28-July 4

THE OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED Wednesday, 7/1-Friday, 7-3

Sunday 10 am Worship from home

10:45 am Coffee Hour via Zoom

Tuesday 7 pm Pastor Bob Paints via Facebook Live

Wednesday 6:30 pm Diaconate via Zoom

Thursday 7:30 pm Choir Zoom

NOTES

IF YOU ARE OUR GUEST TODAY, please take a moment to sign our Welcome Guest card, which is the link at the top of our Facebook page. Please email the office at officeucc@comcast.net for information about our church family, and visit us at uccpeterborough.org

CHURCH BYTE: Please send any announcements for the next Church Byte to the office by 10 a.m. on Thursday (earlier if possible). Thank you!

Continue to call the Church Office for masks, Upper Room, Pocket Prayer Shawls, or help with getting groceries, prescriptions, and other needs. 924-3272

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Open and Affirming Covenant of Welcome

Jesus accepts all people.

We aspire to follow his example.

We gladly invite and welcome all persons into the life and ministry of this faith

community and to full participation in all the sacraments and rites of this church.

Since we believe that all people are created in the image of God and are loved by God,

we welcome those of every age, race, sexual orientation, gender identity and

expression, faith background, national or ethnic origin, physical and mental ability,

kind of family, socioeconomic status, and physical appearance.

Seeking justice for everyone, we promise to offer

intentional and extravagant welcome to all God’s children.

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