CALL TO WORSHIP
By Nolan Palsma
Pitcher Hill Community Church, North Syracuse, NY
Across the barriers that divide race from race:
Reconcile us, O Christ, by your cross.
Across the barriers that divide rich from poor:
Reconcile us, O Christ, by your cross.
Across the barriers that divide people of different cultures:
Reconcile us, O Christ, by your cross.
Across the barriers that divide Christians:
Reconcile us, O Christ, by your cross.
Across the barriers that divide men and women, young and old:
Reconcile us, O Christ, by your cross.
Confront us, O Christ, with the hidden prejudices and fears
that deny and betray our prayers.
Enable us to see the causes of strife, remove from us all senses of superiority.
Teach us to grow in unity with all God’s children.
OPENING HYMN | “O For a World”
O for a world where everyone
respects each other’s ways,
where love is lived and all is done
with justice and with praise.
O for a world where goods are shared
and misery relieved,
where truth is spoken, children spared,
equality achieved.
We welcome one world family
and struggle with each choice
that opens us to unity
and gives our vision voice.
The poor are rich, the weak are strong,
the foolish ones are wise.
Tell all who mourn, outcasts belong,
who perishes will rise.
O for a world preparing for
God’s glorious reign of peace,
where time and tears will be no more,
and all but love will cease.
MINUTE FOR MISSION
There are so many exciting ways that God is working through each of us and in this community.
As we consider our receiving and our giving to the works of ministry in this place and in the world, may we remember the reconciliation that God offers us every day.
HEBREW SCRIPTURE | Genesis 45:1-8
Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence.
Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me.” And they came closer. He said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.”
CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURE | Matthew 18:15-22
“If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”
Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.
REFLECTION
“Reconciliation That Hits Home”
By Mark Mullins
CORPORATE PRAYER | By Nolan Palsma
Pitcher Hill Community Church, North Syracuse, NY
O God of shalom,
we have built up walls to protect ourselves from our enemies,
but those walls also shut us off from receiving your love.
Break down those walls.
Help us to see that the way to your heart
is through the reconciliation of our own hearts with our enemies.
Bless them and us, that we may come to grow in love
for each other and for you, through Jesus Christ.
