08/09/2026
August 9, 2026
Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost - Year A
Lake Huntington, Hortonville, Roscoe, and Bethel Presbyterian Churches.
Member Churches of the For Faith Parish
A More Light Presbyterian Parish
“We will be the hands of Christ, growing in faith, touching lives, reaching out, and spreading the Good News.”
Welcome to all guests and visitors worshiping with us today. we hope you will join us again! The * indicates points in the service where you are invited to stand, if that is comfortable for you.
For Quiet Reflection…
What would a world fully aware of the presence of God look like? What would we look like? What would our community look like if we really believed what we say about Jesus and about grace and salvation? How would it be reflected in our relationships, in our conversations, and in our lives day by day?
Prelude: “Jesus Calls Us”
# 720 (Glory to God) Not in the Blue
https://youtu.be/SVJ3G7L_yjU?si=fCoVC9v3QyA0DmDo
WE ASSEMBLE IN THE LORD’S NAME
Welcome and Sharing of Information
~ ~ The weekly announcements are at the end of this bulletin each week. Please contact Steph Valastro at the email listed to add to or correct announcements. ~ ~
Call To Worship
L: Give thanks to the Lord!
P: Sing praise to God’s name!
L: The Lord has done wonderful things for us!
P: The Lord has heaped blessing upon blessing in our lives!
L: Come, sing, shout, and give thanks to God.
P: In all our ways, we will continually thank God forever. AMEN.
Unison Opening Prayer
Lord, we come to you this day, seeking your healing and restoring love. Give us courage to reach out to you during the good and easy times as well as in the times of strain and stress. Open our hearts to receive your message of peace and hope. In Jesus’ name we pray. AMEN.
*Hymn: “How Firm a Foundation”
# 463 (GtG) # 361 (Blue)
https://youtu.be/3vZfzYSEGwk?si=247lG4CunZf8MkwW
Call to Confession
As we worship this week, we celebrate the joy of knowing that God is present among us. We lift up our adoption, our fellowship, and our service to the wider community. We give thanks that we can be a sign that God is at work in the world. And yet, we know that we could do more…
Unison Prayer of Confession
We confess that there are times when we fall short of the ideals of the kingdom. We ask forgiveness for those times when we have not made someone welcome in our midst. We ask forgiveness for those times when we have been afraid of our neighbors or have ignored certain brothers and sisters around us.
If the way that we conduct our worship has silenced certain voices, forgive us, Lord. If we have stopped learning and growing in faith, forgive us, Lord. Open our eyes to our shortcomings and blind spots. Give us ears to hear and eyes to see. AMEN
Assurance of Grace
Through your faith, your repentance, your acceptance of Jesus Christ as savior and your willingness to follow him, your sins have been forgiven. Glory to God. Amen
* “Gloria Patri” #581 (GtG) #567 (blue)
https://youtu.be/aENxd0G-XTw?si=jlTtzLKMp0OyGFtf
* Sharing the Peace of Christ
If we desire peace in the world, it must begin with each one of us.
Share the signs and words of peace with each other.
*Hymn: “Let There Be Peace on Earth.” 1 Verse
Not in our hymnals - See Handout
https://youtu.be/D_VNTXPoudo?si=wflSbCvQM3DO843q
THE LORD SPEAKS AND WE LISTEN
Unison Prayer for Illumination
Guide us, O God, by your Word and Spirit, that in your light we may see light, in your truth find wisdom, and in your will discover your peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Scripture Readings…
Old Testament Reading: Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
1 Jacob settled in the land where his father had lived as an alien, the land of Canaan.
2 These are the descendants of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers; he was a helper to the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives, and Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father.
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children because he was the son of his old age, and he made him an ornamented robe.
4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.
12 Now his brothers went to pasture their father's flock near Shechem.
13 And Israel said to Joseph, "Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them." He answered, "Here I am."
14 So he said to him, "Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring word back to me." So he sent him from the valley of Hebron. He came to Shechem,
15 and a man found him wandering in the fields; the man asked him, "What are you seeking?"
16 "I am seeking my brothers," he said; "tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock."
17 The man said, "They have gone away, for I heard them say, 'Let us go to Dothan.'" So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.
18 They saw him from a distance, and before he came near to them they conspired to kill him.
19 They said to one another, "Here comes this dreamer.
20 Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild animal has devoured him, and we shall see what will become of his dreams."
21 But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands, saying, "Let us not take his life."
22 Reuben said to them, "Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him" --that he might rescue him out of their hand and restore him to his father.
23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the ornamented robe that he wore,
24 and they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.
25 Then they sat down to eat, and looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming frm Gilead, with their camels carrying gum, balm, and resin, on their way to carry it down to Egypt.
26 Then Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?
27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh." And his brothers agreed.
28 When some Midianite traders passed by, they drew Joseph up, lifting him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.
Reading of the Psalm: Psalm 105: 1-6, 16-22, 45b
1 O give thanks to the LORD; call on his name; make known his deeds among the peoples.
2 Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wonderful works.
3 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
4 Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually.
5 Remember the wonderful works he has done, his miracles and the judgments he uttered,
6 O offspring of his servant Abraham, children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
16 When he summoned famine against the land and cut off every supply of bread,
17 he had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who had been sold as a slave.
18 His feet were hurt with fetters; his neck was put in a collar of iron;
19 until what he had said came to pass, the word of the LORD kept testing him.
20 The king sent and released him; the ruler of the peoples set him free.
21 He made him lord of his house and ruler of all his possessions,
22 to instruct his officials at his pleasure and to teach his elders wisdom.
45b Praise the LORD!
Epistle Reading: Romans 10:5-15
5 Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law, that "the person who does these things will live by them."
6 But the righteousness that comes from faith says, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down)
7 "or 'Who will descend into the abyss?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim),
9 because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For one believes with the heart, leading to righteousness, and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth, leading to salvation and so is saved.
11 The scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame."
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him.
13 For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
14 But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him?
15 And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
Gospel Reading: Matthew 14:22-33
22 Immediately he made the disciples get into a boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.
23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,
24 but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them.
25 And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea.
26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out in fear.
27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid."
28 Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water."
29 He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus.
30 But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and, beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!"
31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"
32 When they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."
~ ~ Message ~ ~
“Steady and Steadfast”
Cathy B. Wilcox, UMC pastor
One of the many things that the wisdom of old age teaches is the importance of being steady and steadfast. In fact, it’s such an important piece of wisdom that there are many common ways of saying it. People say things like “Keep Your Eye on the Prize,” “Keep your shoulder to the wheel,” “Stay the course,” and “Keep the faith”. These sayings all basically mean the same thing: Remember your long-term goal and hold on. Don’t give up.
In our Old Testament lesson this morning, Joseph was seventeen when his brothers ganged up on him and sold him into slavery. He didn’t personally have the wisdom of old age, because he was quite young, but he had the wisdom of the ages, passed down from his great-grandfather, Abraham. He knew right from wrong and held on to his faith in God, in spite of what had happened to him. Further along in the story, in Genesis 39, it says that Joseph prospered and was well-built and handsome. The man who had purchased him as a slave, whose name was Potiphar, put him in charge of everything in his household. Joseph was trustworthy, but when he refused the advances of Potiphar’s wife, she accused him of trying to take advantage of her, and he was put in prison. Even in prison, Joseph was kind and earned the respect of the warden.
What happened to Joseph wasn’t great for him in the short term. He was betrayed by his brothers. His father thought he was dead and he was living in a foreign country as a slave. But God is able to turn the situation into an advantage. This morning’s psalm reminds us that because of Joseph’s presence in Egypt, the Pharoah learned about the God of Israel and the Israelites were saved from famine. God used the betrayal, slavery and imprisonment of Joseph for good.
But, we mustn’t think that this was a quick fix. Joseph was sold into slavery at age 17. While there, he was put in prison. He had been in Egypt for thirteen years before he was brought before Pharoah. For thirteen years, he had tried his best to be faithful and trust God. He never lost heart or thought that God had abandoned him. When Pharoah asked him to interpret his dreams, Joseph told Pharoah that the power to interpret came from God, that it was not his own power. Joseph remained steady and steadfast in his faith.
Being steady can become mentally easier but physically more of a challenge as we age. In my old age, I’ve started doing yoga. It’s very good for keeping you flexible and maintaining your balance. The move that is especially helpful with balance is called “tree pose”. You stand up straight, choose a point in the distance to focus on and slowly lift one leg and stand on the other, keeping your balance. It’s really important to keep your eye on the point in the distance. If you look left or right, you’ll fall in that direction. That is how Joseph kept his balance. He kept his focus. He kept his eye on God.
Some people, on hearing the difficulties that Joseph faced as a young man, might feel that the situation is too extreme to have any meaning for their life today. I certainly hope that none of you have ever been betrayed by your brothers or sisters or any other person in the terrible way that Joseph was betrayed. Unfortunately, though, you probably have been betrayed in smaller ways many, many times. Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him and hated him. We’ve all experienced jealousy and being disliked. He was treated unfairly and accused of something he hadn’t done. That happens a lot, doesn’t it?
We all experience difficulties because of other people’s choices all the time. People make promises that they don’t keep. They gossip and spread rumors when they don’t have all the facts. People do things that trouble us and we have no power to stop them. What we do have the power to stop or change is the way that we react. We can’t control them, but we can control ourselves, if we can keep our eye on the prize and stay the course.
So, what is the prize that we’re keeping our eye on? What is the goal of our lives? Isn’t it to follow Jesus? Yes! And are we supposed to keep our love of Jesus quiet? No! We mustn’t forget the words Paul wrote to the Romans, "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." The people around us learn about God and about Jesus through us. The Pharoah learned about God from Joseph. This community learns about Jesus through us.
So, what are we showing them? Do we show them that followers of Christ are steady and steadfast, that we don’t lose hope when things go sideways, because we know that God is with us and that things will turn out right in the end? Do they see us trusting God, hanging on through our doubts, forgiving easily? Do they see us offering hope, help and love to our neighbors (even the ones we don’t particularly like)?
It’s easy to get distracted by the troubles of the world. There’s no doubt about that. Our fears can pull us away from God. We can feel confidant in God’s love one minute and find our selves panicking and crying out for help the next. The image, from the Gospel of Matthew, of Peter stepping out of the boat to walk on the water toward Jesus and then taking his eyes off Jesus and sinking and panicking is often how we live our lives. One minute we are serene and confident that God is with us and the next we’re desperately crying out for help. If we truly had complete confidence in Jesus’ presence and guidance, we would never panic. We would take it all in stride. We would show the world that we truly trust God and people would want to be a part of that.
In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he wrote, “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
So, the next time life goes sideways and you’re tempted to descend into despair, feeling abandoned and forgotten by God, remember Joseph and Peter. Remember that Joseph was a slave for thirteen years, because his brothers were jealous and hated him, but God used that situation to save the Israelites from famine and death. Remember that Peter, who was enthusiastic, but far from steady when Jesus called him, grew in his faith so much over time that he was filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and went on to bring many non-believers to Christ.
Show the world, by the way that you live, that your long-term goal is the Kingdom of God, that life with Christ is filled with grace and love, forgiveness and trust, that you know that God can use any situation for future good.
And that, my friends, is the Good News of the Gospel for this morning!
WE RESPOND IN FAITH
Affirmation of faith
We trust in God, the Holy Spirit, the giver and renewer of life. The Spirit justifies us by grace through faith, sets us free to accept ourselves and love God and neighbor, and binds us together with all believers in the one body of Christ, the Church.
The same Spirit who inspired the prophets and apostles rules our faith and life in Christ through Scripture, engages us through the Word proclaimed,
claims us in the waters of baptism, feeds us with the bread of life and the cup of salvation, and calls women and men to all ministries of the Church.
In a broken and fearful world, the Spirit gives us courage to pray without ceasing, to witness among all peoples that Christ is Lord and Savior, to unmask idolatries in Church and culture, to hear the voices of peoples long silenced, and to work with others for justice, freedom, and peace.
*Hymn: “My Life Flows On”
# 821 (GtG) Not in Blue
https://youtu.be/itM3g_Qoa50?si=1LGX7v6pogM1GRAz
Invitation to the Offering
God’s abundance cannot be matched. Still, we are inspired to be generous by a generous God. We are inspired to give by the greatest of givers. In gratitude to God, let us present our tithes and offerings.
Offertory: “As With Gladness Men of Old”, v 3
# 150 (GtG) # 63 (Blue)
https://youtu.be/D_VNTXPoudo?si=wflSbCvQM3DO843q
* “Doxology” # 606 (GtG) #592 (Blue)
https://youtu.be/Fbu5rBfz49E?si=2qHlff1CTVjzV9Hi
* Prayer of Dedication - Unison
Gracious God, the gifts we offer reflect only a portion of all that you have given us. Take these offerings, we pray, and multiply them for your use.
May our offerings be a blessing to those most in need, to those most vulnerable. May our offerings, given in a spirit of generosity, abate the desire to hoard and spread the desire to share. Amen.
Prayers of the People Joys and Concerns
Eternal God, incline your ear to us as we raise our prayers of thanksgiving and joy and our petitions and concerns. Hear us as we pray.
(offer up your joys and blessings)
Holy God, we praise your name and offer thanks for the abundant blessings you have bestowed upon us. Every sunrise, every smile, every breeze on a hot day reminds us that we are completely dependent upon your grace.
God our Rock, many of us are questioning what we once assumed to be sturdy and stable. Our economy feels fragile, our democracy vulnerable, and our country angrily divided. Things are changing and our options feel limited. We don’t know what to do to help make things better. Life overwhelms us, and we need your help.
(offer up your concerns and worries)
Creator God, the natural world groans for relief as temperatures rise, wildfires rage and natural disasters regularly and tragically endanger lives. We pray for those without the resources to rebuild after disaster strikes. We pray for the sick whose lungs are vulnerable to polluted air, for the evacuated, the refugee, the desperate and the destitute. We pray for your earth to be renewed.
Prince of Peace, save us from ourselves, from our violence and warring madness. Defeat leaders who care most about hoarding power for themselves. Protect the innocent from injustice. Strengthen the honorable. Bless us all with the moral courage to follow Christ’s way of love. Restore peace. Protect the persecuted. Hear the cries of your people.
Merciful God, we are not without help or hope. Acts of compassion, in the face of all that is hard and harsh, inspire us. Communities are collaborating to meet needs in new ways. People long silenced are finding their voice. We can do good when we work together for the flourishing of your kingdom. May your Spirit encourage our faith as we stand open-hearted, praying and believing in your endless mercy.
Now, as the Body of Christ and your covenant community, we pray the prayer Jesus taught us, saying,
“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.”
SENDING THE FAITHFUL INTO GODS’ WORLD
* Hymn: “Precious Lord, Take My Hand”
# 834 (GtG) # 404 (Blue)
https://youtu.be/iuhUPjuIi70?si=u7ZxOqEF1Ye9R_9j
Commission and Benediction
We are the Body of Christ: his hands, his feet, his heart, his lungs; bearing witness in this world to God’s mercy and love.
May the nourishment of God’s Word, the accountability of Christian community, and the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit fortify us for faithfulness. Amen.
Postlude: “Be Thou My Vision”
# 450 (GtG) # 339 (Blue)
https://youtu.be/80MCpSMDs6E?si=nQYnCdRqENWZBABp
~~ WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENTS ~~
Super Social. Penny Social. August 22nd, 2026. Roscoe Community Center. Old Route 17, Roscoe, N.Y. Doors open @ 2pm. Calling begins @ 4pm. Admission $3 includes 4 cards = 100 tickets. Additional tickets available, plus refreshments and Special Table. Contact Julie @ 845-866-3549 for more information or to donate a prize. We have LOADS of SUPER prizes! You do not have to be present to win but you must make arrangements in advance to pick up your winnings.
Join us on YouTube. The Roscoe Presbyterian Church is on YouTube! Worship service videos are posted to watch and share. Remember to hit the Subscribe button, so you can see all the great videos. https://www.youtube.com/
Please remember to contact Joy Bertsch, with the names of anyone who is ill or hospitalized, or who has lost a family member, or in need of a Thinking of You card. Send all info to Joy through the email address listed on the bulletin.
If anyone has any announcements or information that you wish to share in this bulletin, please contact Stephanie Valastro at the email listed on the bulletin.
For Faith Parish Council Officers
Stephen Valastro, Parish Moderator
Email: [email protected]
Kristina Snedeker, Parish Secretary
Email: [email protected]
Julie Dreher-Setren, Parish Treasurer
Email: [email protected]
For Faith Visitation Ministry
Virginia Bossley
Email: [email protected]
For Faith Parish Card Ministry
Joy Bertsch
Email: Email: [email protected]
For Faith Parish Online Worship Facilitator.
Stephanie Valastro
Email: [email protected]
For Faith Parish page
For Faith Parish of Sullivan County NY
www.facebook.com/For-Faith-Parish-of-Sullivan-County-NY-195557170784677
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