Tioga Center United Methodist Church

06/19/2026

Tioga Center, Smithboro & Nichols United Methodist Churches
June 21, 2026 – 10 a.m. Father’s Day Sunday Service at Nichols UMC

Genesis 21:8-21; Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17, Romans 6:1b-11; Matthew 10:24-39

BULLETIN
Welcome and Announcements
Today
11:15, Coffee hour
Monday, June 22-July 20
1-2 or 7-8, “Don’t Give the Devil a Seat at Your Table” @ Tioga Center; Carol Barnes 607/687-4793; [email protected]
Wednesday, June 24
1:00, Genesis chapter 50 @ Sayre; 607/972-3073
Sunday, June 28
10:00, Service @ Smithboro UMC→

Coming:
Bring treasures to Smithboro for their July 25 rummage sale
August 2: 3-Church service & picnic, Kirby Park, Nichols
August 24-28: 10-12, Summer VBS: Pat Brink 607/y687-1924 or Renee Thomas 607/972-3335

Prelude Eva Baldwin

Call to Worship
When we feel abandoned and alone, unable to find a way out of the wilderness that surrounds, we cry out to God…
And God listens to us.
When we feel discouraged and defeated, unsure we will ever really be able to make ends meet and worried that no matter how hard we work, it will never be enough, we cry out to God...
And God listens to us.
When we feel lost and forgotten, unable to find the words for the grief, isolation, and despair that we feel, our hearts cry out to God…
And God pays attention to us.
As we gather in this place and time, remember: You are not alone. God knows where you are, and God listens to the cries of our hearts.
May we also listen to one another as God guides us toward the cool, refreshing waters we need to continue on our journey as the family of God.

Hymn – “God Will Take Care of You” #130, United Methodist Hymnal

1. Be not dismayed whate’er betide,
God will take care of you;
beneath his wings of love abide,
God will take care of you.
Refrain
God will take care of you,
through every day,
o’er all the way;
he will take care of you,
God will take care of you.

2. Through days of toil when heart doth fail,
God will take care of you.
When dangers fierce your path assail,
God will take care of you.
Refrain

3. All you may need he will provide,
God will take care of you;
nothing you ask will be denied,
God will take care of you.
Refrain

4. No matter what may be the test,
God will take care of you;
lean, weary one, upon his breast,
God will take care of you.
Refrain
Opening Prayer (in unison)

Holy God, Creator of all that is, Donor of Grace, and Giver of Life: Hear our prayer.
There are chasms in our lives, deep valleys that separate us from one another and from You.
We confess that we have allowed those rifts to grow, for fear of admitting our part in the separation, for fear of being rejected when we reach out.
You call us to a reconciled life, to healed relationships, to a wholeness with each other and with You.
Mend us, we pray, and make us new creations through the power and love of Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.

Special Music “A Fanfare, ‘Masterpiece”, Eva Baldwin, Alice Judge
Presentation of Offerings
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
praise him, all creatures here below;
praise him above, ye heavenly host;
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Offertory Prayer
Listening God, you hear the cries we whisper and the cries we cannot speak.
In a world still marked by fear, abandonment, and unfairness, You remain the one who listens and who hears the voices of the outcast, the wounded, the overlooked.
As we bring our offerings today, open our ears as yours are open. Make our giving an act of solidarity with those whose voices rise in need.
Use these gifts to reveal your presence, to bring water into desert places, and to remind all your children that they are not alone. Shape us into people who hear because we have been heard. Amen

Children’s Message – Patti Westfall
Children will be escorted to the Education Building for their time of worship.

Hymn “Lead Me, Lord”, #473, United Methodist Hymnal
Lead me, Lord,
lead me in thy righteousness;
make thy way plain before my face.
For it is thou, Lord, thou Lord only,
that makest me dwell in safety.

Lesson Genesis 21:8 – 21 (pg. 29 in pew Bible)
Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away
8 The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. 9 But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, 10 and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.”
11 The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. 12 But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your maid-servant. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. 13 I will make the son of the maid-servant into a nation also, because he is your offspring.”
14 Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the desert of Beersheba.
15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes.
16 Then she went off and sat down nearby, about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there nearby, she began to sob.
17 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 18 Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”
19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.
20 God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer.
21 While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from Egypt.

Sermon – “Hearing the Voice”, Rev. Charles Smith

Sharing Joys, Concerns, and God Sightings
Please use the provided microphone
Pastor Chuck and Kim Smith, District Superintendent Rev. Richelle Duchano-Goff, Bishop Hector Burgos Nunez.

Pastoral Prayer and Lord’s Prayer
Hymn “His Eye Is on the Sparrow”, #2146, The Faith We Sing

1.Why should I feel discouraged?
Why should the shadows come?
Why should my heart be lonely
and long for heaven and home.
When Jesus is my portion?
My constant friend is he:

Refrain
His eye is on the sparrow
and I know he watches me;
his eye is on the sparrow,
and I know he watches me.
I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
for his eye is on the sparrow,
and I know he watches me.
2.“Let not your heart be troubled,”
his tender word I hear,
and resting on his goodness,
I lose my doubts and fears;
though by the path he leadeth
but one step I may see:
Refrain

3.Whenever I am tempted,
whenever clouds arise,
when song gives place to sighing,
when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to him,
from care he sets me free:
Refrain

Benediction
Postlude Eva Baldwin

Lord,
I know Your judgments
are perfect,
and so I will praise You
above all things --
even my own desires
and expectations.
You are my Resting Place
and the Solid Rock
on which I stand.
Amen

06/19/2026

June 21, 2026 - 10 a.m. Sunday Service for Tioga Center, Smithboro & Nichols UMC's will be at Nichols UMC

06/14/2026

TIOGA CENTER, SMITHBORO AND NICHOLS UNITED METHODIST CHURCHES
JUNE 14, 2026 – 10 A.M. SERVICE AT TIOGA CENTER UMC

Third Sunday after Pentecost
Genesis 18:1-15, Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19
Romans 5:1-8, Matthew 9:35-10:23

WORSHIP
Welcome and Announcements
Prelude “He is All I Need” by Peggy Buckhaus

Call to Worship (responsive)
God meets us in surprising yet ordinary places—under a tree, in the smile of a stranger, in a refreshing breeze that comes at just the right time.
God, open our hearts to notice your presence all around us.
God speaks to us in surprising yet ordinary ways—in a well-placed word from a friend, in a prayer that comes at just the right time, in a song that resonates through our entire being.
God, open our minds to recognize your voice all around us.
God fulfills God’s promises in surprising yet ordinary ways—in an unexpected act of kindness, in providing just what we need at just the right time, in sending someone to listen when we feel alone.
God, open our hands to receive your blessings all around us.
Beloved, in the surprising and ordinary ways that God shows up among us, may we meet God and our neighbors with open hearts, minds, and hands, ready to encounter God’s miraculous work.
God, open our lives to receive your blessings, that we may share together in the joy, wonder, and laughter of God’s miraculous works all around us.

Hymn “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” UM Hymnal 139

Opening Prayer (unison)
God, as you met Abraham in an ordinary moment of hospitality,
meet us today in the ordinary moments of our lives.
Open our minds to recognize your presence among us;
open our hearts to receive your promises;
open our arms to embrace your miraculous works
with joy, wonder, and laughter.
As we gather to worship, help us find the courage to hope, the wisdom to trust, and the perseverance to cooperate with you
as you fulfill our promises as you work for all creation. Amen
Special Music Tammy Gage “To Know You More” by Joe Horness

Presentation of Offerings
Doxology “Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow” UMH 95
Offertory Prayer (unison)
Joyful Giver of Miracles, we come to you with hearts open to the unexpected, for you are the God who surprises us with joy, even in seasons of waiting and even through our disbelief. You meet us in the ordinariness of welcome, and you plant seeds of laughter that bloom into life. As Abraham and Sarah offered their hospitality and received the promise of new life, so we offer our gifts in trust and gratitude. Bless these gifts, O God, that they may bear witness to your goodness and extend joy, hope, and welcome to the world you so love. May our giving be a reflection of our faith, and may our faith be full of laughter. In the name of the one who brings life out of impossibility. Amen.

Children’s Message

Hymn – “Oh, How He Loves You and Me” TFWS 2108

Lesson Genesis 18:1-15, (21:1-7)
Sermon A Miracle Called Laughter Rev. Charles Smith

Sharing Joys, Concerns, and God Sightings
Pastoral Prayer
Lord’s Prayer UMH 895

Hymn “Trust and Obey “ UM Hymnal 467
Benediction
Postlude “Cantate Domino” by Stewart Landon

GO AND SERVE

PRAYER CONCERNS
Those who have lost a loved one and those who are traveling. District Superintendent Rev. Richelle Goff, Bishop Hector

CALENDAR
Today is Flag Day.
10:00 a.m. Worship Service with fellowship time following
Mondays, June 15-July 20 1-2 or 7-8 p.m. at Tioga Center UMC – “Don’t Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table” study
Sunday, June 21 10:00 a.m. Worship at Nichols UMC
Sunday, June 28 10:00 a.m. Worship at Smithboro UMC
July 25 9 am-2 p.m. Yard Sale at Smithboro – Gathering items now!
August 2 Three Church Worship and Picnic at Kirby Park
Ending soon: Collection of personal care items for Catholic Charities
August 24-28 – Snowball Mountain VBS at Smithboro – 10 a.m.-noon; contacts Pat Brink (607)687-1924 and Renee Thomas (607)972-3335

The bulletin’s insert is from The United Methodist Church Handbook for 2025-2028. The guide was given to all delegates at Upper New York’s Annual Conference May 28-30. Rev. Rhonda Kourterick, Jim Newbury, and Carol Barnes participated in person; Pastor Chuck, remotely.
The theme of the conference was RISE Up! Love Boldly.
As we face the challenges of our time, the church – our churches – are called to a renewed future –one that embraces love, service and courageous leadership.
How can we Love Boldly? What ways can we find to welcome all people with compassion and grace? How are we connecting with our communities? Are there new ways we can love boldly?

Rev. Charles G. Smith, Pastor
122 Bliven Street, Nichols, NY 13812
716-998-0794 mobile telephone
[email protected]

06/13/2026

Meet Johnny the green apple of gentleness in the kid’s corner during worship.

06/12/2026

June 14, 2026 - 10 a.m. Sunday Service for Tioga Center, Smithboro & Nichols UMC's will be at Tioga Center UMC

06/05/2026

Tioga Center, Smithboro and Nichols United Methodist Churches
June 7, 2026 - 10 a.m. service at Smithboro UMC

Genesis 12:1-9, Psalm 33:1-23
Romans 4:13-25, Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

BULLETIN – June 7, 2026
WORSHIP
Welcome and Announcements
Prelude

Call to Worship
Like Abram and Sarai, God calls us to go into the unknown, trusting that God’s promises are true.
Whether we are certain or full of doubts, God blesses us that we may be a blessing.
God sends us into the world to journey by faith, believing that God’s blessings are greater than anything we can imagine.
Whether the path is straight or winding, God blesses us that we may be a blessing.
God gathers us today with trusted companions, those who also follow God’s call, even when it does not make sense to the world around us.
Whether we journey with friends or feel all alone, God blesses us that we may be a blessing.
As we gather to worship, may we remember that we are God’s people, blessed by God to be a blessing to our world that is hurting and desperately in need of good news.
God, form us today as a family of faith, that your blessings might flow out of us and into our world, drawing all people into your promise of abundant life and flourishing. Amen.

Hymn “He Leadeth Me: O Blessed Thought” UM Hymn #128

Opening Prayer (unison)

Long before the change of name,
before the first signs of new life
showed the beginnings of promises fulfilled,
You asked Abram to make his home among foreigners,
and share the blessing that was to come.
And now, O God, you ask the same faith of us:
The faith to count ourselves among the least,
to find our place alongside the poor and broken;
The faith to trust in your mercy and your promises,
and to share what we have received;
The faith to wait expectantly for your reign of justice and equity,
together with those who most need its gifts.
Teach us to be children of Abram, sharers of the blessings we enjoy:
The blessing of plenty shared with those who have need,
The blessing of healing shared with those who are sick and wounded,
The blessing of joy shared with those who celebrate
and of tears shared with those who grieve,
The blessing of friendship shared with those who are excluded,
and of solidarity with those who fight injustice,
The blessing of peace shared with those in conflict,
and of confrontation shared with those who bring harm;
And in some small way, may our faith and our sharing,
help to bring your promises into being in our world.
Amen.

Special Music

Presentation of Offerings
Doxology UM Hymnal 95
Offertory Prayer (unison)

Calling God, you spoke to Abram and set him on a journey, not with full clarity, but with full trust. You promised blessing—and with it, purpose. We come now as your people, also journeying by faith, offering these gifts not for our greatness, but so that your promise might be fulfilled through us: to bless the world. Use these offerings to build relationships, to mend the broken, and to draw all families of the earth toward your heart. May our giving reflect our trust, and may our trust lead us to go where you send, step by step, stage by stage, into your future. Amen.

Children’s Message

Hymn “He Touched Me” UMC Hymn #367

Lesson Genesis 12:1-9

Sermon To Be a Blessing Rev. Charles Smith

Celebration of Holy Communion

Sharing Joys, Concerns, and God Sightings
Pastoral Prayer

Hymn “Trust and Obey “ UM Hymn #467
Benediction
Postlude
GO SERVE

PRAYER CONCERNS

Those who have lost a loved one and those who are traveling. District Superintendent Rev. Richelle Goff, Bishop Hector

CALENDAR

Monday 6:30 p.m. Tioga Center Trustees,
7:25 p.m. Admin. Council
Wed. June 10 1:00 p.m. Genesis Chapter 48, Sayre 607-972-3073
6:30 p.m. Nichols UMC Administrative Council
Fri. June 12 9:00-10:30 a.m. WATCH PARTY - Union
Pacific’s Big Boy #4014 locomotive at Tioga Center’s
Garden and Back Yard
Sunday June 14 10:00 a.m. Worship Service
at Tioga Center UMC
Mondays June 15-July 20 1-2 or 7-8 p.m. at Tioga Center
UMC - “Don’t Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table”
study
Sunday June 21 10:00 a.m. Worship at Nichols UMC
Saturday July 25 9 am-2 p.m. Yard Sale at Smithboro –
Gathering items now!
August 2 Three Church Worship and Picnic at Kirby Park

Ending soon ~ Collection of personal care items for Catholic Charities

Snowball Mountain VBS at Smithboro August 24-28 –– 10 a.m.-
noon; contacts Pat Brink (607)687-1924 &
Renee Tomas (607)972-3335
Rev. Charles G. Smith, Pastor
122 Bliven Street, Nichols, NY 13812
716-998-0794 mobile telephone
[email protected]

06/05/2026

June 7, 2026 - 10 a.m. Sunday Communion Service for Tioga Center, Smitboro & Nichols UMC's will be held at
Smithboro UMC

05/30/2026

Tioga Center, Smithboro and Nichols UMC’’s
May 31, 2026 10 a.m. Sunday Service at Nichols

Trinity Sunday
Genesis 1:1-2:4a; Psalm 8; 2 Corinthians 13:11-13; Matthew 28:16-20
Gathering
Welcome and Announcements
Today – 11:15, Coffee hour
Wednesday – June 3
1:00 Genesis chapter 47 @ Sayre; 607/972-3073
5:30 Girl Scouts @ Nichols UMC
Sunday – June 7 10:00 Service @ Smithboro UMC
Coming:
Monday – June 8 Bring treasures to Smithboro for their July 25 rummage sale
Friday – June 12 9-10:30, Watch party for Union Pacific’s Big Boy #4014 @ TC’s garden & back yard
June 15 – July 20 (Mondays), 1 – 2 or 7 – 8: “Don’t Give the Devil a Seat at Your Table” (psalm 23); Carol Barnes 607/687-4793; [email protected]
Prelude Eva Baldwin
Call to Worship
On this Trinity Sunday, we come to praise the Triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!
We praise God who creates, redeems, and sustains all creation!
We come to wade into the depths of the divine mystery of God, the One-in-Three and Three-in-One.
We seek an ever-deepening faith in God who creates, redeems, and sustains all creation!
We come to witness the interconnectedness of the Triune God, to marvel at the divine dance of partnership and cooperation.
We receive the invitation to join the divine dance of God who creates, redeems, and sustains all creation!
Come, let us worship the Triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!
Come, let us worship the Triune God who creates, redeems, and sustains all creation!

Hymn “O God, Our Help in Ages Past ” #117 UMH
1.O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
our shelter from the stormy blast,
and our eternal home!

2.Under the shadow of thy throne,
still may we dwell secure;
sufficient is thine arm alone,
and our defense is sure.

3.Before the hills in order stood,
or earth received her frame,
from everlasting, thou art God,
to endless years the same.

4.A thousand ages, in thy sight,
are like an evening gone;
short as the watch that ends the night,
before the rising sun.
Opening Prayer (in unison)
Out of our ordinary, everyday lives, you have gathered us here, Holy God, to this time of worship, to this time of praise.
We join with angels and archangels and all the company of the saints to bless you, to listen for your Word, to immerse ourselves in your grace, in your love.
Open our hearts and our minds to your presence with us.
Take the chaos of the world that has found its way into our hearts – speak your Word and give order and form and new creation.
Take the failures and defeats, the guilt and the shame that bind our spirits – speak your Word and set us free.
Take our longings for your goodness to shape our lives, this community, the hurting world – speak your Word and infuse us with your courage and your hope and your love.
Then, awaken us to your Holy Spirit who is making all things new, even us.
We ask in Jesus’ name, who sends us out to speak love and mercy and grace to those who are waiting, longing, hoping, for a sign that they are not alone, that you are a God of love, that you are a Savior who knows their name, that the Holy Spirit is leading them home. Amen.
Special Music – “The Wind Beneath Your Wings” – Eva Baldwin
Presentation of Offerings [Ushers will bring the offerings forward]
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
praise him, all creatures here below;
praise him above, ye heavenly host;
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen
Offertory Prayer [in unison]
Creating God, from the beginning, you formed light out of darkness, breath from dust, and life from love.
In Christ, you walked among us, and through your Spirit, you empower us still.
Today, we offer our gifts – signs of our desire to partner with you in your ongoing work of creation, healing, and discipleship. Use these offerings to build communities of compassion, to welcome the stranger, and to teach your ways of justice and joy.
May our giving reflect the wonder of your Triune love and our willingness to go and grow disciples in your name.
Amen
Children’s Message
Children will be escorted to the Education Building for their time of worship.
Hymn “Freely, Freely” #389 UMH
1. God forgave my sin in Jesus’ name,
I’ve been born again in Jesus’ name,
and in Jesus’ name I come to you,
to share his love as he told me to.
Refrain
He said, “Freely, freely you have received,
freely, freely give.
Go in my name, and because you believe,
others will know that I live.”

2.All power is given in Jesus’ name,
in earth and heaven in Jesus’ name,
and in Jesus’ name I come to you,
to share his power as he told me to.
Refrain
Lesson Matthew 28:16 – 20 (pg. 1550 in pew Bible)
The Great Commission
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Sermon “Spirit in Partnership”, Rev. Charles Smith
Sharing Joys, Concerns, and God Sightings
District Superintendent Rev. Richelle Duchano-Goff, Bishop Hector Burgos Nunez.
Pastoral Prayer and Lord’s Prayer
Hymn “Go, Make of All Disciples” #571 UMH
1.“Go, make of all disciples.”
We hear the call, O Lord,
that comes from thee, our Father,
in thy eternal Word.
Inspire our ways of learning
through earnest, fervent prayer,
and let our daily living
reveal thee everywhere.

2.“Go, make of all disciples,”
baptizing in the name
of Father, Son, and Spirit,
from age to age the same.
We call each new disciple
to follow thee, O Lord,
redeeming soul and body
by water and the Word.

3.“Go, make of all disciples.”
We at thy feet would stay
until each life’s vocation
accents thy holy way.
We cultivate the nature
God plants in every heart,
revealing in our witness
the master teacher’s art.

4.“Go, make of all disciples.”
We welcome thy command.
“Lo, I am with you always.”
We take thy guiding hand.
The task looms large before us;
we follow without fear;
in heaven and earth thy power
shall bring God’s kingdom here.
Benediction
Postlude Eva Baldwin
Lord,
thank You for all
You have given me,
and all You will provide
for me in the future.
Pour Your love into me
so that it overflows to others
and glorifies You.
Amen

05/30/2026

May 31, 2026 - 10 a.m. Sunday Service for Tioga Center, Smithboro & Nichols UMC will be held at Nichols UMC

05/23/2026