March 7 @ St. Paul's UMC: Worship

 
Third Sunday in Lent

Today’s Meditation Verse: “All the things I do are for the sake of the gospel, so I can be a partner with it.” --1 Corinthians 9:23

Welcome—Pastor Charles

Prelude: “Thy Holy Wings,” arranged by Martha Lynn Thompson — Jubilante Ringers, directed by Suzanne P.

Call to Worship (Psalm 19:1-2, 14)—Pastor Charles (Leader) and Amy A. (People) -- (Congregation is encouraged to read People’s response aloud on mute setting)

Leader: Heaven is declaring God’s glory; the sky is proclaiming God’s handiwork. One day gushes to the next, and one night informs another what needs to be known.                                                                                                                            People: Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to You, Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Hymn: “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” Verses 1 & 2 — Suzanne P. and Tim C. (Congregation is encouraged to sing along on mute setting)                   

Collect for Lent–Amy A. (Congregation is encouraged to read aloud on mute setting)

Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first He suffered pain, and entered not into glory before He was crucified: mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ Your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

--The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England, 2000-2004

Community prayer requests, concerns, and celebrations—Pastor Charles   Pastoral Prayer—Pastor Charles

First Lesson: Hosea 11:1-4, 8-11—Amy A.

Musical Offering: “Larghetto in D Minor,” by Michael Mazzatenta, — Jubilante Ringers (Note: This is the piece the bell choir was going to play for church the very Sunday we stopped meeting because of Covid-19.)    

Second Lesson: Matthew 23:37-39—Amy A.

Message: “Suffering and Joy: A Meditation on Christ’s Life, Death, and Resurrection--and Yours”—Rebecca G.

The Great Thanksgiving

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts. 

We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to You, almighty God, creator of heaven and earth. You brought all things into being and called them good. From the dust of the earth you formed us into Your image and breathed into us the breath of life.

When we turned away, and our love failed, Your love remained steadfast. When rain fell upon the earth for forty days and forty nights, You bore up the ark on the waters, saved Noah and his family, and made covenant with every living creature on earth. When You led Your people to Mount Sinai for forty days and forty nights, You gave us your commandments and made us Your covenant people. When Your people forsook Your covenant, Your prophet Elijah fasted for forty days and forty nights; and on Your holy mountain, he heard Your still small voice.

And so, with Your people on earth and all the company of heaven we praise Your name and join their unending hymn:                                                                                     Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of Your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Holy are You, and blessed is Your Son Jesus Christ. When You gave Him to save us from our sin, Your Spirit led him into the wilderness, where He fasted forty days and forty nights to prepare for His ministry. When He suffered and died on a cross for our sin, You raised Him to life, presented Him alive to the apostles during forty days, and exalted Him at Your right hand.

By the baptism of His suffering, death, and resurrection You gave birth to Your Church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit. Now, when we your people prepare for the yearly feast of Easter, You lead us to repentance for sin and the cleansing of our hearts, that during these forty days of Lent we may be gifted and graced to reaffirm the covenant You made with us through Christ.

On the night in which He gave Himself up for us, He took bread, gave thanks to You, broke the bread, gave it to His disciples, and said: “Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

When the supper was over He took the cup gave thanks to you, gave it to His disciples, and said: “Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

And so, in remembrance of these Your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.

Pour out Your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by His blood.

By Your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory, and we feast at His heavenly banquet.

Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in Your holy Church, all honor and glory is Yours, almighty God, now and forever.

Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer  (Congregation is encouraged to pray The Lord’s Prayer aloud on mute setting)

Receiving Together

Hymn: “Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross” Verses 1 & 2 —Suzanne P. and Tim C.      (Congregation is encouraged to sing aloud on mute setting)

Words  the Journey—Pastor Charles

Postlude: “As We Leave This Sacred Place” —Alpha & Omega

The Great Thanksgiving for Early in Lent,” © 1972 The Methodist Publishing House; ©, 1981, 1985 UMPH; © 1986 by Abingdon Press; © 1987, 1989, 1992 UMPH. Used by permission.