Third Sunday in Lent
GATHERING IN GOD’S PRESENCE
MUSIC FOR GATHERING & CENTERING
Jeananne Weber, violin
Joyce Rhodes, piano
“The Brook”
~ Franz Schubert
“Les Plaisires” from “Suite in A Minor”
~ George Philipp Telemann
CHORAL INTROIT
David Herberg, Director
Chancel Choir
Joyce Rhodes, organ
“Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God”
~ John Carter
PRAYER
Leader: Let us pray.
ALL: Holy God, how amazing is it that you surround us with blessings which we don’t recognize but simply receive as the normal day-to-day: the flowers along our path, the birdsong filling the air, and the sweet smell after the rain. All these are blessings from you which we overlook. Help us to see your blessings large and small, and to grow more deeply in our love and service of you and others, through Jesus’ name. Amen.
*HYMN
“Christ is Made the Sure Foundation” ~ UMH #559
GREETING & COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Pastor Daniel F. Diss
TIME FOR YOUNG CHRISTIANS
Before leaving for Kid’s Church & Sunday School, our students are invited to join Pastor Daniel at the front for a time of learning together. Parents are asked to escort children to their classroom and to pick-up their children following the service. Please sign your children in and out. Thank you.
LISTENING FOR THE WORD OF GOD
SCRIPTURE READING
Judy Petrokas
Exodus 20:1-17 (CEB)
Then God spoke all these words:
I am the LORD your God who brought you out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
You must have no other gods before me.
Do not make an idol for yourself—no form whatsoever—of anything in the sky above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. Do not bow down to them or worship them, because I, the LORD your God, am a passionate God. I punish children for their parents’ sins even to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me. But I am loyal and gracious to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Do not use the LORD your God’s name as if it were of no significance; the LORD won’t forgive anyone who uses his name that way.
Remember the Sabbath day and treat it as holy. Six days you may work and do all your tasks, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. Do not do any work on it—not you, your sons or daughters, your male or female servants, your animals, or the immigrant who is living with you. Because the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything that is in them in six days, but rested on the seventh day. That is why the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Honor your father and your mother so that your life will be long on the fertile land that the LORD your God is giving you.
Do not kill.
Do not commit adultery.
Do not steal.
Do not testify falsely against your neighbor.
Do not desire and try to take your neighbor’s house. Do not desire and try to take your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox, donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.
Reader: The Word of God for you the people of God.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
CHORAL ANTHEM
Chancel Choir
Joyce Rhodes, piano
“Blessed Assurance”
~ arr. Kirby Shaw
SCRIPTURE READING
Judy Petrokas
John 2:13-22 (CEB)
It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple those who were selling cattle, sheep, and doves, as well as those involved in exchanging currency sitting there. He made a whip from ropes and chased them all out of the temple, including the cattle and the sheep. He scattered the coins and overturned the tables of those who exchanged currency. He said to the dove sellers, “Get these things out of here! Don’t make my Father’s house a place of business.” His disciples remembered that it is written, Passion for your house consumes me.
Then the Jewish leaders asked him, “By what authority are you doing these things? What miraculous sign will you show us?”
Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple and in three days I’ll raise it up.”
The Jewish leaders replied, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and you will raise it up in three days?” But the temple Jesus was talking about was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered what he had said, and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
Reader: The Word of God for you the people of God.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
SERMON
Pastor Daniel
Coloring Within the Lines
*HYMN
“Where Charity and Love Prevail” ~ UMH #549
RESPONDING TO THE WORD
CELEBRATION OF GIFTS
Invitation to Give
Leader: God’s blessings in our lives aren’t always evident to us. In fact, our day-to-day lives do a good job of obscuring our blessings even from our own eyes and hearts: the pet greeting us, the child laughing, and the sunlight burning-off the haze are some we don’t often consider. Yet some of our neighbors are lonely; some children never laugh; and some peoples are caught in the dark smoke of war. As music is offered to the praise and glory of God, let us consider the many blessings in our lives.
OFFERTORY MUSIC
Mimi Carlson, flute
Joyce Rhodes, piano
“Andante” from a flute “Quartet in A Major” K 298
~ Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
*DOXOLOGY
What language shall I borrow to thank thee,
dearest friend, for this thy dying sorrow,
thy pity without end? O make me thine forever; and should I fainting be, Lord, let me never, never outlive my love to thee.
“Sacred Head Now Wounded” ~ UMH #286, v. 3
SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST
Leader: The peace of Christ be with you all.
People: And also with you.
Leader: Let us offer one another signs of God’s peace and love.
Please be mindful that not everyone is comfortable with all signs of Christian affection, exchange signs of peace with others near you. Moving throughout the worship space is discouraged. Signs of peace might include: hugs, handshakes, fist bumps, a head nod, or a wave are all possibilities. Please be respectful of each others’ comfort levels with physical contact and closeness as we carefully bring this practice back to our worship service.
GATHERING AT GOD’S TABLE
PRAYER OF GREAT THANKSGIVING
Pastor: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Pastor: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up the Lord.
Pastor: Let us give thanks to thanks to the Lord, our God.
People: It is right so to do.
The pastor continues the prayer recalling God’s mighty acts of salvation culminating in Jesus, his ministry, institution of the Lord’s Supper, and recalling his passion, death and resurrection. The pastor concludes the prayer inviting the present working of the Holy Spirit among us giving praise to God and inviting us to pray the Lord’s Prayer together.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Pastor: … as we pray together the prayer Jesus taught us saying:
The Lord’s Prayer, UMH #895
SHARING THE BREAD AND THE CUP
We receive by intinction — dipping the bread into the cup. There are pre-packaged options available to your right behind the person serving the cup if you would prefer that option. As a note, pastor and the cup server do sanitize their hands before handling the elements at this point in the service. You may not notice them using the hand sanitizer but be assured they are using it before handling the bread and cup.
If movement is difficult for you, the elements will be brought to you in your place. If parents have not yet made the choice for their children to receive, pastor will pray a blessing for each child. Pastor will bless each animal companion brought forward if you have one with you.
COMMUNION MUSIC
Jeananne Weber, violin
Mimi Carlson, flute
Celia Palm, piano
Joyce Rhodes, organ
“Here I Am, Lord”
~ Daniel L. Schutte; arr. Janet Linker
PRAYER AFTER RECEIVING
Pastor: Let us pray.
ALL: Eternal God, we give you thanks for this holy mystery in which you have given yourself to us. Grant that we may go into the world in the strength of your Spirit, to give ourselves for others, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
*HYMN
“For the Bread Which You Have Broken” ~ UMH #614
SENDING FOR CHRISTIAN SERVICE
DISMISSAL WITH BLESSING
Pastor Daniel
We United Methodists are guided by three simple principles:
Do no harm.
Do good.
Stay in love with God.
CHORAL BENEDICTION
Chancel Choir
Joyce Rhodes, organ
“As the Deer Longs for the Waterbrooks”
~ Peter Pindar Stearns
MUSIC TO INSPIRE THE JOURNEY
Joyce Rhodes, organ
“Psalm XIX”
~ Benedetto Marcello
- Please stand as you are able.