April 2, 2017

FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT

ORDER FOR WORSHIP

* Congregation stands

BOLD – Congregation responds

 

PRELUDE: Deborah Im     

 

SALUTATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

* PASSING OF THE PEACE

* GLORIA PATRI (pew card) 

 

* CALL TO WORSHIP Dorien Day

Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD.

Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!

If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?

But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered.

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;

My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the LORD! 

For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with God is great power to redeem.

                        

* HYMN No. 130 O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing

PRAYER OF CONFESSIONSarah White  

God of mercy, you sent Jesus Christ to seek and save the lost. We confess that we have strayed from you and turned aside from your way. We are misled by pride, for we see ourselves pure when we are stained and great when we are small. We have failed in love, neglected justice, and ignored your truth. Have mercy, O God, and forgive our sin.

 (Silent Prayers of Confession)

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON Sarah White

Romans 8:10-11

But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you. 

SUMMARY OF THE LAW Sally Ann Castle

Galatians 5:22-23

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.

Herein is wisdom.

Glory be to God.

JUNIOR SERMON Jeanne Sarran

ANTHEM:  Lord, It Belongs Not to My Care Carl Schalk

Lord, it belongs not to my care
whether I die or live:
to love and serve thee is my share,
and this thy grace must give.

Christ leads me through no darker rooms
than he went through before;
he that into God's kingdom comes
must enter by this door.

Come, Lord, when grace hath made me meet
thy blessed face to see;
for if thy work on earth be sweet,
what will thy glory be!

Then shall I end my sad complaints
and weary, sinful days,
and join with the triumphant saints
that sing my Saviour's praise.

My knowledge of that life is small,
the eye of faith is dim;
but 'tis enough that Christ knows all,
and I shall be with him.
            

SCRIPTURE READINGS: Dorien Day

Ezekiel 37:1-14 p. 704

John 11:1-45 p. 873

This is the Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

SERMON                     Rev. Amy Nyland

Optimism, Possibility, and Resurrection

* CONFESSION OF FAITH:

Apostles’ Creed (pew card) 

OFFERING OURSELVES AND OUR GIFTS

Offertory:      Into the Woods My Master Went arr. Phil Hall

Into the woods my Master went,
Clean forspent, forspent,
Into the woods my Master came,
Forspent with love and shame.
But the olives they were not blind to Him.
The little grey leaves were kind to Him,
The thorn tree had a mind to Him,
When into the woods He came.

Out of the woods my Master came
And he was well content;
Out of the woods my Master came,
Content with death and shame.
When death and shame would woo Him last,
From under the trees they drew Him last,
’Twas on a tree they slew Him—last
When out of the woods He came.

* The Doxology (pew card)  

* Prayer of Dedication

SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION Sally Ann Castle

* Remembering with Love and Hope (pew card)

Invitation

Communion Prayer

Sanctus  (pew card)

Mystery of the Faith: 

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

Words of Institution

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE  

Lord’s Prayer (pew card)

Prayer Response                    Felix Mendelssohn  

Cast Thy Burden upon the Lord

Cast thy burden upon the Lord,
And he shall sustain thee.
He never will suffer the righteous to fall.
He is at thy right hand.
Thy mercy, Lord, is great
And far above the heav’ns.
Let none be made ashamed
That wait upon thee.

* HYMN No. 462Lord Jesus, Think on Me  

* BENEDICTION 

Response God Be in My Head John Rutter      

God be in my head and in my understanding.
God be in mine eyes and in my looking.
God be in my mouth and in my speaking.
God be in mine heart and in my thinking.
God be at my end and in my departing.

POSTLUDE 

If you are in need of prayer, you are invited to the front of the sanctuary at the conclusion of the service. One of the elders of the church will be available to pray for you.

 

Announcements

Guest Preacher    

Today, we welcome to the pulpit the Reverend Amy Nyland, Executive Minister for the Regional Synod of New York. 

Lenten Offering Envelopes

Today, the special Lenten offerings will be given to the Remember Nhu Ministries, a mission in Thailand which provides practical assistance and educational opportunities to women and girls who have been victims of trafficking.  RCA missionaries Bob and Amy Abel have recently moved to Thailand to work full time with Remember Nhu and connect them with RCA global missions.

 

Holy Week Events

Sunday, Apr. 9

9:30 AM Sunday School

11:00 AM Palm Sunday Service of Worship

12:00 PM YPF Casserole Sale

Thursday, Apr. 13

6:30 PM Pot Luck Supper

7:15 PM Communion

Friday, Apr. 14

8:00 PM Service of Darkness/Cantata

“The Seven Last Words of Christ” by Théodore Dubois

Sunday, Apr. 16

7:00 AM Sunrise Service (Bowne Park)

No Sunday School

11:00 AM Celebration of the Resurrection

12:00 PM Easter Egg Hunt (church lawn)