March 15, 2020

ORDER FOR WORSHIP

* Congregation stands

BOLD – Congregation responds

Please be mindful of your volume during the Prelude as we prepare for worship together.

PRELUDE                 Sonata in A minor                 Mozart

SALUTATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

*PASSING OF THE PEACE

*Sanctus

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.

Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

*CALL TO WORSHIP                                     Helmut Beron

(Based on Psalm 95)

O come, let us sing to the LORD!

Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!

Let us come into God’s presence with thanksgiving.

Let us make a joyful noise to God with songs of praise.

For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

O Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our maker!

*HYMN No. 622              What a Friend We Have in Jesus

PRAYER OF CONFESSION                                 Nick Restivo

Almighty God, in Jesus Christ you love us,

but we have not loved you.

You have opened your heart to us,

and in our pride we have spurned your care.

You have given us all things, and we have squandered your gifts. We have grieved you and caused hurt to others.

Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we are sorry.

Cleanse us from our sin and receive us again into your household, that we might nevermore stray from your love

but always remain within the sound of your voice.

(Prayers of Silent Confession)

Kyrie

ASSURANCE OF PARDON/WISDOM FOR LIFE

(Based on Romans 5:1-8)

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand.

For while we were still weak, Christ died for us.

Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person,

but God proves his love for us.

For while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Receive the good news of the gospel:

In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.

CHILDREN’S BLESSING

(Following the Children’s Blessing, kids are dismissed to Children at Worship. They can be picked up there following the worship service in Room 2D.)

ANTHEM      Confutatis (from the Requiem)   Mozart

(Sung in Latin)

When the accused are confounded

and doomed to flames of woe,

call me among the blessed.

I kneel with submissive heart,

my contrition is like ashes,

help me in my final condition.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

       Lord’s Prayer (pew card)

Response              Write These Words in Our Hearts

Write these words in our hearts,

we beseech you, O Lord.

PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION

O Christ, come and help our weak faith.

O Christ, create a pure heart in us;

renew and strengthen our spirit.

O Christ, your Word is near;

may it live within us and protect us always. Amen.

SCRIPTURE READINGS

Romans 5: 1-11                                                   p.917

John 4: 5-42                                              pp.864-865

This is the Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

SERMON  The Diagnosis is the Cure      Rev. Doug Estella

CONFESSION OF FAITH

* Apostles’ Creed (pew card)

OFFERING OURSELVES AND OUR GIFTS

Offertory          There is a Green Hill   Herbert Sumsion

Far Away

There is a green hill far away, without a city wall,

where the dear Lord was crucified, to save us all.

We may not know, we cannot tell, what pains he had to bear but we believe it was for us he hung and suffered there. 

He died that we might be forgiven, He died to make us good; That we might at last go to heaven, saved by His precious blood. There was no other good enough to pay the price of sin; He only could unlock the gate of heaven, and let us in. O dearly, dearly has he loved, and we must love him too, and trust in his redeeming blood, and try his works to do.

*Doxology (pew card)

*Prayer of Dedication

*HYMN No. 586                       Teach Me Thy Way, O Lord

*BENEDICTION

Response                   Savior, Again to Your Dear Name

Grant us your peace throughout our earthly life:

comfort in sorrow, courage in strife;

Then when your voice shall make our conflict cease,

call us, O Lord, to your eternal peace.

POSTLUDE     Improvisation on Danny Boy   Sean Cotty

All are invited to join us downstairs

For coffee hour following worship.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Announcements

MUSIC NOTE

Throughout the season of Lent, the choir will be singing a movement from Mozart's Requiem every Sunday. This moving work sets the tone for this penitent and somber season.

CHILDREN AT WORSHIP

Children at Worship is a spiritual formation program for children ages 4-9. Children are dismissed following the Junior Sermon and may be picked up from Classroom 2D after the service.

BIBLE STUDY

Bible study meets in the library on Tuesday afternoons from 3:30 p.m. until 4:45 p.m. The current study, led by Rev. Crawford, explores and ponders the parables of Jesus.

RCA LENTEN DEVOTIONS

Our denomination, the Reformed Church in America, offers a daily Lenten devotional emailed directly to your inbox. You can sign up at https://www.rca.org/resources/lent-devotions. This year’s devotions are written by disability advocates from the RCA and the Christian Reformed Church.

LENTEN MISSION

See bulletin inserts for information regarding our 2020 Lenten Mission partners, HousingPlus and La Jornada.

WOMEN’S SHELTER VOLUNTEERS

Every Friday, we house up to ten women in Gessner Hall. We need volunteers to greet, to provide food and hospitality, and to stay overnight. We are especially in need of overnight chaperones. Sign up on our website or speak with our Women’s Shelter coordinator, Maureen Saepia-Chen, following the service

FOOD FOR KIDS

School’s back in session which means that our Food for Kids ministry is back in full swing. Each week, bags of food are delivered to a local school to give to children who might be at risk of hunger over the weekend.

We are seeking donations of the following items on a regular basis:

 ·       1lb. white rice

·       1 can beans (red or black)

·       2 cans vegetables

·       1 can fruit

·       1lb. box of pasta

·       1 can pasta sauce

·       1 box mac & cheese

·       1 box cereal

·       *1 jar peanut butter

·       *1 jar jelly

*The jars of peanut butter and jelly must be plastic containers.

MUSIC IN A SACRED SPACE

Please join us on Saturday, March 28th, at 7:30 pm for a performance by Beatus Musica. In this group, our former rehearsal pianist, Tamara Kim, is joined by some of her talented opera singing colleagues. They will present a program of arias, duets, and Broadway. There will be a collection taken to benefit NYDC (New York Deaf Church) which is located in Whitestone. The performance is free and open to the public, and there will be a reception to follow in Gessner Hall.

COMMUNITY YOGA

Join us in Gessner Hall for free yoga on Wednesday evenings at 7:30p.m. If you would like to join the yoga email list, please contact the church office at office@churchonthehill.org. The class is open to all ability levels and mats are available for use.

BARGAIN BOUTIQUE

The Boutique is open on Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Please bring your donations to the basement during these hours.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Prayer Requests

MIRAM ALLEN

JOHN BABINSKY

DIANE BLAGBURN

LILLIAN CALFA

DAVID CERQUEIRA

GRACINDA CERQUEIRA

JOSE CERQUEIRA

MARILYN COONEY

EDWARD COTTY

ROSINA CUTICONE

FROCIONE FAMILY

BROOKE GRAFFEO

JAYNE HALLEY

HOTCHKISS FAMILY

JANE LYNCH

JORGE & TIFFANY MARTINEZ

JEAN MENDLER

RUBEN & EVA MUNOZ

DIANE THORP

JOE THORSEN

CHRISTIE TWEED

ALISON VENABLE

SANDY WESTON

*If you would like to add a loved one to the Prayer List, please contact the church office.

March 8, 2020

ORDER FOR WORSHIP

* Congregation stands

BOLD – Congregation responds

Please be mindful of your volume during the Prelude as we prepare for worship together.

PRELUDE                Nocturne in B Major             Chopin

SALUTATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

       *PASSING OF THE PEACE

       *Sanctus

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.

Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

*CALL TO WORSHIP                                        Sarah White

(Based on Psalm 121)

I lift up my eyes to the hills—from where will my help come?

My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

The LORD will not let your foot be moved; the one who keeps you will not slumber.

The LORD is your keeper and your shade at your hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all evil. The LORD will keep your life.

*HYMN No. 193                 O Love, How Deep, How Broad

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Almighty God, in Jesus Christ you love us,

but we have not loved you.

You have opened your heart to us,

and in our pride we have spurned your care.

You have given us all things, and we have squandered your gifts.

We have grieved you and caused hurt to others.

Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we are sorry.

Cleanse us from our sin and receive us again into your household, that we might nevermore stray from your love

but always remain within the sound of your voice.

(Prayers of Silent Confession)

Kyrie

ASSURANCE OF PARDON/WISDOM FOR LIFE

(Based on Romans 5:1-8)

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand.

For while we were still weak, Christ died for us.

Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person,

but God proves his love for us.

For while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Receive the good news of the gospel:

In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.

CHILDREN’S BLESSING

(Following the Children’s Blessing, kids are dismissed to Children at Worship. They can be picked up there following the worship service in Room 2D.)

LENTEN MISSION MOMENT                            Steve Sarran

ANTHEM   Rex Tremendae (from the Requiem)     Mozart

(Sung in Latin)

King of tremendous majesty,

who freely saves those worthy ones,

save me, source of mercy.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

Lord’s Prayer (pew card)

Response       Hear Our Prayer, O Heavenly Father

Hear our prayer, O Heavenly Father, 

for the dear Redeemer's sake. Amen.

PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION

O Christ, come and help our weak faith.

O Christ, create a pure heart in us;

renew and strengthen our spirit.

O Christ, your Word is near;

may it live within us and protect us always. Amen.

SCRIPTURE READINGS

Deuteronomy 6:10-15                                        p. 143

Matthew 4:1-11                                                 p. 785

This is the Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

SERMON      You Can Have It All   Rev. Blaine Crawford

CONFESSION OF FAITH

* Apostles’ Creed (pew card)

OFFERING OURSELVES AND OUR GIFTS

Offertory               Forty Days              Dave Brubeck

(from The Light in the Wilderness)

Forty days alone in the desert,

Days and nights of constant prayer,

Seeking in the wailing wind an answer to despair,

Forty days of questioning: Why was he there,

In the desert, in the lonely desert,

Forty days of fasting and prayer, in the desert,

Searching for his destined role, in the desert,

Thirsting after righteousness and nourishing his soul,

Seeking inward miracles to reach his goal.

In the lonely desert, after forty days in the desert,

He and God became as one. 

Jesus found within Himself the Father's will is done.

He must prove to doubting man: He is the son of God.

In the desert, in the lonely desert.

*Doxology (pew card)

*Prayer of Dedication

*HYMN No. 568   Take My Life and Let It Be Consecrated

*BENEDICTION

       Response                                   Dona Nobis Pacem

Grant Us Peace

POSTLUDE              Improvisation on a          Sean Cotty

theme by Paganini

All are invited to join us downstairs

For coffee hour following worship.

 ——————————————————————————————————————————

Announcements

MUSIC NOTE

Throughout the season of Lent, the choir will be singing a movement from Mozart's Requiem every Sunday. This moving work sets the tone for this penitent and somber season.

CHILDREN AT WORSHIP

Children at Worship is a spiritual formation program for children ages 4-9. Children are dismissed following the Junior Sermon and may be picked up from Classroom 2D after the service.

GUEST PREACHERS

Rev. Doug Estella will be providing pulpit supply on March 15. Rev.

BIBLE STUDY

Bible study meets in the library on Tuesday afternoons from 3:30 p.m. until 4:45 p.m. The current study, led by Rev. Crawford, explores and ponders the parables of Jesus.

RCA LENTEN DEVOTIONS

Our denomination, the Reformed Church in America, offers a daily Lenten devotional emailed directly to your inbox. You can sign up at https://www.rca.org/resources/lent-devotions. This year’s devotions are written by disability advocates from the RCA and the Christian Reformed Church.

LENTEN MISSION

See bulletin inserts for information regarding our 2020 Lenten Mission partners, HousingPlus and La Jornada.

WOMEN’S SHELTER VOLUNTEERS

Every Friday, we house up to ten women in Gessner Hall. We need volunteers to greet, to provide food and hospitality, and to stay overnight. We are especially in need of overnight chaperones. Sign up on our website or speak with our Women’s Shelter coordinator, Maureen Saepia-Chen, following the service

FOOD FOR KIDS

School’s back in session which means that our Food for Kids ministry is back in full swing. Each week, bags of food are delivered to a local school to give to children who might be at risk of hunger over the weekend.

We are seeking donations of the following items on a regular basis:

 ·       1lb. white rice

·       1 can beans (red or black)

·       2 cans vegetables

·       1 can fruit

·       1lb. box of pasta

·       1 can pasta sauce

·       1 box mac & cheese

·       1 box cereal

·       *1 jar peanut butter

·       *1 jar jelly

*The jars of peanut butter and jelly must be plastic containers.

MUSIC IN A SACRED SPACE

Please join us on Saturday, March 28th, at 7:30 pm for a performance by Beatus Musica. In this group, our former rehearsal pianist, Tamara Kim, is joined by some of her talented opera singing colleagues. They will present a program of arias, duets, and Broadway. There will be a collection taken to benefit NYDC (New York Deaf Church) which is located in Whitestone. The performance is free and open to the public, and there will be a reception to follow in Gessner Hall.

COMMUNITY YOGA

Join us in Gessner Hall for free yoga on Wednesday evenings at 7:30p.m. If you would like to join the yoga email list, please contact the church office at office@churchonthehill.org. The class is open to all ability levels and mats are available for use.

BARGAIN BOUTIQUE

The Boutique is open on Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Please bring your donations to the basement during these hours.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Prayer Requests

MIRAM ALLEN

JOHN BABINSKY

DIANE BLAGBURN

LILLIAN CALFA

DAVID CERQUEIRA

GRACINDA CERQUEIRA

JOSE CERQUEIRA

MARILYN COONEY

EDWARD COTTY

ROSINA CUTICONE

FROCIONE FAMILY

BROOKE GRAFFEO

JAYNE HALLEY

HOTCHKISS FAMILY

JANE LYNCH

JORGE & TIFFANY MARTINEZ

JEAN MENDLER

RUBEN & EVA MUNOZ

DIANE THORP

JOE THORSEN

CHRISTIE TWEED

ALISON VENABLE

SANDY WESTON

*If you would like to add a loved one to the Prayer List, please contact the church office.

March 1, 2020

ORDER FOR WORSHIP

* Congregation stands

BOLD – Congregation responds

Please be mindful of your volume during the Prelude as we prepare for worship together.

PRELUDE             Improvisation on Leoni      Sean Cotty

SALUTATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

       *PASSING OF THE PEACE

       *Gloria Patri (pew card)

*CALL TO WORSHIP                                      Patrick Symes

(Based on Psalm 91)

You who live in the shelter of the Most High,

who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,

will say to the LORD:

“My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.”

You will not fear the terror of the night,

Or the arrow that flies by day,

Or the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,

Or the destruction that wastes at noonday.

Because we have made the LORD our refuge,

the Most High our dwelling place.

Visit us with your presence

That our lives might acknowledge and worship you!

*HYMN No. 336                           God Is My Great Desire

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Almighty God, in Jesus Christ you love us,

but we have not loved you.

You have opened your heart to us,

and in our pride we have spurned your care.

You have given us all things, and we have squandered your gifts.

We have grieved you and caused hurt to others.

Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we are sorry.

Cleanse us from our sin and receive us again into your household, that we might nevermore stray from your love

but always remain within the sound of your voice.

(Prayers of Silent Confession)

Kyrie

ASSURANCE OF PARDON/WISDOM FOR LIFE

(Based on Romans 5:1-8)

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand.

For while we were still weak, Christ died for us.

Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person,

but God proves his love for us.

For while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Receive the good news of the gospel:

In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.

CHILDREN’S BLESSING

(Following the Children’s Blessing, kids are dismissed to Children at Worship. They can be picked up there following the worship service in Room 2D.)

LENTEN MISSION MOMENT

ANTHEM       Lacrymosa (From the Requiem)         Mozart

(Sung in Latin)

That day of tears and mourning,

when from the ashes shall arise,

all humanity to be judged.

Spare us by your mercy,

Lord, gentle Lord Jesus,

grant them eternal rest. Amen.

PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION

O Christ, come and help our weak faith.

O Christ, create a pure heart in us;

renew and strengthen our spirit.

O Christ, your Word is near;

may it live within us and protect us always. Amen.

SCRIPTURE READINGS

Exodus 17:1-7                                                           p.56

Matthew 4:1-11                                                      p.785

       This is the Word of the Lord.

       Thanks be to God.

SERMON                 Testing God    Rev. Blaine Crawford

CONFESSION OF FAITH

* Apostles’ Creed (pew card)

OFFERING OURSELVES AND OUR GIFTS

OffertorY Into the Woods My Master Went Peter Lutkin

Into the woods my Master went, clean for-spent.

Into the woods my Master came,

for-spent with love and shame.

But the olives, they were not blind to Him

the little gray 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 went,

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 the slew Him last

When out of the woods He came.

*Doxology (pew card)

*Prayer of Dedication

SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION

Invitation

Communion Prayer

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.

Sanctus

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.

Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

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)

Response                    All Things Come of Thee, O Lord

All things come of thee, O Lord,

and of thine own have we given thee.

*HYMN No. 612                          How Firm a Foundation

*BENEDICTION

       Response              Jesus, Remember Me

Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom.

POSTLUDE   Improvisation on Foundation Sean Cotty   

——————————————————————————————————————————

Announcements

Music Note

Throughout the season of Lent, the choir will be singing a movement from Mozart's Requiem every Sunday. This moving work sets the tone for this penitent and somber season.

Children at Worship

Children at Worship is a spiritual formation program for children ages 4-9. Children are dismissed following the Junior Sermon and may be picked up from Classroom 2D after the service.

Guest Preachers

Rev. Doug Estella will be providing pulpit supply on March 15.

Rev. Terry DeYoung, Coordinator for Disability Concerns for the RCA will preach on March 22.

Bible Study

Bible study meets in the library on Tuesday afternoons from 3:30 p.m. until 4:45 p.m. The current study, led by Rev. Crawford, explores and ponders the parables of Jesus.

RCA Lenten Devotions

Our denomination, the Reformed Church in America, offers a daily Lenten devotional emailed directly to your inbox. You can sign up at https://www.rca.org/resources/lent-devotions. This year’s devotions are written by disability advocates from the RCA and the Christian Reformed Church.

Women’s Shelter Volunteers

Every Friday, we house up to ten women in Gessner Hall. We need volunteers to greet, to provide food and hospitality, and to stay overnight. We are especially in need of overnight chaperones. Sign up on our website or speak with our Women’s Shelter coordinator, Maureen Saepia-Chen, following the service

Food for Kids

School’s back in session which means that our Food for Kids ministry is back in full swing. Each week, bags of food are delivered to a local school to give to children who might be at risk of hunger over the weekend.

We are seeking donations of the following items on a regular basis:

 ·       1lb. white rice

·       1 can beans (red or black)

·       2 cans vegetables

·       1 can fruit

·       1lb. box of pasta

·       1 can pasta sauce

·       1 box mac & cheese

·       1 box cereal

·       *1 jar peanut butter

·       *1 jar jelly

*The jars of peanut butter and jelly must be plastic containers.

Music in a Sacred Space

 Please join us on Saturday, March 28th, at 7:30 pm for a performance by Beatus Musica. In this group, our former rehearsal pianist, Tamara Kim, is joined by some of her talented opera singing colleagues. They will present a program of arias, duets, and Broadway. There will be a collection taken to benefit NYDC (New York Deaf Church) which is located in Whitestone. The performance is free and open to the public, and there will be a reception to follow in Gessner Hall.

Community Yoga

Join us in Gessner Hall for free yoga on Wednesday evenings at 7:30p.m. If you would like to join the yoga email list, please contact the church office at office@churchonthehill.org. The class is open to all ability levels and mats are available for use.

Bargain Boutique

The Boutique is open on Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m to 1 p.m. Please bring your donations to the basement during these hours.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Prayer Requests

MIRAM ALLEN

JOHN BABINSKY

DIANE BLAGBURN

LILLIAN CALFA

DAVID CERQUEIRA

GRACINDA CERQUEIRA

JOSE CERQUEIRA

MARILYN COONEY

EDWARD COTTY

ROSINA CUTICONE

FROCIONE FAMILY

BROOKE GRAFFEO

JAYNE HALLEY

HOTCHKISS FAMILY

JANE LYNCH

JORGE & TIFFANY MARTINEZ

JEAN MENDLER

RUBEN & EVA MUNOZ

DIANE THORP

JOE THORSEN

CHRISTIE TWEED

ALISON VENABLE

SANDY WESTON

*If you would like to add a loved one to the Prayer List, please contact the church office.

February 26, 2020 - Ash Wednesday

ASH WEDNESDAY

* Congregation stands

BOLD – Congregation responds

Please be mindful of your volume during the Prelude as we prepare for worship together.

PRELUDE        Prelude and Fugue in D major    J.S. Bach 

CALL TO WORSHIP

O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth,

Have mercy upon us.

O God the Son, Redeemer of the world,

Have mercy upon us.

O God the Holy Spirit, Sanctifier of the faithful,

Have mercy upon us.

O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God,

Have mercy upon us.

PRAYER OF INVOCATION

Lord, you have been our dwelling place

in all generations.

Before the mountains were brought forth,

or you had formed the earth and the world,

from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

Teach us, Lord, to count our days

that we may gain a wise heart.

Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,

so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

* HYMN No. 538                           I Need Thee Every Hour

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Righteous God,

in humility and repentance

we bring our failures in caring, helping, and loving,

we bring the pain we have caused others,

we bring the injustice in society of which we are a part,

to the transforming power of your grace.

Grant us the courage to accept the healing you offer

and to turn again toward the sunrise of your reign,

that we may walk with you in the promise of peace

you have willed for all the children of the earth,

and have made known to us in Christ Jesus.

(Silent prayers of unburdening and confession)

IMPOSITION OF ASHES

(Prayers and Readings for Reflection)

“Lent is a double journey—a journey together (and alone) toward the mystery of God’s redemptive embrace in the death and resurrection of Christ. At the same time, it is a journey into the depths of our humanity. Without a shared, living memory of who Jesus Christ was, there would be no faith community . . . . Without a living encounter over time with who Christ is in our midst, there would be no unfolding of Christian life and ministry.”

– Don Saliers

Catch me in my anxious scurrying, Lord, and hold me in this Lenten season: hold my feet to the fire of your grace and make me attentive to my mortality that I may begin to die now to those things that keep me from living with you and with my neighbors; to grudges and indifference, to certainties that smother possibilities, to my fascination with false securities, to my addiction to sweatless dreams, and to my arrogant insistence on how it has to be; to my corrosive fear of dying someday which eats away the wonder of living this day, and the adventure of losing my life in order to find it in you.

– From Guerrillas of Grace by Ted Loder

“We too easily forget our Maker and Redeemer, replacing God with things and ambition. Lent is the season that does something about this situation. It calls us back to God, back to basics, back to the spiritual realities of life.”

– Robert Webber

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence?

If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.

If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,

Even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast.

For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works that I know very well.

How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!

I try to count them. I come to the end—I am still with you.

CHORAL ANTHEM Craig Courtney

If You Search With All Your Heart

When you seek Me, you shall find Me

If you search with all your heart.

For I know the plans I have for you:

Plans of welfare, not of evil.

For I know the plans I have for you:

Plans of hope and a future.

I will bring you out of bondage

to the land I have prepared.

I will bring you out of bondage

I will bring you home to Me.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

Congregational Response

Pastor: Merciful Lord

Congregation: You hear our prayer.

*HYMN No. 200                           Lord, Who Throughout

PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION

God of love,
as in Jesus Christ you gave yourself to us,
so may we give ourselves to you,
living according to your holy will.
Keep our feet firmly in the way where Christ leads us;
make our mouths speak the truth that Christ teaches us;
fill us with the life that is Christ within us.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever,
Amen.

SCRIPTURE READINGS:

Deuteronomy 8:1-10                                             p. 145

Matthew 4:1-11                                                      p. 785

HOMILY                     Tempted       Rev. Blaine Crawford

CHORAL OFFERING   Judy Hunnicutt

This Do In Remembrance of Me                      

This do in remembrance of me;

Keep this feast and together we’ll be.

This do in remembrance of me;

Till you come to my kingdom

This is my body, broken for you,

Take and eat in remembrance of me.

Broken that you might rise up from death

Into a life everlasting.

This is my blood, I shed it for you.

Take and drink in remembrance of me.

Shed that you might rise up from death

into a life everlasting.

SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION

Communion Prayer

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.

Creator God . . .

Sanctus

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.

Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

Redeemer God . . .

Great is the mystery of the faith:

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

Sanctifying God . . .

BENEDICTION

Gracious God, out of your love and mercy

you breathed into dust the breath of life,

creating us to serve you and our neighbors.

In this season of repentance,

restore to us the joy of our salvation

and strengthen us to face our mortality,

that we may reach with confidence for your mercy,

in Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Go in peace. 

POSTLUDE     Erbarm dich mein, O herre Gott"      Bach

Tonight's offering will be given to La Jornada,

one of our Lenten Mission partners for 2020.

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Blessing the Dust

All those days

you felt like dust,

like dirt,

as if all you had to do

was turn your face

toward the wind

and be scattered

to the four corners

or swept away

by the smallest breath

as insubstantial—

did you not know

what the Holy One

can do with dust?

This is the day

we freely say

we are scorched.

This is the hour

we are marked

by what has made it

through the burning.

This is the moment

we ask for the blessing

that lives within

the ancient ashes,

that makes its home

inside the soil of

this sacred earth.

So let us be marked

not for sorrow.

And let us be marked

not for shame.

Let us be marked

not for false humility

or for thinking

we are less

than we are

but for claiming

what God can do

within the dust

within the dirt,

within the stuff

of which the world

is made

and the stars that blaze

in our bones

and the galaxies that spiral

inside the smudge

we bear.

-Jan Richardson

From Circle of Grace: A Book of Blessings for the Seasons