Worship Service Mar 3
Third Sunday of Lent
Worship is the highest activity of a person whose sole and ultimate aim is God’s glory.
ORDER OF WORSHIP
Gathering and Prelude
Call to Worship
Response to the Call: Spirit of the Living God 393
Welcome, Greeting, Service Overview
Prayer of Illumination
Worship Moment – Lighting the Lenten Candle
Hymn of Praise and Faith: Take Time to be Holy 395 all
Responsive Reading: Psalm 19 750
Apostles Creed: 881
Gloria Patri: 71
Offering Dedication and Offertory
Doxology – hymnal #95
Life of the Church
Centering Song: There’s Power in the Blood
Pastor Prayer
Scripture: John 2:13-22
Sermon: What Happens at Church Matters to Jesus
Holy Communion
Extinguishing the Lenten Candle
Commissioning and Benediction
Communion Liturgy for Lent
Invitation
Confession and Pardon
God is with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to the Holy One, our God.
It is good and beautiful to give God our praise.
We thank you, God, for you create life, life that is not mere existence, but life in you.
You create us in your image and put your Spirit within us.
By the power of life-over-against-death you confront the powers of evil, and set us free.
Because we betray our true life in you, you sent us Jesus, to show us your love.
So in gratitude we sing with all of Creation:
Holy, holy, holy One, 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 God.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed are all who come in your name, and blessed is Jesus, your Christ. He loved and taught, he created a community of the outcast, and he touched those who were in pain.He shared our suffering so that we might share in your grace. He called us to take up our cross, to be willing to suffer for love.
In this meal we behold the mystery of the gospel: when we surrender our lives in love you give us new lives.
In this meal Jesus gives himself for us, and in that love, though he died, he lives on.
As long as we break this bread and share this cup we remember his death and resurrection, until he comes again.
The Blessing and Covenant
Therefore, remembering these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves as a living and holy sacrifice,
in union with Christ’s offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on these gifts of bread and cup,
that they may be for us the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on us, that we may be the Body of Christ, broken for the world in love.
Give us courage to enter the suffering of the world with Christ, trusting in your Resurrection.
By your grace may we lose our lives in love,
serving the world in the name of Christ, and receive eternal life in the power of your Spirit, to your eternal glory. Amen.
With the confidence of being the children of God, let us pray the Lord’s Prayer together:
Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, The power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen.
Communion Is Served
Life of the Church
ABCCM FOOD DONATIONS: Donation Basket at Front Door. We dedicate our gifts on Communion Sundays.
Medical Lending Closet Flyers are available to distribute to friends and places that will post them.
The daily prayer chain goes out after 8pm. Send requests to prayer@alexanderchapel.org. Prayer shawls are also available. Questions? Contact Pastor Marjory.
Lent / Easter Information:
Devotionals for your spiritual journey are available
Maundy Thursday at Christ UMC, March 28 7pm
Good Friday Tenebrae Service, March 29 7pm
Easter Service, March 31 11am
The next Fellowship 4 U will be on March 24. Join us downstairs for a light lunch, snacks, and fellowship time.
Ladies Loving the Lord: The next meeting is 1130 Thursday, March 21, at The Twisted Laurel. The quarterly social will be April 20th at Christ UMC for the Mad Hatters Brunch.
The Spring Ladies Bible Study will be after Easter on April 8, 15, and 29. More details to come.