Sunday, March 10th, 2019
St. James United Church of Christ
March 10th, 2019
Worship Leader: Rev. Dr. Mike Lyle
Musician: Sea Raven Morse
For Meditation and Reflection
Lent is a season of forty days, not counting Sundays, which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday. The English word “Lent” comes from the Anglo–Saxon word lencten, which means “lengthen” and refers to the lengthening days of “spring.”
Historically, Lent began as a period of fasting and preparation for baptism by converts and then became a time for penance by all Christians. The First Sunday describes Jesus’ temptation by Satan; and the Sixth Sunday (Passion/Palm Sunday), Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem and his subsequent passion and death. The readings during Lent, until Passion/Palm Sunday, focus primarily on the meaning of baptism and discipleship, in continuity with the season’s original purpose. Because Sundays are always little Easters, the penitential spirit of Lent should always be tempered with joyful expectation of the Resurrection.
Welcome and Announcements
Opening Prayer (Pastor)
Call to Worship
Pastor:Rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord, your God,
People: for God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing. (Joel 2:13)
Opening Hymn #198 – Lift High the Cross
Prayer for Illumination (Pastor)
Today’s Scripture Reading: (Luke 4:1-13)
Sermon Another Chance at Lent by Rev. Mike Lyle
The Offerings and Offertory Music
A Litany of Thanksgiving
Pastor: All things come from you, O God, and with gratitude we return to you what is yours. All that we are, and all that we have, is your gift to us.
People: And so, in gratitude for all your gifts, we offer ourselves, and all that we have. By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world.
All: Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Reflective Hymn: #211 – Lord Jesus, Who through Forty Days
Sharing of Joys and Concerns
Prayers of the Pastor and People
The Lord’s Prayer (Traditional, with “debts”)
Closing Hymn: #197 – Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross
Benediction or Blessing and Sending
Sharing the Peace as we go…And we hope you can join us for post-worship coffee and conversation in Fellowship Hall.
Statement of Faith:We gather as an open and affirming community to worship God, however known. We welcome everyone, no exceptions. Together we find spiritual comfort and challenge, learn from ancient and modern texts, and discover new dimensions of truth. We practice following the way of Jesus. We dare to demonstrate God’s love by working for justice and peace among all people.
Thoughts for the Day/Week
“Lent invites us to stop eating, so to speak, whatever protects us from having to face the desert that is inside of us. It invites us to feel our smallness, to feel our vulnerability, to feel our fears, and to open ourselves to the chaos of the desert so that we can finally give the angels a chance to feed us.” (Ronald Rolheiser)
Franciscan Blessing
May God bless you with a restless discomfort about easy answers, half-truths and superficial relationships, so that you may seek truth boldly and love deep within your heart.
May God bless you with holy anger, at injustice, oppression and exploitation, so that you may tirelessly work for justice, freedom and peace among all people.
May God bless you with the gift of tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation or the loss of all that they cherish, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and transform their pain into joy.
May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you really can make a difference in this world, so that you are able, with God’s grace, to do what others claim cannot be done.
Announcements
This Sunday, March 10th:
Worship led by Rev. Mike Lyle; music by Sea Raven Morse. Church Council meeting cancelled, due to unplanned absence of President Lauranne Oliveau. Tentatively to be rescheduled for 9:30 a.m. on March 24th, the 4th Sunday of this month.
Next Sunday, March 17th:
Worship led by Rev. Samantha Tuttle; music by Janell. Adult Sunday School will be held in the sanctuary at 10:00 am, and children’s Sunday School also at 10:00 am in the large room of Fellowship Hall. We are hopeful that the remodeled Sunday School room will be completed soon.
Sunday, March 24th:
10:00am Sunday School for adults in the Sanctuary with Janell and Brenda and for children in the Fellowship Hall with Jessie Parsons and Katie Sulek. 11:00am Worship with Rev. Samantha Tuttle.
Sunday, Mar 24th: Worship led by Rev. Mike Morse; music by Sea Raven Morse.
Sunday, Mar 31st: Worship led by Rev. Samantha Tuttle; music by Janell.
Sunday, April 7th: Worship led by Rev. Samantha Tuttle.