The Celebration of the Gospel
March 13, 2016 —Fifth Sunday in Lent
Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard,
anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair.
— John 12.3
________ We Gather as the Body of Christ______
GREETING
PRELUDE Andante Tranquillo Felix Mendelssohn
[As we listen to the music we quiet our minds and bodies,
listen for our hearts’ deepest desires,
and become present to the Holy One who is lovingly present for us.]
* CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Creator, in our joy we call out to you!
All: Christ, in our sorrow we call out to you!
Holy Spirit, you cry out in us with the cry of all humanity.
You anoint us with your grace, as we worship you.
* SONG There Is a Balm in Gilead Blue hymnal # 375
(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME
_____________We Attend to the Word_________
(10:30) THE WORD IN SONG It Is Well With My Soul Philip P. Bliss
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Pastor: The grace of God is with you.
Congregation: And also with you.
Trusting in God’s tender mercy, let us confess our sin to God with one another.
God of love, help us to see ourselves with the eyes of love.
Grateful for your grace in us,
we lift up all in us that is not loving.
By the grace you show us in Christ,
forgive us, heal us, and perfect your love in us.
SILENT PRAYER … THE WORD OF GRACE
RESPONSE Bless the Lord, My Soul Black hymnal #2013
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Comforting God, anoint us with the oil of your healing. Honor us with the perfume of your grace. Transform us with the anointing of your Spirit. Wash us with your Word, and steady our hearts in you. Amen.
NEW TESTAMENT Philippians 3.7-10
[Paul has all the credentials and accomplishments of a “good Jew,” but he throws it all away for the even greater treasure of knowing Christ. He wants to share in Christ’s resurrection, which means also sharing in his suffering and death.]
Whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death.
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PSALTER Psalm 126
[Both our sorrow and our joy, sowing and reaping, are part of life, and gathered up into God’s blessing. Our present suffering will pass.]
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us,
and we rejoiced.
Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like the watercourses in the Negeb.
May those who sow in tears
reap with shouts of joy.
Those who go out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
carrying their sheaves.
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GOSPEL John 12.1-8
[Mary, sister of Lazarus, anoints Jesus. Jesus says it is in anticipation of his death. ]
Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”
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SERMON
SONG Precious Lord, Take My Hand Blue hymnal # 474
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
[Anyone who wishes may share a prayer concern at the microphone.]
PASSING THE PEACE
__________We Share at Christ’s Table __________
OFFERING OUR GIFTS Great Is Thy Faithfulness Wm. Runyan, arr: Pierce Dickens
* COMMUNION SONG Christ Beside Me Black hymnal #2166
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
God’s love be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to our God.
Let us give thanks to Yahweh our God.
It is good to give God thanks and praise.
THE PRAYER OF JESUS
Our Father, who 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 those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
SHARING THE HOLY MEAL [Everyone is welcome at the table of Christ’s self-giving love.
The bread is wheat-, soy- and dairy free. We dip the bread in the juice.]
PRAYER OF BLESSING
Gracious God, we thank you for this mystery in which you have given yourself to us. You have anointed us with your Spirit, laid your healing hands on us, and prepared us for all that is to come. Send us into the world unafraid to suffer for the sake of love, in the name and the Spirit of Christ. Amen.
______ We Are Sent in Ministry to the World_____
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD
* SONG Lead Me, Guide Me Black hymnal #2214
* THE BLESSING AND SENDING FORTH
RESPONSE We stand and sing to our neighbors:
May the grace and peace of Christ be with you my friends.
Go and share the love of God, love that never ends.
POSTLUDE All Creatures Of Our God And King arr: Molly Ijames
[During the postlude there are people ready to pray with you at the candles in the corners.]