The Celebration of the Gospel
March 17, 2019 — Second Sunday in Lent
How long, O Lord?
—Psalm 13.1
________We Gather as the Body of Christ______
GREETING
PRELUDE – Deep River – African American Spiritual, arr: Marianne Kim
[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.
You may light a votive candle in prayer
any time during the prelude, hymns, offering, Peace, or postlude.]
* CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: God of love, this world is deeply broken and in need of your grace.
All: We cry out to you.
Loving Christ, we are often lost and lonely, and we need your gentle companionship.
We cry out to you.
Holy Spirit, the struggle for healing and justice is long and hard. We need your help.
We cry out to you. We open our hearts to you. We worship you.
* SONG – Amazing Grace – Blue hymnal # 378, v. 1, 3, 5
____________We Attend to the Word__________
PRAYER
God of mercy, we come to you in a broken world, in broken relationships, with broken hearts. For all that is unwell, we seek your healing. For all that is bruised we ask your grace. For all that is wrong, we ask your forgiveness. For all that is unfinished, we long for your will to be done. God of love, grant your blessings. Amen.
(10:30) THE WORD IN SONG – Be Thou My Vision – arr. Thomas Quigley
(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME
(10:30) HEBREW BIBLE – Isaiah 43.1-5
[God promises, “I have redeemed you. When you go through the waters they will not overwhelm you: for I love you and I will be with you.” ]
Thus says the Holy One, who created you, O Jacob,
who formed you, O Israel:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior
and you are precious in my sight, and honored,
and I love you.
Do not fear, for I am with you.
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* PSALTER – Psalm 13
[A cry for help— “how long must I suffer pain in my soul?” —that soon turns to a song of trust: “I will sing to the Lord, who has dealt bountifully with me.”]
How long, O God? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I bear pain in my soul,
and have sorrow in my heart all day long?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
Consider and answer me, O my God!
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
and my enemy will say, “I have prevailed”;
my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.
But I trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the Holy One
because God has dealt bountifully with me.
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GOSPEL – Luke 13.31-35
[Jesus, faced with violence, steadfastly continues his non-violent work of healing. He laments people’s rejection of God’s love, and the true community and home that God offers us.]
At that very hou,r some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” He said to them, “Go and tell that fox for me, ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
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SERMON Learning to lament
SONG – Becoming Whole – Steve G-H
We are a broken people becoming whole again.
We are a wounded people being healed again.
We are a sinful people given grace again.
We are lamenting people, given hope again.
We are dead and buried, being raised again.
We are a grateful people giving thanks again.
SILENT MEDITATION
* AFFIRMATION OF FAITH – From Romans 8.35-39 – Blue hymnal #887
* SONG – Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus – Blue hymnal #349
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
[Anyone who wishes may share a prayer at the microphone.]
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 PEACE OF CHRIST
______We Are Sent in Ministry to the World_____
OFFERING OUR GIFTS – My Jesus, I love Thee – A. J. Gordon, arr: Jason W. Krug
* OFFERING SONG – Doxology – Blue hymnal #95
* PRAYER
Gracious God, we give you our lives, symbolized in these gifts. Receive them with love, bless them with grace and use them according to your will. Give us courage to seek healing, to work for love and justice, to serve with hope and joy and peace, for the sake of the healing of the world, in the name of Christ. Amen.
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD
* SONG – My Life Flows On – Black hymnal #2212
* 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 – Post: Chant Héroïque – George Blake
[During the postlude there are people ready to pray with you at the candles in the corners.]