The Celebration of the Gospel
First Sunday in Lent
February 22, 201
8:15 – 9:00 am
10:30 – 11:45 am
He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan;
and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.
— Mark 1.13
______ We Gather as The Body of Christ________
GREETING
PRELUDE I Surrender All Arr: Edward Broughton
[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: God of our solitude, we worship you.
All: God of our temptations, we cry out to you.
Christ, our companion we look to you.
Holy Spirit, our hope, help us worship.
Help us love. Help us live.
* SONG Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days Blue hymnal #269
(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME
___________ We Attend to the Word___________
(10:30) THE WORD IN SONG
This Lonesome Valley Don Besig.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Pastor: The grace of God be 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,
to see all that is in us that is loving,
and all that is not loving.
By the grace that we know in Christ,
receive us, forgive us, heal us, and perfect your love in us.
KYRIE Blue hymnal # 484
SILENT PRAYER … THE WORD OF GRACE
RESPONSE Kyrie
PRAYER OF THE DAY
God of grace, your Spirit led Jesus out into the desert to pray, to face his temptations, and to be made new. Lead us by your Spirit, help us to see ourselves honestly, and speak to us your Word, that we may repent and be made new by your grace. Amen.
Today’s texts invite us into the Lenten journey with Jesus. Rooted in God’s Covenant, seen in the rainbow and in baptism, we confront our temptations so that we can more faithfully walk in God’s ways. In Genesis God establishes the covenant of the rainbow after the flood, promising that God will not respond to our sin by destroying us.
OLD TESTAMENT Genesis 9.8-17
Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you–the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you–every living creature on earth. I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”
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PSALTER Psalm 25.1-10 – a paraphrase
[We pray for the gift of God’s grace, for trust in that grace, and for discernment of God’s leading in our lives: “show me your ways.”]
To you, O Lord, I hand over my soul.
O my God, in you I trust. Help me live a life I am pleased with:
do not let my inner demons take control of me.
My soul is free when I wait for you;
my rebelliousness only leads to defeat.
Help me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all day long.
I trust in your mercy, O Lord, and in your steadfast love,
for they have been absolute forever.
You do not judge me by the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
but you see me only with steadfast love,
for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!
Good and lovely are you, God.; therefore you show sinners your way.
You lead the humble in what is right, and teach the humble your way.
Your way, O God, is steadfast love and faithfulness,
so we belong to your covenant and follow your ways.
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GOSPEL Mark 1.9-15
[Jesus is baptized, and fasts and prays and is tempted in the wilderness. He then begins his ministry, proclaiming, “The Reign of God is in the present moment. Change your life and entrust yourself to this good news.” ]
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.
Jesus was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the Empire of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”
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SERMON
SONG Into the Light Steve G-H
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
PASSING THE PEACE
THE WORD IN SONG
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (Bells of St. Matthew’s
_________We Share at Christ’s Table__________
OFFERING OUR GIFTS Ah! Holy Jesus Johannes Brahms
* OFFERING SONG Change My Heart, O God Black hymnal #2152
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
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 good to give God thanks and praise.
SANCTUS:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and love,
heaven and earth are glorious with your presence.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed are they who come in your name.
Hosanna in the highest.
MEMORIAL ACCLAMATION:
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
THE PRAYER OF JESUS
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,
now and 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. Lead us by your Spirit in this Lenten season to repent in hope, to serve you in faith, and to die and rise with Christ. Amen.
______ We Are Sent in Ministry to the World_____
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD
* SONG Lord, I Want to Be a Christian Blue hymnal #402
* THE BLESSING AND SENDING FORTH
RESPONSE 8:15: Please stand and sing to your neighbors:
May the grace and peace of Christ be with you my friends.
Go and share the love of God, love that never ends.
10:30: Choir.
POSTLUDE
I Want Jesus To Walk With Me Traditional Spiritual, arr: Larry Shackley
[During the postlude there are people ready to pray with you at the candles in the corners.]