Lent Week Four – March 19, 2023
Order of Worship
Let us be as open vessels that God’s spirit may enter.
The Community Gathers: Experience God’s presence in the assembly. Please greet one another with joy and welcome new friends into our community of love.
You are welcome here…come and worship!
Welcome:
Gathering Music: Show Us How to Love (by Mark A. Miller)
Hearts open, minds awake,
change us now for heaven’s sake.
Leave us not alone in hatred’s wake.
Show us how to love.
Show us how to love.
Show us how, show us how to love.
Confession and Assurance:
Leader: Let us be together in opening our hearts to the love of God. Before we even utter a word, we can be assured God will offer us grace and a way forward. For this reason, we can be honest with what most pains us most about our own thoughts and actions.
Let us pray: Holy and Merciful One,
in this season of discernment we come bringing our deepest longings, and our failed attempts at satisfying them.
We have often looked for love, for acceptance and security,
in the places and things that do not speak to our hearts and souls.
People: We yearn for lives that matter,
we desire relationships that thrive, we want less regret.
Leader: At times we fail to see that you have already given us what really matters: your love and acceptance.
You give us a fresh start each day, inviting us to do better.
In this silence, we ask that you help us to be open
to new ways of living.
Silence
My friends, be assured by the Psalmist who says that
“the Lord is our shepherd… whose goodness and mercy
follows us all the days of our lives.” Let us respond together:
All: We open our hearts, our minds, our souls, our vision
to the ways of love created by God,
embodied in Jesus, and already moving in us by the Spirit.
We are forgiven, loved, and freed. Amen!
Let us offer one another a sign of Christ’s Peace:
Lord’s Prayer
Opening Hymn: Breathe On Me, Breathe of God #286
Readings: Psalm 23, John 9: 1-38 (adapted) -Eve McPheeters
Sermon: Called To Be Shepherds Rev. Paula Norbert
Music: Meditative Instr. ~ Michelle Currie
Musical call to Prayer: (two times) Hush now in quiet peace, be still your mind at ease. The Spirit brings release, so wait upon the Lord. Michelle Currie
Prayers of the People
Silent Prayers Pastoral Prayer
Offertory: Hold On to Love (by Jesse Manibutan) -Michelle Currie
Doxology: Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise God all creatures here below. Praise God above ye heavenly hosts, Creator, Christ and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Prayer of Dedication:
Prayers of the People: In this season of Lent, we pray using ancient words of the church, “Kyrie Eleison,” “God, have mercy on us.” Let us remember that God’s mercy is a gift of love, given freely to us.
Kyrie Eleison, Kyrie Eleison
Kyrie Eleison, Kyrie Eleison
Closing Music: We Are Marching In the Light of God
#853
- We Are Marching In the Light of God
- We Are Living In the Love of God
- We Are Singing In the Light of God
- *Repeat #1
Blessing: Go forth into the world, looking for love in all the right places, knowing that the God of love walks with you.
Go in Peace…Amen.
Postlude: Go In PeaceWorship Notes: Worship series design © Worship Design Studio by Marcia McFee. Used and adapted with permission. www.worshipdesignstudio.com.