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PRELUDE
“Adoration; In a Quiet Mood; The Hour Glass; Little Melody; A Pleasant Thought”
Florence Price (1753-1887)
GREETINGS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS The Rev. Gregg Neel
This is the day the Lord has made.
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
AN ACT OF PRAISE
*WESTMINSTER CHIMES
*INVITATION TO WORSHIP The Rev. Lindsey Hubard-Groves
Jesus began his ministry to the world,
led by the Spirit into the wilderness
As we begin our Lenten journey,
let us be led by the Spirit,
being open for possible healing.
In those forty days, and in that place,
Jesus was faced with hunger, doubt, and temptation.
As we seek to follow Jesus,
we know that temptation is a part of life.
Jesus left the wilderness, faithful and obedient to God,
rejoicing in the One in whom he trusted.
As we walk towards a path of healing,
we will be led by our Christ,
rejoicing in the Lord our God.
*HYMN #618 vv. 1,2,5
“O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High” DEO GRACIAS
O love, how deep, how broad, how high,
Beyond all thought and fantasy,
That God, the Son of God, should take
Our mortal form for mortals’ sake
For us baptized, for us he bore
His holy fast and hungered sore;
For us temptations sharp he knew,
for us, the tempter overthrew.
All glory to our Lord and God,
For love so deep, so high, so broad:
The Trinity whom we adore
Forever and forever more.
*INVITATION TO CONFESSION The Rev. Lindsey Hubbard-Groves
We know that nothing is able to separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ. Let us, therefore, be free to confess the wrong that we have done. First in silence.
*SILENT PRAYER
*UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION
God of mercy, as we gather to celebrate your gift of love, we recall with sorrow the times when we forget you and are divided one from the other. How often
our thoughts, our words, our actions have betrayed the goodness you have shown to us.
Forgive us, merciful God.
Mend what is broken.
Heal the wounded relationships that separate us from you and one another,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
*ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS – HYMN #434 v. 1
“Restore in Us, O God” BAYLOR
Restore is us, O God, the splendor of your love;
Renew your image in our hearts, and all our sins remove.
*THE PASSING OF THE PEACE
The peace of Christ be with you all.
And also with you.
AN ACT OF PROCLAMATION
THE SCRIPTURE READING The Rev. Gregg Neel
Luke 4:1-13
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
MOMENTS WITH CHILDREN The Rev. Lindsey Hubbard-Groves
ANTHEM Westminster Concert Bells
“Threnody (Lament)” Peter de Mets
“Lament is a sacred discipline, an integral part of the healing journey… As we pour out our hearts to God, the act of lament becomes a bridge between our brokenness and the healing touch of divine grace.” Dieula Magalie Previlon
© 2020 Sonology Music – available from Sonology Music (sonologymusic.com) – Used by permission
INTRODUCTION TO LENT The Rev. Gregg Neel
SERMON The Rev. Gregg Neel
“Healing from Temptation”
A MOMENT FOR SILENT REFLECTION
AN ACT OF RESPONSE
HYMN #783
“When We Are Tested” ANGELS OF HEALING
When we are tested and wrestle alone,
Famished for bread when the world offers stone,
Nourish us, God, by your word and your way,
Food that sustains us by night and by day.
When in the desert we cry for relief,
Pleading for paths marked by certain belief,
Lift us to love you beyond sign and test,
Trusting your presence, our only true rest.
When we are tempted to barter our souls,
Trading the truth for the power to control,
Teach us to worship and praise only you,
Seeking your will in the work that we do.
When we have struggled and searched through the night,
Sorting and shifting the wrong from the right,
Savior, surround us with circles of care,
Angles of healing, of hope, and of prayer.
SHARING JOYS & CONCERNS The Rev. Gregg Neel
(At the conclusion of spoken joys, let us pray together, “Thanks be to you, O God.”
For concerns, let us make them our own by praying, “Lord, hear our prayer.”)
PASTORAL PRAYER AND THE LORD’S PRAYER
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors;
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.
OFFERING OURSELVES AND OUR GIFTS
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OFFERTORY ANTHEM
“Peace” Larry Sue
“Peace, peace, to the far and the near, says the Lord; and I will heal them.” Isaiah 57:19
© 2019 Larry and Carla Sue – Used by permission
*DOXOLOGY – Hymn #606
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
-OR-
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise God, all creatures here below;
Praise God above, ye heavenly host;
Creator, Christ, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
*HYMN #302
“When Hands Reach Out and Fingers Trace” O WALY WALY
When hands reach out and fingers trace the beauty of a loved one’s face,
We thank you, God, that love relies on gifts of grace not seen with eyes.
When fingers spell and signs express our prayer and praise and thankfulness,
We thank you, God, that hands can sing; you bless the silent songs we bring.
When broken bodies will not mend, we thank you, God, for Christ our friend.
In him, our healing can begin: he welcomes all the wounded in.
And when the ways we learn and grow are not the ways that others know,
we thank you, God, that we have learned your love’s a gift, and never earned.
Your Spirit gives us differing ways to serve you well and offer praise.
When all are joined as one, we’ll be your able strong community.
*BENEDICTION The Rev. Gregg Neel
*POSTLUDE
“Toccata on Aberystwyth” Joseph Parry; Brenda Portman