GATHERING
GREETINGS
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
And also with you.
The risen Christ is with us.
Praise the Lord!
ANNOUNCEMENTS: 3rd Sunday of Lent
*PRAISE MUSIC How Great Thou Art UMH 77
CALL TO WORSHIP–LENT
Leader: We enter into God’s holy presence
All: Come, let us worship. Let us bow before the Lord, our God.
Leader: It is fitting that we come with thanksgiving.
All: God deserves our songs of praise.
Leader: For the Lord is a great God.
All: He is creator of all—the highest mountains and depths of the earth.
Leader: The vast waters and the dry land were all god’s idea.
All: This holy one is our God, and we are his people.
Leader: We are called and chosen, fed and nurture as the sheep of his flock.
All: Let us come with open ears and hearts.
Leader: Let us worship the Lord, our God.
—Based on Psalm 95
OPENING PRAYER
Father, you know us and you love us. You have called us to be your followers, and we ask you today to help us answer that call—not with lip
service only, but with all our lives. The path we must follow doesn’t promise to be easy, but we know it will ultimately lead to life more abundant. Remove all fear and doubt from our minds and help us say only “yes”. We love you, Father, and we want to follow you. Thank you for using us to further your kingdom. May we answer your call with obedience. Amen.
TIME WITH THE YOUTH
HYMN SING: Congregation choose a song we can sing!
PRAYERS AND OFFERING
CALL TO CONFESSION:
The Lord is a good and faithful God, yet we doubt and question God’s plans
and intentions toward us. Let us confess our sins, that we might be reconciled
to Christ and one another.
PRAYER OFCONFESSION
Merciful Savior, we confess that what we say we believe and the beliefs our lives profess frequently aren’t the same. We say that you are good, yet we’re quick to blame you when discomfort, turmoil or distress arises. We say that you love us, but we act as if your will for our lives cannot be trusted. We proclaim that we are forgiven, yet we continue to carry the burdensome baggage of our past. We profess that you are a faithful God, yet we’re riddled with anxiety, fear and impatience. Forgive us Lord. Give us the courage to look honestly at the disparity between what we say we believe and the truth that our action and attitudes tell. We pray for the grace to close the gap between the two. Amen
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE: Joys and Concerns
PASTORAL PRAYER
THE LORD’S PRAYER
RECEIVING OUR OFFERING
* PRESENTATION OF OUR OFFERING
Glory be to the Father UMH 71
PROCLAIMING GOD’S WORD
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION
Lord, open our hearts and minds by the power of your Holy Spirit, that, as the Scriptures are read and your Word proclaimed, we may hear with joy what you say to us today. Amen.
EPISTLE LESSON: Romans 5:1-11 PB, pg. 146NT
OLD TESTAMENT LESSON: Exodus 17:1-7 PB, pg. 62OT
THE MESSAGE: Pastor Vicki Lerdahl
PRAYER RESPONSE: Psalm 23 responsive UMH 137
SENDING FORTH
*CIRCLE SONG: Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
*BLESSING