Service for Sunday March 10, 2024

Services

Feb. 28

Written By Highland Hills

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Third Sunday of Lent

All are Welcome!

The Gathering

Welcome and Announcements.
Focusing Moment.

Acknowledgement of Land

One: Each part of creation reveals unique aspects of God the Creator, who is both in creation and beyond it. All parts of creation, animate and inanimate, are related. All creation is good.

ALL: We sing of the Creator, who made humans to live and move and have their being in God. In and with God, we can direct our lives toward right relationship with each other and with God. We can discover our place as one strand in the web of life.

One: We acknowledge that our sacred space is found on the Indigenous territories of the Anishinaabe peoples. With thankfulness and respect for their stewardship of creation, we seek to live into right relations with all.

Written by Ruthanne McLagan, Calvary U.C., London, Ont.

Gathering, Lent-Easter 2023, p.29. Used with permission.

Call to Worship:

One: Welcome to worship.

ALL: However you enter into worship today, come!

One: Come whether you are troubled, grieving, or anxious about health, family, or finances, or whether you are celebrating, excited, and happy.

ALL: May the peace of God, who surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and your minds during this time of worship.

One: May you know God’s Spirit with you as we sing and pray.

Written by Mary Anderson, Glen Abbey U.C., Oakville, Ont.

Gathering, Lent-Easter 2024, p.31. Used with permission.

HYMN: “Come, Let Us Sing of a Wonderful Love” VU# 574

1 Come, let us sing of a wonderful love,

tender and true, tender and true,

out of the heart of the Father above,

streaming to me and to you:

wonderful love, wonderful love

dwells in the heart of the Father above.

2 Jesus the Saviour this gospel to tell

joyfully came, joyfully came,

came with the helpless and hopeless to dwell,

sharing their sorrow and shame,

seeking the lost, seeking the lost,

saving, redeeming at measureless cost.

3 Jesus is seeking the wanderers yet;

why do they roam? why do they roam?

Love only waits to forgive and forget;

home, weary wanderers, home!

Wonderful love, wonderful love

dwells in the heart of the Father above.

4 Come to my heart, O thou wonderful love!

Come and abide, come and abide,

lifting my life till it rises above

envy and falsehood and pride:

seeking to be, seeking to be

lowly and humble, a learner of thee.

OPENING PRAYER: Spoken in Unison

God of the Lenten journey, we praise you. We set our intention to follow the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus through this sacred and holy season. You gave us Jesus to teach us about true worship and surrender. You call us out of our wilderness and into your kingdom. You humble our hearts and open our spirits during this cruciform journey. You challenge us to repent and to prepare to be spiritually reborn. You call us to renew our commitment to our covenantal relationship with you, a relationship rooted in the teachings and Way of Jesus. All praise, honour, and glory are yours, O God, for the blessing of your transformative love. Amen.

Written by Sandra Litt, St. James U.C., Waterdown, Ont.

Gathering, Lent-Easter 2024, p.32. Used with permission.

MINISTRY OF MUSIC TIME FOR THE YOUTHFUL:

NEW HYMN REVIEW: “Christ Has No Body Now but Yours” MV# 171

Refrain

Christ has no body now but your,

no hands but yours.

Here on this earth, yours is the work,

to serve with the joy of compassion.

1. No hands but yours to heal the wounded world,

no hands but yours to soothe all its suffering,

no touch but yours to bind the broken hope,

of the people of God. Refrain

2. No eyes but yours to see as Christ would see,

to find the lost, to gaze with compassion;

no eyes but yours to glimpse the holy joy,

of the city of God. Refrain

3. No feet but yours to journey with the poor,

to walk this world with mercy and justice.

Yours are the steps to build a lasting peace,

for the children of God. Refrain

4. Through ev’ry gift, give back to those in need;

as Christ has blessed, so now be his blessing,

with ev’ry gift a benediction, be

to the people of God. Refrain

THE WORD

Scripture: John 3:14-21

Leader: Hear and listen to what the Spirit is saying to the church.

ALL: Thanks be to God.

MESSAGE

“YWCA - HERS” by Tammy Warburton

**OUR RESPONSE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE and THE LORD’S PRAYER:** spoken VU#921

HYMN: “Amazing Grace” VU #266

1 Amazing grace, how sweet the sound

that saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost, but now am found,

was blind, but now I see.

2 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,

and grace my fears relieved;

how precious did that grace appear

the hour I first believed.

3 Through many dangers, toils, and snares,

I have already come;

'tis grace that brought me safe thus far,

and grace will lead me home.

4 The Lord has promised good to me,

this word my hope secures;

God will my shield and portion be

as long as life endures.

5 When we've been there ten thousand years,

bright shining as the sun,

we've no less days to sing God's praise

than when we'd first begun.

PRESENTATION OF OUR OFFERINGS

Offertory Prayer (In Unison)

Knowing that you are the source of hope, O God, we offer our gifts in support of Christian worship and education. We provide them also to heal the inequalities and damage caused when humanity has acted as if we are God. Bless our gifts and our giving. Amen

Written by Karen Boivin, Osgoode-Kars U.C., Ottawa, Ont.

Gathering, Lent-Easter 2024, p.35. Used with permission.

SUNG BLESSING: VU# 108 vs 1

1 Throughout these Lenten days and nights

we turn to walk the inward way,

where, meeting Christ, our guide and light,

Sending Forth:

One: Go in peace. And on your journey, may you have the boldness to come to Jesus just as you are, ready to be transformed into followers led by the Holy Spirit who journey through this world in peace, in faith, and in love. May the grace of Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you now and evermore.

ALL: Amen!

Written by Lori Van Santvoort-Jansekovich, Broadway U.C., Thunder Bay, Ont..

Gathering, Lent-Easter 2024, p.36. Used with permission.

A Time of Fellowship

Highland Hills