All The Families Of The Earth Shall Be Blessed
Worship
LECTIONARY WORSHIP AIDS
Series VII, Cycle A
Call To Worship
It was the end of the line for the family. Terah had gone halfway to Canaan and stopped. One of his sons was dead. One had moved far away. And one, with his wife, was too old to have children. By the standards of the world it was a dead end.
But when it seems that all the doors have been closed and nailed shut, God creates a window of opportunity for the miracle of grace. God called an elderly couple to get up and go and they got up and went. With the promise of a child no less. A promise that was delayed for decades, but not denied. And all so all of the families of the earth could be blessed through this one dead-end family.
Collect
Lord, we call upon you this day as our protector. We lift up our eyes to you, who made heaven and earth, and pray for your protection and guidance as we seek your will for our lives in our worship together. Open our hearts to the direction you might send us. As you sent Abraham and Sarah, send us! As you bless all nations through their names, we ask that you bless our neighbors and our world through the ministry with which you have entrusted us. In your name we pray. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
Lord, we glibly say we are ready for your call. Send me, Lord. Here I am! Just don't send me very far, or very fast, or very soon. Don't send me out while I'm very poor or very hungry or very thirsty. Lord, will you give me one more chance? Will you consider me? I will listen. I will go. Please call. Amen.
Hymns
"Here I Am, Lord"
"Great Is Thy Faithfulness"
"On Eagle's Wings"
Second Sunday In Lent
Second Lesson:Romans 4:1-5, 13-17
Theme: It All Depends On Faith
Call To Worship (Psalm 32:7)
(Unison) You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance.
Collect
Lord, it is your will to save all the world. Your love is for all people and your ministry is for all people. Challenge us so we might widen the circle, so that we might learn to live and care for others more than ourselves. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
Lord, in this season of Lent we confess our sins, with the bright hope of forgiveness before us. Hear our confession as individuals, as a community, as a nation, and most of all as your church. We have sinned in both what we have done and in what we have failed to do. This season we will focus our hearts upon the cross and our hopes in the resurrection, as we continue to praise you for your promises and your presence in our midst. Send your spirit to strengthen us today. These things we pray as your people in your name. Amen.
Hymns
"Spirit Of God! Descend"
"I Will Sing Of My Redeemer"
"A Charge I Have To Keep"
Second Sunday In Lent
Gospel Lesson: John 3:1-17
Theme: Night Crawler
Call To Worship (Psalm 121)
One: I lift up my eyes to the hills- from where will my help come?
All: My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Women: He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.
Men: He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
Right Side: The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
Left Side: The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
One: The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.
All: The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore.
Collect (John 3:16-17)
One: (Jesus said) "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life."
All: Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Prayer Of Confession
Are we like Nicodemus, Lord, so afraid of the opinion of others that we laugh off any accusation that we seek you in your sanctuary? Let it not be said of us that we are ashamed of the gospel. Instill your bravery in us that we might claim our own cross, carrying it secure in the knowledge that you walk beside us to share the load. Amen.
Hymns
"To God Be The Glory"
"God Sent His Son"
"Beneath The Cross Of Jesus"
It was the end of the line for the family. Terah had gone halfway to Canaan and stopped. One of his sons was dead. One had moved far away. And one, with his wife, was too old to have children. By the standards of the world it was a dead end.
But when it seems that all the doors have been closed and nailed shut, God creates a window of opportunity for the miracle of grace. God called an elderly couple to get up and go and they got up and went. With the promise of a child no less. A promise that was delayed for decades, but not denied. And all so all of the families of the earth could be blessed through this one dead-end family.
Collect
Lord, we call upon you this day as our protector. We lift up our eyes to you, who made heaven and earth, and pray for your protection and guidance as we seek your will for our lives in our worship together. Open our hearts to the direction you might send us. As you sent Abraham and Sarah, send us! As you bless all nations through their names, we ask that you bless our neighbors and our world through the ministry with which you have entrusted us. In your name we pray. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
Lord, we glibly say we are ready for your call. Send me, Lord. Here I am! Just don't send me very far, or very fast, or very soon. Don't send me out while I'm very poor or very hungry or very thirsty. Lord, will you give me one more chance? Will you consider me? I will listen. I will go. Please call. Amen.
Hymns
"Here I Am, Lord"
"Great Is Thy Faithfulness"
"On Eagle's Wings"
Second Sunday In Lent
Second Lesson:Romans 4:1-5, 13-17
Theme: It All Depends On Faith
Call To Worship (Psalm 32:7)
(Unison) You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance.
Collect
Lord, it is your will to save all the world. Your love is for all people and your ministry is for all people. Challenge us so we might widen the circle, so that we might learn to live and care for others more than ourselves. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
Lord, in this season of Lent we confess our sins, with the bright hope of forgiveness before us. Hear our confession as individuals, as a community, as a nation, and most of all as your church. We have sinned in both what we have done and in what we have failed to do. This season we will focus our hearts upon the cross and our hopes in the resurrection, as we continue to praise you for your promises and your presence in our midst. Send your spirit to strengthen us today. These things we pray as your people in your name. Amen.
Hymns
"Spirit Of God! Descend"
"I Will Sing Of My Redeemer"
"A Charge I Have To Keep"
Second Sunday In Lent
Gospel Lesson: John 3:1-17
Theme: Night Crawler
Call To Worship (Psalm 121)
One: I lift up my eyes to the hills- from where will my help come?
All: My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Women: He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.
Men: He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
Right Side: The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
Left Side: The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
One: The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.
All: The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore.
Collect (John 3:16-17)
One: (Jesus said) "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life."
All: Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Prayer Of Confession
Are we like Nicodemus, Lord, so afraid of the opinion of others that we laugh off any accusation that we seek you in your sanctuary? Let it not be said of us that we are ashamed of the gospel. Instill your bravery in us that we might claim our own cross, carrying it secure in the knowledge that you walk beside us to share the load. Amen.
Hymns
"To God Be The Glory"
"God Sent His Son"
"Beneath The Cross Of Jesus"
