FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT
Worship
LECTIONARY WORSHIP AIDS
Series III, Cycle A
CALL TO WORSHIP
Be glad in the Eternal One, rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.
God is a hiding place for us; and preserves us from trouble.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Planter of gardens, Maker of humans, Shaper of minds, we confess that we would be like gods, knowing what is good and what is bad. We would like to make our own rules to live by and frequently do, but we cannot always escape the nagging sense of guilt, even when we have determined that our new rules are better than the old. Forgive us for living below the best we know; for projecting better behavior that would improve our human condition, but being unwilling to change even some of our simpler habits of daily life. Replace our guilt with energy to reform ourselves with reshaping by the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Amen.
DECLARATION OF GOD'S FORGIVENESS
Hear the Good News! Just as through human disobedience all became sinners, so through Jesus Christ all shall become just. Friends, believe the Good News! In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
EXHORTATION
Receive the overflowing grace, the gift of justice, that you may live and reign through the one key person, Jesus Christ.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Spirit of God, lead us safely through the temptation to live primarilyfor the satisfaction of bodily needs. Save us from presuming on your care at the other extreme and being careless with the life that is precious in the sight of the Creator. Preserve us from adulation of any human being, however attractive and powerful that we may worship faithfully God in Jesus Christ. Amen.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
How generous you are, eternal and timely Giver! You give us a great abundance of life, human, animal, vegetable. You give us puzzles to solve with our minds. You give us beauty to admire, and inspire our artistry. You entertain us with cunning animals. You face us with moral dilemmas, and
graciously forgive our failure to live by the best choice. You give us opportunity for adventuring in the world, to prepare us for the privilege of living with Christ in the world that is coming, where you are undisputed Ruler. With angels and all your creation we will give homage to you, then and now. Amen
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Nothing that we give you was made by us from nothing, but is our reshaping of what you have already created. Magnificent and merciful Creator, receive our gifts, rude and simple as they may be, but given from thankful hearts and hands. Amen.
PSALM 32
Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
Happy are those to whom the LORD imputes no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not hide my iniquity;
I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,"
and you forgave the guilt of my sin.
Therefore let all who are faithful offer prayer to you;
at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters shall not reach them.
You are a hiding place for me;
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with glad cries of deliverance.
I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding, whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle,
else it will not stay near you.
Many are the torments of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the LORD.
Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.
Be glad in the Eternal One, rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.
God is a hiding place for us; and preserves us from trouble.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Planter of gardens, Maker of humans, Shaper of minds, we confess that we would be like gods, knowing what is good and what is bad. We would like to make our own rules to live by and frequently do, but we cannot always escape the nagging sense of guilt, even when we have determined that our new rules are better than the old. Forgive us for living below the best we know; for projecting better behavior that would improve our human condition, but being unwilling to change even some of our simpler habits of daily life. Replace our guilt with energy to reform ourselves with reshaping by the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Amen.
DECLARATION OF GOD'S FORGIVENESS
Hear the Good News! Just as through human disobedience all became sinners, so through Jesus Christ all shall become just. Friends, believe the Good News! In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
EXHORTATION
Receive the overflowing grace, the gift of justice, that you may live and reign through the one key person, Jesus Christ.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Spirit of God, lead us safely through the temptation to live primarilyfor the satisfaction of bodily needs. Save us from presuming on your care at the other extreme and being careless with the life that is precious in the sight of the Creator. Preserve us from adulation of any human being, however attractive and powerful that we may worship faithfully God in Jesus Christ. Amen.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
How generous you are, eternal and timely Giver! You give us a great abundance of life, human, animal, vegetable. You give us puzzles to solve with our minds. You give us beauty to admire, and inspire our artistry. You entertain us with cunning animals. You face us with moral dilemmas, and
graciously forgive our failure to live by the best choice. You give us opportunity for adventuring in the world, to prepare us for the privilege of living with Christ in the world that is coming, where you are undisputed Ruler. With angels and all your creation we will give homage to you, then and now. Amen
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Nothing that we give you was made by us from nothing, but is our reshaping of what you have already created. Magnificent and merciful Creator, receive our gifts, rude and simple as they may be, but given from thankful hearts and hands. Amen.
PSALM 32
Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
Happy are those to whom the LORD imputes no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not hide my iniquity;
I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,"
and you forgave the guilt of my sin.
Therefore let all who are faithful offer prayer to you;
at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters shall not reach them.
You are a hiding place for me;
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with glad cries of deliverance.
I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding, whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle,
else it will not stay near you.
Many are the torments of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the LORD.
Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.
