Call to Worship

Lenten travelers, how long have you traveled this road with your gaze pointed down at the dust and gravel and asphalt as you walk or limp or roll down the path?

Sometimes it is easier to look at the road than at the people who share the journey with us.

Lift up your heads! Look, listen, reach out a hand. Who are your neighbors on this road?

We lift our heads and look to our Savior who journeys with us and helps us notice our neighbors all around us.

This is the Lenten journey—to learn to love God and love our neighbors just as Jesus showed us.

Our journey teaches us to lose our lives to God as we find and follow Christ in our service to others.

Come, let us worship God who caravans with us on this road to the cross.

Come, let us worship! Amen.

Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, October 2023.

Prayer of the Day

Try As We Might, We Cannot Comprehend

Lord, we know Easter is coming soon and while we anxiously wait to celebrate your triumphant victory over sin and death, there are still difficult days between now and then. And try as we might, we cannot comprehend love and mercy so great as this. There is nothing perfect about us, yet you beckon us with hands that soon will be scarred by betrayal, greed, selfishness, pettiness, pride, and apathy. You see us and our imperfections with compassionate and patient eyes as we struggle to rid our lives of all the worldly things that distort, distract, and entangle us. As the cross looms ahead, our eyes and our focus are on you and you alone for our redemption and salvation. Amen.

Written by Cynthia A. Bond Hopson, The Africana Worship Book, Year B (Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 2007), 153.

Prayer of Confession

Love that knows no boundaries: we crowd our lives with so much activity that it is hard to find time for you. We become so focused on ourselves, we can overlook those around us who are searching for hope. We fill our spiritual emptiness with junk, rather than feasting on your Word.

Abundant Mercy, forgive us. Open our eyes, that we may see your new covenant written in plain sight on our hearts. Open our hearts, that we may join you in serving the broken of the world. Open our love, so we may pour it out as abundantly and graciously as your love is given to us in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Written by Thom Shuman and posted on his Lectionary Liturgies blog. Re-posted on the re:Worship blog at https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2012/02/prayer-of-confession-lent-5-b_22.html.

Benediction

Beloved, go from this place to seek and find the glory of Christ wherever you go. And may you be blessed to recognize Christ as you notice, meet, and serve your neighbors today and every day. Amen.

Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, October 2023.