Call to Worship

Lenten travelers, the journey is long. Let us take a moment to rest and breathe.

Only in God do we find our rest.

Sometimes the road is easy, and we bask in the warmth of the Light who guides us.

Other times the road is hard, and we hide from the Light, afraid for our actions to be made known in public.

Somedays we delight in the joy of journeying together on this road.

Other days we struggle with the temptation to judge and condemn one another as we travel this path.

Today, let us come into the Light together as we learn to love God and one another through the twists and turns of our Lenten journey.

Come, let us worship God together! Amen.

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

Prayer for the Day

Blest are you, Lord Jesus who came to us a little child one of us,
flesh and blood, to share in our humanity
For God so loved the world
That all might have eternal life.

Blest are you, Lord Jesus who came to us as carpenter
and yet in whose creative hands a world was fashioned
For God so loved the world
That all might have eternal life.

Blest are you, Lord Jesus who came to us as fisherman
and yet pointed to a harvest that was yet to come
For God so loved the world
That all might have eternal life.

Blest are you, Lord Jesus who came to us as teacher
and opened eyes to truths that only the poor could understand
For God so loved the world
That all might have eternal life.

Blest are you, Lord Jesus who came to us as healer
and opened hearts to the reality of wholeness
For God so loved the world
That all might have eternal life.

Blest are you, Lord Jesus who came to us as prophet, priest, and king
and yet humbled himself to take our place upon the cross
For God so loved the world
That all might have eternal life.

Blest are you, Lord Jesus who came to us as servant
and revealed to us the extent of his Father's love for humankind
For God so loved the world
That all might have eternal life.

Blest are you, Lord Jesus, who rose from the ignominy of a sinner's death
to the triumph of a Saviour's resurrection
For God so loved the world
That all might have eternal life.

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son
for the sake of me
and you
and other sinners too
God so loved the world
Blest are you Lord Jesus, our Saviour and Redeemer. Amen.

Written by John Birch and posted on his Faith and Worship website, http://www.faithandworship.com/. Re-posted on the re:Worship blog at https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2012/02/opening-prayer-easter-day.html.

Prayer of Confession

When we offer God our confession, we join the beautiful work of reconciliation, which begins with our reconciling with God. Trusting in our Partner in grace, let us make our confession, first in silent prayer.

Offer prayers of silent confession

UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Gracious and loving God, open our hearts so that we are able to admit to you the fullness of our lives – that which is beautiful and good, and that which is hurtful and hateful.

We confess that we do not follow Jesus in all that we do.
We love with condition.
We judge and condemn.
We cast the first stone and keep the logs in our own eyes.
We do not turn to You as the source of our healing.

Forgive us, we pray. Forgive our sin and empower us to be imitators of Christ in love and service. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS
Friends in Christ, know this: the mercy of God is from everlasting to everlasting, and I remind you of this surpassing grace – in Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
Amen.

Written by Beth Merrill Neel on her blog, ‘Hold Fast to What Is Good’. Used with permission. Posted at https://holdfasttowhatisgood.com/liturgy/prayer-of-confession/.

Benediction

Beloved, today God sends us out with a blessing and a practice. Repeat after me: (breathe in) God, fill me with Love …(breathe out) and empty me of condemnation. May you carry this prayer with you this week, knowing that with every breath you breathe, you are blessed and sustained by Love who journeys with us in light and in darkness. Amen.

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