Program

ABBREVIATIONS
AH = The Africana Hymnal

BOW = United Methodist Book of Worship

CCLI = Christian Copyright Licensing International, SongSelect

TFWS = The Faith We Sing (2000)

UMH = United Methodist Hymnal

W&S = Worship & Song (2011)

SOZ = Songs of Zion

ENTRANCE

Choir or ensemble processes in, followed by the pastor holding up the pyx of ashes used at Ash Wednesday, slowly, leading the singing:

“Forgive Our Sins as We Forgive” UMH 390, st. 1-3 or
“Perdón, Señor” TFWS 2134, st. 1-2

The pastor places the pyx on the Lord’s Table.

WORD AND RESPONSE

Responsive Reading Exodus 20:1-17

(adapted from Book of Worship, abridged from The Book of Common Prayer)

Pastor or Deacon:
God spoke from the mountain and said:
"I am the Lord your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery;
you shall have no other gods before me."

Almighty God, write your law upon our hearts,
and help us to keep it.

"You shall not make for yourself an idol.
You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God.
Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy."

Almighty God, write your law upon our hearts,
and help us to keep it.

"You shall not make for yourself an idol.
You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God.
Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy."

Almighty God, write your law upon our hearts,
and help us to keep it.

"Honor your father and your mother.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness.
You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor."

Almighty God, write your law upon our hearts,
and help us to keep it.

Silence

“Forgive Our Sins as We Forgive” UMH 390, st. 4 or
“Perdón, Señor” TFWS 2134, st. 3

Pastor: In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. Sin no more.
People: In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. Sin no more.
All: Glory to God! Amen!

Pastor: The peace of Christ rule in your hearts and reign in our midst.

All may exchange the peace. Music may resume.

Sung Prayer for Illumination

“Thy Word” UMH 601 or
“Come, Holy Ghost, Our Hearts Inspire” UMH 603 or
“Word of God, Speak” W&S 3184 or CCLI #3912788

Sermon Program

Call to Work the Program

People may be invited to write on cards at least one commandment they struggle or have struggled to keep over time, and one thing they will do start doing this week and keep doing to overcome the struggle and work this part of the program, too. Invite them to make two copies and give one copy to one other person with whom they will check in during the coming week to share how they have (or haven’t) made progress on the commandment they’re working on, and what has happened as a result. Midweek formation groups will be another opportunity to check in, pray for one another, and encourage one another.

Music during Call to Work the Program
“Trust and Obey” UMH 467 or
“Trust and Obey” CCLI #5192764

Prayers of the People
Deacon or Lay Worship Leader
We are in the wilderness.
We have lost our way.
We need God’s intervention in our lives.
And God has shown us the way
and the program we must follow.

And so we pray:
Make us your instruments to make things right.

Because we know or know of people still kept in poverty or slavery,
some in fear from abusers, terrorists, and oppressors,
some facing addiction,
and some targeted for unjust treatment because of who they are;

Make us your instruments to make things right.

Because we need courage and integrity from leaders
in religious, political, economic, and social life;
because we love and sometimes struggle with
our families, friends, and neighbors;
and because the lives of those who sustain and protect our lives
as military, civilian workers, and first responders
are full of challenge and conflict;

Make us your instruments to make things right.

Because we know people who need your healing power,
and some who offer healing through their skill and presence;

Make us your instruments to make things right.

And because Jesus taught us to pray it, we obey and pray:

The Lord’s Prayer

THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION

Pastor:
Christ our Lord invites all who love him
(to his table/ to give freely as they have received).
Jesus says all who love him keep his commandments.
Let us offer our gifts and our lives to God.

Music during the Offering
“Love the Lord” W&S 3116 or
“O Jesus, I Have Promised” UMH 396

Act of Thanksgiving (if Communion is not celebrated)
As the offering is presented, the congregation stands and is asked to offer thanks to God with one or both of the following:

“Now Thank We All Our God” UMH 102 or
“Thank You” CCLI #5637487 AND/OR

The Great Thanksgiving BOW 60-61 or

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.
We are yours, O God.

Bless the Lord!
God’s holy name be praised!

Praised in heaven, praised in earth,
praised throughout your creation
is your name, Holy Triune God.

From generation to generation,
your people rejoice in your Name.

Your give your commandments to make us holy.
You enact and preserve your righteousness as we live them.

So with prophets, leaders, and faithful people,
we, with all creation, cry “Holy!”

Holy, Holy, Holy,
Lord God of power and might,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is Christ who comes in your name!
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed are you, Jesus Christ,
Word made flesh.
You are the fullness of the image of God,
showing what it means to fulfill God’s law
through perfect love
of God and every neighbor,
especially those we refuse to treat as neighbor.

Blessed are you, Jesus Christ.

Blessed are you for coming among us
and for offering yourself to us
in this holy meal
to fill our hungry and erring souls,
and to empower us to break free from Satan’s lies
and follow where you lead,
living your commands.

With your first disciples, on the night of your betrayal into death,
you took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it, saying:
Take and eat this, my body given for you.

Then you took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it, saying:
Drink this, my blood of the new covenant for you.

Even so,
here and now,
come, Holy Spirit.
Come, Holy Spirit.

Come upon these gifts
and upon us.
Make them be for us
Christ’s body and blood,
that we who receive them may be for all
the body of Christ enlivened by his blood.

Come, Holy Spirit.
Make us one.

Come, Holy Spirit.
Unite us with you.

Come, Holy Spirit.
Revive us!

Dwell in us and teach us to be faithful
and to become holy,
as we await that day
when we shall see Christ as he is
at the feast of new creation.

To Christ, to you, and to the All-Merciful Creator,
One God, living and true,
be all praise, and honor, and glory
now and forever.
Amen.

The Breaking of the Bread and Distribution

Music during Communion
“What Does the Lord Require of You” TFWS 2174 or
“Find Us Faithful” CCLI #18259

Thanksgiving after Communion
Pastor and People:
Jesus, thank you!
You have fed us with your flesh
that in our flesh we may perform your works,
and even greater works than these
to the glory of God and the honor of your name.
By the power of the Holy Spirit,
continue in us what has begun today
that we may grow in faithful service and holiness
all the days of our lives. Amen.

SENDING FORTH

Invite the congregation to face the back of the sanctuary, toward the exits.

Hymn/Song
“We Will Follow” (“Somlandela”) W&S 3160 and
“Whatever You Do” W&S 3128 (in G)

or

“I Would Be True” https://hymnary.org/text/i_would_be_true_for_there_are_those

Deacon or Lay Leader (from the back of the worship space)
God has not only intervened to save us.
God has shown us how to take part in how God saves us.
We know the program.
We need to work it.

Jesus is in you.
The Spirit is moving among us,
and driving us out of here
to practice what God teaches,
to love God and our neighbor
by attending upon all the ordinances of God,
keeping Christ’s commands.

Pastor
Go in the peace and with renewed commitment to the ways of our Triune God.
Amen.

Postlude Variations on Somlandela