Order of Service / Lent 1 / February 18, 2024

 

*Gathering Hymn God Is Here (#389 VU)

Welcome

Lighting the Christ Candle

Call to Worship

One: Come away and be still.

  All: We come to worship God.

One: Come find rest for your weariness.

All: We come to worship God.

One: Come with your joy and sorrow.

All: We come to worship God.

  One: In this time, in this place, God waits for us!

All: Let us worship together!

*Wetaskiwin Writers.Gathering L/E2024, page 31.

Opening Prayer (Unison)

God of the Lenten journey, we praise you. Weset our intention to follow the life, death, andresurrection of Jesus through this sacred andholy season. You gave us Jesus to teach us abouttrue worship and surrender. You call us out ofour wilderness and into your kingdom. You challenge us to repentand to prepare to be spiritually reborn. All praise, honour,and glory are yours, O God, for the blessing ofyour transformative love. Amen.

*Sandra Litt. Gathering L/E2024, page 31.

*Opening HymnO God, How We Have Wandered(#112 VU)

Prayer of Confessional and Renewal (Unison)

God, we confess that there is a wanderer in each of us, and that wandering doesn’t always take us to your promised land. Have mercy on us, as we walk with Jesus into the wilderness through this season of Lent. Open our senses to the truth of your word, revealed in Jesus the Christ. Pardon us our sins of commission and omission as we bare them before you. (a time of silent confession)Amen.

*Alwin Maben.Gathering L/E2024, page 31.

Words of Assurance

One: God made us;

All: we are creatures made in the image of the Divine.

One: Christ has redeemed us;

All: we are a people forgiven and blessed,

One: The Holy Spirit sustains us;

  All: be open to the future with confidence and hope.

One: Be assured that whenever we confess in the name of Christ,

  All: God is there to bless and guide you. Thanks be to God.

*Celebrate God’s Presence. page 129.

Announcements and Minute for Mission

Time for God’s Children(I’ve Got Peace like a River,VU577)

I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river,

I’ve got peace like a river in-a my soul.

Prayer for Illumination

Proclaiming the Scriptures

Genesis 9:8-13 The covenant between God and Noah.

Psalm25:1-10(VU 752) Lead me in your truth, O God.

Mark 1:9-15 The baptism, temptation, and mission of Jesus.

This is the Good News from the Bible.

  Thanks be to God.

Anthem

Sermon

*Hymn Forty Days and Forty Nights (#114 VU)

*Offering

*Offertory Hymn (#581 VU, v. 2 | When We Are Living)

Through all our living, we our fruits must give.

Good works of service are for offering.

When we are giving, or when receiving,

We belong to God, we belong to God.

*Offertory Prayer (Unison)

Gracious God, may what we have offered—ofourselves, of our resources, of our time—becomea rainbow blessing of light for an aching worldamong those of us gathered here, for our localcommunity, and for our world, blessed by thepower of your abundant grace. Amen.

*Gord Dunbar.Gathering L/E 2024. page 35.

Prayers of the People and Lord’s Prayer

*Closing Hymn Throughout These Lenten Days and Nights (#108 VU | vs. 1-3)

*Commissioning

One: May the blessing of God give us strength for the journey;

  All: may the Spirit of wisdom give us vision for the road;

One: may the love of Christ make us caring companions;

  All: as together we go forth in the Lenten time.  Amen.

*Celebrate God’s Presence. page 160.

*Commissioning Song May God’s Sheltering Wings (#214MV)

May God’s sheltering wings, her gathering wings protect you,

May God’s nurturing arms, her cradling arms sustain you,

And hold you in her love, and hold you in her love.

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