Bulletin – Sunday, March 20, 2022 – Third Sunday in Lent
Sunday, March 20, 2022
Third Sunday in Lent
Approach
Lighting the Lenten Candle
During Lent, we remember the events that led up to the crucifixion. Jesus had come to bring hope and light to the world, but at every step there were those who could not accept the power of the light. He came to meet people’s needs, but there were those who misunderstood the kind of needs that Jesus meant to fill. Because he would not do what they wanted, they rejected him. Yet even in those times in our lives when our faith, when our spirit, when our soul, feels withered and unworthy Jesus comes to us bringing light and love. We light this candle to remember the light and love that Jesus brought when we feel so small, so unworthy, so withered in our own lives.
Call to Worship
One: Come, all who are thirsty.
All: Come, all who are seeking.
One: Come, all who are waiting.
All: Come, all who labour.
One: Come, all who need rest.
All: Come, all who dream dreams.
One: Come, whether you are young or old, confident or curious, lonely or hopeful.
All: This is God’s house. All are welcome here. Let us worship our Holy God.
Hymn – “Come, Just as You Are”
Come just as you are,
Hear the Spirit call.
Come just as you are—
Come and see, come receive, come and live forever
Life everlasting,
And strength for today,
Taste the Living Water and never thirst again.
Come just as you are,
Hear the Spirit call.
Come just as you are—
Come and see, come receive, come and live forever
Prayer of Approach and Confession
There is something to healing, so life giving, about telling our stories, in the prayer of confession that is what we get to do. The mask comes off, any pretense of perfection is removed. We let the pressure to perform slip away and we sit here, face to face with God, sharing honestly who we long to be.
Friends, there is healing here. There is life to be gained here. So let us come together in this moment of honesty today. Holy God, we treat our self-worth like something that can be bought at a store; but you know this even better than we do. Instead of trusting that we are made good, instead of trusting that we are loved exactly as we are, we put our value in earthly things—in trophies and awards, in likes and follows, in wealth and power.
Forgive us for creating our own measuring stick. Heal our open wounds and tell our hearts that we won’t be forgotten if we slow down. We won’t be forgotten if we rest. Gratefully we pray. Amen.
Words of Assurance
Hymn – “Longing for Light”
Like the woman at the well I was seeking
For things that could not satisfy.
And then I heard my Saviour speaking:
“Draw from the well that never shall run dry.”
Fill my cup, Lord, I lift it up, Lord.
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.
Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more.
Fill my cup,
Fill it up and make me whole.
There are millions in this world who are craving
The pleasure earthly things afford.
But none can match the wondrous treasure
That I find in Jesus Christ, my Lord.
Fill my cup, Lord, I lift it up, Lord.
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.
Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more.
Fill my cup,
Fill it up and make me whole.
So, my brother, if the things this world gave you
Leave hungers that won’t pass away.
My blessed Lord will come and save you
If you kneel to Him and humbly pray.
Fill my cup, Lord, I lift it up, Lord.
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.
Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more.
Fill my cup,
Fill it up and make me whole.
Time for All Ages
The Word
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 55:1-9
1 Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. 3 Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. 4 See, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. 5 See, you shall call nations that you do not know, and nations that do not know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you. 6 Seek the LORD while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; 7 let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the LORD, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Scripture Reading: Luke 13:1-9
1 At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. 4 Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.”
6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. 7 So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ 8 He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God!
Meditation – “You are Worthy”
Anthem – “Living Water”
The Response
Prayers of the People
One: Holy God, whose Spirit moved over the waters at the dawn of creation, hear our prayers for all who thirst today. We pray for those who are spiritually thirsty, who long to know Your presence, but don’t know where to find You. We pray for those who are alone and without hope, those who long to feel needed and loved, those who are searching for meaning and purpose. We pray for those who are ill or grieving, we lift up to you now those in this community whom we hope will feel your healing presence in their lives…O healing river,
All: pour down Your waters, and heal Your people.
One: We pray for all who are physically thirsty, who don’t have enough water to drink, or feed their animals, whose fields are parched, whose crops have withered; those who have to walk long distances to find enough water to survive, or who have to be content with water that is unclean. We pray for those whose homes and villages are torn apart because of drought or famine. O healing river,
All: pour down Your waters, and heal Your people.
One: We pray for those who are thirsty for justice, who long for an equal sharing of resources among peoples and nations; those who put their lives at risk to protect streams and rivers and oceans; those who are working to find clean water, and make it available to those who need it. O healing river,
All: pour down Your waters, and heal Your people.
One: God, we ask that you would open our hearts to the needs of all who thirst. Give us courage to work together for justice, to stand alongside those who are thirsty, so that all people, everywhere, may live without want or fear, and may discover the abundant life You promise to each one. In the name of Jesus Christ—the source of living water—we pray.
All: Amen.
(adapted from Christine Longhurst)
Hymn – “All the Way My Saviour Leads Me””
All the way my Saviour leads me, what have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt his tender mercy who through life has been my guide?
Heavenly peace, divinest comfort, here by faith in him to dwell,
For I know, whate’er befall me, Jesus doeth all things well.
All the way my Saviour leads me, cheers each winding path I tread,
Gives me grace for every trial, feeds me with the living bread.
Though my weary steps may falter, and my soul a-thirst may be,
Gushing from the rock before me, lo, a spring of joy I see!
All the way my Saviour leads me; O the fullness of his love!
Perfect rest to me is promised in my Father’s house above.
When my spirit, clothed, immortal, wings it flight to realms of day,
This my song through endless ages, “Jesus led me all the way!”
Benediction
As you leave this place, may you be awestruck by the beauty of this world. May you laugh, and may it be contagious. May you overflow with love for those around you. May you be bubbling over with hope and quick to point out joy.
And in all of your living, breathing, and being, may you find yourself full to the brim with God’s Holy Spirit, and may it change your life. In the name of the Lover, the Beloved, and Love itself—go in peace, full to the brim. Amen.
Response
Peace for the nations, peace, peace.
Peace for the nations we pray.
Following the path of One of peace,
We work for healing, we work for peace;
Peace for the nations today.
