Bulletin – Sunday, April 3, 2022 – Fifth Sunday of Lent / Communion

Sunday, April 3, 2022
Fifth Sunday of Lent / Communion

Approach

Lighting the Lenten Candle

During Lent, we remember the events that led up to the crucifixion Jesus had come to bring home 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. But you call us to more. You call us to be bearing of love and beauty in the world, as you came to bear the beauty of light and love in the world. We light this candle to remember that we are called to more, that we are challenged by your example of light and love to be bearers of light, love, and brazen acts of beauty in this world.

Call to Worship

One:   May we find courage here-
All:      courage to follow our call, courage to live out our faith.

One:   May we find hope here-
All:      hope for a better world, hope that refuses to let us go.

One:   May we find all that we seek.
All:      And in our seeking, may we know God today, in this place of worship. Amen.

Hymn – “Sing Your Praise to God Eternal”

Sing your praise to God eternal, sing your praise to God the Son,
Sing your praise to God the Spirit, living and forever One.
God has made us, God has blessed us, God has called us to be true.
God rules over all creation, daily making all things new.

Join the praise of every creature, sing with singing birds at dawn;
When the stars shine forth at nightfall, hear their heavenly antiphon.
Praise God for the light of summer, autumn glories, winter snows,
For the coming of the springtime and the life of all that grows.

Praise God on our days of gladness for the summons to rejoice;
Praise God in our times of sadness for the calm, consoling voice.
God our Maker, strong and loving, Christ our Saviour, Leader, Lord,
Living God, Creator Spirit, be your holy name adored!

Prayer of Approach and Confession

Loving and nurturing God, there are very few things as powerful as a group of people that admits they are not perfect and asks for grace as they grow. Imagine what our world might be like if every institution had such a weekly ritual?

We can light the way. Let us come together today, in community, and let us be brave in our truth-telling and honest in our confession. For, loving God, we know that we all always be met by grace. We admit that often we tuck our faith into our pockets, hiding in a place of comfort rather than proudly declaring: yes we are Christian, yes we do believe in you, you this faith has changed me. We are so afraid of offending others or embarrassing ourselves that we have established rules: no faith at the dinner table, no faith in politics, no faith with strangers.

Forgive us for whispering when we could be singing. Forgive us for staying quiet when we could be part of rewriting the narrative. We want to be brace. We want pour out perfume over your feet. These things we pray. Amen.

Words of Assurance

Response

Fill my cup, Lord,
I lift it up, Lord,
Come and fill the thirsting of my soul.
Bread of heaven, feed me ‘til I want no more.
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole.

Time for All ages

The Word

Scripture Reading:           Isaiah 43:16-21

¹⁶ Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, ¹⁷    who brings out chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: ¹⁸ Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. ¹⁹ I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. ²⁰ The wild animals will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches; for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, ²¹ the people whom I formed for myself so that they might declare my praise.

Scripture Reading:           John 12:1-8

¹ Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. ² There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. ³ Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. ⁴ But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, ⁵ “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” ⁶ (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) ⁷ Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. ⁸ You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God!

Meditation – “Brazen Acts of Beauty”

Anthem – “Burdens are Lifted at Calvary”

The Response

Communion

One:   God be with you.
All:      And also with you.

One:   Life up your hearts.
All:      We lift them up to the Lord.

One:   Let us give thanks to the Lord Our God.
All:      It is right to give our thanks and praise.

One:   It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Almighty God, creator of heaven and earth.

One:   You brought all things into being and called them good. From the dust of the earth you formed us into your image and breathed into us the breath of life. When we turned away, and our love failed, your love remained steadfast.

One:   When rain fell upon the earth for forty days and forty nights, you bore up the ark on the waters, saved Noah and his family, and made covenant with every living creature on earth.

One:   When you led your people to Mount Sinai for forty days and forty nights, you gave us your commandments and made us your covenant people.

One:   When your people forsook your covenant, your prophet Elijah fasted for forty days and forty nights; and on your holy mountain, he heard your still small voice.

One:   And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
All:      Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

One:   Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ. Your Spirit led him into the wilderness, where he fasted forty days and forty nights to prepare for his ministry.

One:   When he suffered and died on a cross, you raised him to life, presented him alive to the apostles during forty days, and exalted him at your right hand.

One:   By baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection you gave birth to your Church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.

One:   Now, when we your people prepare for the yearly feast of Easter, you lead us to repentance for sin and the cleansing of our hearts, that during these forty days of Lent we may be gifted and graced by your extravagant love, by your brazen acts of beauty, to reaffirm the covenant you made with us through Christ.

One:   On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: “Take, eat, this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

One:   When the supper was over he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said: “Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

One:   And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving, as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.
All:      Christ has died; Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

One:   Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, as we remember those in this community whom we hope feel your Spirit with them today…

One:   We ask that you make these gifts, for us, a sign of your love, grace, mercy, compassion, and brazen beauty so that we might become bearers of these gifts to the world.

One:   By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes again, and we feast as his heavenly banquet.

One:   Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, all honour and glory is yours, almighty God, now and for ever.
All:      Amen.

One:   The Bread of Life.

One:   The Cup of the New Covenant.

Prayer After Sharing

Thank you, merciful God, for gladness in this bread and cup, for love that cannot die, for peace the world cannot give, for joy in the company of friends, for the splendors of creation, for brazen acts of beauty, and for the mission of justice you have made our own. Give us the gifts of this Holy Communion—oneness of heart, love for neighbours, forgiveness of enemies, the will to serve you every day, and life that never ends. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Hymn – “God Will Make a Way”

God will make a way when there seems to be no way,
He works in ways we cannot see, He will make a way for me.
He will be my guide, hold me closely to His side,
With love and strength for each new day,
He will make a way. He will make a way.

By a roadway in the wilderness He’ll lead me.
Rivers in the desert will I see.
Heaven and earth will fade,
But His word will still remain.
And He will do something new today.

God will make a way when there seems to be no way,
He works in ways we cannot see, He will make a way for me.
He will be my guide, hold me closely to His side,
With love and strength for each new day,
He will make a way. He will make a 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.