|
Celebration of Worship
March 7, 2010 10:30 a.m.
Third Sunday of Lent
Enter in Prayer - Worship with Gratitude - Go Forth to Serve
“Here, metaphor is a strategy of desperation, not decoration; it is an attempt to say something about the unfamiliar in terms of the familiar, an attempt to speak about what we do not know in terms of what we do know.” —Sallie McFague
Opening Voluntary "Prelude, Suite Op.5" Maurice Duruflé
Welcome and Announcements Jon Ehrsam
Introit “Praise the Lord” Boyd Bacon
Call to Worship
Opening Hymn “Praise the Lord Who Reigns Above”
Responsive Sentences (M-Minister; C-Congregation)
M: I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever;
with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.
C: I declare that your steadfast love is established forever;
your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.
M: Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
C: Happy are the people who know the festal shout, who walk,
O Lord, in the light of your countenance;
M: They exult in your name all day long, and extol your righteousness.
C: For you are the glory of their strength;
by your favor our horn is exalted.
From Psalm 89
Gloria Patri
Invocation and Lord’s Prayer (Unison, using debts and debtors)
Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art. Thou my best thought, by day or by night, Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light. Hear us pray as Jesus taught us… Our Father, who art in heaven hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.
Scripture Reading
Isaiah 55:1-11
Ho, every one who thirsts, come to the waters, and even he who has not money, come! Buy and eat, come and buy wine and milk, without money and without price.
Why do you spend money for bread that has no worth, the wages of your labour for food that does not satisfy? Hearken diligently to me, that you may have what is good to eat, that your soul may regale itself with fatness.
Incline your ear, come to me, hear that your soul may revive.
I will make with you an everlasting covenant, the steadfast, sure promises of grace to David. Behold, I made him a witness for peoples, a leader and commander of nations. Behold, you call a nation that you know not, a nation that knows you not, they run to you because of Yahweh, your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he glorifies you.
Seek Yahweh, since he may be found, call upon him, since he is near! Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and return to Yahweh,
that he may have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he is abundant in mercy.
For my thought are not your thoughts, and neither are your ways my ways, says Yahweh. But as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and return not thither, but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
So is my word that goes forth from my mouth; it does not return to me empty, but it accomplishes that which I purpose, and prospers in the thing for which I send it.
—Translation by Claus Westermann
A Time for Young Christians
Children’s Choir “The Butterfly Song”
(An adult will escort your child/children to Children’s Sunday School downstairs.)
Solo “I Believe”
Susan Hearn, soprano
Prayer Concerns
Call to Prayer (M - Minister; C - Congregation)
M: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
M: Let us pray. Create in us a clean heart, O God.
C: And put a new and right spirit within us.
M: Bless us now as we come to you in silence,
C: And may your Spirit fill our lives.
Silent Prayer
Pastoral Prayer
Prayer Response
Call to Offering
Offertory Anthem “Behold the Savoir of Mankind” Howard Helvey
Chancel Choir
Behold the Savior of mankind nailed to the shameful tree;
How was the love that him inclined to bleed and die for thee,
Hark how he groans! While nature shakes. And earth’s strong pillars bend!
The temple’s veil in sunder breaks, the solid marbles rend.
Tis done! The precious ransom’s paid!
“Receive my soul!” He cries; see where he bows his sacred head!
He bows his head and dies! But soon he’ll break death’s envious chain.
And in full glory shine. O Lamb of God was ever pain, was ever love like thine!
Doxology
Prayer of Dedication
Hymn of Preparation “Seek the Lord ”
Sermon “Inclined Ears and Fat Souls”
Rev. Dr. Donald Olsen
Hymn of Departure “For the Fruits of This Creation”
Benediction
Benediction Response “God Be with You Till We Meet Again” John Carter
Chancel Choir
Closing Voluntary “Ah, Holy Jesus” Johannes Brahms
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Good Morning! Welcome to Plymouth Church.
We welcome all persons of faith in our worship. God comes to where we live. God loves us as we are. In this hour, may your life be filled with God’s peace as we worship together. If you would like more information about Ply-mouth, please speak with one of our ministers. You are invited to enjoy refresh-ments and conversation with friends old and new in Fellowship Hall after the ser-vice. Please sign the attendance sheet found in the red fellowship folders in the pews.
A nursery, staffed by our Nursery Director, Juli Burke, is located in Room 105 in the northeast corner lower level of the educational wing. Pagers are avail-able for your use should you need to be contacted regarding your child.
Sunday School for children and youth is offered during the worship service and visitors are always welcome to attend. Children sit with their family for the beginning of the service and leave for Sunday School after the children’s sermon (A Time for Young Christians). Children are then escorted to Rooms 104 and 108, teens go to Room 102. Classrooms are located on the lower level.
The Greeter today is Dennis Bishop.
Acolytes are Evan Uhlig and George Depew.
Lenten Opportunities
During this Lenten season, we find numerous occasions to be at church. After din-ner on Wednesday evening, we look forward to hearing the three remaining speak-ers in the Walter Vernon Lenten Series. On Palm Sunday, we will receive new members, including the confirmation class. If you wish to become a member of Plymouth Church, please see Don or Lisa. There will be no Wednesday night din-ner on Mar. 31. Instead, you are invited to join us on Thursday, Apr. 1, for a Seder meal. On Friday, Apr. 2, we will hold a service of darkness. This meaningful Good Friday worship experience filled with music and scripture helps us anticipate Christ’s resurrection on Easter.
Prime Time will not meet on March 17 due to Spring Break.
Daylight Savings Time begins March 14. Please remember to turn your clocks ahead.
Walter Vernon Lenten Series 2010
March 10 John Allison Superintendent USD 259
March 17 Sierra Scott Broadcast Personality
March 24 Ken Audus, Dean of the Kansas University School of Pharmacy
Easter Lilies -We will, be adorning our sanctuary with Easter lilies again this year. If you would like to purchase one and have it listed in the bulletin, please call the office at 684-0221 to make those arrangements. The cost this year is $14.
Sunday School Teachers - Special thanks are extended to Damon and Jessica Carey, Jon Ehrsam (adult class), Joyce Gedraitis, Veronica Sanford, Mary Ann Thomas and Anna Uhlig for teaching Sunday School in February. Our teachers for the month of March are Liz Carroll, Dan and Shelley Closson, and Jennifer Lovett.
Plymouth Prayer Circle -The season of Lent is a time for reflection and intro-spection. The format of our Prayer Circle involves not only prayers of thanksgiv-ing and concern, it also includes a brief time of reflection in response to a devo-tional reading. Please consider joining us in the month of March as we continue our Lenten journey. The Prayer Circle meets each Thursday at 4 p.m. in Room 306. Also, on Good Friday, April 2, the group has planned to walk a local labyrinth. We will have a brief instructional session prior to entering the labyrinth. Everyone is welcome.
Stephen Ministry -Congratulations to our Stephens Ministers on the one-year anniversary of their commissioning! Thanks for all you do!
The Women’s Guild -Program Wednesday, March 17. The ladies of the Guild will hear Tim Rives, Deputy Director and Supervisory Archivist, speak about “The Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in 2010.” Tim is a fascinating speaker who always makes history alive and interesting. He is a native of Wichita who was educated at East High School, Wichita State University and Emporia State University. His parents, Bob and Priscilla Rives, still live in Wichita. The Guild meets at 10 a.m. in the Commons Room. Everyone who is interested is wel-come to attend.
The Mission Board -has selected the Congregational Mission of Jardin Amerisa in Argentina, South America, as the March 2010 recipient of our Mission Possible funds. The youth of our church will be working at the mission in July and they will present the money to the mission.
|
