LENT March 11, 2018 Fourth Sunday in Lent

LENT March 11, 2018 Fourth Sunday in Lent

Service of the Word March 11, 2018 Fourth Sunday in Lent Welcome! It is a pleasure to have you with us this morning. This morning we will use the New Century Hymnal (NCH). It is the black hymnal found in the pew racks. *Indicates when people are invited to stand. Prelude: We Walk By Faith We Gather - Samuel McFarland, arr. Gregory Hoepfner Welcome Please sign the red Friendship Book in your pew Call of the Engelbrecht Memorial Bell Choral Introit: Awake, My Soul - Thomas Ken (1695), arr. Roger Summers *Call to Worship (based on Psalm 107): Leader: O give thanks to the LORD, for God is good; whose steadfast love endures forever. People: Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, those who are redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. Leader: Let them thank the LORD for God s steadfast love and wonderful works to humankind. People: And let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices, and tell of God s deeds with songs of joy. Leader: Come, let us worship the LORD! *Opening Hymn: #198 Lift High the Cross 1

*Silent Prayer of Confession *Pardon and Assurance First Reading: Numbers 21:4-9 We Listen - Sarah Drenning Second Reading: Ephesians 2:1-10 Choral Anthem: There Is None Like My Lord *Gospel Reading: John 3:14-21 - Craig Curry - Rev. Dr. Rob Apgar-Taylor Children s Message - Earl Bartgis Following the Children s Message, children in Kindergarten through 5 th grade are invited to join us in the fellowship hall for Children s Church - a time of Bible lessons, crafts, songs and other fun activities. For children 5 years and younger, our Nursery is available during the worship service. Sermon: The Caduceus and the Christ - Rev. Dr. Rob Apgar-Taylor Pastoral Prayer We Respond Call for Tithes and Offerings Offertory: Lord, Keep Us Steadfast - Martin Luther, arr. Benton Price *Prayer of Dedication *The Lord s Prayer (in unison) 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, the power, and the glory forever. Amen. 2

Announcements We are Sent *Closing Prayer *Closing Hymn: #197 Jesus, Keep Me near the Cross *Benediction *Choral Benediction: Sevenfold Amen - John Stainer (1901) Ringing of the Engelbrecht Memorial Bell Postlude: Rondeau from Te Deum - Marc-Antoine Charpentier, arr. Michael Ryan SERVING THIS MORNING Patti Flanders-Lombardi served as your greeter this morning. Welcome to our Guests! We are delighted that you joined us for worship this morning. Please be sure to sign the red Friendship Book in your pew. If you have any difficulty hearing the service, one of our ushers can provide you with a hearing assistance device. We also have large print bulletins and hymnals available. Children in Kindergarten through 5 th grade are invited to join us for Children s Church - a time of Bible lessons, crafts, songs and other fun activities. We leave the Sanctuary following the Children s Message. For children 5 years and younger, our Nursery is available during the worship service. Following worship, we invite you to join us for fellowship. Welcome to Grace Church! Be sure to Like us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/graceuccfrederick 3

Don t forget - today is the last day to order Easter lilies! Special Offering for March: One Great Hour of Sharing One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) is the special mission offering of the United Church of Christ that carries God s message of love and hope to people in crisis. The The yellow UCC works rose on with the international altar is presented partners by and the other Christian denominations Altar Guild to provide in memory sources of of deceased clean water, war food, veterans education and health care, and small in honor business of those micro-credit, who have advocacy served and our resettlement country, for refugees and displaced as well as those persons, currently and on emergency active duty. relief and rehabilitation. OGHS also supports domestic and international ministries for disaster preparedness and response. On average, of every dollar given to One Great Hour of Sharing, 95 cents is used directly for mission programming, and the remaining 5 cents is used to create interpretation materials. Administrative costs are paid by gifts to Our Summer Is Coming!! Church's Wider Mission National Basic Support. Do Well, not for a few months, but when it does, it will mean we are preparing Almost you 60 get percent cold Offering of this the big Upper UCC's Envelopes drafty offering Room church? and Devotionals supports Electronic Please international know Giving that there development are knit Offering Devotional shawls for Pastor Rob's Sabbatical. We have pastors who are going to be with us on initiatives, available envelopes booklets including for are THE annual you available to GOOD support use in as in the SAMARITAN you for Narthex missionaries. need. They for for anyone are The spread offering who would throughout also like funds to a use resource the Sundays, and emergencies, but we are also looking to put together a disaster envelopes sanctuary. for preparedness Let s daily for Please keep regular prayer. FUND ask in and touch! giving. There usher response, Simply are if regular you pick and don't up and a disaster-related see box large-print one and near write versions, you. your volunteer Many name and on there thanks team of lay Each people week, The who the Good will Grace be Samaritan willing Church to enews Fund visit people is sent out in the to hospital and initiatives is sign-up to no Pam in cost the sheet Marshall for U.S. the next booklets, for to this the number idea although and that for donations making you ve chosen. the are gladly shawls! accepted. nursing homes as Volunteer we is have the designated Opportunities need. Gary Johnson at for Grace has Church our members and friends to keep everyone agreed up-todate on upcoming events. If you haven t been to coordinate If The this you United and prefer be Church to the give contact Are of electronically, emergency you Christ person ready responds financial for to we get this offer to more development, ministry relief 2 options: involved while disaster, Pastor in your Rob and is refugee away. needs Before the in 138 summer, countries, church? to we members will We and have have provides and a time plenty friends to disaster of get of opportunities together relief to and learn for immigration (a) the UCC A friendly receiving e-giving reminder these program emails, from allows please you contact to have the church a regular, about recurring how assistance to visit people in the in people United health Grace of States. care Church. all ages, settings, Nearly abilities, Only i.e. one-third the and praying interests: of donation Pastor drafted office Rob: to out be of added your to bank the account, list. or charged with the UCC's to people, offering your credit hospital is card. shared visitation through (To get guidelines, Church started, Are you pastor etc. and World person Service in need to support refugee, disaster, Acolytes, simply planning pick Altar an up event an Guild, authorization at Children's form Sermon in the Narthex, or development, and advocacy If contact this is something the Church? church know programs. volunteers, that office.) If would so, who Lay interest PLEASE receives Caring you, please Ministry, let Pastor Lay Rob or Gary Words Johnson cannot know. remember capture Thanks! assistance from the fund. Eucharistic to the call anguish Tara Ministers, of people the (b) make donations through our website Scripture when they using PayPal! readers, lose everything in a disaster or Simply click the church have to Ushers, office leave and it and behind make Youth while sure Ministry to fleeing button at the bottom of the home page - www.grucc.com. - please war or conflict. speak to Through One Great Hour get of on Sharing, the calendar lives ASAP. are literally This changed daily. Your support If provides you decide clean to water, participate food, in medicines, our electronic shelter, giving healthcare, programs, education you can pick and up so some much I more. give electronically Please give generously cards to place during the worship offering this plate morning, on Sunday or online mornings. at any time at www.ucc.org/oghs. Thank you! 4

Daily Bible Readings for this Week This month sees the Lenten Journey to its conclusion. The readings that stick out to me as particularly seasonal are the ones from Hebrews. Hebrews is an anonymous letter which focuses on the issue of salvation particularly with reference to the priesthood of Jesus. The priest in Jewish tradition is the one who enters the Holy of Holies in the temple and offers sacrifices to God on behalf of the people. The priest is the mediator between us and God. Christ, the letter argues, is the true high priest, the one who offered the only sacrifice that is necessary, the offering of the Cross. In that event, theologically speaking, Christ became both priest and victim. He offered his life and his life was the offering. Christ became the one great High Priest who mediates between us and God, the One who bridges the gap between God and us. The daily Bible readings are clustered into weeks with Sunday being the center of each week. The lessons come from the Revised Common Lectionary. The readings for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of each week orient our prayer and preparation for the Sunday lessons. The readings for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday reflect on Sunday s lessons. In the worship of Grace Church we normally read only two lessons. However, many Sundays the Psalm for the day is also incorporated into the service as a Call to Worship or prayer. Fourth Week of Lent Mar 11 Fourth Sunday in Lent Numbers 21:4-9 Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22 Ephesians 2:1-10 John 3:14-21 Mar 12 Psalm 107:1-16 Exodus 15:22-27 Hebrews 3:1-6 Mar 13 Psalm 107:1-16 Numbers 20:1-13 1 Corinthians 10:6-13 Mar 14 Psalm 107:1-16 Isaiah 60:15-22 John 8:12-20 5 Fifth Week of Lent Mar 15 Psalm 51:1-12 Isaiah 30:15-18 Hebrews 4:1-13 Mar 16 Psalm 51:1-12 Exodus 30:1-10 Hebrews 4:14 5:4 Mar 17 Psalm 51:1-12 Habakkuk 3:2-13 John 12:1-11 Mar 18 Fifth Sunday in Lent Jeremiah 31:31-34 Psalm 51:1-12 or Psalm 119:9-16 Hebrews 5:5-10 John 12:20-33

Worship Assistants March 18 th : March 25 th : Greeter: Oi Kettavong Greeter: OPEN Scripture Reader: Earl Bartgis Scripture Reader: Vonnie Crum Children s Message: Carol Garrison Children s Message: Trish Abell Children s Church: Colleen Street Children s Church: Rob Apgar Fellowship Host: OPEN Fellowship: March birthday party If you would like to serve as a greeter, or host the fellowship time after worship, please sign up in the Good Shepherd Room. Caring and Sharing The following are members and friends of our church family who are currently ill, hospitalized, or home-bound. Please keep them in your prayers and perhaps send a note or a card. Addresses can be obtained from the church office, or you can pick up a church directory from one of the ushers. If you know of anyone who should be added to this list, please call the church office. Millie Davis, Joe Free, Jean Gaver, Paul and Miriam Himes, Karlene Kaufmann, Pam Kehne, and Betty Linton. Please note that hospitals are no longer permitted to contact churches on behalf of their patients. If you know of a church member who is hospitalized, please inform the church office. If you or a family member is hospitalized in an emergency situation, please call Pastor Rob at 240-217-2767. GRACE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST An Open and Affirming Congregation 25 East 2 nd Street Frederick, Maryland, 21701 301-662-3312 admin@grucc.com www.grucc.com Rev. Dr. Rob Apgar-Taylor, Pastor Jonas Dawson, Director of Music 6 pastorrob@grucc.com music@grucc.com

UPCOMING EVENTS AT GRACE CHURCH Sunday, March 11 - Fourth Sunday in Lent Special Offering: One Great Hour of Sharing 9:45 a.m. - Christian Education classes for adults and youth 11:00 a.m. - Worship (Sanctuary) 5:00 p.m. - Redemption City Church worship (Sanctuary) Monday, March 12 7:00 p.m. - Finance & Property meeting (Room 3) Tuesday, March 13 6:30 p.m. - ManKind Project (Basement) Wednesday, March 14 12:00 p.m. - Catoctin Ministerium (Good Shepherd Room) 6:30 p.m. - The Frederick Center youth group (Basement) Thursday, March 15 10:30 a.m. - Lenten Group Study (Homewood) 6:00 p.m. - FREE drop-in Zumba class (Good Shepherd Room) 6:00 p.m. - Frederick Co. Health Dept. support group (Basement) 6:30 p.m. - Lenten Group Study (Room 13) Friday, March 16 8:30 p.m. - N. A. meeting (Good Shepherd Room) Sunday, March 18 - Fifth Sunday in Lent 9:45 a.m. - Christian Education classes for adults and youth 11:00 a.m. - Worship (Sanctuary) 5:00 p.m. - Redemption City Church worship (Sanctuary) Monday, March 19 6:30 p.m. - The Frederick Center young adult group (2 nd floor) Tuesday, March 20 6:30 p.m. - ManKind Project (Basement) 7