SERVICE FOR THE LORD S DAY Third Sunday in Lent 28 February 2016 10:30 a.m. GATHERING Please enter the sanctuary quietly for those who would like to meditate or listen to the prelude. Please also remember to turn off your cell phones for the service. Late comers: Please wait to be seated until after readings and quiet times. The Prelude: A moment of silence. *Introit: Hymn No. 475 Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing All Come, thou Fount of every blessing; tune my heart to sing thy grace; Streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise. Teaching me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above; Praise the mount! I m fixed upon it, mount of God s unchanging love! Here I raise my Ebenezer; hither by thy help I m come; And I hope, by thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home. Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God; He, to rescue me from danger, interposed his precious blood. O to grace how great a debtor daily I m constrained to be! Let that grace now, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel kit prone to leave the God I love; Here s my heart; O take and seal it; seal it for thy courts above. *Call to Worship: [*All who are able may stand.] Jesus said: Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Praise the Lord! The Lord s name be praised! *Opening Prayer *Hymn No. 314 Christ, Be Our Light verses 1,2 & 4 The Call to Confession: As God s beloved daughters and sons, let us call to mind our need for reconciliation with God and with one another. Let us pray: Prayer of Confession: God of mercy, you sent Jesus Christ to seek and save the lost. We confess that we have strayed from you and turned aside from your way. We are misled by pride, for we see ourselves pure when we are stained, and great when we are small. We have failed in love, neglected justice, and ignored your truth. Have mercy, O God, and forgive our sin. Personal Confession
Assurance of Grace Friends, believe and proclaim the Good News: In Jesus Christ - love breaks through hatred, hope breaks through despair, life breaks through death. In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven, loved and set free! Let us rejoice together! *Response: No. 224 When I Survey the Wondrous Cross verse 4 Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small; Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all. Passing the Peace of Christ THE WORD Prayer for Illumination: O God, by your Spirit tell us what we need to hear, and show us what we ought to do, to obey Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen. The Old Testament Reading: Numbers 21:4-9 (NT, Page 139 or 174) The New Testament Reading: John 3:14-21 (OT, Page 94 or 114) The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Children s Sermon The Response: The Cry of the Poor The Lord hears the cry of the poor. Blessed be the Lord. Let the lowly hear and be glad: the Lord listens to their pleas; And to hearts broken God is near, who will hear the city of the poor. (Retrain) Ev ry spirit crushed God will save, will be ransom for their lives; Will be safe shelter for their fears, and will have the cry of the poor. Sermon: Lessons from the Desert (and shoveling snow) Rev. Caroline Unzaga *Hymn No. 439 O My Soul, Bless Your Redeemer verses 1, 2 & 3 THE THANKSGIVING The Welcome and Announcements Chancel Flowers: Happy 65 th Birthday to Kevin and to wish our family and friends peace, love and happiness, given by Donna Hunt The Reception of Tithes and Offerings Offertory
Anthem: Spirit, Sing Through Me M. McDonald Spirit, place Your song within my heart; breathe within my soul each note and part. Make my voice Your messenger to all the world 'til all may know the grace, the love that God imparts. Spirit, sing Your song through me. Spirit, be my guiding voice so near; bringing peace and casting out all fear. Spirit, sing your melody anew; flow into my heart and back to You. The Doxology: Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise God, all creatures here below. Praise God above, ye heavenly host; praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen. *Prayer of Dedication and The Lord's Prayer [You are welcome to say the Lord's Prayer (and any prayers) in your native language.] 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. Prayers of the People The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them up to the Lord. THE SENDING *Hymn No. 435 There s a Wideness in God s Mercy *The Charge, Benediction And now go out into the world in peace. Have courage, hold fast to what is good. And never pay back wrong for wrong, but support the weak, help the fainthearted, honor all people. Be joyful and pray continually, giving thanks to God. And while we are doing those things, may the peace of God, the love of Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit be with us all, now and forever. Amen. *The Amen The Postlude Elder Joe VanDeWeert is helping lead worship this morning. We welcome the Rev. Caroline Unzaga to our pulpit today. Rev. Caroline Unzaga has served the church in various contexts for ministry since her college days, including the mission field in Argentina, border ministry in Arizona, youth ministry in suburban NJ, and interim ministry with a Latino congregation in Union City. She is an ordained minister of the PC(USA) and currently serves as a Chaplain at Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital and a Chaplain Educator at Overlook Hospital. She lives in Clifton, NJ, with her husband and 2 children. We welcome all visitors in the name of Jesus Christ. We invite you to sign the guest register in the Narthex and to join us for coffee in the Entry Room following the service. Ushers have printed copies of today's sermon for those who speak English as a foreign language, and for whom reading along may be helpful. Copies of the Sunday sermons will also be posted on the church's website by Tuesday. Click on Sermons.
Nursery care for babies and pre-schoolers is available in the room adjacent to the rear hallway. Kindergartners to fourth graders are to remain in worship through the children s sermon, then may go to the activity period. Parents may also sit with restless children in the Tower room, which is located off the rear of the sanctuary. LARGE TYPE bulletins are available from the ushers, as well as Chinese/English, Spanish/English, Korean/English and Japanese/English Bibles. Print copies of today s sermon are available for those who speak English as a foreign language, or for whom reading along may be helpful. USHERS: Christine Banas, Maryellen Neu & Kristen Richter GREETER: Venge Nyirongo Readings for Sunday, Joshua 5:9-12; Psalm 32; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 March 20 (Palm Sunday) March 24 (Maundy Thurs.) March 27 (Easter) February 28 March 20 March 27 February 28 March 20 March 27 USHERS Hwan Hee Kang, Ammal Varky Susan Dindial, Judith Nyironge & Lisa VanDeWeert Vicky Li, Fara Razafy, Mwai Makoko, Wanangwa Nyirongo & Roberta Toolen Susan Dindial, Rae Giannuzzi & Karen Peters OFFERING COUNTERS Ginny Brown & Pete Shanno Fumio Ito & David Voreacos Ginny Brown & Jonathan Phillips Anne Stebbins & Fumio Ito Hyung Shim & Pete Shanno NURSERY VOLUNTEERS Sarah Han Joe or Lisa VanDeWeert Keyla Garcia Liz Even-Ezra Linda McGarry CALENDAR FOR THE WEEK Today After Worship Choir Practice & Bible Study 7 p.m. Youth Group Monday 7:30 p.m. Mission & Stewardship Meeting Wednesday 10:45 a.m. Bible study Fireplace Room 7:30 p.m. Al-Anon Meeting Thursday 3:30 p.m. Membership & Outreach 7:30 p.m. CoFiA Meeting Next Sunday 9:15 a.m. Chancel Choir Rehearsal 9:30 a.m. Church School & Adult Classes 10:30 a.m. Service for the Lord's Day, Elder Paul Talarico will preach After Worship Choir Practice & Bible Study 3:00 p.m. Japanese Language Worship Service 7:00 p.m. Youth Group Meeting
ANNOUNCEMENTS Help us decorate the church sanctuary for Easter by ordering FLOWERS. The cost is $20 for lilies and $12 for bulb plants, which could be hyacinths, tulips or daffodils depending on what is available at the time of purchase. Please call the church office (201-944-1358) no later than Friday, March 18. Checks should be made out to the Presbyterian Church in Leonia and designated for Easter Flowers. Please let me know to whom you would like them dedicated and if you wish to pick up your plants or have them distributed to homebound friends.