March 10, 2024 – Fourth Sunday in Lent

Lectionary Readings   -   Gathering   -  Word  -   Eucharist   -   Sending   -   Music and Art

Lectionary Readings

Numbers 21:4–9
God instructs Moses to use a bronze serpent to save the people.

Psalm 107:1–3, 17–22
Give thanks to the Lord, who forgives, heals, and delivers us.

Ephesians 2:1–10
By the gift of God’s grace we are saved through faith.

John 3:14–21
Like Moses’ serpent, Jesus will be lifted up as a sign of salvation.

— Gathering —

Opening Sentences

We enter into worship together,
reflections of God’s glory.
Inspired by God’s presence,
we gather to join in praise.
In joy, we lift our voices.
With adoration, we express our gratitude.

Prayer of the Day

Guided by your revelation,
we are compelled to seek your wisdom
as we continue the Lenten journey.
We are filled with awesome wonder
that you would love us so, trust us so,
and move within us.
Now fill our spirits with hope, humility, and resolve,
that we might be your will in the world.
Open our hearts to accept this call upon our lives.
May our sacred service be pleasing in your sight. Amen.

Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song


Thanksgiving For Baptism

At the baptismal font:
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

O Lord our God, we give you thanks
for the mercy you so freely offer us
through the grace of our baptism—
safe passage through the sea,
justice rolling down like water,
deliverance from sin and death forever.
By the power of your Holy Spirit,
poured out upon us in baptism,
teach us to love and serve you faithfully
and reconcile us to you and to one another
as members of one, living body;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Confession and Pardon

At the baptismal font:
In the name of Christ, I urge you:
Be reconciled to God.
2 Corinthians 5:20

Trusting in God’s grace, let us confess our sin.

By the gift of your grace we are saved, O God,
from all that separates us from you.
Still, we would rather believe that we can earn your love.
Still, we would rather believe that we are in ultimate control.
Forgive us when we do not recognize the radical gift of your grace;
have mercy when we fail or refuse to share that grace with another.
Forgive us, O God, and wash us in your mercy.
Forgive us, O God, and free us to try again.

Lifting water from the font:
Listen, the time has come at last.
Look, now is the day of salvation!
2 Corinthians 6:2

In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!
Thanks be to God.

— Word —

Prayer for Illumination

At the lectern or pulpit:
Gracious God, our way in the wilderness,
guide us by your Word through these forty days,
and minister to us with your Holy Spirit,
so that we may reformed,
restored, and renewed;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Scripture

Before the readings:
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
Psalm 51:15

After the readings:
We proclaim Christ crucified—
the wisdom and power of God.
Thanks be to God.
1 Corinthians 1:23–25

Sermon

Ascription of Praise

After the sermon:
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
we bend our knees
and lift up our hearts,
giving glory to God forever. Amen.
Philippians 2:9–11

Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song

Affirmation of Faith

Season of Lent
To be reconciled to God
is to be sent into the world
as God’s reconciling community.
This community, the church universal,
is entrusted with God’s message of reconciliation
and shares God’s labor of healing the enmities
which separate people from God
and from each other.
Christ has called the church to this mission
and given it the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The church maintains continuity
with the apostles and with Israel
by faithful obedience to his call.
Adapted from the Confession of 1967, 9.31

Prayers of the People

Out of the ashes, up from the dust
we bring our prayers to God, saying:
In your steadfast love, O Lord, have mercy on us.

God of all mercy, we pray for the church . . .
Give your people the wisdom and strength
to bear witness to your saving love
through the message of the cross.
In your steadfast love, O Lord, have mercy on us.

God of all mercy, we pray for the world . . .
Cast out the powers of corruption and greed
and overturn the tables of injustice,
until the whole earth becomes your holy temple.
In your steadfast love, O Lord, have mercy on us.

God of all mercy, we pray for this community . . .
Help us to live together according to your law,
honoring one another, living in peace,
and seeking the common good in all things.
In your steadfast love, O Lord, have mercy on us.

God of all mercy, we pray for loved ones . . .
Give rest to those who are struggling;
bless and keep them, by your grace,
so that their days may be full of life.
In your steadfast love, O Lord, have mercy on us.

Restore in us, O God, the joy of your salvation;
renew and sustain our spirits,
so that we may live according to your will;
through Jesus Christ, our hope and strength. Amen.

— Eucharist —

Invitation to Offering

At the communion table:
Jesus says: Where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also.
Let us offer our lives to the Lord.
Matthew 6:21

Prayer of Dedication

At the communion table:
You have shown us, O God,
the sacrifice that you desire.
Now use these gifts—
and use our lives—
to liberate the oppressed,
to break the bonds of injustice,
to feed the hungry,
welcome the poor,
and unite the human family;
all in the name and for the sake
of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Isaiah 58:6–7

Great Thanksgiving

The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Blessed are you, O Lord our God:
When we gave up hope in the wilderness
succumbing to the poison of bitterness and despair,
you kept us alive, and set us back on the path to the promised land.
Therefore we praise you, joining the song
of the universal church and the heavenly choir:
A Sanctus (“Holy, holy, holy”) is sung.

Blessed is Jesus Christ, our Savior:
Out of your great love for the world you made,
you sent Jesus Christ—not to condemn, but to save us—
so that those who trust in him might not perish, but have eternal life.
The words of institution are included here.
Remembering your goodness and grace,
we offer ourselves to you with gratitude
as we share this joyful feast.
A Memorial Acclamation (e.g., “Christ has died”) is sung.

Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us
and upon this bread and cup;
make us one in the body and blood
of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Show us the way of life you have prepared for us in Christ,
so that we might believe and live in him,
sharing in the immeasurable riches of your grace.
Through the Lord Jesus Christ,
in the unity of the Spirit,
we bless you, God of glory,
now and forever.
An Amen is sung.

Lord’s Prayer

Breaking the Bread

Communion of the People

Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song

Prayer after Communion

At the communion table:
Holy God, we give you thanks
that you have claimed us as your own
and nourished us in this meal
as members of Christ’s body.
By the work of your Spirit within us
give us the grace to glorify you
as one, living body in the world;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
1 Corinthians 6:15–20

— Sending —

Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song

 

Blessing and Charge

At the doors of the church:
May the steadfast love of God,
the abundant grace of Jesus Christ,
and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit
be with you this day and always. Amen.
Psalm 51:1, 11

Remember the words of the Lord Jesus:
If any wish to be my disciples
let them take up the cross
and follow me. Amen.
Mark 8:34

Processional Cross

Ethiopian, 15th Century

Additional Materials

Congregational Song

GATHERING

  • I Greet Thee, Who My Sure Redeemer Art (E) TOULON GTG 624
  • Love Divine, All Loves Excelling (G) HYFRYDOL GTG 366
  • O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing (O) AZMON GTG 610
  • To God Be the Glory (EG) TO GOD BE THE GLORY GTG 634

WORD

  • O Come unto the Lord (O) KOREA GTG 416
  • As Moses Raised the Serpent Up (OG) O WALY WALY LUYH 674
  • The Lord Is My Light (G) THE LORD IS MY LIGHT GTG 842
  • Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me (E) TOPLADY GTG 438

EUCHARIST

  • Bread of Heaven, on Thee We Feed (O) ARFON GTG 496
  • Of the Father’s Love Begotten (G) DIVINUM MYSTERIUM GTG 108
  • Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing (E) NETTLETON GTG 475
  • My Song Is Love Unknown (G) LOVE UNKNOWN GTG 209

SENDING

  • Come! Live in the Light! (G) WE ARE CALLED GTG 749
  • I’m Gonna Live So God Can Use Me (E) I’M GONNA LIVE GTG 700
  • I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light (G) HOUSTON GTG 377
  • Now Thank We All Our God (E) NUN DANKET ALLE GOTT GTG 643

Psalms and Canticles

Metrical

  • Give Thanks to God Who Hears Our Cries [MORNING SONG/CONSOLATION]; GTG 653, PAS 107A, LUYH 359
  • Give Thanks to God Who All Goodness Has Brought Us [STAR IN THE EAST]; PP 202; PCW 107
  • Thanks Be to God Our Savior [DJ DEEP HOUSE]; PAS 107D

Responsorial

  • May Those Who Are Wise; PAS 107C
  • Give Thanks to the Lord [DARWALL’S 148TH]; HTP1 53

    Organ Music

    • “Though I May Speak,” The Essential Dale Wood, Dale Wood, LOR (M)
    • “Praise the Lord! Ye Heavens Adore Him,” Rejoice, Lani Smith, LOR (E)
    • “Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing,” Love Divine, Michael Burkhardt, MSM (E)
    • “Meditation on a Medieval Hymn-Tune,” The Marilyn Mason Music Library, vol.1, Charles Callahan, MSM (ME)
    • “Partitas on NETTLETON,” Partitas of Praise, Alfred V. Fedak, LOR (E)

    Anthems for Adult Choirs

    • “God of Grace and God of Glory,” arr. Dan Forrest, HIN, SATB, cong, org, opt brass, opt timp (M)
    • “God So Loved the World,” Paul Mealor, NOV, SATB div, acap (A)
    • “God So Loved the World,” John Helgen, MSM, SATB, C inst, pno (M)
    • “God of Second Chances,” Marty Haugen, GIA, SATB, vc, keybd (E)
    • “Come, Thou Fount,” Eric Nelson, MSM, SATB, pno (M)
    • “I Believe,” Mark Miller, CGA, SATB, pno (E)

    Handbell Music

    • “For God So Loved the World,” William Gross, 3 or 5 oct, FTM, FM20455, Level 3

    • “Love Divine,” John Behnke, 3–5 oct, CGA, CGB1148, Level 2

    • “My Song Is Love Unknown,” Cathy Moklebust, 3–5 oct, opt hc, opt ob, CGA, CGB977, Level 2+

    Art

    • Processional Cross, Ethiopia (VDL)
    • The Serpent in the Text, Jan Richardson (JR)
    • The Mission to the World, JESUS MAFA (VDL)