Weekly Worship Material

Order of Service for March 23rd, 2025

Third Sunday of Lent

 

WE GATHER TO PRAISE GOD

 

GATHERING MUSIC

            

PRELUDE

 

In the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 

Who calls us to be the church 

And to celebrate God’s presence, 

Let us worship.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS 

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE LAND:

We give thanks for the land and our ancestors who have cared for it, for Indigenous and for settlers. Thank you to the people called Haudenosaunee, Mississauga, Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Mohawk, and Tuscarora (Ska-Ruh-Reh) Six Nations.

are located on the shared traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishnaabe (Anish-nah-bay), and Haudenosaunee (Hoe-den-no-show-nee) peoples. 

Upper Canada Treaty and the Haldimand Treaty of 1784

 

INTROIT 

 

CALL TO WORSHIP:

ONE:


Though the world may not understand what we do in this place.

Though others might look at the church with scorn and wonder,
And though, at times, we are torn by division and distress,
The saints, throughout the ages, have kept watch in faith,
And their cry has echoed, “How long, O Lord, how long?”

 

ALL:
We lift our hearts in longing,
We wait with hope,
For the day when Christ will return in glory.

 

ONE:
In the midst of suffering and sorrow,
We hold fast to the promise of His return,
When all the nights of weeping shall be turned to joy,
And our mourning shall be transformed into song.

 

ALL:
We await the dawn of the Kingdom,
When all things are made new,
When Christ returns to gather us in loving embrace.

 

ONE:
Let us worship with hearts full of hope,
For the light of His return is near,
And soon, the darkness will be no more.

 

ALL:
Come, Lord Jesus, come!
We worship in anticipation,
For the morning of song is drawing near! Amen.

 

PASSING OF THE PEACE:

We are called to prepare ourselves to worship and offerings: to pray for those we’ve hurt, and those who have hurt us; to confess what which we need to confess, and to receive God’s forgiveness; and then to be reconciled, one with another, as a symbol of our new life in Christ. 

 

The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God, and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you… And also with you.

 

*OPENING HYMN: VU #331 The Church’s One Foundation

 

            ♫1       The church's one foundation is Jesus Christ our Lord; 

we are his new creation by water and the Word; 

from heaven he came and sought us that we might ever be 

his living servant people, by his own death set free. 

 

2         Called forth from every nation, yet one o’er all the earth; 

one charter of salvation: one Lord, one faith, one birth, 

One holy name professing and at one table fed, 

To one hope always pressing, by Christ’s own Spirit led. 

 

3         Though with a scornful wonder the world sees us oppressed, 

by schisms rent asunder, by heresies distressed, 

yet saints their watch are keeping; 

their cry goes up, “How long?” 

But soon the night of weeping shall be the morn of song. 

 

4         Mid toil and tribulation, and tumult of our war, 

we wait the consummation of peace forevermore; 

till with the vision glorious our longing eyes are blest, 

and the great church victorious shall be the church at rest. 

 

5          We now on earth have union with God the Three in One, 

and share through faith communion 

with those whose rest is won. 

Oh, happy ones, and holy! Lord, give us grace that we 

like them, the meek and lowly, on high may dwell with thee. 

 

~Children are welcomed to the front of the Sanctuary 

for Children’s Time following the hymn~

 

CHILDREN’S TIME 

 

LORD’S PRAYER:

Abba with us,

hallowed be your name, 

your kingdom come, 

your will be done, 

on earth, as it is in heaven. 

Give us this day our daily bread, 

And forgive us our trespasses, 

as we forgive those who trespass against us. 

And lead us not into temptation, 

but deliver us from evil: 

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours 

forever and ever. AMEN.

 

PRAYER OF CONFESSION & ASSURANCE OF PARDON:

We lift up these prayers, these truths we confess in the sequestered chambers of our hearts, and hold the prayers, the truths of others sheltered safely under loving wings.

 

One: 

Κύριε, ἐλέησον.
Χριστέ, ἐλέησον.
Κύριε, ἐλέησον.

 

All:

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy. 

 

MUSICAL OFFERING

 

PSALM: Psalm 63:1-8 *ALL in bold* spoken responsively by the verse.

 

1 O God, you are my God; I seek you;
   my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
   as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
   beholding your power and glory.
3 Because your steadfast love is better than life,
   my lips will praise you.
4 So I will bless you as long as I live;
   I will lift up my hands and call on your name.

5 My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast,[a]
   and my mouth praises you with joyful lips
6 when I think of you on my bed
   and meditate on you in the watches of the night,
7 for you have been my help,
   and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.
8 My soul clings to you;
   your right hand upholds me.

 

*HYMN: MV #120 My Soul Cries Out

 

            ♫1       My soul cries out with a joyful shout 

that the God of my heart is great,


And my spirit sings of the wondrous things 

that you bring to the ones who wait.


You fixed your sight on your servant’s plight, 

and my weakness you did not spurn,


so from east to west shall my name be blest. 

Could the world be about to turn?

My heart shall sing of the day you bring.


Let the fires of your justice burn.


Wipe away all tears, for the dawn draws near, 

and the world is about to turn!

 

2         Though I am small, my God, my all, 

you work great things in me,


And your mercy will last from the depths of the past 

to the end of the age to be.


Your very name puts the proud to shame, 

and to those who would for you yearn,


You will show your might, put the strong to flight, 

for the world is about to turn.

My heart shall sing of the day you bring.


Let the fires of your justice burn.


Wipe away all tears, for the dawn draws near, 

and the world is about to turn!

 

3         From the halls of power to the fortress tower, 

not a stone will be left on stone.


Let the king beware for your justice tears 

ev’ry tyrant from his throne.


The hungry poor shall weep no more, 

for the food they can never earn;


There are tables spread, ev’ry mouth be fed, 

for the world is about to turn.

My heart shall sing of the day you bring.


Let the fires of your justice burn.


Wipe away all tears, for the dawn draws near, 

and the world is about to turn!

 

4         Though the nations rage from age to age, 

we remember who holds us fast:


God’s mercy must deliver us 

from the conqueror’s crushing grasp.


This saving word that our forebears heard 

is the promise which holds us bound,


‘Til the spear and rod can be crushed by God, 

who is turning the world around.”

My heart shall sing of the day you bring.


Let the fires of your justice burn.


Wipe away all tears, for the dawn draws near, 

and the world is about to turn!

 

*CREED: 

We are not alone,
    we live in God’s world.

We believe in God:
    who has created and is creating,
    who has come in Jesus,
       the Word made flesh,
       to reconcile and make new,
    who works in us and others
       by the Spirit.

We trust in God.

We are called to be the Church:
    to celebrate God’s presence,
    to live with respect in Creation,
    to love and serve others,
    to seek justice and resist evil,
    to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
       our judge and our hope.

In life, in death, in life beyond death,
    God is with us.
We are not alone.

Thanks be to God.

 

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

 

OFFERING:

            INVITATION TO INVEST IN GOD’S MISSION:

“Called by God, as disciples of Jesus, The United Church of Canada seeks to be a bold, connected, evolving church of diverse, courageous, hope-filled communities united in deep spirituality, inspiring worship, and daring justice.”

 

            OFFERTORY: 

 

            *DOXOLOGY: VU #508 vs. 1

                                    

                        ♫       Just as I am, without one plea,

                                    But that thy blood was shed for me,

                                    And that thou bidd’st me come to thee,

                                    O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

 

            PRAYER:

“We send forth our offerings in blessing and thanksgiving that they may serve God’s Holy mission that has this church. May we walk humbly in your way.”

 

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

 

SCRIPTURE READING: Luke 13:1–9

13 At that very time there were some present who told Jesus[a] about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? 3 No, I tell you, but unless you repent you will all perish as they did. 4 Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the other people living in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you, but unless you repent you will all perish just as they did.”

 

The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. 7 So he said to the man working the vineyard, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ 8 He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, well and good, but if not, you can cut it down.’ ”

 

The Word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God.

 

MESSAGE: “Proof.”

 

*CLOSING HYMN: The Old Rugged Cross

 

♫1       On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,

the emblem of suffering and shame;

and I love that old cross where the dearest and best

for a world of lost sinners was slain.

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,

till my trophies at last I lay down;

I will cling to the old rugged cross,

and exchange it some day for a crown.

 

2         O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,

has a wondrous attraction for me;

for the dear Lamb of God left his glory above

to bear it to dark Calvary.

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,

till my trophies at last I lay down;

I will cling to the old rugged cross,

and exchange it some day for a crown.

 

3         In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,

a wondrous beauty I see,

for 'twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,

to pardon and sanctify me.

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,

till my trophies at last I lay down;

I will cling to the old rugged cross,

and exchange it some day for a crown.

 

4         To that old rugged cross I will ever be true,

its shame and reproach gladly bear;

then he'll call me some day to my home far away,

where his glory forever I'll share. 

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,

till my trophies at last I lay down;

I will cling to the old rugged cross,

and exchange it some day for a crown.

                        

*COMMISSIONING

 

*SUNG RESPONSE:

 

♫         The Lord bless you, and keep you:

The Lord make his face shine upon you, 

and be gracious unto you:

The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, 

and give you peace.  

 

POSTLUDE