Hybrid Worship

26 February 2023

Sunday Morning Greetings!

No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here. 

At 9:00 am Adult Spiritual Formation, we're starting a series for Lent called What Matters. You can expect a lively discussion of the aspects of our shared symbolic life, beginning with "we are unified at the Table."

To say farewell to our worship series on prayer, there's an insert with the Prayer Toolbox in today's paper bulletin for folks who are attending in person. Virtual worshipers can see it here.

GATHERING IN THE SPIRIT'S PRESENCE

Welcome and Announcements

Call to Worship

One: God of the Sahara and the Amazon, Maker of dry places and wetlands, and all places in-between

Many: We come before you with parched hearts for living in this world has made them so.

One: Holy One, your ability to renew us is unmatched.

Many: You renew us from within and without.

One: Ancient of Days, you held us in the beginning, and you are holding us now.

Many: We reach out to you and draw as close as we can. 

Singing Our Faith ~ "Circle of Friends"  

Come and sit together in a circle of friends,

Be at home, be at peace, be at rest.

Come and sit together in a circle of friends,

Sitting in a circle is best.

Chorus

Laugh (echo), cry (echo), live (echo), die (echo),

Hello (echo), goodbye (echo),

And God make us a circle of friends.

Somewhere it is evening

and the woods fill up with moonlight.

The creatures make their music and the word is on the wind.

There’s a fire in the clearing and the voices you are hearing

Are the singing of a circle of friends.

Chorus

Somewhere it is morning

and the church fills up with sunlight.

The Spirit’s in the music and the word is on the wind.

There is fire on the table

and the bread and wine are speaking

And God makes us a circle of friends.

Chorus

STILLING OURSELVES

Pastoral Prayer and Silence

Responsive Lord’s Prayer

Our Creator, In Heaven

Hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come,

Your will be done,

On Earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive those,

Who trespass against us.

Save us from the time of trial,

And deliver us from evil.

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

Now and forever.  

Amen

LISTENING TO GOD AND TO ONE ANOTHER

Celebrations

At this time, we share moments from our lives: birthdays, 

anniversaries, works of peace and justice. We celebrate even sorrows and grief as part of a comprehensive view of life. 

Anniversary Moment

Shared by Marilyn Rampley and Liz Curry

Celebration Song

We are one, we are all. We are big and we are small.

We are one, we are all, We are short and we are tall.

We share joy, we share sadness

We share voices all in glee.

Come sing a celebration song with me.

Sing a celebration song; sing a celebration song.

No matter who you are, come sing along.

Sing a celebration song; sing a celebration song.

Come sing a celebration song with me. 

Invitation to Give

One: All that God made is good. God made us and we are empowered to be good and to do good. 

All: Grace and mercy make goodness possible always and in all ways. 

One: Our giving places us in the flow of goodness. Life is full of deep grace, and we are part of it all. Amen. 

Offering and Offertory

ATTEND TO MYSTERY

Word About Life - Matthew 4:1-11

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written,

‘One does not live by bread alone,

  but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,

‘He will command his angels concerning you,’

  and ‘On their hands they will bear you up,

so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’ ”

Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written,

‘Worship the Lord your God,

  and serve only him.’ ”

Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

Word About Life for Today  

Shared by Rev. Ken Heintzelman

RESPONDING WITH OUR WHOLE HEARTS

Words for Mission

One: As we depart this space and enter the wilderness of the world, we remember that God is with us.

All: Whatever may come, God is our safe place to go and  our soft place to land. We depart in trust and fidelity.

One: These are the times!

All: We are the people.

One: All of Creation is blessed.

All: May we love all and serve all.

One: May God be with you.

All: And also with you.

One: Amen.

All: Amen.

Sending Forth Song ~ "The Quiet Center"

Go and be the quiet center in the crowded life we lead,

Find the room for hope to enter, 

find the frame where we are freed;

Clear the chaos and the clutter,

clear our eyes, that we can see 

All the things that really matter. Be at peace, and simply be.

In the Spirit let us travel, open to each other’s pain.

Let our loves and fears unravel,

celebrate the space we gain:

There’s a place for deepest dreaming, 

there’s a time for heart to care,

In the Spirit’s lively scheming, there is always room to spare!

After worship, you're invited to a casual conversation on Zoom or on the Narthex couches. We'll take another look at the sermon and our responses and wonderings.