Worship for March 14, 2021
We’re worshipping safely on Zoom this week and all through March. 

Be safe and at ease, Beloveds. Stay tuned for what's next for our community.
Reflection
The people who know God well - the mystics, the hermits, the prayerful people, those who risk everything to find God - always meet a lover, not a dictator. God is never found to be an abusive father or a manipulative mother, but a lover who is more than we dared hope for. 

~Richard Rohr in Yes, And...
We Covenant One With Another
Adult Spiritual Formation - 10:00 am
We are moving through the season of Lent with its emphasis on reflection, renewal, and preparation. During Lent, we are talking about creativity and joy as part of a social justice journey. We're starting this week by circling around to the way we gather. What peaceful practices and covenants support compassionate conversations? As time permits, our discussion will continue with an exploration of the taxonomy of movements. 

Transition Music - Music for Studying, in honor of our Lenten study, Journey of the Spirit

Worship Begins - 11:00 am

Welcome and Announcements ~ Pastor Ken
As worship begins, we pause to welcome and extend greetings to anyone visiting us this week! No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here.

Call to Worship
One: Beloveds, why have you come to worship this morning?
All: We come to celebrate the love of God shown to us in the ministry of Jesus and in many beautiful forms.
One: This love reaches through the shadows of our lives to embrace us. Our challenge is to trust this light in the midst of our struggles.
All: We come to celebrate the light of God which offers love and acceptance.
One: All are welcome as we celebrate the love that permeates our lives and indeed the whole universe. 

Opening Prayer ~ Karen Richter
Perceiving and Responding
Giving and Stewardship
Our community is steadfast! Giving is part of our faithful response to the world, individually and communally. Good things are happening, and our hope continues. You can find our weekly financial update, Heidi's Corner, at this link.

We're directing our Lenten offering this year to RIP Medical Debt, a campaign to free people from the burdens of a flawed system. The blue button above takes you to the Shadow Rock giving page, where you can participate in this and other giving opportunities. We join many of our Southwest Conference siblings and the Conference Executive Board in RIP Medical Debt. Our gifts will be put to work locally in Arizona, New Mexico, El Paso, and the Navajo Nation.

Celebrations and Prayer Requests
Celebrations are part of way we do life together, responding gracefully in the midst of the ups and downs of life. Unmute to share your birthday, anniversary, moments of grace, or other celebrations or celebrate using the Zoom chat box.

Pastoral Prayer ~ Pastor Ken

Special Music ~ “Change My Heart, O God,” shared by Forrest Bachtel
Balancing Word and Deed
Word About Life for Today ~ Rev. Ken Heintzelman
"So Loved"

Ephesians 2: 1-10
You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

Introduction to Breakout Rooms and Discussion
  • What is maturity and how is it related to spirituality?

Words for Mission
One: Let us rejoice: God so loves the world! May God your Maker send you back into the world with creative energies refreshed. May the Spirit of steadfast love guide you until we worship together again. 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.