NOTES:We continue to experience the ACTS of Lenten Prayer in our quest for a deeper experience and richer understanding of confession. In today's scripture, Nicodemus comes to Jesus, under cover of darkness, to ask the difficult and challenging questions that have him stumped. Jesus turns on the lights with some provoking thoughts and questions of his own.
SCRIPTURE: John 3:1-21
Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2 He came to Jesus[a] by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.”[b] 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.[c] 7 Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You[d] must be born from above.’[e] 8 The wind[f] blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?
11 “Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you[g] do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.[h] 14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.[i]
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
17 “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20 For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21 But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”[j]
8:30 AM Order of Service
The Gathering
Welcome
Prelude
We Gather in The Light of Christ
Lighting the Christ Candles
Children come forward to light the candles as we share the responsive reading.
Leader: In the beginning, God said,
People: 'Let there be light' and there was light!
Leader: We light these candles today,
People: Because God is with us in this time and in this place!
Hymn of Praise: CH# 56 "For the Beauty of the Earth" sts. 1, 4 & 5
Call to Worship
Leader: Friends of
God, believe this –
People: God loved
the world,
God loves
the world,
we are the
beloved!
Leader: May the
truth of this great love story,
shine
through our worship today,
and renew
our sense of calling.
People: Friends of
God,
let
us worship!
~
a portion of a piece written by Ann Siddall, and posted on
the Stillpoint Spirituality Centre website.
https://stillpointsa.org.au/
Invocation (UNISON)
Blow, wind of God,
Blow away the tight rules that hold me back from trusting, risking, loving.
Blow away my sin that stands in the way of encountering my neighbors.
Ready me for spiritual birth.
Prepare me for risk.
Equip me with courage and vision for the new thing that waits around the corner.
We cannot choose the stories we have inherited,
But we can choose the stories that we become.
Amen
We Contemplate God’s Word
Scripture
ACTS of Lenten Prayer
ACTS of Lenten Prayer
Sermon
We Pray Together
We Share Our Joys &
Concern
Prayer Hymn:CH # 557 "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" ALL
Praying Together
Born Yet Again
(inspired by John 3:1-17)
Why do we settle, O God, for only being born once, or even twice,
as if the world never changes,
as if everything is just fine the way it is
and we have no need for new life,
new encounters with you,
new promptings of your Spirit,
and new awakenings in our souls?
Why do we turn your invitation into a mark of our own achievement,
as if your life is anything other than an extravagant gift,
as if the glimpses of your reign that we receive
are earned,
or deserved,
or make us somehow ‘better’ than others?
We praise you for the shocking miraculous truth, God,
that we can always be - that we need to always be
born again;
that daily you welcome us into a surprising new life,
the wonderful, creative, unpredictable world of your Spirit;
and that all we can do is allow ourselves to be pushed -
birthed, by your grace,
into new experiences of your reign.
Here we are, O God;
Let us be, once more,
in this moment, in this place,
Born yet again.
Amen.
as if the world never changes,
as if everything is just fine the way it is
and we have no need for new life,
new encounters with you,
new promptings of your Spirit,
and new awakenings in our souls?
Why do we turn your invitation into a mark of our own achievement,
as if your life is anything other than an extravagant gift,
as if the glimpses of your reign that we receive
are earned,
or deserved,
or make us somehow ‘better’ than others?
We praise you for the shocking miraculous truth, God,
that we can always be - that we need to always be
born again;
that daily you welcome us into a surprising new life,
the wonderful, creative, unpredictable world of your Spirit;
and that all we can do is allow ourselves to be pushed -
birthed, by your grace,
into new experiences of your reign.
Here we are, O God;
Let us be, once more,
in this moment, in this place,
Born yet again.
Amen.
— written by John van de Laar, and posted on his excellent Sacredise.com website. Visit that site for many other excellent lectionary-based worship resources.
We Gather at The Lord’s Table
Invitation to the Table
Communion Hymn: CH # 424 "I'm Gonna Eat at the Welcome Table" ALL
Communion Hymn: CH # 424 "I'm Gonna Eat at the Welcome Table" ALL
The Elder’s Prayer of
Communion
Words of Institution
The Lord’s Supper
All are welcome to share at the
Table. Come forward using the center
aisle. As you partake of the bread and
the cup you are welcome to place an offering in the wooden bowl in front of the
table. The offering you share supports
the ministries and life of Christ’s church.
The Lord’s Prayer
We Go Forth into the World
Challenge for Discipleship
Discipleship Hymn: CH # 543 "Blessed Assurance" sts. 1 & 3
Blessing
People: For God has placed the light in us!
Leader: We go in peace!
People: Amen!
Children extinguish the candles as we share the responsive reading.
Leader: The light that was in one place at one time, is now in all places and all times,People: For God has placed the light in us!
Leader: We go in peace!
People: Amen!
10:40AM Service
Welcome
Prelude
Prelude
We Gather in the Light of Christ
Call to Worship
Leader: Friends of
God, believe this –
People: God loved
the world,
God loves
the world,
we are the
beloved!
Leader: May the
truth of this great love story,
shine
through our worship today,
and renew
our sense of calling.
People: Friends of
God,
let
us worship!
~
a portion of a piece written by Ann Siddall, and posted on
the Stillpoint Spirituality Centre website.
https://stillpointsa.org.au/
Hymn of Praise: CH#56 "For the Beauty of the Earth" sts. 1, 4 & 5
Invocation (UNISON)
Blow, wind of God,
Blow away the tight rules that hold me back from trusting, risking, loving.
Blow away my sin that stands in the way of encountering my neighbors.
Ready me for spiritual birth.
Prepare me for risk.
Equip me with courage and vision for the new thing that waits around the corner.
We cannot choose the stories we have inherited,
But we can choose the stories that we become.
Amen
Passing of the Peace
We return to our seats as the piano music begins.
Hymn of Faith:CH#161 "I Wonder as I Wander" sts. 1, 3 & 4
We Offer Our Hearts to God
Call to Offering
The offering you share supports
the ministries and life of Christ’s church.
Offertory
Doxology CH #46
Prayer of Dedication
We Contemplate God’s Word
Scripture
Anthem
ACTS of Lenten Prayer
ACTS of Lenten Prayer
Children’s Sermon
Sermon
We Prayer Together
We Share Our Joys &
Concerns
Prayer Hymn: CH # 557 "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" ALL
Praying Together
Born Yet Again
(inspired by John 3:1-17)
Why do we settle, O God, for only being born once, or even twice,
as if the world never changes,
as if everything is just fine the way it is
and we have no need for new life,
new encounters with you,
new promptings of your Spirit,
and new awakenings in our souls?
Why do we turn your invitation into a mark of our own achievement,
as if your life is anything other than an extravagant gift,
as if the glimpses of your reign that we receive
are earned,
or deserved,
or make us somehow ‘better’ than others?
We praise you for the shocking miraculous truth, God,
that we can always be - that we need to always be
born again;
that daily you welcome us into a surprising new life,
the wonderful, creative, unpredictable world of your Spirit;
and that all we can do is allow ourselves to be pushed -
birthed, by your grace,
into new experiences of your reign.
Here we are, O God;
Let us be, once more,
in this moment, in this place,
Born yet again.
Amen.
as if the world never changes,
as if everything is just fine the way it is
and we have no need for new life,
new encounters with you,
new promptings of your Spirit,
and new awakenings in our souls?
Why do we turn your invitation into a mark of our own achievement,
as if your life is anything other than an extravagant gift,
as if the glimpses of your reign that we receive
are earned,
or deserved,
or make us somehow ‘better’ than others?
We praise you for the shocking miraculous truth, God,
that we can always be - that we need to always be
born again;
that daily you welcome us into a surprising new life,
the wonderful, creative, unpredictable world of your Spirit;
and that all we can do is allow ourselves to be pushed -
birthed, by your grace,
into new experiences of your reign.
Here we are, O God;
Let us be, once more,
in this moment, in this place,
Born yet again.
Amen.
— written by John van de Laar, and posted on his excellent Sacredise.com website. Visit that site for many other excellent lectionary-based worship resources.
We Gather at The Lord’s Table
Invitation to Communion
Christians of all denominations
and backgrounds are welcome to share in communion. Please hold each
element as we partake in unison.
Communion Hymn: CH # 424 "I'm Gonna Eat at the Welcome Table" ALL
Prayers for Bread & Cup and Words of Institution
The Lord’s Prayer
We Go Forth into the World
Challenge for Discipleship
Discipleship Hymn: CH # 543 "Blessed Assurance" sts. 1 & 3
Discipleship Hymn: CH # 543 "Blessed Assurance" sts. 1 & 3
Acolytes come forward.
Blessing
Leader: We go in peace!
People: Amen!
Parting Song: CH #437 "Go Now in Peace" Sing once in round with chimes
Acolytes extinguish the candles as we share the responsive reading.
Leader: The light that was in one place at one time, is now in all places and all times,
People: For God has placed the light in us!Leader: We go in peace!
People: Amen!
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