Order of Worship

First Sunday in Lent

BOLD indicates congregational SPEAKING participation

GATHERING AS THE BODY OF CHRIST

Prelude

"O Happy Day, That Fixed My Choice"

UMH#391

Welcome and Sharing of Announcements

A Time to Make Connections

Call to Worship

Liturgist:Temptation surrounds us every day.

People: Happy are those whose transgressions are forgiven.

Liturgist: Opportunities to stray litter our path.

People: Happy are those whose sin is covered.

Liturgist: Though we stumble and fall, God’s mercy picks us up.

People: God’s grace brushes us off.

Liturgist: Be glad in the Lord and rejoice.

People: God’s love meets us here.

Opening Prayer

Righteous God, we need your presence in our lives if we are to resist temptation. Send your angels to minister to us when the tempter comes to call. Put not our hearts to the test, but shelter us in your protective love. For you are our God and we are your people. Amen. 

(The Abingdon Worship Annual 2017: Worship Planning Resources for Every Sunday of the Year). 

Opening Hymn

  "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God"

UMH#110

Message in Music

"El Shaddai"

by Card and Thompson

(Nancy Burns and Mark Johnson, duet

Matt Cron, pianist

El Shaddai means “God Almighty”

El Elyon na Adonai means “God in the highest, Oh, Lord”

Erkamka na Adonai means “We will love you, Oh, Lord”

Children's Time

Courtney Till

Pastoral Prayer and Lord’s Prayer 

Prayer Response

  “Open My Eyes, That I May See”

UMH #454 (verses 1 & 2)

ATTENTION TO THE WORD OF GOD

Scripture Readings: Matthew 4:1-11

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil. 2 He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was famished. 3 The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 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.’ ” 7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, 9 and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’ ” 11 Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

Liturgist: The word of God for the people of God.

People: Thanks be to God.  

Message

“Wilderness as the Road to God”

 Pastor Seok-Hwan

We Respond

Offering

 “I Want Jesus to Walk with Me”    

UMH #521  

Doxology

 UMH #95

*Offertory Prayer

Merciful One, we do not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from your mouth. Still we seek your blessing upon this offering, for many are hungry and need food, many are naked and need clothes, many are homeless and need shelter. May these gifts reflect the depth of our gratitude as they go into the world. In Jesus’s name, we pray. Amen.

Closing Hymn

 "‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus”

UMH#462

The Blessing and Sending Forth 

Go with joy. 

Our transgressions are forgiven. 

Go with hope. 

Our sin is forgiven. 

Go with love. 

Our hearts are uplifted by the tender mercies of our God.

(Beu, B.J.; Scifres, Mary. The Abingdon Worship Annual 2023)  



Postlude

"There is a Happy Land "

  Early American hymn, arr. George Shearing