Prelude
Be Still and Know That I Am God
Welcome
Call to Worship
When tears are our food, God comes with a feast.
When fear is our path, God brings us courage.
When sorrow is our friend, God comforts and loves us.
When all hope seems lost, God is our rock and our redeemer.
So, in this Lenten season, bring your longing, bring your hope. God is with us here.
Lay down your fears, lay aside your doubts, faith has called us here.
Pour out your soul with prayer and worship.
Let us worship God, tender and just.
Opening Hymn No. 166 (verses 1, 3 and 4)
Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days
Call to Confession
Let us open our bodies, minds, and souls to the one who loves us without condition, trusting that we will receive grace and mercy, first in silent prayer.
Prayer of Confession
God of joy, God of sorrow: we know that part of being human is acknowledging the brokenness in the world and in ourselves; and that part of being human is to love ourselves as you do, and to help you recreate from all these broken bits a new us and a new world. We confess the times in the past week when we have strayed from your path - when things we said or left unsaid, things we did or left undone, harmed us, our neighbors and your creation. In this Lenten season, heal our bodies, steady our souls and renew our minds. Help us to keep on keeping on. Help us to sit still. Go with us into the wilderness. Go with us as we make our way through these 40 days - bless us, strengthen us and give us peace. Amen.
Assurance of Forgiveness
Friends, God is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The first and last word with God is grace—grace to heal and make new, grace to propel us forward. This is the good news of the gospel. Thanks be to God! Amen.
Choral Response
Change My Heart, O God (new lyrics by Rev. Laura Sherwood)
Change my heart, O God and restore my soul
Change my heart, O God; make it as your own.
You are the Author of true shalom.
Where peace and justice are made at home.
Peace of Christ and Common Life
Scripture Readings Micah 6:6-8; Mark 1:9-15
This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God!
Sermon Rev. Jeff Lehn
Hymn of Response No. 70
What Does the Lord Require of You?
Prayers of the People and The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.
Call for Offering
In this season of Lent, we are invited to participate in God’s kingdom emerging all around us. May we offer ourselves to God with glad and generous hearts, freely giving our tithes and offerings to the ministry of this congregation. In lieu of passing the plate, we invite you to give through our church website, our smartphone app, by texting the word “Wilmette” to the number 77977, or by sending a check to the church office. As we gather our gifts together and offer them to God, may we do so in gratitude and praise.
Congregational Response
The Doxology
Prayer of Dedication
Sending Hymn No. 372 (verses 1, 3, & 5)
O for a World
Charge and Benediction
Postlude
Songs from the Iona Community John Bell
Worship Leaders:
Rev. Jeff Lehn, preaching
Rev. Laura Sherwood, pastoral liturgist
Peggy Massello, music leadership
Linnea Jacobs, liturgist
Claire DiVizio, Carol Moss and Linnea Jacobs, hymn soloists
FPCW Chancel Choir, doxology and choral response
FPCW Handbell Choir, postlude
Sources:
Bulletin Image: James Janknegt, "Watchful Servants"
