The Pilot: Join us for worship today!

THE PILOT

Your weekly eBulletin from

First United Methodist Church of Hampton

110 E Queen Street, Hampton, VA 23669

(757) 723-6577

In the name of Christ WELCOME!

Although you may be a stranger to us,

you are no stranger to God, who knows you and loves you,

and whose heart is glad at your presence here.

We sincerely hope this time of worship will bless your life.

Our Mission: To Know and Share Jesus Christ

Click here to join us for worship online this morning at 10:00 a.m.

When you click on either the red text above or the red button below, you will link to a YouTube Premiere watch page. The video will "Premiere" at 10am, when we can watch together at the same time, and those who are so inclined can share comments, prayer concerns, etc. in the chat.

Please email Rev. Kerry with any questions: klgreenhill@gmail.com.

Take me to online worship!

Sunday, February 21, 2021

10:00 a.m.

First Sunday in Lent

Moments for Preparing Our Hearts – Dean Shinn

CCS WorshipCast License #12794; CCLI License #11363160

Welcome and Announcements – Rev. Kerry Greenhill

Prelude – Dean Shinn

CCS WorshipCast License #12794; CCLI License #11363160

Centering Words – Rev. Kerry Greenhill

I offer my life to you, God,

for I know that you love me dearly and faithfully.

I offer my life to you, God.

Teach me your paths.

Call to Worship (responsive) – Rev. Candee Martin

Welcome to the time of covenant renewal.

The God of our salvation greets us here.

We are reminded of God’s promises to us;

We remember the promises we have made.

Sense the Spirit descending on us now.

Hear God’s welcoming voice.

Surely God is with us.

We can hear God calling our names.

See the rainbow in the sky.

Wonder at God’s steadfast love.

All creation proclaims the wonders of God.

We come together to learn what God has to teach us.

Hymn: Lift Every Voice and Sing – Dean Shinn

UMH No. 519

1. Lift every voice and sing, till earth and heaven ring,

ring with the harmonies of liberty;

let our rejoicing rise high as the listening skies,

let it resound loud as the rolling sea.

Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us;

sing a song full of hope that the present has brought us;

facing the rising sun of our new day begun,

let us march on till victory is won.

2. Stony the road we trod, bitter the chastening rod,

felt in the days when hope unborn had died;

yet with a steady beat, have not our weary feet

come to the place for which our fathers sighed?

We have come over a way that with tears has been watered;

we have come, treading our path thru the blood of the slaughtered,

out from the gloomy past, till now we stand at last

where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.

3. God of our weary years, God of our silent tears,

thou who hast brought us thus far on the way;

thou who hast by thy might led us into the light,

keep us forever in the path, we pray.

Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met thee;

lest our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget thee;

shadowed beneath thy hand, may we forever stand,

true to our God, true to our native land.

Lenten Journey from Light to Darkness – Rev. Candee Martin

There are many temptations we face in our lives together. We face the temptation of putting our wants above another’s needs. We face the temptation of ignoring problems such as hunger, poverty, war, and disease, with the false hope that they will go away without our intervention. We face the temptations of wealth and consumerism. We face many temptations to stray from the path of our faith. As a symbol of our hope in Jesus Christ, teach us again how to love, how to break down walls and to build bridges.

Prayer: Lord, help us to keep our feet moving, our hands outstretched, and our hearts open to you. As we journey towards the cross this Lenten season, keep us from temptation and help us to do your work in our world. Amen.

[Extinguish first candle]

Sung Response of the Congregation

Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. (sing twice)

Gospel Lesson: Mark 1:9-15 (CEB) – Rev. Kerry Greenhill

Jesus is baptized and tempted

⁹About that time, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River. ¹⁰While he was coming up out of the water, Jesus saw heaven splitting open and the Spirit, like a dove, coming down on him. ¹¹And there was a voice from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I dearly love; in you I find happiness.”

¹²At once the Spirit forced Jesus out into the wilderness. ¹³He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among the wild animals, and the angels took care of him.

Jesus’ message

¹⁴After John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee announcing God’s good news, ¹⁵saying, “Now is the time! Here comes God’s kingdom! Change your hearts and lives, and trust this good news!”

The Word of God for the people of God.

Thanks be to God.

Children's Message – Rev. Kerry Greenhill

Pastoral Prayer – Rev. Kerry Greenhill

The Lord’s Prayer (spoken in unison)

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 trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

Lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power,

and the glory forever. Amen.

Hymn: Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley – Dean Shinn

TFWS No. 2112

WORDS/ MUSIC: American folk hymn; © Public Doman; CCLI License #11363160

1. Jesus walked this lonesome valley;

he had to walk it by himself.

Oh, nobody else could walk it for him;

he had to walk it by himself.

2. We must walk this lonesome valley;

we have to walk it by ourselves.

oh, nobody else can walk it for us;

we have to walk it by ourselves.

3. You must go and stand your trial;

you have to stand it by yourself.

Oh, nobody else can stand it for you;

you have to stand it by yourself.

Sermon: In Wilderness Times – Rev. Candee Martin

Music for Meditation – Dean Shinn

CCS WorshipCast License #12794; CCLI License #11363160

Prayer of Confession (unison) – Rev. Candee Martin

God of faithful love and powerful purpose,

there are times when we are open to your leading--

times when we walk the path of Jesus

with courage and hope,

even when doing so is fearful.

At other times, we close ourselves off,

hoping that you won’t tear open the skies

and disrupt our lives completely.

Following Jesus can be pretty risky.

Your compassion and faithful love claims us forever,

as they claimed Jesus when he entered the Jordan

and made a bold decision to follow you

on a new and uncertain path. Amen.

Words of Assurance – Rev. Candee Martin

Yes, God's compassion and love are forever!

What God said of Jesus at his baptism,

God says to us today:

You are my dearly loved children,

whom I love deeply.

God forgives us and loves us dearly,

now and forevermore.

Hymn: Wade in the Water – Dean Shinn

TFWS No. 2107

Refrain

Wade in the water, wade in the water, children,

wade in the water, God's a'gonna trouble the water.

1. See that host all dressed in white,