Fourth Sunday in Lent

March 10, 2024

9:30 am

I am the Lord your God,

who brought you out of the land of Egypt,

out of the house of slavery;

you shall have no other gods before me.

~ Exodus 20:1-3

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________

Welcome to worship!

Worship is livestreamed each Sunday at 9:30 am

and may be accessed in a variety of ways:

• Click the link above at 9:30 am on Sunday or anytime afterwards to go directly to YouTube.
• A link is posted on Immanuel's website, www.immanuelwebster.org or by clicking the link to the website at the bottom of this email.
• Go to www.YouTube.com and search Immanuel Webster. You will find all of our past worship services there as well.
• A link is will be posted on Immanuel's Facebook page.

- Gathering -

Prelude

Confession 

In the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.

Silence is kept for reflection.

To you, O God,

all hearts are open, to you all desires known. We come to you, confessing our sins. Forgive us in your mercy, and remember us in your love. Show us your ways; teach us your paths; and lead us in justice and truth, for the sake of your goodness in Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

Hear God’s Word of grace: Out of love for the whole world, God draws near to us, breaks every snare of sin, washes away our wrongs, and restores the promise of life through ☩ Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Gathering Hymn 660      Lift High the Cross

Greeting

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

And also with you.

Kyrie



Prayer of the Day

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

O God, rich in mercy, by the humiliation of your Son you lifted up this fallen world and rescued us from the hopelessness of death. Lead us into your light, that all our deeds may reflect your love, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.      

Amen.

- Word - 

Welcome

Children's Message

First Reading Numbers 21:4-9



⁴From Mount Hor [the Israelites] set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. ⁵The people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.” ⁶Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. ⁷The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. ⁸And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.” ⁹So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.

Holy Wisdom. Holy Word.

Thanks be to God.

Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22    Sung responsively

¹Give thanks to the Lord, for the ^| Lord is good,

for God’s mercy en- ^| dures forever.

²Let the redeemed of the ^| Lord proclaim

that God redeemed them from the hand ^| of the foe,

³gathering them in ^| from the lands;

from the east and from the west, from the north and ^| from the south.

¹⁷Some were fools and took re- ^| bellious paths;

through their sins they ^| were afflicted.

¹⁸They loathed all man- ^| ner of food

and drew near ^| to death’s door.

¹⁹Then in their trouble they cried ^| to the Lord

and you delivered them from ^| their distress. 

²⁰You sent forth your ^| word and healed them

and rescued them ^| from the grave.

²¹Let them give thanks to you, Lord, for your ^| steadfast love

and your wonderful works ^| for all people.

²²Let them offer sacrifices ^| of thanksgiving

and tell of your deeds with ^| shouts of joy. 

Second Reading   Ephesians 2:1-10

¹You were dead through the trespasses and sins ²in 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. ³All 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. ⁴But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us ⁵even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—⁶and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—⁹not the result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

Holy wisdom. Holy Word.

Thanks be to God.



Gospel John 3:14-21

The Holy Gospel according to Mark.

Glory to you, O Lord.

[Jesus said:] ¹⁴“Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

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. ¹⁸Those 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. ¹⁹And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. ²¹But 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.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon



Installation of Congregational Council Members and Officers

After a reading from 1 Corinthians, the leaders promise to lead the congregation faithfully.

The assembly then stands and responds:

People of God, I ask you: Will you support these, your elected leaders, and will you share in the mutual ministry that Christ has given to all who are baptized?

We will, and we ask God to help us.

Prayer of the Church

Each petition ends:

Hear us, O God,

your mercy is great.

Peace

The peace of Christ be with you always.

And also with you.

Anthem My Song Is Love Unknown - Donald Busarow

Offertory Hymn 488 Soul, Adorn Yourself with Gladness

verses 1 and 4

Offertory Prayer

Jesus, you are the bread of life and the host of this meal. Bless these gifts that we have gathered that all people may know your goodness. Feed us not only with this holy food, but with hunger for justice and peace. We pray this in your name.

Great Thanksgiving 

Eucharistic Prayer

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 trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

Communion

Communion Hymn 323 God Loved the World

Post Communion Blessing and Prayer

The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.

Amen.

Generous God, at this table we have tasted your immeasurable grace. As grains of wheat are gathered into one bread, now make us one loaf to feed the world; in the name of Jesus, the Bread of life.

Amen.

Sending Hymn 779 Amazing Grace

Blessing

Dismissal

Go in peace. Jesus meets you on the way.

Thanks be to God!

There is no postlude during Lent.

What's Happening at Immanuel...

Wednesday Evening Worship in Lent –

Signs and Wonders

What a wonderful opportunity to deepen our Lenten journeys! Beginning February 21 we will gather Wednesday evenings at 6 for a delicious dinner with friends, followed by worship at 7. This year’s series will be Signs and Wonders.

As Jesus traveled throughout the countryside, hurting and despairing people flocked to him for healing and hope. He became known as a miracle worker, casting out demons, curing disease, feeding, calming storms. What do these signs mean for us? How do we read them 2000 years later? Our Evening Prayer services will reflect healing and hope, something each and every one of us long for. Join us for these uplifting, grace filled times of prayer, singing, and community.

In-gathering for March



Our Lenten sacrificial offerings will be sent to the ELCA World Hunger Fund. Piggy banks will be available in the hallway downstairs. Choose some ways your family can make a difference in another family's life with YOUR sacrificial giving. Hunger and poverty are worldwide and your gift can help alleviate the struggles that many people have for food. The box should be returned to church during holy week (Palm Sunday through Easter). If you wish your gift to be recorder, add your name on the box or on the sealed envelope.

EROI Concert, March 10, 2024



On Sunday, March 10, at 3:00 pm, Director of Music Ali Santos, along with Eastman organ students Alexander Little, Jacob Montgomery, and Jennifer Shin, will present an organ concert here at Immanuel. The event aims to raise funds for the Eastman-Rochester Organ Initiative (EROI), which brings world-class organists to Rochester for recitals and masterclasses at the Eastman School of Music. Join us for a fantastic afternoon of organ music, supporting Eastman's talented students and advancing music education.

March One Night Only

Stranger at the Gate

This short documentary film tells the story of Richard (Mac) McKinney, a Marine veteran from Indiana, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. After his return, he coped with PTSD and developed Islamophobia. He plans an attack on a local mosque, but things turned out differently when he spends time with community that welcomes him. Join us on Monday, March 11 at 7 pm, as we watch and discuss this film. Amazing things can happen when you get to know your “enemy”!

Meeting ID: 886 9356 3024

Passcode: 033688

Commitment Sunday and

Breakfast Church

On March 17, at 9:30 a.m., we will celebrate Commitment Sunday—when we commit and dedicate our financial gifts to Immanuel—with Breakfast Church. We will worship around tables with a meal, as was the practice in the first-century church. Come and share food, along with bread and wine, as we celebrate all God has done for us and all we can do for the community in which God has placed us.

Breakfast and Bibles

Wednesdays at 9 am

Throughout the season of Lent we will be looking at Jesus' miracles, which are also the themes for our Wednesday evening Lenten worship. Come see how God breaks into our lives with healing and wholeness as we dig into these ancient stories of hope and grace.

We gather at Panera Bread on Holt Road at 9 every Wednesday.

Women’s Day Apart:

Everything is Connected: Paths for Spiritual Practice

Every day, we stay connected via e-mail, social media, texting, and yes, even talking live with another person. But are we really connected to other people? How often do we focus on our connection with creation? And how much time do we devote to our connection with God?

Join us for a women’s day apart on Saturday, April 20, to reflect on that connectivity and how we can improve our connections. Led by Kathleen Wakefield, we will learn about paths for spiritual practices that can truly connect us to our community—God, nature, and humanity. The day will be sprinkled with meditation, mindful movement, time outdoors, and time together. Oh yes, and food. We can use this time apart to remove distraction, slow down, and focus on how Everything is Connected.



The details: Saturday, April 20, 9-4 at Butler Cottage at Mary Frances Blue Bird Haven, 235 County Road 9, Victor, 14564. Cost is $25. Bring a bag lunch including beverage and a snack to share. Registration forms are in the downstairs hallway at church or can be sent via e-mail if you reach out to the office. Registration deadline is April 17.

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