Home Church Fifth Sunday in Lent March 21, 2021 Rev. Karen Hollis

Home Church Fifth Sunday in Lent March 21, 2021, Rev. Karen Hollis

We acknowledge these lands upon which we worship are the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation.

Preparing the Space Around Us

Whoever you are and wherever you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here! Welcome if you are gathering on zoom or if you are worshipping at home with the bulletin. We are one community and all part of the body of Christ. I invite you to prepare the space around you

so that for the next hour you can be fully in this worship experience, not to keep out the realities of the world, rather to focus us in the midst of it all on God. If you need to go and get something or shift something around you, feel free. During this season of Lent we are exploring the theme: Living Faith.

Preparing the Space within Us

Let us prepare now the space within us for a time of worship. I invite you to sit quietly, perhaps with feet on the floor, taking a couple of deep breaths and bring yourself into this moment. Open yourself to the presence of God who is with us and within us . . . as you intentionally open yourself to God, open yourself also to what you need from this time of worship.

Greeting
One:    The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,

            and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

All:      And also with you    

Opening Prayer    JP Newell

Read the prayer slowly . . .

At the beginning of this day

we seek your countenance among us, O God,

in the countless forms of creation all around us

in the sun’s rising glory

in the face of friend and stranger.

Your Presence within every presence

your Light within all light

your Heart at the heart of this moment.

May the fresh light of morning wash our sight

that we may see your Life

in every life this day. Amen

Hymn: I Heard the Voice of Jesus VU #626

1 I heard the voice of Jesus say,

"Come unto me and rest;

lay down, O weary one, lay down

your head upon my breast."

I came to Jesus as I was,

weary and worn and sad;

I found in him a resting-place,

and he has made me glad.

2 I heard the voice of Jesus say,

"Behold, I freely give

the living water; thirsty one,

stoop down, and drink, and live."

I came to Jesus, and I drank

of that life-giving stream;

my thirst was quenched, my soul revived,

and now I live in him.

3 I heard the voice of Jesus say,

"I am this dark world's light;

look unto me, your morn shall rise;

and all your day be bright."

I looked to Jesus, and I found

in him my star, my sun;

and in that light of life I'll walk

till travelling days are done.

Prayer of Confession    Walter Brueggemann

One:    We long for you, O God, and we are here. In this moment,

            in this space, and we thank you that you are here with us.

All:      You know us, God; we do not have to pretend with you.

One:    In the silence of your love, we bring to you the things that trouble us, that harm us, that make us feel ashamed or afraid, that we have not been able to say aloud.

Silent prayer of confession

One:    God have mercy on us

All:      Christ have mercy on us

One:    God have mercy on us

 

Assurance of Grace

God lives in a state of love and graciousness, always reaching for us and offering us the grace we long for. On this day and every day, let us act in faith and open ourselves to the grace that is waiting for us.

Peace of Christ

Christ’s peace is also freely given to us as a gift of healing and wholeness. Let us share this peace with one another.

            One: The Peace of Christ be with you all!

            All:   And also with you!

 

Psalm 119: 9-16    (Translation NRSV) Christine Blackburn

How can young people keep their way pure? By guarding it according to your word.

With my whole heart I seek you; do not let me stray from your commandments.

I treasure your word in my heart, so that I may not sin against you.

Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes.

With my lips I declare all the ordinances of your mouth.

I delight in the way of your decrees as much as in all riches.

I will meditate on your precepts, and fix my eyes on your ways.

I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.

Gospel Reading  Charlie Blackburn     

One:      God be with you.       

All:        And also with you

One:      The Good News of Jesus Christ according to John

All:        Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

John 12:20-33

Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor. "Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say--' Father, save me from this hour'? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him." Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.

One: This is the Gospel of Christ;

All:   Praise be to Jesus Christ

Reflection:   Karen Hollis                         

Silent Reflection                                 

PP Prayers of the People     Susan Brockley

One:    Merciful and Compassionate God, 

All:      Hear Our Prayer.

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours

now and for ever. Amen.

Offering  Shelagh Huston                                         

Offering Prayer Let us pray . . .

God of Love, we give thanks for every invitation into love, every lesson of love, every time we've been shown love, and every time we've seen your love in action. Lead us onward in the ways of love that we may also lead; open our eyes to love that we may illuminate your love for others; put love in our hearts that we may be your love in the world. We pray in Christ's name. Amen                                          

Hymn: My Life Flows On   v. 1,2,4        VU #716

1 My life flows on in endless song;

above earth’s lamentation,

I hear the sweet, though far off hymn

that hails a new creation.

Through all the tumult and the strife,

I hear the music ringing:

It finds an echo in my soul --

how can I keep from singing?

2 What though my joys and comforts die?

My Saviour still is living.

What though the shadows gather round?

A new song Christ is giving.

No storm can shake my inmost calm

while to that Rock I'm clinging:

since Love commands both heaven and earth,

how can I keep from singing?

4 I lift my eyes; the cloud grows thin;

I see the blue above it;

and day by day this pathway smooths,

since first I learned to love it.

The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,

a fountain ever springing:

all things are mine since I am Christ's --

how can I keep from singing?

Blessing     Iona Community

If you are with another person, you’re invited to bless each other, taking every other line.

One:      The Creator’s blessing be yours on your road, on your journey, guiding you, cherishing you.

N-Z:       The Son’s blessing be yours, wine and water, bread and stories, feeding you, challenging you.

A-M:      The Spirit’s blessing be yours, wind and fire, joy and wisdom, comforting you, disturbing you.

All:        The Angel’s blessing be yours, on your house, on your living, guarding you, encouraging you. Let us walk together, a community on a journey, sustained in God’s blessing. Amen!

One:      Let us go now in peace to love and serve the Lord.

All:        Thanks be to God!