The United Church Of Canada, Region 15
St. Mark’s Community of Faith
Port Hawkesbury, NS
March 14th, Lent 4
Pulpit Supply – Margie MacIntyre
Music – Adam Cooke
WE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD
* Please stand if able*
Piano Prelude
Welcome, Announcements and Happy Birthday
Lenten Candle Liturgy: Anna Marie Langley
Introit:
Throughout these Lenten days and nights, (Soloist)
we turn to walk the inward way,
where meeting Christ, our guide and light,
we live in hope ‘til Easter day.
Call to Worship
One: Give thanks to the Lord, for God is good;
All: God’s steadfast love endures forever.
One: God gathers God’s people from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
All: Let us thank God for such all-embracing love.
One: Let us praise God for God’s wonderful works to humankind.
All: We will worship God with thanksgiving and tell of God’s deeds with songs of joy.
One: Come let us worship with praise and thanksgiving.
Opening Prayer (In Unison)
Gracious God, great and wonderful are your works. Your steadfast love is everlasting. You have come among us in Christ Jesus to save us. Where there is darkness, you bring light. Where there is sadness, you speak words of hope. Where there is despair, you bring new possibilities. You bring healing for the sick and forgiveness. You bring justice for the oppressed, speaking truth instead of lies. Stir us with your Spirit, O God, in this time of worship. Awaken our joy and reverence as we offer you our songs and our silence, our prayers and praises. Thank you for this world with beauty, for the abundant generosity of your gifts, your world and your great love for us. Amen.
Hymn ‘Spirit, Open My Heart’ (Soloist)
Prayer of Confession (In Unison)
Gracious God, even as we praise you, we are aware of our failures as your disciples. We take your love and acceptance of us for granted. We are often careless with our relationships, more focused on ourselves than on you or those around us. We spend our days distracted by the news, rather than seeking your light and truth. Forgive us. Awaken our spirit of commitment and compassion. Give us a new vision of your purposes and our place within them, so we may serve you more faithfully, day by day.
Words of Assurance
New life is promised to each one of us when we commit ourselves to the challenging, yet renewing way of love, justice and compassion.
We commit ourselves to God’s way of love, justice and compassion. We commit ourselves to the journey to the cross, for new life is ours
WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S WORD
Prayer of Illumination
Numbers 21: 4-9 ‘A bronze serpent heals the people’
One: this is the witness to the Hebrew people.
All: Thanks be to God.
Psalm 107 ‘God’s steadfast love endures forever’
Ephesians 2: 1-10 ‘We are not saved by our own doing, but by grace’
John 3: 14-21 ‘For God so loved the world’
One: The Gospel of Jesus Christ
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ
3
Reflection ‘Wonderful Love’
WE RESPOND IN FAITH
Hymn ‘Jesus Loves Me’ (Soloist)
Minute for Mission and Offering Our Gifts to God
Invitation to Offering
Doxology ‘Praise God from whom All Blessings Flow’ (Soloist)
Offering Prayer (In Unison)
Lord Jesus, you gave so much without counting the cost. Bless these gifts with your generous love. Send them and us into the world to bless it with the same hope and healing we have found in you. And let us not count the cost until we too have given all we can for your sake. Amen.
Prayers of Thanksgiving and Concern
WE GO TO SERVE
Hymn ‘Love Divine, All Loves Excelling' (Soloist)
Benediction
Let us go from this place as a new creation, crafted by the Word, conformed to the shape of Jesus Christ, so that all who meet us may know him in us, and come to love him through us. We leave thankful and able to face the road ahead. May you know the love of God surrounds you, the grace of Christ enfolds you and the Holy Spirit gives you guidance each day. Amen.
Piano Postlude
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Church Services for March
The 14th and 28th at 3 p.m.
Scripture Readers
March 14th – Wayne Simpson
March 28th – Archie Noseworthy
Minute for Mission Readers
March 14th - Larry Evans
March 28th – Barb MacIntyre
Notice of St. Mark’s Board Meeting – March 16th, 2021
Executive Meeting - 6:00 p.m.
Committee Meetings - 7:00 p.m.
Board Meeting - 8:00 p.m.
The next Prayer Shawl Knitting meeting will be tomorrow in the hall from 1:00 to 3:00. Masks must be worn. Covid-19 guidelines will be followed regarding safe distancing and sanitizing. There will be no access to the kitchen.
Volunteers are needed to help with the Collection Counting. There is a Sign-Up sheet in the Narthex. Your willingness will be greatly appreciated.
The ‘Delivered Roast Beef Supper’ was a great success. A huge Thank You to all involved, the ladies who made desserts, the drivers and delivery folks, and the kitchen crew led by Kyle MacLeod from the Clove Hitch Bistro in Port Hood. We extend a special thanks to Clark & Patsy for being excellent expediters, to Ruth for organizing the desserts, and to Valli and Jean who co-chaired the event. When all the bills are in Treasurer Eric can do his ‘happy dance’.
Food Bank donations will be received on the last Sunday of each month. (March 28th)
The Bulletin and Announcements are now published in full on the blog. The address is
ourcontactonline.blogspot.com
