LIVESTREAM SUNDAY WORSHIP
THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT – SERVICE OF THE WORD
MARCH 7, 2021 AT 10:00 AM
BEFORE THE SERVICE
Welcome to our Online Service. In preparation, you may want to think about posture and your environment at home. You may find it helpful to light a candle, place or hold a cross…whatever is helpful.
GATHERING THE COMMUNITY
PRELUDE a selection of Music may be played.
THE GREETING & WELCOME
Minister The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with you all
All And also with you.
OPENING PRAYER
Minister God of our days and years,
we set this time apart for you.
Form us in the likeness of Christ
so that our lives may glorify you.
All Amen.
THE BEATITUDES
Minister Let us hear our Lord’s blessing on those who follow him.
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness,
for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are those who suffer persecution for righteousness’ sake,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Silence is kept.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
The Minister will informally introduce the Confession.
Silence is kept.
Minister Our Lord Jesus Christ said:
The first commandment is this:
‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is the only Lord.
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, with all your mind,
and with all your strength.’
The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’
There is no other commandment greater than these.
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
All Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Minister Compassion and forgiveness belong to the Lord our God,
though we have rebelled against him.
Let us then renounce our wilfulness and ask his mercy
by confessing our sins in penitence and faith.
All Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us,
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your name. Amen.
Minister Almighty God have mercy upon you,
+pardon and deliver you from all your sins,
confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,
and keep you in eternal life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All Amen.
THE COLLECT (Special Prayer) OF THE DAY
Minister Father of mercy,
alone we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves.
When we are discouraged by our weakness,
strengthen us to follow Christ,
our pattern and our hope;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
All Amen.
THE PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD
Minister Let us prepare ourselves for the Word of God
as it comes to us in the reading of Holy Scriptures.
All Our hearts and minds are open.
FIRST READING DUANE LAWRENCE
Reader A READING FROM THE BOOK OF EXODUS
God spoke all these words: 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. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments. You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.
Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. Six days you shall labour and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work - you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it. Honour your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour. You shall not covet your neighbour's house; you shall not covet your neighbour's wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour. EXODUS 20:1-17
Reader Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people.
All Thanks be to God.
Musical Interlude
SECOND READING DUANE LAWRENCE
Reader A READING FROM THE FIRST LETTER OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS
The message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart." Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.
1 CORINTHIANS 1:18-25
Reader Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people.
All Thanks be to God.
Musical Interlude
THE GOSPEL DUANE LAWRENCE
Reader +The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
All Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, "Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!" His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me."
The Jews then said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?" Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews then said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?" But he was speaking of the temple of his body.
After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. JOHN 2:13-22
Reader The Gospel of Christ.
All Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
SERMON
After the Sermon there will be a period of time for reflection.
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
Minister Let us give voice to our convictions and substance to our hopes.
All I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again
to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE TIM CONKLIN
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Minister Gathering our prayers and praises into one,
let us pray as our Saviour taught us,
All 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 forever. Amen.
THE DOXOLOGY
Minister Glory to God
All whose power, working in us,
can do infinitely more
than we can ask or imagine.
Glory to God from generation to generation,
in the Church and in Christ Jesus,
for ever and ever. Amen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
THE BLESSING
Minister Christ give you grace to grow in holiness,
to deny yourselves, take up your cross, and follow him;
and the blessing of God our Creator, Redeemer
and Giver of life, be with you always.
All Amen.
THE DISMISSAL
Minister Let us bless the Lord.
All Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE Voluntary
If you would like to join us for a virtual coffee hour on Zoom, please go to
https://bit.ly/2Sj3gZ4 Meeting ID: 240 454 925drg
