THE GATHERING         

Gathering Music: “Step by Step” Campfire Songbook p.35                     

Welcome and Announcements:

• Wednesday night I posted and recorded an Ash Wednesday service which can be found by following this link for a self-guided worship experience, or on the Church’s Facebook page as a recording.
• Monthly Bible Study with the Presbyterian Women of  FPC – Corvallis – Contact Lynne Martin for Zoom Link: Brief introduction: Sarah Circle meets the second Tuesday of the month at 10:00 a.m. on Zoom. The 2020-2021 Horizons Bible Study can be found here: https://www.presbyterianwomen.org/current-bible-study/
• Notice change in the “after service” Questions for Reflection and Household Prayers this week.  Each week for the next five weeks and ending with Palm Sunday the “after service” offerings will be in the nature of a Lenten Study, based on each Sunday’s gospel passage in the lectionary.  This will also replace our “every other” week Bible Study for Lent.  To discuss the questions in person together, let us plan for 10:00 AM each Monday, in the church’s Zoom room.
  
• Check out or Presbytery E-Newsletter if you have not had a chance to read it. Link: https://us12.campaign-archive.com/?u=aaeda2e9b65fb04a582f7f7fc&id=03d53417ff

Prelude: “Precious Lord, Take My Hand”arr. by Emily Lund

Call to Worship

The glory of God shines like a consuming fire.

We have seen the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

The voice of God thunders like a mighty storm.

Out of the cloud, God speaks: This is my beloved Son; listen to him!

Let us pray:

Prayer of the Day    

Holy and mighty God, gather us among your faithful ones, the people of your covenant, to stand in the light of your glory and listen for the word of the Lord, Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

Hymn #443 “There Is a Redeemer”

Invitation to Healing

God alone is righteous; God alone is perfect; God alone is judge. Yet this holy, righteous God comes to us in love, to save us. Rejoicing in God’s grace, let us confess our sin.

Prayer of Wholeness

God of all glory, beauty, and grace, we have tried to hide from you—to hide our faces, to hide our sin—yet you have never hidden your love for us. We have tried to search for you—in temples, in clouds, on mountaintops—yet you have already revealed yourself to us in the face of Jesus Christ. Forgive us, and transform us so that our lives may shine with your glory, beauty, and grace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

                                                     Please continue in silent prayer

Kyrie #437: “You Are the Lord, Giver of Mercy”

Assurance of Pardon and Passing of the Peace

Friends, believe this Good News: God is One and God is Three – Love constantly flowing in, out, and through; the gift of Jesus Christ for me and for you. For this we say: Thanks be to God!

Since God has loved us through Christ, let us love one another. Please share a sign of peace with those with whom you are worshiping.

Sung Response #440 “Jesus, Lover of My Soul”

Celebrating Joys and where we have seen God at work

Hymn #544: “Bless the Lord” (Repeat 3x)

THE WORD

Prayer of Illumination:

Speak to us, O Lord our God, and let the fire of your Spirit burn brightly in our hearts. Open our minds to receive the wisdom of the law, the hope of the prophets, and the life of the gospel: Jesus Christ, your living Word. Amen.

Hebrew Scripture: Exodus 3:1-15

“The Word of the Lord” “Thanks be to God”

Epistle Reading: 1 Peter 3:18-22

“The Word of the Lord” “Thanks be to God”

Gospel Reading: John 4:5-42

“The Gospel of the Lord” “Praise to you O Christ”

Sermon: “Just As I Am” ~ Guest Preacher, Rev. Brian Heron, Executive Presbyter

Please spend several moments in silent reflection

RESPONSE TO THE WORD

Hymn of Response #442 “Just As I Am”

Affirmation of Faith: ~ Adapted from the Confession of 1967, 9.31

To be reconciled to God is to be sent into the world as God’s reconciling community. This community, the church universal, is entrusted with God’s message of reconciliation and shares God’s labor of healing the enmities which separate people from God and from each other.

Intercessory Prayers of the People 

Call and response: “Lord, in your mercy,” “Hear our prayers.”

The Lord’s Prayer “…debts…debtors…”

Invitation to Present Our Offerings

Members, friends, and guests: Church expenses total roughly $1900 a month. Thank you for your commitment and your generosity. Please make checks out to First Presbyterian Church of Trout Lake, PO Box 210, Trout Lake, WA 98650.

Offering of Thanksgiving with Poetry: “The Bright Field” ~ R.S. Thomas

I have seen the sun break through

to illuminate a small field

for a while, and gone my way

and forgotten it. But that was the

pearl of great price, the one field that had

treasure in it. I realise now

that I must give all that I have

to possess it. Life is not hurrying

on to a receding future, nor hankering after

an imagined past. It is turning

aside like Moses to the miracle

of the lit bush, to a brightness

that seemed as transitory as your youth

once, but is the eternity that awaits you.[1] 

Doxology using Hymn #606 text from #607

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Praise Christ all creatures here below!

Praise Holy Spirit evermore!

Praise Triune God whom we adore!  Amen!

Prayer of Dedication:

For your gifts that live all around us in creation, O God, we give you thanks.  For your gifts that come from the servanthood of your Son, O God, we give you praise. For the gifts that arise in our daily lives through the work of your Holy Spirit, O God, we give you thanks.  Make these gifts flourish on earth to your glory, Amen.

SENDING

Closing Hymn: #177: “I Will Come to You”

Charge:

Remember the words of the Lord Jesus: “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34).

Blessing:

May the steadfast love of God, the abundant grace of Jesus Christ, and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit be with you this day and always. Amen.

Congregational Song “Let There Be Peace on Earth”

Lenten Study: Questions for Reflection

Read: John 4:5-42 again, and be prepared to journal some reflections.  For those who wish, we will discuss your thoughts Monday, February 22, 2021 at 10:00 AM in the church’s Zoom room.

Information Questions

Who is teaching?

Who is listening?

Where do they have this conversation?

Who does Jesus claim to be?

Analytical Questions

Why do you suppose Jesus first teaches in a round ‘about way, then speaks plainly?

In your opinion, what might Jesus have taught to help the woman understand better?

What about the disciples?  Why do you suppose Jesus didn’t explain himself?

What do you think about Jesus’ statement, ^“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Does this seem exclusive to you?

What about “I am he, the one who is speaking to you.”

Why do you think this statement is so clear as opposed to the earlier evasive teaching?

Would this kind of statement be considered valid today, recognizing the pluralistic nature of the world’s many faiths?

Write your own “I wonder” question(s) about this text.

Personalized Questions

Where would you place yourself in the text? Believing? Understanding? Lost? Confused?

What would it be like if you had been one of those recording these words many years later?

Would the meaning change for you if you were immediately present or decades removed? Centuries?

Are you more or less like the townspeople when they said, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world.”

Write your own morning and evening prayers based on your reflections above.

[1] Malcolm Guite, The Word in the Wilderness: A Poem a Day for Lent and Easter (London: Canterbury Press Norwich, 2014).