FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT - March GATHERING

(1)

FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT - March 21 2021 GATHERING

WELCOME

PRELUDE: Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley - Thomas Keesecker CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

Trusting in the promise of grace, let us pour out our hearts before God. Forgiving God,

We repent of all the ways we turn from you. You call, but we do not listen;

you show us your path, but we prefer our own way. Forgive us, heal us, and lead us back to you,

so that we might be a caring Christian community where we share God's Grace, Grow Our Faith, and Serve Others. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. This is the word of the Lord:

in Jesus Christ, you are forgiven and given new life. Amen.

(2)

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.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Let us pray. Draw your church together, O God, into one company of disciples, together following our teacher Jesus Christ into every walk of life, together serving in Christ's mission to the world, and together witnessing to your love wherever you will send us; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

WORD FIRST READING: Jeremiah 31:31-34

31_{The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the}

house of Judah. 32_{It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand}

to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the LORD.

33_{But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my}

law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34_No

longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, “Know the LORD,” for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.

GOSPEL: John 12:20-33

The Holy Gospel according to St. John. Glory to you, O Lord.

20_{Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks.}21_{They came to Philip, who was}

from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22_{Philip went and told Andrew; then}

Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23_{Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be}

glorified. 24_{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. 25_{Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this}

world will keep it for eternal life. 26_{Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant}

be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.

27_{“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. 28_{Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have}

glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29_{The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others}

(3)

is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. 32_{And I, when I am lifted up from}

the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33_{He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.}

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ. SERMON

HYMN: I Want Jesus to Walk with Me

APOSTLE'S CREED

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the virgin Mary, 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,

he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

(4)

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

Relying on the promises of God, we pray boldly for the church, the world, and all in need. Each petition ends:

Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

We entrust ourselves and all our prayers to you, O faithful God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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.

SENDING BLESSING

The God of all grace + bless you now and forever. Amen.

(5)

ANNOUNCEMENTS DISMISSAL

God is with us and calls us for a purpose

To share God's grace, Grow our faith and Serve others. Go in peace. Serve the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

POSTLUDE: A Lamb Goes Uncomplaining Forth - Johann Pachelbel

COPYRIGHTS

New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley from The Quiet Journey. Setting by Thomas Keesecker. © 2018 Birnamwood Publications (ASCAP) A division of MorningStar Music Publishers. Streamed with permission under One License #A-709786. All rights reserved. Lamb of God. CCLI Song # 16787/Twila Paris/© 1985 Mountain Spring Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)/Straightway Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)/For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved.

www.ccli.com/CCLI License # 525797