Lent Words for Worship – February 21, 2021

Prelude

Welcome

Gathering Song – Come to me all pilgrims thirsty v 1-3 Worship 777

V1. “Come to me, all pilgrims thirsty;
Drink the water I will give.
If you knew what gift I offer,
You would come to me and live.”

Refrain. 
Jesus, Ever flowing fountain,
Give us water from your well.
In the gracious gift you offer
There is joy no tongue can tell.

V2.  “Come to me, all trav’lers weary;
Come that I may give you rest.
Drink the cup of life I offer;
At this table be my guest.”
Refrain.

V3.  “Come to me, believers burdened;
Find refreshment in this place.
Come, receive the gift I offer,
Turn to me and seek my face.”
Refrain.

Call to Worship

One: God meets us in the night—
All: Before the sun rises, Before the wound heals,Before there are answers, Before there is closure.
One: God meets us in the light—
All: Where joy is effervescent,
Where laughter is contagious, Where flowers bloom from cracks in the sidewalk, And where people gather around the table.
One: God meets us at the threshold—
All: At the edge of the water, At the beginning of the wilderness,
At the start of something new,
On the edge of faith.
One: And if God meets us in all those places, Then surely God meets us in between—
All: Staying with us through the wilderness.
One: We are not alone. God is all around.
All: Let us worship the God of the here and now.

Lent Lament – Again & Again by The Many

Call to Confession
Again and again, God meets us where we are. God’s love knows no bounds, which is hard for us to understand and easy for us to forget. Therefore, in confession we remember together that we are not alone. And in a unified voice, we once again ask for God’s grace in that holy reminder. Family of faith, please pray with me.

Prayer of Confession
One: God who meets us where we are—There is nowhere we can go that you are not.
All: You were with Jesus at his baptism. You were with him in the wilderness, And even in between, you were there, Saying aloud, “This is my beloved.”
One: We know that you are with us too—In the good, the bad, and everything in between—But so often we act like we are alone.
All: Instead of coming to you with our hurt, We hold it in or cast it onto others. Instead of coming to you with our joy, We credit ourselves and offer you nothing.
One: How can we long for a deeper relationship with you While living like you are nowhere to be found?
All: Forgive our self-centered ways. Remind us that in every breath, in every step, you are there.
One: You are the God who meets us where we are.
All: Before and behind, above and below, within and around. Amen.

Words of Forgiveness
One: Family of faith, no matter what we do, where we go, or what we tell ourselves—God is love, and God is loving us.
All: Again and again, we are claimed, held, forgiven, and cared for. In the name of the Lover, the Beloved, and Love itself—thanks be to God. Amen!

Prayer for Illumination

Holy God,
If I am honest, faith often feels like water in my hands. No matter how hard I try to hold onto it, some of it always slips through— Like droplets of truth running down my wrists, back toward my heart. This human inability to hold onto you leaves me thirsty for more. So as we prepare to read scripture, I pray that once again, you would meet us here. Meet us in our hope and our heartache. Meet us in our fear and our joy, Meet us in our cupped hands and clenched fists. And even if the water keeps running, And we do not have a sky-parting moment of clarity, Or a tangible sense that you are near; Even if we do not hear the words, “This is my beloved,” Ringing in our ears, We will trust that you are near, Always and forever meeting us here, Running toward our hearts. Gratefully we pray,
Amen.

Reading – Genesis 9:8-17

8God said to Noah and to his sons with him, 9“As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, 10and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. 11I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: 13I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, 15I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

Children’s Time

Gospel – Mark 1: 9-15

Message– Vicar Anne

Song – Come to Me All Pilgrims Thirsty Worship 777 (v 4-6)

4 “Come to me, repentant sinners;
Leave behind your guilt and shame.
Come and know divine compassion,
Turn to me, I call your name.”

Refrain
Jesus, ever flowing fountain,
give us water from your well.
In the gracious gift you offer
there is joy no tongue can tell.

5 “Come to me, distressed and needy;
I would be your trusted friend.
Come and seek the gift I offer,
come your open hands extend,”

Refrain

6 “Come to me, abandoned, orphaned;
lonely ways no longer roam.
Come and take the gift I offer,
let me make in you a home.”
Refrain

Affirmation of Faith

We believe in a God who is everywhere and right here, Bigger than the sky and in the smallest details, All at once and in every moment. We believe that God meets us where we are— In heartbreak and high hopes, Around crowded tables and in quiet homes, In joy and in suffering, In loneliness and in connection, In sanctuaries and in living rooms, In marches and in waiting rooms. We believe that nothing we do or leave undone. Can distance us from God’s love. God is forever drawing us close and pulling us in. Again and again, God meets us where we are And invites us into wholeness. Thanks be to God for a love like that.

Prayers of the People

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

In Jesus your realm has come near to us in every place and time. Give your church throughout the world a spirit of humility and repentance; teach us to trust always in the good news of your salvation. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
You have made a covenant of mercy with every living creature. Protect all the earth’s creatures from destruction (especially . . . here local environmental concerns may be named). Empower the work of biologists, conservationists, and science educators. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
All your paths are steadfast love and faithfulness. Direct the words and actions of leaders in our community and throughout the world, that they may maintain justice for the lowly. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Even in the wilderness you are with us. Walk alongside migrants and refugees crossing dangerous lands. Tend to those whose lives feel desolate. Give healing and strength to all who suffer (especially). Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
In the covenant of baptism you claim us as beloved children. Nurture us in our baptismal identity and teach us to live within it for the sake of others. Strengthen this congregation’s ministries of care and concern (especially). Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
In baptism you join us to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We praise you for all those who have died trusting in your faithfulness. Bring us with them to the fullness of your reign. 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.

Peace

Johm riab sua.
Selam.
The peace of Christ be with you all. And also with you.

Offering

Offering Prayer

Faithful God,
you walk beside us in desert places, and you meet us in our hunger with bread from heaven. Accompany us in this meal, that we may pass over from death to life with Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.

Holy Communion

Communion Song– Beautiful Things

Prayer After Communion

God of steadfast love, at this table you gather your people into one body for the sake of the world. Send us in the power of your Spirit, that our lives bear witness to the love that has made us new in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.

Cambodian Lord’s Prayer

Blessing

Sending Song – I Want Jesus to Walk with Me ELW 325

I want Jesus to walk with me
I want Jesus to walk with me
All along my pilgrim journey
I want Jesus to walk with me

Sending