Order of Worship
Fifth Sunday in Lent
March 29, 2020
Welcome to this our time of worship together, for this 5th Sunday of Lent.
We come seeking care, comfort, strength, hope and peace from God.
OPENING WORDS: O mortal, can these bones live? Only the Lord God knows. O people hope in the Lord. With the Lord there is steadfast love and great power to redeem. (Ezek. 37:3)
*CALL TO WORSHIP --
Thus says the Lord: “I will put my breath within you, and you shall live.”
In gratitude, we praise the Giver of Life.
Jesus says: “I am the resurrection and the life.
In gratitude, we praise the Source of our Being.
We gather to worship the One who frees us from the grave and stirs dry bones to life.
Spirit, come and enliven our worship!
(We are invited to listen to the hymns and sing along with them. They can be also found on our website, found under Worship and in the Sermons folder.)
HYMN “Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley”
Jesus walked this lonesome valley,
He had to walk it by Himself;
O, nobody else could walk it for Him,
He had to walk it by Himself.
We must walk this lonesome valley,
We have to walk it by ourselves;
O, nobody else can walk it for us,
We have to walk it by ourselves.
You must go and stand your trial,
You have to stand it by yourself;
O, nobody else can stand it for you,
You have to stand it by yourself.
CALL TO CONFESSION
In the name of Christ, I urge you: Be reconciled to God.
Trusting in God’s grace, let us confess our sin.
*PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Holy One, we have set our minds on wrong things— on selfish gain, not generous service; on pursuits that distract, not inspire; on tasks that diminish, rather than give life. We long to set our minds on eternal things— on your way of mercy and compassion; on paths that lead to justice and peace; on living as people of hope. Spirit of God, dwell in us. Give us grace when we fall short, transform our hearts and renew our minds, and set us free to follow you faithfully.
(time for reflection)
*ASSURANCE OF GOD’S LOVE AND FORGIVENESS
Listen, the time has come at last. Look, now is the day of salvation!
In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!
Thanks be to God.
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION --
Eternal God, by your Word and Spirit, you have given us a new commandment: to love and serve one another in Jesus’ name. Let the good news of your liberating love be sealed in our hearts and shown in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
SCRIPTURE READINGS
Ezekiel 37:1-14
1 The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. 3 He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.”
7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” 10 I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.
11 Then he said to me, “Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.’ 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. 14 I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.”
Matthew 6:9-13
9 “Pray then in this way:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And do not bring us to the time of trial,
but rescue us from the evil one.
MESSAGE “The Prayer Jesus Taught, Part II”
(Please look for the message in the sermon’s area on the website. An e-mail copy of the message is available by request from the church office.)
HYMN “Take Time to be Holy”
Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.
Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.
By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.
Take time to be holy, let Him be thy Guide;
And run not before Him, whatever betide.
In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord,
And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.
Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul,
Each thought and each motive beneath His control.
Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,
Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH – APOSTLE’S CREED
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth,
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.
We offer ourselves, to God
(By offering up our time, talents, intellect and resources, we’re asking God’s blessings upon them. Please prayerfully consider sending your tithes/offerings to the church by mail or via online banking. Sharing of ourselves within a phone call/text or email is another way in the offering of ourselves.)
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Living God, we thank you for the privilege of giving in your exalted name. We value our ability to give in a way that honors your spirit. As we present our offerings, we remain secure in our knowledge that you will sustain us by your redeeming grace and your infinite love. May your righteous spirit always dwell in our hearts. Amen. (from Romans 8:6-11)
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
(Please read the petition silently or if worshiping with family, have persons take turns reading the petition, and then verbally say, Hear Our Prayer.)
As God’s people, called to love one another, let us pray for the needs of the church,
the whole human family,and all the world, saying:
Hear our prayer.
That churches of all traditions, may discover their unity in Christ
and exercise their gifts in service of all, we pray to you, O God:
Hear our prayer.
That the earth may be freed from war, famine, and disease,
and the air, soil, and waters cleansed of poison, we pray to you, O God:
Hear our prayer.
That those who govern and maintain peace in every land
may exercise their powers in obedience to your commands,
we pray to you, O God:
Hear our prayer.
That you will strengthen this nation to pursue just priorities so that the races may be reconciled;
the young, educated; and the old, cared for;
the hungry, filled; and the homeless, housed;
and the sick, comforted and healed,
we pray to you, O God:
Hear our prayer.
That you will preserve all who live and work in this city of Brookings
in peace and safety,
we pray to you, O God:
Hear our prayer.
That you will comfort and empower those who face any difficulty or trial:
the sick (especially our own intentions),
the disabled, the poor, the oppressed,
those who grieve and those in prison,
we pray to you, O God:
Hear our prayer.
That (for our own intentions)
we pray to you, O God:
Hear our prayer.
That you will accept our thanksgiving for all faithful servants of Christ now at rest,
who, with us, await a new heaven and a new earth, your everlasting kingdom,
we pray to you, O God:
Hear our prayer.
Merciful God,
as a potter fashions a vessel from humble clay, you form us into a new creation.
Shape us, day by day, through the cross of Christ your Son,
until we pray as continually as we breathe and all our acts are prayer;
through Jesus Christ and in the mystery of the Holy Spirit, we pray. Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
(We’re invited to listen to in prayerful mode or to sing along with the sung version, found on our website, under Worship and in Sermons folder.)
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
HYMN “I Want Jesus to Walk with Me”
I want Jesus to walk with me;
I want Jesus to walk with me;
all along my pilgrim journey,
Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me.
In my trials, Lord, walk with me;
in my trials, Lord, walk with me;
when my heart is almost breaking,
Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me.
When I’m in trouble, Lord, walk with me;
when I’m in trouble, Lord, walk with me;
when my head is bowed in sorrow,
Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me.
*BENEDICTION
Place your trust in the God who sees your need and showers compassion upon you. See others through the compassionate eyes of Christ, and demonstrate God’s love to them. 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.
Our thanks to Don and Kay Norton for providing today's music, and to Donna Flint/Elizabeth Fox and our administrative assistant Rozanne McGrath for their assistance in putting it up onto our website.
Sources: Public Domain, The Book of Common Worship PCUSA, WJK Louisville, KY 1993 pp.107-108, Offering Prayers www.davidsbell.org/offertory-prayersand Missouri Union Presbytery, Rev. Dr. Deborah, Boucher-Payne.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
MESSAGE FROM SESSION: In a called meeting yesterday, March 24th, Session decided to cancel worship services and all church activities until May 1st, or until the Governor advises we no longer need to shelter in place.
Those who wish to gather are encouraged to gather virtually (maybe using Zoom, a VERY simple, free, online video conferencing tool at https://zoom.us/).
This is a good time to remember that our church is not a building, or even a gathering of human bodies. Our church is a gathering of hearts, minds, and souls who follow Jesus Christ. When you can, share the message of hope with others that Jesus shares with us, and love and support each other through this challenging time.
Respectfully submitted
Donna Flint
Clerk to the Session
*************************************
Beginning Sunday April 5 at 10:30 am, an informal time together virtually will happen via Zoom meeting format. We would love to have you join us. Please let Rev. Norlita know via email [email protected] or call/text at 248-342-6190 so she can send you the Zoom invitation. The Zoom application/program is FREE and very easy to use. Please join us.
**************************************
The worship bulletin, music, and video sermon are also available on our church’s website www.brookingspresbyterian.org for use at home during this time of COVID-19.
A TIME TO CELEBRATE—HAPPY BIRTHDAY:
Sam Artz, JoAnn Goodale, Teri Bierstedt, Don Kleinjan, Helen Peterson, Hannah Moerke, Harold Poppen, David Peterson, Sharon Hofland, Amir Rottluff, Evelyn Fee, Delores Koepsell
OUR TIME TO PRAY:
Those with health concerns: Jan Jones, Paul & Shirley Rudolph, Jack & Alice Edge, Rozella Potthast, Bev Erdahl, Andrew L’Amour, Eliana Szabo, Delores Koepsell, John Peterson, Stephen & Carrie Van Buren, Lois Watson, Barb Borstad, Michele Kemp, Gary Larson, Alan Young, Bob Jones, Judy Smith’s family (Brett, Marilyn, Laurie), Natalie & Marvin Schroeder, Loren & Sue Boy (Bonnie Foster’s parents), Father Larry Ort, Sharon Webster’s recovery, Jan Jones’ recovery
Victims and families affected by the Coronavirus
Those Who Mourn: Family and friends of Dr. Rick Holm
Our homebound (or partially homebound) members: Barb Borstad, Nona Marshall, Helen Peterson, Cliff Rindels, Dee & Lois Watson
Fifth Sunday in Lent
March 29, 2020
Welcome to this our time of worship together, for this 5th Sunday of Lent.
We come seeking care, comfort, strength, hope and peace from God.
OPENING WORDS: O mortal, can these bones live? Only the Lord God knows. O people hope in the Lord. With the Lord there is steadfast love and great power to redeem. (Ezek. 37:3)
*CALL TO WORSHIP --
Thus says the Lord: “I will put my breath within you, and you shall live.”
In gratitude, we praise the Giver of Life.
Jesus says: “I am the resurrection and the life.
In gratitude, we praise the Source of our Being.
We gather to worship the One who frees us from the grave and stirs dry bones to life.
Spirit, come and enliven our worship!
(We are invited to listen to the hymns and sing along with them. They can be also found on our website, found under Worship and in the Sermons folder.)
HYMN “Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley”
Jesus walked this lonesome valley,
He had to walk it by Himself;
O, nobody else could walk it for Him,
He had to walk it by Himself.
We must walk this lonesome valley,
We have to walk it by ourselves;
O, nobody else can walk it for us,
We have to walk it by ourselves.
You must go and stand your trial,
You have to stand it by yourself;
O, nobody else can stand it for you,
You have to stand it by yourself.
CALL TO CONFESSION
In the name of Christ, I urge you: Be reconciled to God.
Trusting in God’s grace, let us confess our sin.
*PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Holy One, we have set our minds on wrong things— on selfish gain, not generous service; on pursuits that distract, not inspire; on tasks that diminish, rather than give life. We long to set our minds on eternal things— on your way of mercy and compassion; on paths that lead to justice and peace; on living as people of hope. Spirit of God, dwell in us. Give us grace when we fall short, transform our hearts and renew our minds, and set us free to follow you faithfully.
(time for reflection)
*ASSURANCE OF GOD’S LOVE AND FORGIVENESS
Listen, the time has come at last. Look, now is the day of salvation!
In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!
Thanks be to God.
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION --
Eternal God, by your Word and Spirit, you have given us a new commandment: to love and serve one another in Jesus’ name. Let the good news of your liberating love be sealed in our hearts and shown in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
SCRIPTURE READINGS
Ezekiel 37:1-14
1 The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. 3 He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.”
7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” 10 I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.
11 Then he said to me, “Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.’ 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. 14 I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.”
Matthew 6:9-13
9 “Pray then in this way:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And do not bring us to the time of trial,
but rescue us from the evil one.
MESSAGE “The Prayer Jesus Taught, Part II”
(Please look for the message in the sermon’s area on the website. An e-mail copy of the message is available by request from the church office.)
HYMN “Take Time to be Holy”
Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.
Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.
By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.
Take time to be holy, let Him be thy Guide;
And run not before Him, whatever betide.
In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord,
And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.
Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul,
Each thought and each motive beneath His control.
Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,
Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH – APOSTLE’S CREED
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth,
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.
We offer ourselves, to God
(By offering up our time, talents, intellect and resources, we’re asking God’s blessings upon them. Please prayerfully consider sending your tithes/offerings to the church by mail or via online banking. Sharing of ourselves within a phone call/text or email is another way in the offering of ourselves.)
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Living God, we thank you for the privilege of giving in your exalted name. We value our ability to give in a way that honors your spirit. As we present our offerings, we remain secure in our knowledge that you will sustain us by your redeeming grace and your infinite love. May your righteous spirit always dwell in our hearts. Amen. (from Romans 8:6-11)
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
(Please read the petition silently or if worshiping with family, have persons take turns reading the petition, and then verbally say, Hear Our Prayer.)
As God’s people, called to love one another, let us pray for the needs of the church,
the whole human family,and all the world, saying:
Hear our prayer.
That churches of all traditions, may discover their unity in Christ
and exercise their gifts in service of all, we pray to you, O God:
Hear our prayer.
That the earth may be freed from war, famine, and disease,
and the air, soil, and waters cleansed of poison, we pray to you, O God:
Hear our prayer.
That those who govern and maintain peace in every land
may exercise their powers in obedience to your commands,
we pray to you, O God:
Hear our prayer.
That you will strengthen this nation to pursue just priorities so that the races may be reconciled;
the young, educated; and the old, cared for;
the hungry, filled; and the homeless, housed;
and the sick, comforted and healed,
we pray to you, O God:
Hear our prayer.
That you will preserve all who live and work in this city of Brookings
in peace and safety,
we pray to you, O God:
Hear our prayer.
That you will comfort and empower those who face any difficulty or trial:
the sick (especially our own intentions),
the disabled, the poor, the oppressed,
those who grieve and those in prison,
we pray to you, O God:
Hear our prayer.
That (for our own intentions)
we pray to you, O God:
Hear our prayer.
That you will accept our thanksgiving for all faithful servants of Christ now at rest,
who, with us, await a new heaven and a new earth, your everlasting kingdom,
we pray to you, O God:
Hear our prayer.
Merciful God,
as a potter fashions a vessel from humble clay, you form us into a new creation.
Shape us, day by day, through the cross of Christ your Son,
until we pray as continually as we breathe and all our acts are prayer;
through Jesus Christ and in the mystery of the Holy Spirit, we pray. Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
(We’re invited to listen to in prayerful mode or to sing along with the sung version, found on our website, under Worship and in Sermons folder.)
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
HYMN “I Want Jesus to Walk with Me”
I want Jesus to walk with me;
I want Jesus to walk with me;
all along my pilgrim journey,
Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me.
In my trials, Lord, walk with me;
in my trials, Lord, walk with me;
when my heart is almost breaking,
Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me.
When I’m in trouble, Lord, walk with me;
when I’m in trouble, Lord, walk with me;
when my head is bowed in sorrow,
Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me.
*BENEDICTION
Place your trust in the God who sees your need and showers compassion upon you. See others through the compassionate eyes of Christ, and demonstrate God’s love to them. 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.
Our thanks to Don and Kay Norton for providing today's music, and to Donna Flint/Elizabeth Fox and our administrative assistant Rozanne McGrath for their assistance in putting it up onto our website.
Sources: Public Domain, The Book of Common Worship PCUSA, WJK Louisville, KY 1993 pp.107-108, Offering Prayers www.davidsbell.org/offertory-prayersand Missouri Union Presbytery, Rev. Dr. Deborah, Boucher-Payne.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
MESSAGE FROM SESSION: In a called meeting yesterday, March 24th, Session decided to cancel worship services and all church activities until May 1st, or until the Governor advises we no longer need to shelter in place.
Those who wish to gather are encouraged to gather virtually (maybe using Zoom, a VERY simple, free, online video conferencing tool at https://zoom.us/).
This is a good time to remember that our church is not a building, or even a gathering of human bodies. Our church is a gathering of hearts, minds, and souls who follow Jesus Christ. When you can, share the message of hope with others that Jesus shares with us, and love and support each other through this challenging time.
Respectfully submitted
Donna Flint
Clerk to the Session
*************************************
Beginning Sunday April 5 at 10:30 am, an informal time together virtually will happen via Zoom meeting format. We would love to have you join us. Please let Rev. Norlita know via email [email protected] or call/text at 248-342-6190 so she can send you the Zoom invitation. The Zoom application/program is FREE and very easy to use. Please join us.
**************************************
The worship bulletin, music, and video sermon are also available on our church’s website www.brookingspresbyterian.org for use at home during this time of COVID-19.
A TIME TO CELEBRATE—HAPPY BIRTHDAY:
Sam Artz, JoAnn Goodale, Teri Bierstedt, Don Kleinjan, Helen Peterson, Hannah Moerke, Harold Poppen, David Peterson, Sharon Hofland, Amir Rottluff, Evelyn Fee, Delores Koepsell
OUR TIME TO PRAY:
Those with health concerns: Jan Jones, Paul & Shirley Rudolph, Jack & Alice Edge, Rozella Potthast, Bev Erdahl, Andrew L’Amour, Eliana Szabo, Delores Koepsell, John Peterson, Stephen & Carrie Van Buren, Lois Watson, Barb Borstad, Michele Kemp, Gary Larson, Alan Young, Bob Jones, Judy Smith’s family (Brett, Marilyn, Laurie), Natalie & Marvin Schroeder, Loren & Sue Boy (Bonnie Foster’s parents), Father Larry Ort, Sharon Webster’s recovery, Jan Jones’ recovery
Victims and families affected by the Coronavirus
Those Who Mourn: Family and friends of Dr. Rick Holm
Our homebound (or partially homebound) members: Barb Borstad, Nona Marshall, Helen Peterson, Cliff Rindels, Dee & Lois Watson