Worship 3-26-23

SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY

5th Sunday of Lent

March 26th, 2023 Ten Thirty in the morning

Minister: Rev. Aaron Ochart

Liturgist: Karla Russo

Please silence all cell phones. 

Bold face indicates congregational participation.

✝ Please stand, in body or spirit

CALLED TO FOLLOW

PRELUDE     “Sonata in E Minor, II. Andante”   Florence Price

✝PROCESSIONAL HYMN [BLUE#434*] [GTG#757]          

 “Today We All Are Called To Be Disciples”

 Cindy Freudenthal, flute

  1. Today we are all called to be Disciples of the Lord,

To help to set the captives free,

Make plow-share out of sword,

To feed the hungry, quench their thirst,

Make love and peace our fast,

To serve the poor and homeless first,

Our ease and comfort last.

  1. May we in service to our God

Act out the living word,

And walk the road the saints have trod

Till all have seen and heard.

As stewards of the earth may we

Give thanks in one accord

To God who calls us all to be

Disciples of the Lord.

WORDS OF WELCOME                                                        

CALL TO WORSHIP: Matt. 5:14, 16

ONE: Jesus says: You are the light of the world.

MANY: Let your light shine before others.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Holy God, by your Word and Spirit, come and transform your church to be a living sign of your love for the world — where the poor are filled with good things, the dividing walls are broken down, and the dead are raised to new life;

through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

✝HYMN [BLUE#87*] [GTG#165]  “The Glory of These Forty Days”          

1 The glory of these forty days

we celebrate with songs of praise;

for Christ, by whom all things were made,

himself has fasted and has prayed.

2 Alone and fasting Moses saw

the loving God who gave the law;

and to Elijah, fasting, came

the steeds and chariots of flame.

3 So Daniel trained his mystic sight,

delivered from the lion’s might;

and John, the Bridegroom’s friend, became

the herald of Messiah’s name.

4 Then grant that we like them be true,

consumed in fast and prayer with you;

our spirits strengthen with your grace,

and give us joy to see your face.

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN

RESPONSE (While Children leave) 

“Jesus, Be With Us (Matthew 25 Hymn)    

REPENTANCE

CALL TO CONFESSION                                                                  

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION 

Merciful God, we confess that we have wandered from your way of truth and life. You call us to share all that we have 

and work together for the common good, but we hoard up treasures for ourselves and deny others their daily bread.

You call us to set the captives free and seek justice for the oppressed, but we live in fear of our neighbors and hide ourselves from our own kin.

You call us to walk in newness of life and to be witnesses to the resurrection, but we dwell in the valley of dry bones and keep silent about your saving love.

Forgive us, God of grace. Set us free from sin, death and fear

so that we may serve you with gladness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

KYRIE [GTG Hymnal #575] 

Lord, have mercy upon us.

Christ, have mercy upon us.

Lord, have mercy upon us.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON  

THE WORD READ AND PROCLAIMED

SCRIPTURE [Pew Bible NT pg.27 or 29]   Matthew 25:31-46

‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” Then he will say to those at his left hand, “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.” Then they also will answer, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?” Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’

ONE: The Word of the Lord

MANY: Thanks be to God

SERMON:     “Kindom Work”     The Rev. Aaron Ochart

 TAKE UP YOUR CROSS AND FOLLOW   

✝AFFIRMATION OF FAITH   Theological Declaration of Barmen

  1. “Fear God. Honor the emperor.” (I Peter 2:17.)

Scripture tells us that, in the as yet unredeemed world in which the Church also exists, the State has by divine appointment the task of providing for justice and peace. [It fulfills this task] by means of the threat and exercise of force, according to the measure of human judgment and human ability. The church acknowledges the benefit of this divine appointment in gratitude and reverence before him. It calls to mind the Kingdom of God, God’s commandment and righteousness, and thereby the responsibility both of rulers and of the ruled. It trusts and obeys the power of the Word by which God upholds all things.

We reject the false doctrine, as though the State, over and beyond its special commission, should and could become the single and totalitarian order of human life, thus fulfilling the church’s vocation as well.

We reject the false doctrine, as though the church, over and beyond its special commission, should and could appropriate the characteristics, the tasks, and the dignity of the State, thus itself becoming an organ of the State.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

RECEIVING OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY     “Prayer for Peace” David M. Cherwien

✝OFFERTORY RESPONSE [GTG 701] “Lord Prepare Me”

Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary, 

pure and holy, tried and true.

With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living sanctuary for you. 

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORDS 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 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 [GTG #852]  “When the Lord Redeems the Very Least” 

  1. When the Lord redeems  the very least, we will rejoice.

When the hungry gather for the feast, we will rejoice.

We will rejoice with gladness. We will rejoice. 

All our days we’ll sing to God in praise. We will rejoice!

2.When the Lord restores  the sick and weak, we will rejoice.

When the earth is given to the meek, we will rejoice.

We will rejoice with gladness. We will rejoice.

All our days we’ll sing to God in praise. We will rejoice!

  1. When the Lord revives the world from death, we will rejoice.

When the word of God  fills every breath, we will rejoice.

We will rejoice with gladness. We will rejoice.

All our days we’ll sing to God in praise. We will rejoice!

  1. When the Lord returns in victory, we will rejoice.

When we live in glorious liberty, we will rejoice.

We will rejoice with gladness. We will rejoice.

All our days we’ll sing to God in praise. We will rejoice!

✝PARTING PRAYER (St. Patrick)

Lord, be with us this day- within us to purify us; above us to draw us up; beneath us to sustain us; before us to lead us; behind us to restrain us; around us to protect us. Amen. 

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

✝RESPONSE [GTG#771] What is the World Like

  1. These are the stories that Jesus imparts,

filled with the Spirit who joins us as one.

Born through our voices, our hands, and our hearts,

this is a new world where God’s will is done.

POSTLUDE:   “Festal March” Florence Price      

*Note: the hymn lyrics in the bulletin and on the projection screen are from the Glory To God Hymnal (© 2013 Westminster John Knox Press), which we are transitioning to. Words in the “Blue” Presbyterian Hymnal (© 1990) in your pew may differ slightly.

Participating in today’s service are Rev. Aaron Ochart, Pastor; Louise Ochart, CE Leader; Sam Garnett, Music Director; and Kelly Cuppett, Assistant Music Director. Appreciation to Dennis Lauland. Mike Fortin, and David Garland for the video production of today’s service. 

The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by Permission. All Rights Reserved. 



Announcements 3-26-23

Announcements:

 Devotional Spotlight: This week’s devotional is: Come, Holy Spirit : A Daily Discipleship Travel Log for Easter to Pentecost. Learning to Pray, “Come, Holy Spirit!”

When was the last time you prayed for the Holy Spirit? The person and work of the Spirit sometimes seem mysterious, if not confusing. We pray to the Father and the Son while the Spirit often remains behind the scenes, a silent partner in God’s Work in the world. But the Scriptures envision so much more.

Over the course of 40 days, this Discipleship Travel Log explores the role of the Spirit as a sculptor who shapes us to look more like Jesus. The daily Scripture readings, devotions, and prayers help you lean into the work of the Spirit in your everyday life. Custom-made Faith Experiments will help you: try something new, find the next step, and get into the groove. The Spirit is already working in your life. The Father gladly gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask. Today is a good day to pray, “Come, Holy Spirit! Help me take a small next step.”

Bigger isn’t always better: Have you been wondering why the Bulletin is getting smaller? As we continually assess our call to be good stewards of both the earth and the financial resources that God has given us, we are working on reducing our footprint. Using smaller paper, and printing less of the service is both less expensive and better for the environment. While sometimes we need to use creative spacing, nearly everything that was on the larger paper fits on this smaller version and with a font that is only .5 smaller then we were using. Also everything that is in the paper bulletin is also on the slides or available online, so you may find that you don’t even need the paper version. We will have a QR code available to scan that will take you to the online version, on our website, or you can go completely hands free and just use the slides.We will also have copies of the announcement page for those who opt out of a bulletin but still want the prayer list and announcements to take home.  We will of course keep providing a printed version for those who prefer it, but the less we print the better for the earth and our budget. 

Love Offering For Olga: Olga, our long-term cleaning help, is retiring this week. Her husband, who has been battling mouth cancer for the last several months, started radiation treatments last week, and then will undergo chemotherapy. She needs to retire to be able to care for him. We would like to take up a love offering for Olga in recognition of her time with us and to support her in her time of need. Please put “Love Offering” in the memo line.

Good Friday Prayer Vigil: We cannot experience the glory of Easter if we do not first experience the pain of Maundy Thursday, the loss of Good Friday and the sadness of Holy Saturday. Setting aside specific time in church to wait and pray with Jesus, to reflect on the events that led up to his death and resurrection, to speak to God and seek his guidance and listen to his heart, is essential to preparing our hearts for the Joy of Easter. To that end we would like to host a Prayer Vigil on Good Friday. This will be a time to blanket our church, our community, our parish, our state, our nation and the world in continual prayer. Please take a moment to consider what time you would like to come in and pray for yourself and our community. Our hope is to have an extended vigil with at least two people in the sanctuary throughout Good Friday. Use the sign up sheet in the Bulletin to let us know when you would like to come in and pray. 

Birthdays: Beverly Ross 3/28, Tracy Wayne 4/1, 

Events and Meetings this Week:

 3/26 – 11:45 AM – Choir

           5:00 PM – Egg Stuffing & Pizza Party  

3/22 -11:00 AM – Staff Meeting  

          6:00 PM – Cantata Handbells 

          7:00 PM – Cantata Choir Rehearsal 

4/1 – 9:00 AM – Noon – Easter Egg Hunt

3/26 – 9:30 AM – Sunday School 

          10:15 AM – Choir Rehearsal 

          10:30 AM- Worship Service

          11:45 AM – Choir




ANNOUNCEMENTS

Announcements 3- 12

Announcements:

 Devotional Spotlight: This week’s devotional is: A Rhythm of Prayer: A Collection of Meditations for Renewal It’s no secret that we are overworked, overpressured, and edging burnout. Unsurprisingly, this fact is as old as time—and that’s why we see so many prayer circles within a multitude of church traditions. These gatherings are a trusted space where people seek help, hope, and peace, energized by God and one another.

This book, curated by acclaimed author Sarah Bessey, celebrates and honors that prayerful tradition in a literary form. A companion for all who feel the immense joys and challenges of the journey of faith, this collection of prayers says it all aloud, giving readers permission to recognize the weight of all they carry. These writings also offer a broadened imagination of hope—of what can be restored and made new. Each prayer is an original piece of writing, with new essays by Sarah Bessey throughout.

Encompassing the full breadth of the emotional landscape, these deeply tender yet subversive prayers give readers an intimate look at the diverse language and shapes of prayer.

Work Day Thank You!!!!: A Big Thank you goes out to all the amazing people who came out for our work day on Saturday March 4th. Look at all we were able to accomplish together with Little Farms. 

  1. Cleaning The Sanctuary: Emily Garland, Sue Crawford, Evelyn Tobey and Charlotte (LFUCC). 
  1. Painting Classrooms in the Fellowship Hall: Linda Lowry, George Cowand, Susan (LFUCC), Chole (LFUCC), Steve (LFUCC), Gwen Nolan, Julie Hebert, 
  2. Youth Space Projects: Aaron Ochart, Deborah Nolan, Jeremy Moore, Jacob Russo 
  3. Various Gardening Projects and Trash Pick-up: Matthew Freudenthal, Sam Garnet, Kelly Cuppett, Ann Trapani, Amy Cardinale, Linda (LFUCC), Scott (LFUCC), Asher Ochart, Ian Nolan, Jeremy Moore, Adris Moore, Brock Moore, Aaron Ochart
  4. Re-striping the Parking lot: Kelly Trail, Jonathan Zea, Caleb Hebert, Jacob Russo, Andrew Nolan, Asher Ochart, Ian Nolan, Gwen Nolan, Aaron Ochart, Kate Russo
  5. Cleaning Gutter:  Linda (LFUCC), Scott (LFUCC)
  6. Fixing Sinks and Lights in Food Pantry: Gary Lowry, Mike Trapani 

We are already looking forward to the next work day on April 22nd to spruce up the garden beds for Earth Day. 

Congregational Meeting: Join us on Sunday March 12th for a congregational meeting for the purpose of electing elders for session.

Liturgy Lagniappe! In the reflective season of Lent, we are asked to listen more carefully. A voice cries out in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord. Our acappella processional hymn responds to that voice with conviction of faith, forming the Church Body which breathes and sings together even when our supports are lacking. 

Events and Meetings this Week:

3/12 – 10:30 AM- Worship Service – Congregational Meeting

          11:45 AM – Choir 

3/13 – 12:15 Am – Playschool committee Meeting 

          6:30 PM – CE Committee Meeting

3/14 – 10:00 AM – Outreach Committee Meeting  

3/15 -11:00 AM – Staff Meeting  

                       6:00 PM – Cantata Handbells 

          7:00 PM – Cantata Choir Rehearsal 

3/16 – COM Nola Cluster Meeting 

3/17 – Church Office Closed 

3/19 – 9:30 AM – Intergenerational Sunday School 

          10:15 AM – Choir Rehearsal 

          10:30 AM- Worship Service – Congregational Meeting

          11:45 AM – Choir