Order of Service – Sunday 21 March 2021 – LENT 5

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CALL TO WORSHIP

I seek You with all my heart; do not let me stray from Your commands.

I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.

     Praise be to You, Lord; teach me Your decrees.

With my lips I recount all the laws that come from Your mouth.

     I rejoice in following Your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.

I meditate on Your precepts  and consider Your ways.

    I delight in Your decrees; I will not neglect Your word.  (Psalm 119:10-16)

HYMN:       221       “Glory to God on High!” (Tune 447)

PSALTER

O God, You are my God, I seek You, my soul thirsts for You; my flesh faints for You, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

So, I have looked upon You in the sanctuary, beholding Your power and glory.

Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise You.

So, I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands and call on Your name.

My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast, and my mouth praises You with joyful lips when I think of You on my bed, and meditate on You in the watches of the night.

For You have been my help, and in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy. My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Heavenly Father, we come in prayer as Your people, to ask You to forgive us for having such divided hearts. We draw near You only occasionally and often for our own concerns—not in true devotion to You. Our decisions are so often forgetful of You and just based on self-interest. You know what we are like better than we do ourselves and ask You to forgive us and help us. Wash away the sins we have committed and cause Your Spirit to fill and rule our hearts. Thank You for Jesus our Saviour and for the Spirit our Life-giver—make us people who love and serve You as you deserve. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS

Remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ”. (Ephesians 23:12-13)

Thanks be to God.

HYMN:          “All to Thee I Surrender Lord”

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE DURING LENT         Adrienne Cholakyan

Lord, we’re excited to be here together again. We’re eager for You to touch us, open us, to shake us, waken us, to lead us where we did not plan to go. Be with us now. Let Your spirit sigh in our sighing, and sing in our singing. Look at us out of the faces of those who sit next to us. Let heart speak to heart. Whisper to us in sounds of silence and make us a people with Soul.

Some of us are afraid today. Our private world has crashed and we can’t see through our tears and fears. Help us to trust You in the dark and give us strength for one day at a time. Some of us are smiling today, for loving and being loved, remembering happy occasions, friends, and counting many blessings received. Thank You for the sun and the fun times. Thank You for the gift of delight in creative work, stimulating conversation, beautiful music and beautiful people.

Dear God, during this Lenten Season, help us to notice the unnoticed. The world is full of people who are in need of love, care and friendship. Help us, Father to find these people, starting right here, in our church. Help us to befriend the silent majority of the timid, the ignored, and the lonely. Give us the patience and the love they may require to be drawn out of themselves, to begin to blossom and, before long, to enrich our lives, and the life of this church, and even the life of the world.

In the name of Him who had an unfailing eye for the unnoticed and who lavished most of His love on the unloved and the unlovely, Jesus Christ, our Master and our Saviour. Amen.             (Cited from Rev. Dr. Vahan Tootikian)

TIME TO PRAY

In silence please offer your prayers to the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

HYMN:       428       “Help Us, O Lord, to Learn”

A PRAYER BEFORE READING THE SCRIPTURES        Roslyn McCawley

Until we can see ourselves in the words we read and the stories we hear, it is easy to remark on the rest of the world.

May the light of these words fall strongly upon each of us, that we can find the truth they reveal in our own hearts this day. With courage, we pray. Amen.   (Gretta Vosper from Another Breath)

BIBLE READINGS –                                                            Roslyn McCawley

Jeremiah 31:31-34 (Page 784)                                             John 12:20-33 (Pages 1065-1066)

MESSAGE:            “Father Glorify Your Name”            Krikor Youmshajekian

HYMN:       571       “Forth In Your Name, O Lord, I Go”

NOTICES –Time4U – Wednesday 24 March 10:00 am.

  • Congregational Meeting – Sunday 28 March after Service.
  • Elders’ & Council Meetings Wed 31 March 12:00 noon.
  • Pizza/Movie Night – Tues 6 April 6:30 pm, start at 7:15 pm.

OFFERING  –

Everything in heaven and earth comes from You, Lord. We give You only what is Yours. Accept our offering, bless and use them for the spread of Your Kingdom. May You be praised forever and ever. Amen.

HYMN:       595       “O Jesus, I Have Promised” (Tune ‘Day of Rest’)

BENEDICTION

The Peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

Let’s always remember that Jesus died so that we may live.

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To contact Krikor call   0418 417 411

Church Website:  http://www.longueville.unitingchurch.org.au

Church email: standrewsunite@tpg.com.au

Church Office phone: 9427 4740