Marshall Presbyterian Church
March 7, 2021 3rd Sunday in Lent
Carol Ann West, Pianist
Rev. Melissa Upchurch, Pastor
ASSEMBLING IN GOD’S NAME
WELCOME
* CALL TO WORSHIP (From Psalm 19)
One: The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul;
All: The decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise
the simple;
One: The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
All: The commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes.
* OPENING PRAYER
* HYMN Red Hymnal #147 How Great Thou Art
CALL TO CONFESSION
UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Merciful God, you have commanded us to love you above all and to have no other gods. You have called us
to love others as you love them. But we are personally and socially deformed by loving other gods anyway: the false gods of prosperity and materialism, of racial and ethnic privileging, of gender exclusivity, and of nationalistic imperialism ... silent prayers of confession … Forgive us our sins and transform us by your Spirit, that we learn to love as you love, and to live as people who have been baptized as your own children. Amen.
* ASSURANCE OF PARDON
One: Friends, hear the good news of the gospel: God’s radical forgiving, transforming, and justice-seeking love will not let us go, and is ever bringing resurrection and new life. Let us remember our baptisms and trust in God’s mercy to restore our right standing as God’s own.
All: Thanks be to God; Amen.
* GLORIA PATRI
Glory be to the Father, and to the son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen.
* PASSING THE PEACE
SPECIAL MUSIC: Red Hymnal #656 Take Time to Be Holy
HEARING AND RESPONDING TO GOD’S WORD
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
THE SCRIPTURES
Old Testament: Exodus 20:1-17
Epistle: 1 Cor. 1:18-25
Gospel: John 2:13-22
One: The Word of God for the People of God!
All: Thanks be to God!
TIME WITH YOUNG DISCIPLES
MESSAGE Rev. Melissa Upchurch
* AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
(from A Brief Statement of Faith PC[USA])
We trust in God, whom Jesus called Abba, Father. In sovereign love God created the world good and makes everyone equally in God’s image, male and female, of every race and people, to live as one community. But we rebel against God; we hide from our Creator. Ignoring God’s commandments, we violate the image of God in others and ourselves, accept lies as truth, exploit neighbor and nature, and threaten death to the planet entrusted to our care. We deserve God’s condemnation. Yet God acts with justice and mercy to redeem creation. In everlasting love, the God of Abraham and Sarah chose a covenant people to bless all families of the earth. Hearing their cry, God delivered the children of Israel from the house of bondage. Loving us still, God makes us heirs with Christ of the covenant. Like a mother who will not forsake her nursing child, like a father who runs to welcome the prodigal home, God is faithful still.
* HYMN Purple Hymnal #157 I Danced in the Morning
SHARING JOYS AND CONCERNS
Prayers
SHARING THE GIFTS OF GOD
OFFERTORY
*DOXOLOGY (ca. 1500s)
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him all creatures here below;
Praise him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
* PRAYER OF DEDICATION
O God, may these gifts be used as a witness to your love, peace and justice at work in the world, renewing the
face of the earth.
GOING FORTH IN GOD’S NAME
* HYMN Purple Hymnal #24
God, Who Stretched the Spangled Heavens
*INVITATION
*CHARGE
*BENEDICTION
* = Please rise in body or in spirit.
Marshall Presbyterian Church, 165 S. Main Street, Marshall, NC 28753
Tel. 828 649 3622 / Pastor’s hours by appointment.
www.marshallpres.org or join us on Facebook!
Liturgy written by Roger Gench, ©Presbyterian Outlook, 2021.
