Sunday March 9,2025

First Sunday of Lent March 9, 2025 9:30 am Order of Worship The Prelude begins worship - a time to meditate and center ourselves. PRELUDE “O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee” WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS *CALL TO WORSHIP One: The Lenten journey begins. Many: We turn our faces toward God. One: Listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit. Many: We walk the narrow path of Christ. One: Trust the eternal melody of grace. Many: We rely on the depth of God’s love. *HYMN “My Faith Looks Up to Thee” My faith looks up to thee, thou Lamb of Calvary, Savior divine! Now hear me while I pray; take all my guilt away; oh, let me from this day be wholly thine. May thy rich grace impart strength to my fainting heart, my zeal inspire; as thou hast died for me, oh, may my love to thee pure, warm, and changeless be, a living fire. H. Percy Smith 576 While life’s dark maze I tread, and griefs around me spread, be thou my guide; bid darkness turn to day; wipe sorrow’s tears away; nor let me ever stray from thee aside. *UNISON PRAYER Gracious God, as we join to worship you, breathe into us the breath of life. May we discover anew your empowering gifts, without ego or arrogance. Open our hearts and increase our awareness of your presence with us, so we may be equipped to face the temptations of life. This we pray in Christ's name. Amen. *PASSING OF THE PEACE “Glory Be to the Father” 35 *GLORIA RESPONSE 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. CHILDREN’S MESSAGE THE MINISTRY OF GIVING Offertory “Take My Life, and Let It be Consecrated, Lord, to Thee” Arr. Robert Alison “Accept, O God, the Gifts We Bring” *Response: Accept, O God, the gifts we bring of spirit and of clay. transform them into blessings on those we serve today, Rekindle deep within us all a passion to fulfill the ministry disciples have, empower’d to do your will. *Prayer of Dedication 379 Thank you, O God, for providing our needs and granting us resources to serve. Above all, we are filled with gratitude for the gift of Jesus our Savior. We present our treasures and recommit ourselves to your purposes. Bless us and this offering through Christ our Lord. Amen. PASTORAL PRAYER THE LORD’S PRAYER O Breath of Life, your Name shines everywhere! Release a space to plant your presence here. Imagine your possibilities now. Embody your desire in every light and form. Grow through us this moment's bread and wisdom. Untie the knots of failure binding us, As we release the strands we hold of others' faults. Help us not forget our source, Yet free us from not being in the Present. From you arises every Vision, Power, and Song, From gathering to gathering. Amen. CHOIR ANTHEM “Where Can I Go” Sanctuary Choir arr. Molly Ijames SCRIPTURE TEXT Philippians 2:1-8 SERMON *HYMN “The Seven Deadly Sins: Pride” Rev. Dr. Kevin P. Gregory “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of glory died, my richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride. Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, save in the death of Christ, my God; all the vain things that charm me most I sacrifice them to his blood. See, from his head, his hands, his feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down! Did e’er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown? Where the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small; love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all. 195 *BENEDICTION *POSTLUDE “I Am Thine, O Lord” *For those willing and able, please stand.