Lenten Journey
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March 9, 2014 + Opening Song Lenten When We All Get To Heaven Journey Sing the wondrous love of Jesus; Well, here we are Sing his mercy and his grace. again. It is Lent. Ash In the mansions bright and blessed Wednesday begins a forty-day journey He'll prepare for us a place. (plus Sundays) to Easter. This season When we all get to heaven, in the life of the What a day of rejoicing that will be! Church is fashioned When we all see Jesus, after Jesus' forty days We'll sing and shout the victory! in the wilderness, where he fasted and While we walk the pilgrim pathway, prayed and struggled Clouds will overspread the sky; with temptation in But when traveling days are over, an effort to discern his true relationship Not a shadow, not a sigh. to God. Each year, Christians are called (Chorus) to slow the pace of their hectic lives Let us then be true and faithful, and enter into forty Trusting, serving every day; days of introspection Just one glimpse of him in glory marked by spiritual Will the toils of life repay. disciplines such as prayer, almsgiving, (Chorus) and fasting in order to discern our true relationship to God. Onward to the prize before us! Soon his beauty we'll behold; In the history of the Soon the pearly gates will open; Christian Church, We shall tread the streets of gold. the way people have made this Lenten (Chorus) journey is to 'give up' or 'take on' certain Words and Music by Eliza Edmunds Stites Hewitt and Emily Divine Wilson things. This giving © 1996 Christian Taylor Music, CCLI#1025612 up or taking on is what is known as spiritual practices or disciplines. Fasting, the giving up of food, or a bad habit, or too much television Our Community Gathers Rev. Troy Treash or internet; prayer, the taking on of a specific time and way to talk to God; Announcements Rev. Kristen Klein-Cechettini and almsgiving, the giving of ourselves to others through acts of kindness or + presence, are spiritual Exchange of Peace Rev. Troy Treash practices that prepare the soil of our souls for God's work of transformation in us. Continued on page 2 + You are invited to rise in body or spirit. + Gathering Song For this forty-day period, all of us are invited to enter into For All The Children covenant with God and one another, to Oh, we pray for all the young lives cut short by fear and shame be intentional about So afraid of who they are and whom they love. the journey we will May the message now be banished that Your love is for the few, make together. We May their faith in You renew. covenant with God and one another O, may our hearts and minds be opened, because God is a God Fling the church doors open wide. of covenant. God's May there be room enough for ev'ryone inside. covenant with us For in God there is a welcome, is redemption and transformation. God In God we all belong. accomplishes in us May that welcome be our song. what we cannot do Words and Music by David Lohman for ourselves. © 2007 Welcome Song Music, CCLI# I# 1025612 --Rev Elder Mona West First Reading Eve Messina I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn't) by Dr. Brene' Brown What is authenticity? We may not know how to define it, but we certainly know it when we see it. In fact, when we are in the presence of an authentic person, many of us can even feel it in our bones ... We gather around the people who can "tell it like it is" and laugh at themselves in the process. Authenticity is something we revere in others and strive to maintain in our own lives. We don't feel good about half-truths, disingenuous connection and fearful silence. We all want to have a clear sense of who we are and what we believe and to feel confident enough to share that with others. We want to feel comfortable in our own skin. Shame often prevents us from presenting our real selves to the people around us - it sabotages our efforts to be authentic. How can we be genuine when we are desperately trying to manage and control how others perceive us? How can we be honest with people about our beliefs and, at the same time, tell them what we think they want to hear? How do we stand up for what we believe in when we are trying to make everyone around us feel comfortable so they won't get angry and put us down? We cannot share ourselves with others when we see ourselves as flawed and unworthy of connection. It is impossible to be "real" when we are ashamed of who we are or what we believe. One: In these words, God's voice is heard. All: Amen. Special Music Forgiveness by Matthew West + Scripture Lesson Jessica Jackson Matthew 4:1-11 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are 2 the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash Release your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord This Lenten Series your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed combines the him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; and he said to him, “All these I wisdom from the will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away with you, research of Dr. Brene Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’” Then the Brown alongside devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him. Gospel readings from Matthew and One: The Word of God for the People of God. John. What do we need to Release? All: Thanks be to God. What do we need to Cultivate instead? In her work, The Gifts of Imperfection, Daring Greatly, and I Thought It Anthem Sanctuary Choir Was Just Me, Dr. On Eagle's Wings Brown explores by Michael Joncas how the courage to be vulnerable transforms the way we live, love, parent, and lead. So during Release we will explore letting Sermon Rev. Troy Treash go of what people think, certainty, scarcity, comparison, Release: Cultivating Authenticity numbing, and perfectionism while we also explore cultivating authenticity, trust, resilience, gratitude, compassion, Sermon Reflection Mark C. Brown creativity and vulnerability. For a deeper experience, dive into this wholehearted living experience by join the Wednesday evening series Release Shame and Claim Authenticity (p. 6). We Offer Ourselves Katie Hayden Lent is a season of both release and cultivation—letting go and creating space for new life to grow—all in preparation to celebrate Easter. Offertory Sanctuary Choir Love Changes Everything Words by Don Black and Charles Hart and Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber Communion Rev. Kristen Klein-Cechettini 3 Communion Communion Songs As we gather, break Confitemini Domino (Come and Fill Our Hearts With You Peace) bread, and tell stories Words and Music by Jacques Berthier of hope through prayer, Public Domain, CCLI# 1025612 song and ritual in the practice we call "communion," we bear witness that "Life is You Are My Hiding Place stronger than death. by Michael Ledner People can change with © 1981 Maranatha! Music and CCCM Music, CCLI# 1025612 God’s help. And God is worthy of our thanks and praise." All are welcome at the table: you do not More Precious Than Silver need to be a member by Lynn DeShazo of this or any church to © 1982 Integrity's Hosanna! Music, CCLI# 1025612 gather as God's children at the table of Life. A brief blessing is offered Everything with bread and juice, by Israel Houghton available to all. Gluten- © 2001 Integrity's Praise! Music , CCLI# 1025612 free bread is offered at the far right; Spanish blessing offered at the far left. Please honor this time of sacred community with singing, quiet meditation Prayer of Thanksgiving Rev. Kristen Klein-Cechettini or prayer that we might each receive the spiritual nourishment we seek ... Comunión + Al reunirnos, partir el Closing Song pan, y contar historias de esperanza a través de la oración, el canto y el Blessed Assurance ritual en la práctica que llamamos "comunión", damos testimonio de Blessèd assurance, Jesus is mine! que "la vida es más O what a foretaste of glory divine! fuerte que la muerte. Heir of salvation, purchase of God, Las personas pueden Born of the Spirit, washed in pure love. cambiar con la ayuda de Dios. Y Dios es digno de This is my story, this is my song, nuestro agradecimiento y alabanza. "Todos están Praising my Savior, all the day long; invitados a la mesa: no es This is my story, this is my song, necesario ser miembro Praising my Savior, all the day long.