Beginning our Lenten Journeys A service in the season of Lent March 21, 2021 Written on our hearts Deeper than sighs The VCC Bells Prelude – At the Name of Jesus Performed by Sword of the through all ranks of creatures to the central height; Spirit Worship to the eternal Godhead, to the Father’s At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, throne, every tongue confess him King of glory filled it with the glory of his triumph won. now; Name him, Christians, name him, with love this the Father’s pleasure, that we call him strong as death, but with awe and Lord, wonder, and with bated breath; he is God who from the beginning was the mighty the Saviour, he is Christ the Lord, ever to Word. be worshipped, trusted and adored. Humbled for a season, to receive a name In your hearts enthrone him; there let him from the lips of sinners unto whom he subdue all that is not holy, all that is not came; true; crown him as your captain in faithfully he bore it spotless to the last, temptation’s hour, let his will enfold you brought it back victorious when from with its light and power. death he passed. Bore it up triumphant with its human light, Welcome and peace Wash and Pray Meditation Lighting Candles Wash and Pray Opening Song – Create in a Clean Heart Performed by Keith Green Cast me not away from Thy presence, oh Lord Create in me a clean heart, oh God Take not Thy holy spirit from me And renew a right spirit within me Restore unto me the joy of Thy Create in me a clean heart, oh God salvation And renew a right spirit within me And renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from Thy presence, Create in me a clean heart, oh God oh Lord And renew a right spirit within me And take not Thy holy spirit from me Create in me a clean heart, oh God Restore unto me the joy of Thy And renew a right spirit within me salvation Cast me not away from Thy presence, And renew a right spirit within me oh Lord Create in me a clean heart, oh God Take not Thy holy spirit from me And renew a right spirit within me Restore unto me the joy of Thy Create in me a clean heart, oh God salvation And renew a right spirit within me And renew a right spirit within me Candles Special people First Reading - Jeremiah 31:31-34 Readings by Kitty McKinsey The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt--a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, "Know the LORD," for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more. Gospel Reading - John 12:20-33 Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor. "Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say--' Father, save me from this hour'? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him." Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. Psalm 51 - From ‘The Message’ Generous in love—God, give grace! Huge in mercy—wipe out my bad record. Scrub away my guilt, soak out my sins in your laundry. I know how bad I’ve been; my sins are staring me down. You’re the One I’ve violated, and you’ve seen it all, seen the full extent of my evil.

You have all the facts before you; whatever you decide about me is fair.

I’ve been out of step with you for a long time, in the wrong since before I was born. What you’re after is truth from the inside out. Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life.

Soak me in your laundry and I’ll come out clean, scrub me and I’ll have a snow-white life. Tune me in to foot-tapping songs, set these once-broken bones to dancing.

Don’t look too close for blemishes, give me a clean bill of health. God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life. Don’t throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in me. Bring me back from gray exile, put a in my sails! Special Music – Breathe on Me,

Breath of God Performed by Maranatha! Vocal Band Breathe on me, breath of God Fill me with life anew That I may love what thou dost love And do what thou wouldst do

Breathe on me, breath of God Until my heart is pure Until with thee, I will one will To do and to endure

Here's my life, here's my heart Cause me to be a reflection of you Breathe on me, breath of God

Breathe on me, breath of God 'Til I am wholly thine Until this earthly part of me, Glows with thy fire divine

Here's my life, here's my heart Cause me to be a reflection of you And breathe on me, breath of God

Here's my life (here is my life) And here's my heart (here is my heart) Cause me to be a reflection of you (hmm)

Lord take my life, Lord take my heart Breathe on me, breath of God Sermon

Deeper than sighs Responsive Song – Shout to the Lord Performed by My comfort My shelter My Jesus, my Saviour Tower of refuge and strength Lord there is none like You Let every breath, all that I am All of my days I want to praise Never cease to worship You The wonders of Your mighty love Shout to the Lord all the Earth, let us sing My comfort, my shelter Power and majesty, praise to the King Tower of refuge and strength Mountains bow down and the seas will roar Let every breath, all that I am At the sound of Your name Never cease to worship You I sing for joy at the work of Your hands Shout to the Lord all the Earth, let us sing Forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand Power and majesty, praise to the King Nothing compares to the promise I have Mountains bow down and the seas will roar In You At the sound of Your name Shout to the Lord all the Earth, let us sing I sing for joy at the work of Your hands Power and majesty, praise to the King Forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand Mountains bow down and the seas will roar Nothing compares to the promise I have At the sound of Your name In You I sing for joy at the work of Your hands My Jesus, my Saviour Forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand Lord there is none like You Nothing compares to the promise I have All of my days I want to praise Oh nothing compares to the promise I have The wonders of Your mighty love Nothing compares to the promise I have In You Prayers The Lord’s Prayer Offering Song – Sing Gently Composed by Eric Whitacre May we always sing along (along) Performed by Virtual Choir 6 Sing, sing gently, always Sing, sing as one (as one) Singing gently as one May we sing together, always May our voice be soft May our singing be music for others And may it keep others aloft Sing, sing gently, always Sing, sing as one (as one) May we stand (may we stand) together, always May our voice be strong Dedicated to Taryn Fiebig May we hear the singing and Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow Praise him all creatures here below Praise him above ye heavenly hosts Praise father, son, and holy ghost Announcements How will you serve your VCC? Closing Song – Change our Hearts Performed by Rory Cooney Change our hearts this time, Offering abundances, fullness of joy. You word says it can be. Your milk and honey seem distant, Change our minds this time Unreal, when we have bread and water in our Your life could make us free. hands. We are the people your call set apart, But Change our hearts this time, Lord, this time change our hearts. You word says it can be. Brought by your hand to the edge of our Change our minds this time dreams, Your life could make us free. One foot in paradises, one in the waste; We are the people your call set apart, Drawn by your promises, Lord, this time change our hearts. Still we are lured Show us the way that leads to your side, By the shadows and the chains we leave Over the mountains and sands of the soul. behind. Be for us manna, water from the stone, But Change our hearts this time, Light which says we never walk alone. You word says it can be. And Change our hearts this time, Change our minds this time You word says it can be. Your life could make us free. Change our minds this time We are the people your call set apart, Your life could make us free. Lord, this time change our hearts. We are the people your call set apart, Now as we watch you stretch out your hands, Lord, this time change our hearts. A prayer as I put on my mask:

Creator, Since my voice may be muffled, as I prepare to go into the world, help me to speak clearly, help me to see the sacrament not only with my words, in the wearing of this cloth - but with my actions. let it be "an outward sign Holy Spirit, of an inward grace" - As the elastic touches my ears, a tangible and visible way of living remind me to listen carefully - love for my neighbours, and full of care - as I love myself. to all those I meet. Christ, May this simple piece of cloth be since my lips will be covered, shield and banner, uncover my heart, and each breath that it holds, that people would see my smile be filled with your love. in the crinkles around my eyes. In your Name and in that love, I pray. May it be so. May it be so. Go into the world as servants Blessing Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Thanks be to God Postlude – Let God Arise Performed by call As we cry "Holy worthy mighty is our Lord." Sword of Spirit Worship Let us rise with our eyes now fixed on Jesus. Verse 2 May we come to know his precious love Marching on our God will go before us. victorious. May we follow in the footsteps of our saviour. Let us stand with the shield of faith around us, In his great love he died upon a cross. Let us raise one voice to glorify our maker. Let us press on without counting the cost. So we move forward, with our eyes fixed on So we move forward, with our eyes above him On him who ransomed us in love. who ransomed the lowly man from sin. Bridge (3x) Refrain Women: He is glorious, victorious in pow'r (3x) The clarion calls we will press on towards the Men: Let God arise one (Last time: As for me I will press on...) who calls us onwards now into battle. With joy we rise and we will answer our King's Attribution

Copyright Source: Amanda Vivan, Flickr Creative Commons

Copyright Permission: This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial ShareAlike 3.0 License. In short: you are free to use and to share the file for non-commercial purposes under the conditions that you appropriately attribute it, and that you distribute it only under a license compatible with this one. For uses other than the above, contact the Divinity Library at [email protected].

Attribution: Meu Coracao/My Heart, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=54138 [retrieved March 19, 2021]. Original source: Amanda Vivan, Flickr Creative Commons.

Record Number: 54138 Last Updated: 2021-01-27 09:12:01 Record Created: 2009-01-12 10:27:09

Institution: Vanderbilt University Unit: Collection: Art in the Christian Tradition Beginning our Lenten Journeys A service in the season of Lent March 21, 2021