United |
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Phones: 253-7698 • Phone/Fax: 253-8668 Email: chccucc@verizon.net • Website: www.chccucc.org | |
Pastor.................................................................................. Reverend Carol Asher Home Phone: 744-7864 E-mail: clsasher2@aol.com Ministers........................................................................................... All Members Director of Music......................................................................... Nancy Turziano Secretary.......................................................................................... Diane Lamper Ukama/Partner................... |
Word of the Week: “COMpassion”
Compassion is the feeling of sorrow or pity for the suffering or misfortune of another. Its more complete meaning shows through when you take the word apart: PASSION is strong emotion—hope, fear, joy, grief, love, anger—and COM means “with”. We are compassionate when we experience these emotions together and share the burdens and consequences. Jesus is most compassionate because He suffered His passion not only WITH us, but FOR us.
This Week in Our Church Family
Boldface = Church-sponsored events
Sunday (2/10) 10:00 am Worship and
11:00 am Fellowship and Refreshments in Gilpatric Hall
Lenten discussion on Hurting Hands
Monday (2/11) 9:00 am T’ai Chi
Tuesday (2/12) 7:30 am Spirituality
7:00 pm Missions
Wed. (2/13)
Thursday (2/14) 11:30 am Village Preschool Grand Lunch
1:00 pm Trustees
6:30 pm T’ai Chi
Friday (2/15) Blood Drive
Saturday (2/16)
Sunday (2/17) 10:00 am Worship and
11:00 am Fellowship and Refreshments in Gilpatric Hall
11:30 am Lenten discussion on Nervous Hands
3-5 pm End of Life Series “Living with Dying”
Thank You to Today’s Volunteers
Ushers: | Dave and Lynne Sias | Nursery Care: | Ask an usher |
Liturgist: | Terrence LeBlanc | Greeters: | |
Acolytes: | Ben and Hannah Crosby | Fellowship Hosts: | Robin Michaud and Nancy Leighley |
Morning Worship for the First Sunday in Lent
Large print bulletins available—please ask an usher.
An asterisk (*) indicates “Please stand if you are able.”
Gathering for Worship
PRELUDE “I Stand At The Threshold” Bach
IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH (announcements)
PREPARING THE WAY
Entering into Worship
CHORAL INTROIT
RESPONSIVE CALL TO WORSHIP
L: Lent calls us to journey along the edge, to anticipate that final trip to
P: Lent calls us to the cutting edge, where life is changed and new life comes forth; where the making of a new covenant demands that we do something new and different.
L: Lent calls us not only to give up something, but also to take upon ourselves the intention of true participation in the mystery of God-with-us.
P: Lent calls us to self-examination, confession, accountability and preparation.
L: Lent calls us to concentrate on our deepest desire to be true disciples and to work in our world to bring a new sense of wholeness and love and peace.
P: Lent calls us to face the darkness without holding a flashlight, but rather trusting in the true Light that comes from God.
*OPENING HYMN “My Faith Looks Up to Thee“ Hymn #576
*GATHERING PRAYER (in unison)
True Reflector, you are the mirror of our lives, for by facing you we see ourselves more clearly. May the sight of our true faces humble us and encourage us to be doers of your word, not merely hearers of it. It is only through you, O God, that our intentions and actions may be unified. May our worship this day be honest and true. We pray together, as your Son, Jesus, taught us...
*LORD’S PRAYER (using “debts”)
CHILDREN’S STORY “The Hand of God“
*PASSING OF THE PEACE
(Children will leave to go to their classes at the beginning of this greeting time.)
*HYMN “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands“
A Time of Sharing
PRAYER JOYS AND CONCERNS
Put your hand (and everything else) into the hand of the Man from
ANTHEM “Come, Peace of God”
CALL TO PRAYER
"Lord, listen to your children praying; Lord, send your Spirit in this place.
Lord, listen to your children praying. Send us love, send us power, send us grace."
PASTORAL PRAYER
CHORAL RESPONSE
MOMENT FOR
OFFERING
Organ Offertory “Jesus Walked This
*Doxology (sung by the people) #379
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
Reflecting on God’s Word
SCRIPTURE Isaiah 53: 1-6 p. 683 OT
SERMON “Our Touching God“
DEDICATION OF OUR HANDS “Litany of Wholeness” (on back cover)
Sending Forth
*CLOSING HYMN “He Touched Me“ Hymn #564
*BENEDICTION
ORGAN POSTLUDE “Postlude in D Minor” Bach
“Hands Wide Open”
Lent is a time of spiritual discipline in preparation for the celebration of Easter. At root, penitence, like repentance, involves a turning away from self-reliance to trust in God-a change of mind and life direction evoked by the good news of Jesus Christ.
At heart, stewardship is about where we place our trust. It is less about possessions than possessiveness. Our capacity to love is hampered by our need to have. This is an issue of control: How much must I maintain to feel secure? Stewardship is a spiritual discipline that loosens our grip on what we have for the sake of what we love. Loving and trusting God in the spirit of Christ, we live and give more freely and openly, less anxiously, less selfishly, more generously.
An ancient rabbi wrote, “We are born with our fists clenched and die with our hands wide open.” The plain facts of life and death confirm God’s will and point to God’s way for us. In effect, we have to find a way to hold onto life with open hands. That is the Lenten discipline of stewardship: learning how to hold what we have less tightly, without clutching, more openly and hopefully-turning toward God, hands open.
Redemption
Some years ago, a gem dealer was strolling the aisles at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show when he noticed a blue-violet stone the size and shape of a potato. He looked it over, then, as calmly as possible, asked the vendor, "You want $15 for this?" The seller, realizing the rock wasn't as pretty as others in the bin, lowered the price to $10.
The stone has since been certified as a 1,905-carat natural star sapphire, about 800 carats larger than the largest stone of its kind. It was appraised at $2.28 million.
It took a lover of stones to recognize the sapphire's worth.
Likewise, it takes the Lover of Souls to recognize the true value of ordinary-looking people like us.
Misunderstanding Jesus
There are many Christians who ignore Lenten opportunities for growth and change. They really misunderstand Jesus, accusing Him of being tough with them. They think He is continually pointing out faults and failures in order to make them feel unworthy and diminished.
In fact, there are tears in the eyes of the Lord Jesus. He knows that you are being tough on yourself. As long as you evade the truth when God brings it near, you are giving your precious soul a tough time unnecessarily. If only you knew the grace there is waiting for you! You have only to say that thing that hurts, and healing is offered to you; you have only to say that thing of which you are afraid, and grace is waiting.
Litany of Wholeness
L: We offer our hurting hands to you, O God, holding all our brokenness and strain.
P: Believing that in YOUR hands, all things are transformed and restored.
L: As we look around us, we see sickness everywhere. Disease, illness, frailty and death lurk around every corner.
P: We see the faces of others suffering the trials of physical infirmities. We think, “That couldn’t happen to me!”
L: In this age of modern science, we live in fear of crippling, life-draining diseases.
All: “O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you healed me.”
Voice: “Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;
and with his stripes we are healed.”
L: Our relationships falter, sick from the illness of pride and greed.
P: We fight with our brothers and sisters, our in-laws, our children and our spouses.
L: We complain about the performance and personalities of people we have to work with.
P: We hurt friends and are hurt back, and find friendships are abandoned.
All: “You pardon all our iniquities, you heal all our diseases.”
Voice: “We ourselves saw him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted;
and by his stripes we are healed.”
L: Our relationship with our Lord suffers, from our sickness of sin. Sometimes we feel so far from our God.
P: We wonder “How can I even show my face before God?” and “How could God still love me after I did THAT?”
All: “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”
Voice: “He was wounded for our transgressions, and with his stripes we are healed.”
L: We throw our hands up in despair at our sick and sinful ways.
P: We cry out seeking your healing and wholesome touch.
Voice: “He was bruised for our iniquities, and wit his striped we are healed.”
L: So we offer our hands in hope of being transformed and healed.
P: Trusting, we offer our lives in order to be restored to the goodness and true value with which you created us, O God.
L: We claim the promise of old: “The Lord sent his Word (made flesh) and healed them.”
All: And through the suffering and bruising, we are healed and made whole. Praise God!
Announcements
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Welcome
Welcome! The psalmist cried out “Create in me a pure and willing heart, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (51:10) We are glad that you are present today with us and with God, as we journey through Lent. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Lenten Discussion Series
After worship during Lent, we will have an opportunity to gather and discuss the topic/emotion of the morning. Come and participate in this sharing time as we grow together.
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On Friday, February 15th, we will again sponsor a blood drive here at the church. Please help with “goodies” to share with donors. There is a sign-up sheet in Gilpatric Hall.
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End of Life Series
Plan to attend any or all of the sessions in the End-of-Life series that is sponsored by the Board of Christian Education. Each session will begin with a video (check out “On Our Own Terms” on the web) followed by discussion. There will be lots of information about planning for end of life directives, living wills, funerals, etc.—our Christian faith makes a difference as we think about these issues and talk with our families. The sessions will be every other Sunday afternoon from 3-5PM, beginning on February 17th. For more information, speak with Pastor Carol. Child care will be available—please notify the church office if you are coming and need care for your children.
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Reminder of Inclement Weather Policy
It is our policy that the Church Office will be closed whenever the Inter-Lakes Schools are closed. Meeting of church Boards and Committees will be canceled at the call of their respective chairperson. Worship Service will most likely be held each Sunday. However, you are encouraged to not venture out if you feel it is unsafe for you to attend. If there is any question about cancellation of a service, please call the church office and listen to the message.
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Spring Daffodils
As a cheerful way to welcome Spring and raise spirits while supporting the efforts of American Cancer Society, you may order these bright golden blossoms at $10 a bunch. Lynne Sias will take orders and accept checks (made out to the American Cancer Society) by February 24th; flowers will be delivered the week before Easter, March 17-21. Please call Lynne at 279-4553 if you have any questions.
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Grand Lunch
You are invited to a special Grand Lunch! The Village Preschool’s Valentine Tea will be on February 14th. Join us from 11:30 – 12:30 PM in Gilpatric Hall.