Worship Service – March 14, 2021

The Building is Closed and the Church is Open

While we have restricted access to the building, Peace Church is very much open to ministry—working to respond to our own congregation, as well as the needs of our neighbors and community.  Please consider giving either to Peace Church general fund or the Gabriel Fund – which is used to meet the needs in the community.

We recognize that in this time, people’s financial situations may have changed. We ask you to prayerfully consider what you can give.  If you use electronic giving, we thank you for your constancy of support.  If you would like to give through our online form, we would be grateful. For all the contributions from our members and friends—whether financial, time, or prayer—we ask God’s blessings on those gifts that Peace Church may be healing balm in this time when we are living in our own Gilead.

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March 14, 2020  ⁂  10:30am

Liturgists
The People of Peace Church
Judy Hlina, ASL Interpreter
Cindy Macaulay, Lay Reader
Jim Pospisil, Music Director
Nathan Holst, Faith Formation Minister
Rev. Greg Briggs, Interim Minister

Prelude    Horn Concerto #1 by Richard Strauss
Sam Black, piano; Jim Pospisil, horn

Announcements and Ringing of the Peace Bells

God is Revealed as We Gather

*Responsive Call to Worship

Beloved in Christ, why have you come to worship this morning?
We come to celebrate the love of God in the form of Jesus Christ.
This love reaches through the shadows of our lives to embrace us. Our challenge is to trust the light of God’s love in the midst of our struggles.
We come to celebrate the light of God in Jesus who offers love and acceptance, not judgment and rejection.
If only we will trust, Jesus leads us in the way of light and love.
We come to celebrate our God who loved and loves us so much!

Opening Hymn    “As Moses Raised the Serpent Up”    (#605)

Unison Prayer of Confession

God Who So Loves the World, You sent us Your only Son, so that we might believe and have eternal life. We have often failed to understand that eternity begins now, that the life You offer is here, and transcends death. We have often failed to understand that how we live matters, and that we sometimes participate in the sins of this world without recognizing it. We have often sinned in our purchases, in our desires, in our shrugging shoulders, in our longing to just focus on ourselves. Forgive us and call us from our sinful, selfish ways. Call us back to You, God Who So Loves the World, so that we might remember You came not to condemn but to save. Help us to turn our hearts and be restored to You. In the name of Christ, who redeems us all, we pray. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon

Story for All Ages     “A Common Thirst,” Gary Boelhower

Special Music    “We Know” by Beethoven/Pospisil/Larson Kidd

God is Revealed in the Word

God’s Word in the Gospel:   John 3:14-21

Modern Reading: UCC “The Bouncer” Ad

Sermon by Greg Briggs

Hymn    “Lead Us From Death to Life”    (#581)

We Respond to God’s Presence

Sharing Our Prayer Concerns, Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer by Nathan Holst, Prayer of Our Savior by Parker Palmer
(Prayer #8 from our Praise & Worship Songbook)
Heavenly Father, Heavenly Mother.
Holy and blessed is your true name.
We pray for your reign of peace to come,
we pray that your good will be done,
let heaven and earth become one.
Give us this day the bread we need, give it to those that have none.
Let forgiveness flow like a river between us, from each one to each one.
Lead us to holy innocence beyond the evil of our days—
come swiftly Mother, Father, come.
For yours is the power and the glory and the mercy:
forever your name is All in One. Amen

Choral Amen

Sharing our Offerings/One Great Hour of Sharing

Offertory    “I Know Who Holds Tomorrow” by Ira Stanphill

*The Thanksgiving    (Doxology)

*Prayer of Dedication

O Generous One, we give thanks to you, for your steadfast love endures forever. May these gifts be used to feed the hunger and satisfy the thirst of all those you love throughout your creation.   Amen.

Closing Song    “What Wondrous Love Is This”    (#223)

Benediction

Postlude

Special Music Trio:  Susan Larson Kidd, Kelli Hallsten-Erickson, Patty Beech-Dziuk