Virtual Worship for Sunday, February 21, 2021
Good Morning!
On Thursday morning, the day we recorded this service, Joe Haines, Pastor Brown, and I came in early (6 am) to avoid the impending storm. When we left our homes it had not started snowing. By the time we all arrived at the church there was 2-3 inches of snow already on the ground and it was snowing heavily. We decided, for our safety, to record the essential parts of the service and then make our way home. So, what you see will be an abbreviated version of the February 21st Worship Service. Pastor Harkness
First Sunday in Lent
PRELUDE
GATHERING
INTRODUCTION TO THE DAY
On Ash Wednesday the church began its journey toward baptismal immersion in the death and resurrection of Christ. This year, the Sundays in Lent lead us to focus on five attributes of Lent. The first is of these is repentance. Throughout the Scriptures, the prophets and others have reminded people about their sins and have encouraged repentance. It’s a word which conjures up negative feelings because none of us likes to feel like sinful people and yet, we are! Repentance begins with the acknowledgement that we are indeed sinful. Our guests from the scripture today are David, King of Judah, and Peter, a disciple of Christ.
GATHERING HYMN
Lord, throughout These Forty Days (LBW 99)
Performed by Robert Prester and Adriana Samargia.
1. O Lord, throughout these forty days
you prayed and kept the fast;
inspire repentance for our sin,
and free us from our past.
2. You strove with Satan, and you won;
your faithfulness endured;
lend us your nerve, your skill, and trust
in God's eternal word.
3. Though parched and hungry, yet you prayed
and fixed your mind above;
so teach us to deny ourselves
that we may know God's love.
4. Be with us through this season, Lord,
and all our earthly days,
that when the final Easter dawns,
we join in heaven's praise.
Text: based on Claudia F. Hernaman, 1838-1898; para. Gilbert E. Doan Jr., b. 1930.
Text © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship, admin. Augsburg Fortress.
The congregation stands.
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
the keeper of the covenant,
the source of steadfast love,
our rock and our redeemer.
Amen.
God hears us when we cry, and draws us close in Jesus Christ. Let us return to the one who is full of compassion.
Silence is kept for reflection.
Fountain of living water,
pour out your mercy over us.
Our sin is heavy, and we long to be free.
Rebuild what we have ruined
and mend what we have torn.
Wash us in your cleansing flood.
Make us alive in the Spirit
to follow in the way of Jesus,
as healers and restorers of the world you so love.
Amen.
Beloved, God’s word never fails.
The promise rests on grace:
by the saving love of Jesus Christ,
the wisdom and power of God,
your sins are ☩ forgiven, and God remembers them no more.
Journey in the way of Jesus.
Amen.
GREETING
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,
And the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Holy God, heavenly Father, in the waters of the flood you saved the chosen, and in the wilderness of temptation you protected your Son from sin. Renew us in the gift of baptism. May your holy angels be with us, that the wicked foe may have no power over us, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
The congregation is seated.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
WORD
THE FIRST READING
2 Samuel 12:1-7
A reading from 2 Samuel.
The LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds; but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. He brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it used to eat of his meager fare, and drink from his cup, and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was loath to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb, and prepared that for the guest who had come to him.” Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man. He said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.”
Nathan said to David, “You are the man!
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
PSALMODY
Psalm 51:1-14
(Read responsively.)
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are justified in your sentence
and blameless when you pass judgment.
Indeed, I was born guilty,
a sinner when my mother conceived me.
You desire truth in the inward being;
therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in me a willing spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
Deliver me from bloodshed, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.
The congregation stands.
GOSPEL
Luke 22:54-62
The holy gospel according to Luke.
Glory to you, O Lord.
Then they seized [Jesus] and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house. But Peter was following at a distance. When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. Then a servant-girl, seeing him in the firelight, stared at him and said, “This man also was with him.” But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” A little later someone else, on seeing him, said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” Then about an hour later still another kept insisting, “Surely this man also was with him; for he is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about!” At that moment, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.
The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
The congregation is seated.
SERMON
Repentance!
A dialogue between David and Peter.
Pastor Brown and Pastor Harkness
HYMN OF THE DAY
Thy Holy Wings (WOV 741)
Performed by Robert Prester and Adriana Samargia.
1. Thy holy wings, O Savior,
spread gently over me,
and let me rest securely
through good and ill in thee.
Oh, be my strength and portion,
my rock and hiding place,
and let my ev'ry moment
be lived within thy grace.
2. Oh, let me nestle near thee,
within thy downy breast
where I will find sweet comfort
and peace within thy nest.
Oh, close thy wings around me
and keep me safely there,
for I am but a newborn
and need thy tender care.
3. Oh, wash me in the waters
of Noah's cleansing flood.
Give me a willing spirit,
a heart both clean and good.
Oh, take into thy keeping
thy children great and small,
and while we sweetly slumber,
enfold us one and all.
Text: Carolina Sandell Berg, 1832-1903, sts. 1, 3; Gracia Grindal, b. 1943, st. 2; tr. composite
Text © 1983 Gracia Grindal, Selah Publishing Co., Inc., agent. www.selahpub.com Duplication in any form prohibited without permission or valid license from copyright administrator.
INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS
The congregation stands.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Relying on the promises of God, we pray boldly for the church, the world, and all in need.
A brief silence. The response to Lord in your mercy,” is hear our prayer.
We entrust ourselves and all our prayers to you, O faithful God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The congregation is seated.
OFFERING
ANTHEM
I Want Jesus to Walk With Me, Traditional Spiritual: arr. Larson
Solo: Linda Dillinger
The congregation stands.
OFFERING PRAYER
Faithful God,
you walk beside us in desert places,
and you meet us in our hunger with bread from heaven.
Accompany us in this meal,
that we may pass over from death to life
with Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen.
SENDING
BLESSING
You are what God made you to be:
created in Christ Jesus for good works,
chosen as holy and beloved,
freed to serve your neighbor.
God bless you ☩ that you may be a blessing,
in the name of the holy and life-giving Trinity.
Amen.
The congregation is seated.
You will be dismissed by the ushers after the dismissal.
SENDING HYMN
Bless Now, O God, the Journey (ELW 326)
Performed by Robert Prester and Adriana Samargia.
1. Bless now, O God, the journey
that all your people make,
the path through noise and silence,
the way of give and take.
The trail is found in desert
and winds the mountain round,
then leads beside still waters,
the road where faith is found.
2. Bless sojourners and pilgrims
who share this winding way;
your hope burns through the terrors,
your love sustains the day.
We yearn for holy freedom
while often we are bound;
together we are seeking
the road where faith is found.
3. Divine eternal lover,
you meet us on the road.
We wait for land of promise
where milk and honey flow,
but waiting not for places,
you meet us all around.
Our covenant is written
on roads, as faith is found.
Text: Sylvia G. Dunstan, 1955-1993
Text © 1991 GIA Publications, Inc., 7404 S. Mason Ave., Chicago, IL 60638. www.giamusic.com. 800.442.3358. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Share the good news.
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE
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