Second Sunday in Lent

SUNDAY ORDER OF SERVICE

February 28, 2021

10:30 – 11:00 am

Lenten Acclamation
Rend your hearts and not your garments.
Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and repents of evil. Joel 2:13

Prelude
Dr. Mark Hardy

Welcome
Diverse in culture, nation, race, we come together by your grace.
God help us be a meeting ground where hope and healing can be found.
God, let us be a bridge of care connecting people everywhere.
Help us confront all fear and hate and lust for pow’r that separate.
When chasms widen, storms arise, O Holy Spirit, make us wise.
Let our resolve, like steel, be strong to stand with those who suffer wrong.
God, let us be a table spread with gifts of love and broken bread,
Where all find welcome, grace attends, and enemies arise as friends.

Collect for the Day
O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from
your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast
the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit
lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Hebrew Scripture
Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me,
and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.” Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.”

The Gospel & Reflection
Mark 8:31-38
Jesus began to teach his disciples that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering,
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days
rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan!
For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”
He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers,
let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake,
and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.
For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed,
what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words
in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed
when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Prayers of the People & Confession
In peace, we pray to you, Lord God. For all people in their daily life and work;
For our families, friends, and neighbors, and for those who are alone.

For this community, the nation, and the world;
For all who work for justice, freedom, and peace.

For the just and proper use of your creation;
For victims of hunger, fear, injustice, and oppression.

For the peace and unity of the Church of God;
For all who proclaim the Gospel, and all who seek the Truth.

For Michael, our Presiding Bishop, for Eugene and Robert, our bishops;
for all clergy and laity;
For all who serve God in his Church.

For the special needs and concerns of this congregation, especially for all those
effected by the Coronavirus and for those working for racial justice. (Silence)

Hear us, Lord;
For your mercy is great.

We thank you, Lord, for all the blessings of this life. (Silence)
We will exalt you, O God our King;
And praise your Name for ever and ever.

We pray for all who have died, that they may have a place in your eternal kingdom. (Silence)
Lord, let your loving-kindness be upon them;
Who put their trust in you.

We pray to you also for the forgiveness of our sins. (Silence)

Leader & People: Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father;
in your compassion forgive us our sins,
known and unknown,
things done and left undone;
and so uphold us by your Spirit
that we may live and serve you in newness of life,
to the honor and glory of your Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Absolution
Celebrant: Almighty God have mercy upon us, forgive us all our sins
through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness,
and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.

Holy Communion
“Do This is Remembrance of Me”
Bring bread to the Lord’s table.

Communion Hymn
I am the bread of life
1982 Hymnal – 335
Catherine Clair

Communion Prayer
Eternal God, heavenly Father, you have graciously accepted us as living members
of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, and you have fed us with spiritual food in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood. Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for Peace
O God, the Father of all, guide us into the ways of peace. Lead us from prejudice to truth; deliver us from hatred, cruelty, violence, and mean spiritedness; fill us with generosity, hospitality and love, and in your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Birthday and Anniversary Blessings
Announcements

Closing Hymn
I am thine, O Lord
LEVAS Hymnal – 129
Catherine Clair

Final Blessing
All: Go forth into the world in peace; be of good courage;
hold fast to that which is good; render to no one, evil for evil;
strengthen the fainthearted; support the weak; help the afflicted;
honor all; love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in power of the Holy Spirit.

Celebrant: And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Spirit be upon you, and remain with you, now and forever. Amen.

THE PEACE OF THE LORD BE ALWAYS WITH YOU!