March 23, 2025
Sunday Gathering
The Third Sunday of Lent
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-ACKNOWLEDGEMENT-
We acknowledge that the place where we are gathered today is the ancient and ancestral homeland of more than twenty Indigenous tribes. We mourn the loss of their lives, livelihoods, homes, and cultures, and acknowledge the legacy of violence against them.
We acknowledge that the space where we worship today was established and built by those whose Black ancestors were also abused and mistreated - some even bought and sold as enslaved people right here in our city.
We acknowledge the women who’ve faced unfair treatment and misogyny throughout the ages and we acknowledge those who identify as LGBTQ or other who’ve been mistreated and misunderstood.
We acknowledge our role and responsibility as professed followers of Christ to stand for and alongside all of these and others who have been and continue to be oppressed.
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-SINGING TOGETHER-
"Make Us One”
MAKE US ONE, LORD, MAKE US ONE;
HOLY SPIRIT, MAKE US ONE.
LET YOUR LOVE FLOW SO THE WORLD WILL KNOW
WE ARE ONE IN YOU.
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-WELCOME & GREETING-
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-SINGING TOGETHER-
"Make Us One”
MAKE US ONE, LORD, MAKE US ONE;
HOLY SPIRIT, MAKE US ONE.
LET YOUR LOVE FLOW SO THE WORLD WILL KNOW
WE ARE ONE IN YOU.
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-CALL TO WORSHIP-
Our God is a shepherding God.
OUR GOD KNOWS US BY NAME.
Our God will never stop searching for us.
So if you feel lost,
THEN KNOW THAT GOD IS SEEKING YOU.
If you feel found,
THEN KNOW THAT GOD WILL NEVER LEAVE.
This is the promise of scripture.
THIS IS THE PROMISE OF GOD’S LOVE.
Let us worship our with-us God.
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-SINGING TOGETHER-
"Make Us One”
MAKE US ONE, LORD, MAKE US ONE;
HOLY SPIRIT, MAKE US ONE.
LET YOUR LOVE FLOW SO THE WORLD WILL KNOW
WE ARE ONE IN YOU.
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-PRAYER-
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-COMMUNAL PRAYER-
IF GOD IS A PAINTER,
LET US BE THE BRUSH.
IF GOD IS A MUSICIAN,
LET US BE THE SONG.
IF GOD IS AN ARCHITECT,
LET US BE THE TOOLS.
LET US BE THE HANDS.
LET US BE THE BUILDERS.
BUT IF GOD IS A SHEPHERD,
WHO NEVER STOPS SEEKING,
LET US BE WILLING TO BE FOUND,
NO MATTER HOW LOST WE FEEL.
OUR GOD IS NEVER FAR AWAY.
FORGIVE US FOR FORGETTING THIS GOOD NEWS.
AMEN.
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-GREETING ONE ANOTHER-
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-SINGING TOGETHER-
"Come, O Fount of Every Blessing”
COME, O FOUNT OF EVERY BLESSING;
TUNE OUR HEARTS TO SING YOUR GRACE;
STREAMS OF MERCY, NEVER CEASING,
CALL FOR SONGS OF LOUDEST PRAISE.
TEACH US SOME MELODIOUS SONNET,
SUNG BY FLAMING TONGUES ABOVE;
PRAISE THE MOUNT! WE’RE FIXED UPON IT,
MOUNT OF GOD’S UNCHANGING LOVE!
HERE WE RAISE OUR HEARTS UP TO YOU;
IT IS BY YOUR HELP WE'VE COME;
YOU PROVIDE A LOVE WE FIND TRUE
AND THAT LOVE WILL BRING US HOME.
YOUR LOVE SOUGHT US WHEN A STRANGER,
WANDERING FROM YOUR LOVING FOLD;
EVEN IN A WORLD OF DANGER,
WE WOULD STILL YOUR LOVE BEHOLD.
COME, O FOUNT OF EVERY BLESSING;
MAY OUR SINGING NEVER CEASE.
MAY WE ALWAYS LIFT OUR VOICES
SINGING MELODIES OF PEACE.
DRAW US EVER NEARER TO YOU
SO WE’LL KNOW WHERE ‘ER IT’S OF.
MAY OUR SONG BE EVERMORE TRUE,
MAY IT BE OF YOUR GREAT LOVE.
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-SCRIPTURE-
Luke 15: 1-7 (CEB)
All the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around Jesus to listen to him. The Pharisees and legal experts were grumbling, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose someone among you had one hundred sheep and lost one of them. Wouldn’t he leave the other ninety-nine in the pasture and search for the lost one until he finds it? And when he finds it, he is thrilled and places it on his shoulders. When he arrives home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Celebrate with me because I’ve found my lost sheep.’ In the same way, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who changes both heart and life than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need to change their hearts and lives.
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-SPECIAL MUSIC-
“Here I Am”
Timmy Smallwood
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-THE MESSAGE-
“One In a Hundred”
Kenny Bishop
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-SINGING TOGETHER-
"In the Quiet Curve of Evening”
IN THE QUIET CURVE OF EVENING,
IN THE CLOSING OF THE DAYS,
IN THE MOMENTS OF MY DARKNESS,
YOU ARE THERE.
IN THE RHYTHMS OF MY BREATHING,
IN THE SPACE BETWEEN MY WAYS,
IN THE WEARY TIMES OF SADNESS,
YOU ARE THERE.
YOU ARE THERE,
YOU ARE THERE,
YOU ARE THERE.
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-JOYS & CONCERNS-
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-PASTORAL PRAYER-
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-SINGING TOGETHER-
"In the Quiet Curve of Evening”
YOU ARE THERE,
YOU ARE THERE,
YOU ARE THERE.
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-COMMUNION INVITATION-
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-SINGING TOGETHER-
"The Open Table”
COME, OH COME, COME TO THE TABLE.
GATHER ‘ROUND, COME WITHOUT FEAR.
KNOWN BY NAME HERE AT THE TABLE, THIS TABLE;
WELCOME HERE TO THE TABLE OF LOVE.
CIRCLE ‘ROUND, LET’S JOIN TOGETHER.
SHARE YOUR JOYS, AND BRING YOUR TEARS.
STRENGTH AND HOPE FOUND AT THE TABLE, THIS TABLE;
WELCOME HERE TO THE TABLE OF LOVE.
GOD IS LOVE; LOVE IS CREATING
SOMETHING NEW, RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW.
WE’RE CHILDREN OF GOD, HERE AT THE TABLE, THIS TABLE;
WELCOME HERE TO THE TABLE OF LOVE
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-IN GRATITUDE-
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-OFFERING-
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-ANNOUNCEMENTS-
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-INVITATION TO RESPOND-
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-SINGING TOGETHER-
"All Are Welcome”
LET US BUILD A HOUSE WHERE LOVE CAN DWELL
AND ALL CAN SAFELY LIVE,
A PLACE WHERE SAINTS AND CHILDREN TELL
HOW HEARTS LEARN TO FORGIVE.
BUILT OF HOPES AND DREAMS AND VISIONS,
ROCK OF FAITH AND VAULT OF GRACE,
HERE THE LOVE OF CHRIST SHALL END DIVISIONS;
ALL ARE WELCOME, ALL ARE WELCOME,
ALL ARE WELCOME IN THIS PLACE.
LET US BUILD A HOUSE WHERE HANDS WILL REACH
BEYOND THE WOOD AND STONE
TO HEAL AND STRENGTHEN, SERVE AND TEACH,
AND LIVE THE LOVE THEY’VE KNOWN.
HERE THE OUTCAST AND THE STRANGER
BEAR THE IMAGE OF GOD’S FACE;
LET US BRING AN END TO FEAR AND DANGER:
ALL ARE WELCOME, ALL ARE WELCOME,
ALL ARE WELCOME IN THIS PLACE.
LET US BUILD A HOUSE WHERE ALL ARE NAMED,
THEIR SONGS AND VISIONS HEARD
AND LOVED AND TREASURED, TAUGHT AND CLAIMED
AS WORDS WITHIN THE WORD.
BUILT OF TEARS AND CRIES AND LAUGHTER,
PRAYERS OF FAITH AND SONGS OF GRACE,
LET THIS HOUSE PROCLAIM FROM FLOOR TO RAFTER:
ALL ARE WELCOME, ALL ARE WELCOME,
ALL ARE WELCOME IN THIS PLACE.
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-BLESSING & BENEDICTION-
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-SINGING TOGETHER-
"Make Us One”
MAKE US ONE, LORD, MAKE US ONE;
HOLY SPIRIT, MAKE US ONE.
LET YOUR LOVE FLOW SO THE WORLD WILL KNOW
WE ARE ONE IN YOU.
. . . . . . . . . .
-THE TEAM-
ACCOMPANIST: Brenda Gardiner, Lisa Loeffler, Timmy Smallwood
BUILDING CARE: Travis Hines, Keith Reid, Barry Thompson
FACILITIES CARE: Edmond Edwards, Lisa Loeffler, Kathy Lyons, Steve Melton, Barry Thompson, Seth Tuska
NURSERY: Linda Netherton
PHOTOGRAPHY: Cynthia Buckner
PROPERTY CARE: West Gillium, Lee Hamilton, Morgan Hamilton, Lorie Yaste
SERVICE PREPARATION: Travis Hines, Keith Reid, Barry Thompson
SONG LEADER: Chris Prichard, Lisa Loeffler, Chris Cook
TECH: Nancy Alspach, Mason Bishop, Dale Hamilton, Morgan Hamilton, Timmy Smallwood
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