Opening Hymn
Opening Sentence & Prayer
Bless God, who forgives all our sins.
God’s mercy endures through everything.
God of growth and transformation, you promise us abundant new life. Teach us to welcome the discomfort and challenge of growth as part of the meaning of picking up our cross to follow you. Help us to carry our share of the world’s burden so all may know your liberating love. Amen.
(Silent Reflection)
Kyrie
Confession of Sin
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and one another, that we may turn towards God and begin our effort towards repentance.
Holy God, have mercy on us and forgive us. We have set our customs above your law and have placed our faith in authorities other than you. We have insisted on our own comfort to the neglect and indifference of our neighbors. We have acted to preserve our own self-interest in the face of suffering. We have lacked creativity and compassion when envisioning solutions to the challenges many of your children face.
We are sorry. We humbly repent. Grant us the gift of hearts that grieve injustice, hatred, and fear. Make us steadfast in faith and give us the courage to follow you. Amen.
Hear the promise of God, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that aren’t yet here: we are saved by faith and our sin is forgiven. Through God’s love and mercy, we have been set free from sin. Now, with renewed hearts, let us serve others and honor the world God made, knowing the good news we have received is for all people. Amen.
Collect of the Day
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
Almighty God, you know that we have limited power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Ministry of the Word
Exodus 17: 1-7
A reading from the book of Exodus
Directed by God, the whole company of Israel moved on by stages from the Wilderness of Sin. They set camp at Rephidim. And there wasn’t a drop of water for the people to drink. The people took Moses to task: “Give us water to drink.” But Moses said, “Why pester me? Why are you testing God?”
But the people were thirsty for water there. They complained to Moses, “Why did you take us from Egypt and drag us out here with our children and animals to die of thirst?”
Moses cried out in prayer to God, “What can I do with these people? Any minute now they’ll kill me!”
God said to Moses, “Go on out ahead of the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel. Take the staff you used to strike the Nile. And go. I’m going to be present before you there on the rock at Horeb. You are to strike the rock. Water will gush out of it and the people will drink.”
Moses did what he said, with the elders of Israel right there watching. He named the place Massah (Testing-Place) and Meribah (Quarreling) because of the quarreling of the Israelites and because of their testing of God when they said, “Is God here with us, or not?”
The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Psalm 95
Come, let’s shout praises to God,
raise the roof for the Rock who saved us!
Let’s march into his presence singing praises,
lifting the rafters with our hymns!
And why? Because God is the best,
High King over all the gods.
In one hand he holds deep caves and caverns,
in the other hand grasps the high mountains.
He made Ocean—he owns it!
His hands sculpted Earth!
So come, let us worship: bow before him,
on your knees before God, who made us!
Oh yes, he’s our God,
and we’re the people he pastures, the flock he feeds.
Drop everything and listen, listen as he speaks:
“Don’t turn a deaf ear as in the Bitter Uprising,
As on the day of the Wilderness Test,
when your ancestors turned and put me to the test.
For forty years they watched me at work among them,
as over and over they tried my patience.
And I was provoked—oh, was I provoked!
‘Can’t they keep their minds on God for five minutes?
Do they simply refuse to walk down my road?’
Exasperated, I exploded,
‘They’ll never get where they’re headed,
never be able to sit down and rest.’”
Romans 5: 1-11
By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that’s not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.
There’s more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!
Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn’t, and doesn’t, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn’t been so weak, we wouldn’t have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.
Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death, the consummate blood sacrifice, there is no longer a question of being at odds with God in any way. If, when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of his Son, now that we’re at our best, just think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of his resurrection life! Now that we have actually received this amazing friendship with God, we are no longer content to simply say it in plodding prose. We sing and shout our praises to God through Jesus, the Messiah!
The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
John 4
Jesus had to pass through Samaria. He came into Sychar, a Samaritan village that bordered the field Jacob had given his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was still there. Jesus, worn out by the trip, sat down at the well. It was noon.
A woman, a Samaritan, came to draw water. Jesus said, “Would you give me a drink of water?” (His disciples had gone to the village to buy food for lunch.)
The Samaritan woman, taken aback, asked, “How come you, a Jew, are asking me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” (Jews in those days wouldn’t be caught dead talking to Samaritans.)
Jesus answered, “If you knew the generosity of God and who I am, you would be asking me for a drink, and I would give you fresh, living water.”
The woman said, “Sir, you don’t even have a bucket to draw with, and this well is deep. So how are you going to get this ‘living water’? Are you a better man than our ancestor Jacob, who dug this well and drank from it, he and his sons and livestock, and passed it down to us?”
Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again and again. Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst—not ever. The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life.”
The woman said, “Sir, give me this water so I won’t ever get thirsty, won’t ever have to come back to this well again!”
He said, “Go call your husband and then come back.”
“I have no husband,” she said.
“That’s nicely put: ‘I have no husband.’ You’ve had five husbands, and the man you’re living with now isn’t even your husband. You spoke the truth there, sure enough.”
“Oh, so you’re a prophet! Well, tell me this: Our ancestors worshiped God at this mountain, but you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place for worship, right?”
“Believe me, woman, the time is coming when you Samaritans will worship the Father neither here at this mountain nor there in Jerusalem. You worship guessing in the dark; we Jews worship in the clear light of day. God’s way of salvation is made available through the Jews. But the time is coming—it has, in fact, come—when what you’re called will not matter and where you go to worship will not matter.
“It’s who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration.”
The woman said, “I don’t know about that. I do know that the Messiah is coming. When he arrives, we’ll get the whole story.”
“I am he,” said Jesus. “You don’t have to wait any longer or look any further.”
Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked. They couldn’t believe he was talking with that kind of a woman. No one said what they were all thinking, but their faces showed it.
The woman took the hint and left. In her confusion she left her water pot. Back in the village she told the people, “Come see a man who knew all about the things I did, who knows me inside and out. Do you think this could be the Messiah?” And they went out to see for themselves.
In the meantime, the disciples pressed him, “Rabbi, eat. Aren’t you going to eat?”
He told them, “I have food to eat you know nothing about.”
The disciples were puzzled. “Who could have brought him food?”
Jesus said, “The food that keeps me going is that I do the will of the One who sent me, finishing the work he started. As you look around right now, wouldn’t you say that in about four months it will be time to harvest? Well, I’m telling you to open your eyes and take a good look at what’s right in front of you. These Samaritan fields are ripe. It’s harvest time!
“The Harvester isn’t waiting. He’s taking his pay, gathering in this grain that’s ripe for eternal life. Now the Sower is arm in arm with the Harvester, triumphant. That’s the truth of the saying, ‘This one sows, that one harvests.’ I sent you to harvest a field you never worked. Without lifting a finger, you have walked in on a field worked long and hard by others.”
Many of the Samaritans from that village committed themselves to him because of the woman’s witness: “He knew all about the things I did. He knows me inside and out!” They asked him to stay on, so Jesus stayed two days. A lot more people entrusted their lives to him when they heard what he had to say. They said to the woman, “We’re no longer taking this on your say-so. We’ve heard it for ourselves and know it for sure. He’s the Savior of the world!”
The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Sermon
The Prayers
A Contemporary Creed
We believe in one God, the Almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
Source of all life and all love.
We believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son,
Fully God, fully human,
Savior of the world,
The risen Ruler of all realms.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
The very breath and power of God,
Sustainer of our life in Christ.
We believe in the church, Christ’s body,
God’s family for the spiritually homeless,
Called to be Love and Light,
To pursue justice and show mercy,
To proclaim the Good News of Christ,
To work for the common good of humanity.
Amen.
Prayers of the People
At this time of great crisis for so many of your children and for our precious planet, we come to you God, imploring your help and inspiration.
In Lent, we remember how Jesus went into the desert for 40 days to pray. We pray that during this Lent we, too, take the time to look into our own values and our relationship with God.
We pray to you, God.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We are all tempted to do wrong from time to time. We pray that we, like Jesus, have the strength to resist temptation and to do what is right.
We pray to you, God.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, Loving Father, we pray for the people of Ukraine and others afflicted by violence, for those suffering or afraid, for the wounded and the refugee. Be close to them and protect them.
We pray to you, God.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for world leaders, that compassion, strength and wisdom guide them in their decision making.
We pray to you, God.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the better-off nations of the world, that in this and every moment of need, they may reach out in solidarity to their brothers and sisters.
We pray to you, God.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for this beautiful Earth, that an unstoppable movement arise in a spirit of determination to protect it.
We pray to you, God.
Lord hear our prayer.
We bow our heads, close our eyes, and remember our own personal intentions, for those who have asked for our prayers, for those sick or suffering, for those on the prayer list, and for those that we now name silently or aloud. (Silence)
We pray to you, God.
Lord hear our prayer.
We remember those who have died – those whom we love, all those we do not know but who are precious in God’s sight, and those that we now name silently or aloud. (Silence)
We pray to you, God.
Lord hear our prayer.
We pray, Lord, that these our prayers, joined with those of people around the world, help guide those waging war on people and planet alike bring an end to this meaningless destruction and restore peace.
We make these prayers through Christ, Our Lord.
Amen.
The Peace
Announcements
The Holy Communion
Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:2
During the Offertory, a hymn, psalm, or anthem may be sung.
Doxology
(Words: Isaac Watts (1674-1748), para. of Psalm 117; Music: Old 100th, melody from Pseaumes octante trois de David, 1551, alt.; harm. after Louis Bourgeois (1510?-1561?); Licensed for Use: CCLI Copyright License 20716203; CCLI Streaming License 20716210
The Great Thanksgiving
God is here
All is not lost
May our hearts be open
And able to receive
Let us give thanks for grace unending
That our world might one day be restored
We lift up our praise to you, Holy God, who has promised to restore balance and love on this beautiful Earth. God, who sent your son Jesus Christ to call for repentance from sin and proclaim freedom to the oppressed, in these forty days lead us into the desert of temptation. As Christ rejected The Deceiver while in the desert, call us to reject the demons of our time. Help us grow in wisdom and compassion that we may be the Body of Christ made whole once again. When we hide in our own comfort, challenge us. When we hoard power, humble us. When we see only one way, open before us new paths leading towards peace. As we prepare for the Easter feast, let us be joyful that you have prepared a seat for your whole human family and for all Creation at your table, calling us to join with angels and saints of every race and culture, praising you and saying:
Holy, holy, holy God. God of power, God of might. Heaven and Earth are full of your glory. We praise you in the highest. Blessed are those who walk in the way of our God. We praise you in the highest.
God, our creator, you gave your only child to model for us the giving up of earthly power and love of neighbor, even giving up life and breath in the name of love.
We remember now that on the night he was betrayed, our Savior took bread, and gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to the disciples saying “Take; eat; this is my body given over to you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
After supper, he took the cup and when he had given thanks, he shared freely, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this in remembrance of me.”
Let us proclaim the mystery of faith:
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
With this bread, strengthen us for the Lenten journey of self-reflection and change.
With this wine, fill us with the fire to follow your call to turn away from our impulses and pick up our cross, the struggles must face.
Knowing Jesus came to proclaim Good News to the poor and to free the oppressed, surrendering life for our salvation, we remember Jesus’ sacrificial passion. We proclaim his resurrection and the defeat of death. We live into the hope that he will return to restore our divided and unbalanced world.
Through, with, and in Jesus, unified in the Holy Spirit, our gratitude and praise are yours, O God, now and forever.
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
And now, in the words that Jesus taught us, we pray:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kindgom 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.
Breaking of the Bread
Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.
Therefore let us keep the feast.
These are the gifts of God for you, the people of God.
The congregation receives communion.
Prayer after Communion
Holy God, through your death, we are fed with the bread of life. Thank you.
Let us follow your way to the cross, to be for others a sign of your compassion and life. And as you have fed us, let us go out to be part of feeding the world. Amen.
Blessing
May the blessing of God, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer of Life, be upon you now and always. Amen.
Closing Hymn
Dismissal
Credits
Disrupt Worship Project, adapted by Fletcher Harper https://www.disruptworshipproject.com/lent-2021-christ-have-mercy/
Contemporary Creed – https://brandonacox.com/modern-creed/Prayers of the People – https://acireland.ie/prayers-of-the-faithful-4-2-2/