| Minister: the Rev. Dr. Steven Davis Organist/Choir Director: Henry Remiz Children & Youth Programmer: Moira Robertson Office Administrator: Arleane Ralph Custodian: John Herscheid March 8, 2026, 10:00am Third Sunday of Lent |
PRELUDE: “Prayer” (L. Niedermeyer)
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
HONOURING THE LAND
THE LIGHTING OF THE RAINBOW CANDLE
THE LIGHTING OF THE CHRIST CANDLE
INTROIT: “Kyrie Eleison” (traditional; sung by choir)
CALL TO WORSHIP
Minister: With our souls thirsting for God:
People: We come to the God who supplies our every need!
Minister: With prayers in our hearts:
People: We come to the God who listens to our every word!
Minister: In the midst of our brokenness and loss:
People: We come to the God who promises to make us whole!
OPENING HYMN: “O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing” (#326 – Voices United; verses 1-3)
OPENING PRAYER
God of eternity, you have met us in this moment, and we are blessed to come before you, knowing that whatever circumstances confronted us when we awakened this morning, you offer us both hope and grace, you have filled us with a need to praise you, and you have called us to serve you. We have often allowed pride to fill us, and our attention is too often upon ourselves and our own needs—and sometimes we even put our own hopes over helping provide for the needs around us. But gathered together in community, we remember that Jesus came to set us free from such things, and to help us focus on your call upon our lives. And so, we worship you in joy, spirit, and truth this morning, praying now as Jesus taught us long ago:
THE 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.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
SCRIPTURE: Luke 9: 1-6
HYMN: “I Love To Tell The Story” (#343 – Voices United)
SERMON: “Speaking With The Mouth Of Christ”
INVITATION TO THE OFFERING
RECEIVING THE OFFERING
200th ANNIVERSARY HYMN: “My Faith Looks Up To Thee” (verses 1 & 2)
My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Saviour divine;
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away;
O let me from this day
Be wholly Thine.
May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
my zeal inspire;
as Thou hast died for me,
O may my love to Thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire.
OFFERTORY HYMN: Improvisation followed by “Grant Us, O God, The Grace of Giving” (#540 – Voices United)
BLESSING OF THE OFFERING
We pray, Gracious God, that these gifts we have given will help to provide not just for the physical needs of those around us, but also that they will provide nourishment to those who thirst for justice, strength to those who hunger for hope, a community to those living in loneliness. This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
MINISTRY OF MUSIC: “Jesus, Keep Me Near The Cross” (F. Crosby)
THE EXTINGUISHING OF A LENTEN CANDLE (John Dean)
We are told that Jesus met a Samaritan woman at a well in broad daylight. At a time when Samaritans were looked upon with contempt, Jesus spoke to her, and the woman, touched by Jesus’ welcome and compassion, ran to tell the people of her town that she had met the Messiah! To us, the word “confession” usually means confessing our sins, but “confession” can also mean telling the truth or being a witness. May we all continue to confess that Jesus is Lord, and let us join in a traditional prayer of confession so that we begin our week made new:
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves. We are truly sorry, and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
(A Lenten Candle is extinguished.)
THE BENEDICTION
May Almighty God have mercy upon us, may our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen us in all goodness, and may the Holy Spirit guide us in faith, today and always. Amen.
CHORAL CLOSING: “Jesus, Tempted in the Desert” (verse 4, #115 – Voices United; sung by congregation)
THE ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING CONVENES IN THE UPPER HALL
Thought for the Day
“The church is the church only when it exists for others.”
(Dietrich Bonhoeffer)
Music reproduced with permission under licenses:
OneLicense A610919 and CCLI license #11269798
