20C – Lent 2C

19C - Lent 1C21C - Lent 3C
 
See also my posts from 2013, 2016, 2019, 2022

 
WE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD (from Psalm 27)
The LORD is my light and my salvation, the stronghold of my life.
Whom shall I fear?
And from whom shall I tremble in dread?
I will sing, and make music to the LORD.

Psalm 27
The LORD is my light and my salvation, the stronghold of my life.
Whom shall I fear? And from whom shall I tremble in dread? 
My opponents and enemies drew near, intent on devouring me,
but they stumbled and fell.
Issues in my life sit like an army encamped against me, 
but my heart shall not fear.
If they all rise up against me, even so, I am confident. 
One thing I have asked from the LORD.
This will I seek; 
to dwell in the house of the LORD all my days,
to catch a vision of the kindly ways of the LORD,
indeed, simply to inquire in the temple of the LORD.
For the LORD God will hide me like a treasure in a booth
on that miserable day;
hiding me in the secret folds of his tent;
and set me high on a rock, his holy hill.
And now the LORD will raise my head,
above my enemies round about me.
I will sacrifice in the tent of the LORD sacrifices of joy;
I will sing, and make music to the LORD.
Hear my voice, O LORD, when I call, and be gracious and answer me.
My heart said to you, “I have sought your presence.”
Your very intimate presence, O LORD, will I seek.
Do not hide your presence from me;
do not turn away your servant in anger.
Do not forsake me and do not abandon me, O God of my salvation.
Even though my father and mother have forsaken me,
the LORD with gather me up.
Teach me your way, O LORD;
lead me on a right and true path, because of my enemies.
Do not give me up to the desire of my enemies,
because false witnesses have risen up against me;
         indeed, violent witnesses.
I believe that I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD. Be strong, let your heart be bold; 
but wait for the LORD.

OFFERING
Gracious and holy God,
we bring the tokens of our daily living,
our faltering steps,
our brokenness,
our leftovers,
our hope,
our risking,
our lives.
By your transforming Spirit
may all that we offer
be used to gather, include, celebrate and share
in Jesus’ name. Amen.

For use in worship, with acknowledgement. © Jeff Shrowder 1998, 2013.


A CREATIVE MOMENT – Genesis 15:1-12,17-18
During Lent the primary focus of these creative moments is on the lections from the Hebrew Scripture, in which we see God’s steadfast, sure love expressed in covenant, promise and abundant provision.
For those of us in the Southern Hemisphere, a banner or other graphic in which the constellation of Crux (the Southern Cross) is prominent would be an appropriate connection with the reading. It also foreshadows the events of Good Friday and the promise of Easter.
A smoking fire pot, real or depicted, might also add to the sensory connections with the reading.
Create a graphic/poster/banner of produce as a reminder of last week’s reading.

Click here for some ideas for worship in Lent and Easter gleaned from the pages of “On the Move” (now out of print) which was published by the Joint Board of Christian Education, Melbourne, Australia, in the 1980’s and ’90’s.


THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
(A prayer to gather the spoken and silent concerns/joys/thanks expressed by the congregation and lead into a more structured Intercession with connection to the lections for the day. Sometimes this prayer borrows lightly from other sources e.g. Uniting in Worship 2 or publications of the Iona Community.)
God of promise and covenant,
hope of faithful people in every age.
In that hope we remember
those we have named on our lips
and in our silence.
By the light of your Word and the warmth of your Spirit
help us bring consolation to those know to us,
return to our memory those whom we have forgotten
and be present to those who have no-one …
      (The Prayers of the People continue)


Looking for contemporary music and song resources?
Try David MacGregor’s Together to Celebrate
Or metrical psalms? Try Dale A. Schoening’s Sing the Psalms

HYMN SUGGESTIONS FOR LENT 2C
Father, Lord of all Creation TIS 631
O day of God, draw nigh TIS 616
Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18
Be thou my vision TIS 547
Begin, my tongue, some heavenly theme TIS 116
Christ is the world’s true light TIS 238
God is the refuge of his saints TIS 120
O God of Bethel, by whose hand TIS 564
The God of Abraham praise TIS 125
Psalm 27
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart TIS 547
God is my strong salvation TIS 15
God of grace and God of glory TIS 611
In all my ways, in every task TIS 553
Jesus, lover of my soul TIS 211
Lord, you are the light of life to me TIS 261
The Lord is my light TIS 747
The Lord is my light and my help TIS 16
This day God gives me TIS 642
What God ordains is always good TIS 109
You are my hiding place TIS 754
Philippians 3:17-4:1
In the cross of Christ I glory TIS 349
Jesus comes will all his grace TIS 219
We are your people TIS 468
We limit not the truth of God… TIS 453
Luke 13:31-35
All who love and serve your city TIS 634
God of many names TIS 180
I danced in the morning TIS 242
O Jesus Christ, may grateful hymns be rising TIS 620
O the deep, deep love of Jesus TIS 232
The scream of police car sirens TIS 694
This is the day the Lord has made TIS 368
Where cross the crowded ways of life TIS 608

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