20 Mar Worship Bulletin: 3/23/25
Welcome to Worship at the McPherson Church of the Brethren
We invite your active participation in the life of this congregation, as together we continue to grow in grace and seek justice for God’s creation.
Sunday, March 23, 2025 @ 10:15 a.m. – Lenten Theme: Eco-Spirituality
Third Sunday of Lent – Prayer Pocket Prayer
Today I pray for every human and animal without access to clean water.
♫Gathering Music | “Here I am to Worship” | Tim Hughes
Worship Band
Verse 1
Light of the world, You stepped down into darkness, opened my eyes, let me see
beauty that made this heart adore You, hope of a life spent with You.
Chorus
So, here I am to worship, here I am to bow down, here I am to say that You’re my God!
You’re altogether lovely, altogether worthy, altogether wonderful to me!
Verse 2
King of all days, oh so highly exalted, glorious in Heaven above,
humbly You came to the earth You created, all for love’s sake became poor. CHORUS
Bridge
I’ll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross!
I’ll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross! CHORUS
Video Welcome
Sharing Time – Joys and Concerns | Roger Schrock
♫Centering Music | “I to the Hills Will Lift Mine Eyes” | arr. Bonnie Barrett
Ellen Gilbert, organ
Opening Words | (inspired by Luke 13:6-9) | Stephen Fearing
The season of Lent can be barren and lonely,
but God goes with us through the wild wilderness.
Our lives are lived in seasons of transitions and transformations.
Lent is a time to ponder God’s providence and persistence. Lent is a time for patience.
Together, we seek fruitfulness, for it has been promised to us;
the barrenness of Lent will give way to the fruitfulness of Easter.
In this season of penitence and pondering, let us gather before God.
We come, as a family, to wait for the Lord with strength and courage. Let us worship God!
♫Opening Song | “O Master, let Me Walk with Thee” | #356
Story for the Children | Barbara Wagoner
Video Invitation to Give
Give online or send a check made payable to “McPherson Church of the Brethren,” 200 N. Carrie, McPherson, KS 67460
♫Musical Offering | Movement II from “Sonata” | Lawson Lunde
Westen Gehring, saxophone; Olivia Gehring, piano
Scripture Focus | Luke 13:1-9 | Repent or Perish
13 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.
2 Jesus answered,
“Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way?
3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.
4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them – do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?
5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
6 Then he told this parable:
“A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any.
7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree
and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’
8 “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it.
9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”
♫Scripture Song | “The Garden Needs Our Tending Now”
Message | “Just a Little Patience . . . ” | Jerry Bowen
♫Sending Song | “Be a Sower”
Unison Sending Prayer | Homecoming | lutherjulia, posted on RevGalBlogPals (adapted)
(inspired by Isaiah 55: 1-11)
Home is a place of rest. Home is a sense of peace. We long to be at home with You, O God.
Home is a generous welcome. Home is refuge from fear. We long to be at home with You, O God.
Home is an open table. Home is an end to eternal longing. We long to be at home with You, O God.
God of all places and people, you are not bound by walls, contained by addresses or limited by borders and barriers.
We pray that You will open our eyes to see ourselves at home in You, wherever we are and whatever our experiences.
Teach us to recognize our neighbors as our fellow travelers and co-habitants, alive together in You.
We call You, we wait, be near, hear our prayer, O God.
♫Sending Music | “There is a Longing” | Anne Quigley
Worship Band with Marta Moorman on guitar
CHORUS
There is a longing in our hearts, O Lord for you to reveal yourself to us
There is a longing in our hearts for love we only find in you, our God
1. For justice, for freedom, for mercy, hear our prayer
In sorrow, in grief, be near, hear our prayer, O God CHORUS
2. For wisdom, for courage, for comfort, hear our prayer
In weakness, in fear, be near, hear our prayer, O God CHORUS
3. For healing, for wholeness, for new life, hear our prayer.
In sickness, in death, be near, hear our prayer, O God. CHORUS
4. Lord, save us, take pity, light in our darkness
We call you (we call you) we wait (we wait) Be near, hear our prayer, O God
CHORUS (Congregation Join In)
Videography and Editing: Eric Goering
Music Coordinator: Ellen Gilbert
Choir Director: Becky Snell
Technical Crew: Eric Goering, Ryan Goering, Shane Kirchner, Steve Lolling & Chris Whitacre
Chancel Decoration Team: Jill Brax, Colleen Gustafson, Michele Johnson, Shane Kirchner & Lara Schoming