Smithville United Methodist Church
PO Box 293, 505 N Hwy 169
Smithville, MO 64089
816-532-3200
Celebrating Life through Divine Worship
First Sunday of Lent
10:00 am, March 13, 2011
The time of centering: Now the time of reflection and stillness is upon us. Now is the season for inward searching. Close your eyes. Be still. Listen. We are entering a holy time, the time of Lent. We are journeying to the sacred center of our faith. We are entering the depths of our own hearts. At the center of our faith, in the depth of our hearts, God is waiting for us, reaching out to us, inviting us to leave ordinary time and to follow him along the journey that brought Jesus to the Cross. God is calling you. Listen.
PRELUDE
ENTRANCE OF THE LIGHT
INVOCATION
O God our deliverer, you led your people of old through the wilderness and brought them to the Promised Land. With your Spirit, guide now the people of your church, that, we may walk through the wilderness of this world and be fed by the Bread of Life. Amen
WELCOME
*SONGS OF PRAISE “Surely the Presence of the Lord” No. 328
“Sanctuary”
CALL TO WORSHIP
LEADER: We are on a journey of faith
PEOPLE: We travel with Jesus as our guide.
LEADER: The promises of God shine like a star before us and give us strength for the journey;
PEOPLE: But still, in the wilderness, we become impatient and rebellious and tempted, and we lose our way.
LEADER: We gather, seeking to be fed by the bread of God’s Word, to rediscover the paths of righteousness.
ALL: O God, your word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Glory be to you in Jesus Christ and in the church to all generations. Amen
CHILDREN’S SERMON
TIME OF PRAYER
Silent Prayer
Pastoral Prayer
The Lord’s Prayer
OUR DISCIPLESHIP OF GIVING
Offering
*Doxology
*Prayer of Dedication
*HYMN OF PREPARATION "Take Time to be Holy" No 395
SCRIPTURE LESSON: Matthew 4:1-11
MEDITATION Blessings along the Journey: Bread
Pastor Kathy Harmon
UNISON PRAYER
Lord, we are so tempted by everything we see; the glitz and glitter of the world and the get-rich-quick schemes are placed before us. We believe that if we just have enough money, enough friends, enough power, enough safety we will be OK. Show us how foolish we are to place our hope and trust in these things. Give us hearts for loving service in which we will find our strength, our courage, our security, our home. AMEN.
*HYMN FOR GOING FORTH "What a Friend We Have in Jesus"
No. 526
TAKING THE LIGHT OF CHRIST INTO THE WORLD
BENEDICTION
Go in peace. Give up something if it brings you closer to our Lord, who gave up so much for you. But to feel still closer to him, take on something. Take on someone’s guilt or sickness or fear of death and, by sharing it, offer it up to God as your Lenten sacrifice. And may God put your observance of Lent to work for your growth in faith, hope and love for the sake of him who bore our burdens and carried our sorrows, even his crucified and risen Son. Amen
POSTLUDE
*Please stand if you are able when indicated by an asterisk
