Welcome and Centering Words

Call to Worship

Here, at the outer limits of Lent,
we are called to walk:
to the paper-thin edges which cut us
to the soul;
to the workplaces which weary us;
to the people who confuse us;
to the faith which threatens us.

Here, at the corner of Steadfast Love and Faithfulness,
we are called to wait:
when our clenched stomachs awaken us;
in the moments of unbearable sorrow;
with the angels who would carry us.

Here, where time is fulfilled,
where God’s kingdom is as near to us
as our neighbor,
we begin Lent:
with the Beloved,
whose tears wash away our fears,
with the God who will not let go
of our hands.

written by Rev. Thom Shuman and posted on Lectionary Liturgies. http://lectionaryliturgies.blogspot.ca/

Opening Hymn

Just As I Am, Without One Plea

Just as I am, without one plea,
But that they blood was shed for me,
And that thou bidst me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, thy love unknown
Hath broken every barrier down;
Now, to be thine, yea, thine alone,
O Lamb if God, I come, I come.

Scripture Reading

Psalm 90

Lord, you have been our dwelling place
in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
You turn us back to dust,
and say, “Turn back, you mortals.”
For a thousand years in your sight
are like yesterday when it is past,
or like a watch in the night.
You sweep them away; they are like a dream,
like grass that is renewed in the morning;
in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
in the evening it fades and withers.
For we are consumed by your anger;
by your wrath we are overwhelmed.
You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your countenance.
For all our days pass away under your wrath;
our years come to an end like a sigh.
The days of our life are seventy years,
or perhaps eighty, if we are strong;
even then their span is only toil and trouble;
they are soon gone, and we fly away.
Who considers the power of your anger?
Your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you.
So teach us to count our days
that we may gain a wise heart.
Turn, O Lord! How long?
Have compassion on your servants!
Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us,
and as many years as we have seen evil.
Let your work be manifest to your servants,
and your glorious power to their children.
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
and prosper for us the work of our hands—
O prosper the work of our hands!

The Word of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God!

Hymn of Preparation

Psalm 90 (Psalter to the tune of Amazing Grace)

1 Lord, You have been our dwelling place,
through generations all;
From age to age, our hiding place;
our refuge whom we call.

2 Before the mountains came to be,
or earth sprang from Your word,
From everlasting to all time,
You are the only God.

17 May Your good favor rest on us
Our work before You stand.
Yes, Lord our God, establish firm
The work of our own hands.

Homily

Rev. Dr. Kevin Newburg

Preaching Text:

Daniel 9:3-19

3 Then I turned to the Lord God, to seek an answer by prayer and supplication with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. 4 I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying,
“Ah, Lord, great and awesome God, keeping covenant and steadfast love with those who love you and keep your commandments, 5 we have sinned and done wrong, acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and ordinances. 6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.
7 “Righteousness is on your side, O Lord, but open shame, as at this day, falls on us, the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you. 8 Open shame, O Lord, falls on us, our kings, our officials, and our ancestors, because we have sinned against you. 9 To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against God, 10 and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by following the laws, which God set before us by the Lord’s servants the prophets.
11 “All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. So the curse and the oath written in the law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out upon us, because we have sinned against you. 12 He has confirmed God’s words, which he spoke against us and against our rulers, by bringing upon us a calamity so great that what has been done against Jerusalem has never before been done under the whole heaven. 13 Just as it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us. We did not entreat the favor of the Lord our God, turning from our iniquities and reflecting on God’s[a] fidelity. 14 So the Lord kept watch over this calamity until God brought it upon us. Indeed, the Lord our God is right in all that has been done; for we have disobeyed his voice.
15 “And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and made your name renowned even to this day—we have sinned, we have done wickedly. 16 O Lord, in view of all your righteous acts, let your anger and wrath, we pray, turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain; because of our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors, Jerusalem and your people have become a disgrace among all our neighbors. 17 Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his supplication, and for your own sake, Lord,[b] let your face shine upon your desolated sanctuary. 18 Incline your ear, O my God, and hear. Open your eyes and look at our desolation and the city that bears your name. We do not present our supplication before you on the ground of our righteousness, but on the ground of your great mercies. 19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, listen and act and do not delay! For your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people bear your name!”

The Word of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God!

Sung Response

Amazing Grace

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was bound but now I’m free.

Prayers of the People

Spoken Response:
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Hymn of Sending

I Surrender All

All to Jesus I surrender;
All to him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust him,
In his presence daily live.

I surrender all, I surrender all,
All to thee, my precious Savior,
I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender;
Make me, Savior, wholly thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that thou art mine.

I surrender all, I surrender all,
All to thee, my precious Savior,
I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender;
Lord, I give myself to thee;
Fill me with thy love and power;
Let thy blessing fall on me.

I surrender all, I surrender all,
All to thee, my precious Savior,
I surrender all.

Benediction

Rev. Dr. Kevin Newburg