(Image:https://bible.art/p/hxp69cHqdfkkWGJ9zAyQ/mark-11:13-and-seeing-a-fig-tree-afar)
©Order of Worship for Sunday March 23, 2025
Third Sunday in Lent
For the Avent Ferry UMC Worship Video Click Here (Link opens in a new window)
The worship video will be available live at 11:00 am
Prelude……………………………………………..Valerie W.
Coming of the Light
Greetings…………………………………………Pastor Steven
Announcements……………………………………Lorri B.
Women’s History Moment………………………Diane C.
Call to Worship…………………………………………Samantha M.
Children of God, what has God done for you?
God saves, provides, and holds us in God’s steadfast love.
Consider and remember: in the joyful times and in the sorrowful times, what has God done for you?
God covers us and lifts us up, protecting and empowering us with steadfast love.
When you have been like the fig tree in Jesus’ story that seems unable to produce and that everyone has given up on, what has God done for you?
God tends the soil and waters the ground, nurturing us into life with steadfast love.
Children of God, come, let us worship God who never gives up on us!
We come to worship and cling to God, for God’s steadfast love never fails!
Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, September 2024.
Opening Prayer………………………………………
O Christ Jesus,
when all is darkness
and we feel our weakness and helplessness,
give us the sense of Your presence,
Your love, and Your strength.
Help us to have perfect trust
in Your protecting love
and strengthening power,
so that nothing may frighten or worry us,
for, living close to You,
we shall see Your hand,
Your purpose, Your will through all things.
(St Ignatius of Loyola)
Opening Hymns…………Rejoice Ye Pure In Heart….….UMH 160
1 Rejoice, O pure in heart,
rejoice, give thanks, and sing;
your festal banner wave on high,
the cross of Christ your King.
Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, give thanks, and sing!
2 Bright youth and snow-crowned age,
both men and women, raise
on high your free, exulting song,
declare God’s wondrous praise.
Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, give thanks, and sing!
3 Still lift your standard high,
still chanting as you go,
from youth to age, by night and day,
in gladness and in woe.
Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, give thanks, and sing!
4 At last the march shall end;
the wearied ones shall rest,
the pilgrims reach their home at last,
Jerusalem the blest.
Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, give thanks, and sing!
5 Praise God, who reigns on high,
the Lord whom we adore:
the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
one God forevermore.
Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, give thanks, and sing!
Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us……………………………………UMH 381
Text: Attr. to Dorothy A. Thrupp, 1779-1847
1. Savior, like a shepherd lead us,
much we need thy tender care;
in thy pleasant pastures feed us,
for our use thy folds prepare.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus!
Thou hast bought us, thine we are.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus!
Thou hast bought us, thine we are.
2. We are thine, thou dost befriend us,
be the guardian of our way;
keep thy flock, from sin defend us,
seek us when we go astray.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus!
Hear, O hear us when we pray.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus!
Hear, O hear us when we pray.
3. Thou hast promised to receive us,
poor and sinful though we be;
thou hast mercy to relieve us,
grace to cleanse and power to free.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus!
We will early turn to thee.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus!
We will early turn to thee.
4. Early let us seek thy favor,
early let us do thy will;
blessed Lord and only Savior,
with thy love our bosoms fill.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus!
Thou hast loved us, love us still.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus!
Thou hast loved us, love us still.
Passing of the Peace………………………..Pastor Steven
Let us offer signs of reconciliation and peace to one another.
Gloria Patri………..Glory Be to the Father…….#71 UMH
Words: Lesser Doxology, 3rd-4th century
Music: Henry W. Greatorex, 1851
Glory be to the Father
and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen. Amen.
Giving of our tithes and offerings…………Pastor Steven
Offertory……………………………………Tim McElrath
“Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow” (The Doxology) #95 UMH
Words by Thomas Ken, 1674
Music attributed to Louis Bourgeois, 1551
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise him, all creatures here below;
praise him above, ye heavenly host;
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Prayer After Receiving………………………Pastor Steven
Prayers of the People………………………..Pastor Steven
Anthem:…………..……………………………….Tim McElrath
Hymn of Preparation:…….Just as I Am, Without One Plea….UMH 357
Text: Charlotte Elliott, 1789-1871
1. Just as I am, without one plea,
but that thy blood was shed for me,
and that thou bidst me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
2. Just as I am, and waiting not
to rid my soul of one dark blot,
to thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
3. Just as I am, though tossed about
with many a conflict, many a doubt,
fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
4. Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
sight, riches, healing of the mind,
yea, all I need in thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
5. 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.
6. Just as I am, thy love unknown
hath broken every barrier down;
now, to be thine, yea thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Gospel Lesson:…………Luke 13:1 –………Samantha M.
At that very time there were some present who told Jesus[a] about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you, but unless you repent you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the other people living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you, but unless you repent you will all perish just as they did.”
Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the man working the vineyard, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good, but if not, you can cut it down.’ ”
Sermon:………..“Why Should I Repent?”…………Pastor Steven
Closing Hymn…………………..Forth in Thy Name, O Lord………..……..UMH 438
Text: Charles Wesley, 1707-1788
1. Forth in thy name, O Lord, I go,
my daily labor to pursue;
thee, only thee, resolved to know
in all I think or speak or do.
2. The task thy wisdom hath assigned,
O let me cheerfully fulfill;
in all my works thy presence find,
and prove thy good and perfect will.
3. Thee may I set at my right hand,
whose eyes mine in-most substance see,
and labor on at thy command,
and offer all my works to thee.
4. For thee delightfully employ
what e’er thy bounteous grace hath given;
and run my course with even joy,
and closely walk with thee to heaven.
Dismissal with Blessing……………………Pastor Steven
Postlude…………………………………………Valerie W.
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Sunday March 23rd Worship Service