JEFFERSON HILL COMMUNITY CHURCH

Order of Worship

March 16, 2003 * second Sunday in lent ** 10:00 a.m.

Prelude

Call to Worship -- Pastor Esteban Lopez

*Hymn: The God of Abraham Praise

*Prayer of Confession [in unison]

We pray, O God, that now will be the time when we hear you and that our hearts will not be hard or cold. We pray rather, that our hearts will be warmed, and our lives energized by your Spirit so that we can worship You with our whole being.

Amaze us anew with the faithfulness of Abraham and his belief in your staggering promises of a fruitful future. Confront us afresh with wonder at your desire to relate to humanity through a covenant You establish.

We worship You, O God, with awe, knowing that You care so much for us - knowledge deepened and confirmed through the bringing into being of a new covenant through the suffering and death of Jesus.

Faithful God, Saint Paul emphasized Abraham's complete trust and faith in Your promises and how he grew ever stronger in faith, fully convinced of your ability to fulfill what had been promised.

Forgive us, O God, if we never get beyond thinking of your call on our lives as an impossible dream or even as an unwelcome interruption. Accept, we pray, this worship which comes from thankful hearts, for we offer it in Jesus' name. Amen [adapted from liturgiesonline.com.au]

*Promise of Assurance

The Old Testament Readings, John Willingham, liturgist

Genesis 17: 1-7. 15-16

Psalm 22: 23-31

Children's Time -- Pastor Lopez

The New Testament Readings -- John Willingham, liturgist

Romans 4: 13-25

Mark 8: 31-38

*Hymn: Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart

The Message

"Let's Make a Deal" -- Pastor Nelson

The Pastoral Prayer

The Lord's Prayer [debts/debtors]

Choir Anthem "No Profit" Simpson

Receiving of Tithes and Offerings

*The Doxology

*The Prayer of Thanksgiving

*Hymn: I Have Decided to Follow Jesus

*Benediction

* The Congregation is invited to stand.

Rev. David Nelson, Senior Pastor

Rev. Esteban Lopez, Associate Pastor

Mr. John Johnson-Tyler, Choir Director

Mr. Paul Krueger, Organist

Mr. John Willingham, today's liturgist

The congregation is reminded of our Lenten study series, "Attaining a Just World: What Would Jesus Do?", Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. This week's discussion question will be: "What do you do with a quarter million soldiers after you've called off the war?"