Tri-Parish Joint Service

Wesley United Church

Full Text of Service for 1st Sunday in Lent

Sunday, February 29, 2004

PRESIDING

PRELUDE
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

PRAYER OF APPROACH

Generous Creator, you paint the wild flowers, you embroider the evergreens, you dance on water and in northern lights, you have created a garden.

Fierce Desert God, you sting in the wind, the land is dry and forsaken, life is fragile, and lived in danger.

A LENTEN LITURGY

In the desert, Jesus began to discover and claim who he was and what he had to do.

In the desert, Jesus survived by paying attention to God. In Lent we discover how much God loves us and how to love God more.

How shall we help the world?
By understanding it.

And how shall we understand it?
By serving humanity.

How then shall we serve humanity?
By understanding ourselves.

HYMN: “Forty Days & Forty Nights”

Forty days and forty nights
Thou wast fasting in the wild;
Forty days and forty nights
Tempted, and yet undefiled.

Sunbeams scorching all the day;
Chilly dew-drops nightly shed;
Prowling beasts about Thy way;
Stones Thy pillow; earth Thy bed.

Keep, O keep us, Savior dear,
Ever constant by Thy side;
That with Thee we may appear
At the eternal Eastertide.
(From http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/f/o/fortyday.htm at http://www.cyberhymnal.org

PRAYER

Understanding oneself is being able to recall ones humanness -
(Silence)

When we are honest about who we are and what we have done, we know that it includes our mistakes and our failures, our bad choices and our failing to choose.
(Silence)

However, to our surprise, just like our coming into being, God does not reject us, but knows us and accepts us far more deeply than we know or accept ourselves.
(Silence)

Who we are does not depend on our being successful. Who we are is between ourselves and God who loves us, today and always, come what may.
Glory be to God, Glory be to Jesus Christ, Glory be to the Spirit. Amen.

THE COLLECT

Spirit of integrity, you drive us into the desert to search out our truth. Give us clarity to know what is right, and courage to reject what is convenient; that we may abandon the false innocence of failing to choose at all, but may follow the purposes of Jesus Christ. Amen.
(Janet Morley, from All Desires Known)

TALKING TOGETHER

Presentation of the 'Give me Five!" skit for the children. (Rev. Neil Whitehouse: Not Available)

HYMN: “Jesus' Hands Were Kind Hands”

SHARING THE SCRIPTURE STORY: Matthew 4:1-11

(? Hymn # 115 - “Jesus, Tempted in the Desert” - will be sung unannounced interspersed with the scripture reading. Please remain seated)

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him,

‘‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’’ But he answered, ‘‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

Jesus, tempted in the desert,
lonely, hungry, filled with dread:
'Use your power,' the tempter tells him;
'turn these barren rocks to bread!'
'Not alone by bread,' he answers,
'can the human heart be filled.
Only by the Word that calls us
is our deepest hunger stilled!'

Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, “He will command his angels concerning you, and “On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” Jesus said to him, ‘‘Again it is written, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’’

Jesus, tempted at the temple,
high above its ancient wall:
'Throw yourself from lofty turret;
angels wait to break your fall!'
Jesus shuns such empty marvels,
feats that fickle crowds request:
'God, whose grace protects, preserves us,
we must never vainly test.'

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour; and he said to him, ‘‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’’ Jesus said to him, ‘‘Away with you, Satan! for it is written, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.”

Jesus, tempted on the mountain
by the lure of vast domain:
'Fall before me! Be my servant!
Glory, fame, you're sure to gain!'
Jesus sees the dazzling vision,
turns his eyes another way:
'God alone deserves our homage!
God alone will I obey!'

Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

?CHOIR: Psalm 91 “On Eagle's Wings”

(Duet - Nancy Hinkson & Vivienne Deane)

1 You who dwell in the shelter of our God,
who abide in this shadow for life,
say to the Lord: 'My refuge,
my Rock in whom I trust.'

R 'And I will raise you up on eagle's wings,
bear you on the breath of dawn,
make you to shine like the sun,
and hold you in the palm of my hand.'

2 The snare of the fowler will never capture you,
and famine will bring you no fear:
under God's wings your refuge,
God's faithfulness your shield. R

3 You need not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day;
though thousands fall about you,
near you it shall not come. R

4 For to God's angels is given a command
to guard you in all of your ways;
upon their hands they will bear you up,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.

'And I will raise you up on eagle's wings,
bear you on the breath of dawn,
make you to shine like the sun,
and hold you in the palm of my hand.'

'And hold you, hold you in the palm
of my hand.'

SERMON: Rev. Mark Rogers (Not Available)

CHOIR: “To the Desert Jesus Came” (Linnea Good 1992)

1 To the desert Jesus came,
to wrestle and to seek God's way.
Sun and moon rose high above
to watch him as he'd fast and pray.
Together through the valley,
the tempter led him around.
Together through the valley,
so Jesus answers found.

2 In the desert we may find
the mystery of who we are,
following a faithful God,
so very close and yet so far.
Together through the valley,
we'll gather our dreams in prayer,
together through the valley,
and find God's presence there.

3 From the ashes to the hill,
we'll travel on our Lenten road.
Hand in hand we'll cross this sand,
and share each other's heavy load.
Together through the valley,
we'll watch the changing sky.
Together through the valley,
as Easter's dawn draws nigh.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Desert Lord Jesus, forgive our choices for we, like you, are in the wilderness.

Desert Lord Jesus, forgive our choices for we, like you, are tempted.

Desert Lord Jesus, forgive our choices, for we like you, encounter evil.

Desert Lord Jesus, forgive our choices.
(silence)

WORDS OF ASSURANCE

PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING & INTERCESSION

THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION

OFFERTORY PRAYER

God of grace and mercy, we give thanks for Jesus' witness to the power of your Spirit, guiding and strengthening him in times of testing. We offer these gifts and the service of our lives as tangible signs of our thanksgiving. As we embark on our Lenten journey, guide and strengthen us with the Holy Spirit to follow Jesus wherever he leads us. This we pray in Jesus' name. Amen

SHARING THE PEACE

HYMN: “Great God, your Love”

Great God, your love has called us here
as we, by love, for love were made.
Your living likeness still we bear,
though marred, dishonoured, disobeyed.
We come, with all our heart and mind
your call to hear, your love to find.

Great God, in Christ you call our name
and then receive us as your own
not through some merit, right or claim
but by your gracious love alone.
We strain to glimpse your mercy seat
and find you kneeling at our feet

.

Then take the towel, and break the bread,
and humble us, and call us friends.
Suffer and serve till all are fed,
and show how grandly love intends
to work till all creation sings,
to fill all worlds, to crown all things.

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING

The Holy One is here.

Lift up your hearts

Let us give thanks to God.

Blessed are you, gracious God, Creator of light, Giver of all life, Source of love. From the dust of the earth, you created us in your image. From the bondage and slavery, you delivered us. Through all our wilderness wanderings you guide us and sustain us even in the desert.We thank you that in the face of every temptation and trial, every principality and power, you are present to direct and guide, to renew and revive. You call us to renewal and repentance, to justice and compassion, to healing and wholeness.

We thank you for sending us Jesus. He lived and loved this human life, taking upon himself our suffering and sorrow, being tested as we are tested, and reaching out to broken victims of the world’s brokenness. In him we come to know your truth, to feel the life that is Christ within us.

And so we cry, Glory: Glory!

And so we cry, Blessing: Blessing!</p>

Holy God, we beg for your Spirit. Enliven this bread, Awaken this body, pour us out for each other. Transfigure our minds, ignite your church, nourish the life of the earth. Make us, while many, un

ited. Make us, though broken, whole. Make us, despite death, alive.

And so we cry, Come, Holy Spirit: Come, Holy Spirit!