The Second Sunday of Lent

Sunday, March 13th 2022

PRELUDE “Thy Holy Wings” arr. Michael Burkhardt

GATHERING
The Holy Spirit calls us together as the people of God.

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

* CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
In the name of the Father,
and of the ☩ Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

(please kneel)

Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

(silence is kept for reflection and personal confession)

Gracious God,
have mercy on us. We confess that we have turned from you and given ourselves into the power of sin. We are truly sorry and humbly repent. In your compassion forgive us our sins, known and unknown, things we have done and things we have failed to do. Turn us again to you, and uphold us by your Spirit, so that we may live and serve you in newness of life through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake God forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of the church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

*GATHERING SONG “We Sing To You, O God”  ELW 791

*GREETING
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.

*KYRIE (ELW p. 147)

*PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray. God of the covenant, in the mystery of the cross you promise everlasting life to the world. Gather all peoples into your arms, and shelter us with your mercy, that we may rejoice in the life we share in your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

WORD

CHILDREN’S TIME
Dismissal to Children’s Chapel

FIRST READING: Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18
A reading from Genesis.

¹After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” ²But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” ³And Abram said, “You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.” ⁴But the word of the Lord came to him, “This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.” ⁵He brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” ⁶And he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.
  ⁷Then he said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess.” ⁸But he said, “O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?” ⁹He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” ¹⁰He brought him all these and cut them in two, laying each half over against the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. ¹¹And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
  ¹²As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him.
  ¹⁷When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. ¹⁸On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates.”

The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

PSALM: Psalm 27

¹The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom then shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
 ²When evildoers close in against me to devour my flesh,
  they, my foes and my enemies, will stumble and fall.
 ³Though an army encamp against me, my heart will not fear.
Though war rise up against me, my trust will not be shaken.
 ⁴One thing I ask of the Lord; one thing I seek;
  that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek God in the temple.
 ⁵For in the day of trouble God will give me shelter,
hide me in the hidden places of the sanctuary, and raise me high up on a rock.
 ⁶Even now my head is lifted up above my enemies who surround me.
  Therefore I will offer sacrifice in the sanctuary, sacrifices of rejoicing; I will sing and make music to the Lord.
 ⁷Hear my voice, O Lord, when I call;
have mercy on me and answer me.
 ⁸My heart speaks your message “Seek my face.”
  Your face, O Lord, I will seek.
 ⁹Hide not your face from me, turn not away from your servant in anger.
Cast me not away—you have been my helper; forsake me not, O God of my salvation.
 ¹⁰Though my father and my mother forsake me,
  the Lord will take me in.
 ¹¹Teach me your way, O Lord;
lead me on a level path, because of my oppressors.
 ¹²Subject me not to the will of my foes,
  for they rise up against me, false witnesses breathing violence.
 ¹³This I believe—that I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living!
 ¹⁴Wait for the Lord and be strong.
  Take heart and wait for the Lord!

SECOND READING: Philippians 3:17-4:1
A reading from Philippians.

 ¹⁷Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. ¹⁸For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. ¹⁹Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. ²⁰But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. ²¹He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself. ^4:1Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

*GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Return to the Lord, your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.

*GOSPEL: Luke 13:31-35
The holy gospel according to Luke. Glory to you, O Lord.

¹At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to [Jesus,] “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” ³²He said to them, “Go and tell that fox for me, ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. ³³Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’ ³⁴Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! ³⁵See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’ ”

The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

SERMON Pastor Eric

*HYMN OF THE DAY “Thy Holy Wings”  ELW 613

*APOSTLES CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.*
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

*PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Response: Hear our prayer.

*PEACE
The presiding minister and assembly greet each other with the sign of peace.
The peace of Christ be with you always.
And also with you.

MOMENT FOR MISSION – Excels Program
Our offering is a form of worship, taking part in God’s transforming mission in this world. Each dollar we give contributes to changing lives. Each week we will take a moment to remember one way that our offerings do that. This week, we remember the Excels Program, a Moorestown after school program. We will now receive our offering.

*OFFERING PRAYER
Let us pray. God our provider, you have not fed us with bread alone, but with words of grace and life. Bless us and these your gifts, which we receive from your bounty, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

MEAL
God feeds us with the presence of Jesus Christ

*GREAT THANKSGIVING
DIALOGUE
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

PREFACE
It is indeed right, our duty and our joy,
that we should at all times and in all placesgi
ve thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God,
through our Savior Jesus Christ.
You call your people to cleanse their hearts
and prepare with joy for the paschal feast,
that, renewed in the gift of baptism,
we may come to the fullness of your grace.
And so, with all the choirs of angels,
with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven,
we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

*HOLY, HOLY, HOLY (ELW p. 153)
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
Lord God of pow’r and might:
Heav’n and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

THANKSGIVING AT THE TABLE
O God most mighty,
O God most merciful,
O God our rock and our salvation,
hear us as we praise,
call us to your table,
grant us your life.

When the earth was a formless void,
you formed order and beauty.
When Abraham and Sarah were barren,
you sent them a child;
When the Israelites were enslaved,
you led them to freedom.
Ruth faced starvation, David fought Goliath,
and the psalmists cried out for healing,
and full of compassion, you granted the people your life.

You entered our sorrows in Jesus.
He was born among the poor,
he lived under oppression,
he wept over the city.
With infinite love, he granted the people your life.

In the night in which he was betrayed,
our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;
broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take and eat; this is my body, given for you.
Do this for the remembrance of me.

Again, after supper, he took the cup,
gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying:
This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.
Do this for the remembrance of me.

Remembering his death, we cry out Amen. [Amen.]
Celebrating his resurrection, we shout Amen. [Amen.]
Trusting his presence in every time and place, we plead Amen. [Amen.]

O God, you are Breath: send your Spirit on this meal.
O God, you are Bread: feed us with yourself.
O God, you are Wine: warm our hearts and make us one.
O God, you are Fire: transform us with hope.

Grant us life,
the life of the Father to the Son,
the life of the Spirit of our risen Savior,
life in you, now and forever.
Amen.

Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us.
*LORD’S PRAYER (Sung)

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.

*INVITATION TO COMMUNION
Come to the banquet, for all is now ready.

(Sung)
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
grant us peace, grant us peace.

COMMUNION
Anthem “In All Our Grief and Fear We Turn To You”  arr. Thomas Keesecker
Congregation is invited to follow the text at ELW  615

COMMUNION HYMNS
“Around You, O Lord Jesus” ELW 468
“Eat This Bread” ELW 472

*POST-COMMUNION BLESSING
May the body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in God’s grace. Amen

*PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Let us pray. Compassionate God, you have fed us with the bread of heaven. Sustain us in our Lenten pilgrimage: may our fasting be hunger for justice; our alms, a making of peace; and our prayer, the song of grateful hearts, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

SENDING
God blesses us and sends us in mission to the world.

*BLESSING
Almighty God, Father, ☩ Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever. Amen.

*SENDING SONG
“Guide Me Ever, Great Redeemer” ELW 618

*DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Remember the poor. Thanks be to God.

POSTLUDE “Sonata, Movement 1” Felix Mendelssohn