THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

Neillsville, Wisconsin

Pastor Jacoba Koppert

Church 715-743-2147

Pastor's Office 715-743-2117

www.uccneillsville.org

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March 5, 2017 10:00 a.m.

First Sunday of Lent

All who are comfortably able are invited to stand at those

places in the service indicated by an asterisk*

We ask you to please turn off all telephones and electronic devices.

We Gather to Worship God

PRELUDE Karen Mohr

“Jesu Thou Joy of Loving Hearts” with “If with All Your Hearts”

(arr. Anna Laura Page)

RINGING OF THE BELL

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

GATHERING MUSIC Senior Choir – Joe Anderson, Director

“Abide With Me”

*CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader: Turn away from believing we can meet our own needs.

People: Repent, and turn back to God.

Leader: Turn away from testing whether God will save us.

People: Repent, and turn back to God.

Leader: Turn our hearts and lives from serving other gods.

People: Repent, and turn back to God.

Leader: As we enter Lent, may we turn back to God.

People: May we seek forgiveness, may we choose a life of faithfulness, may we serve in Christ’s name.

All: May our hearts be renewed in this time of worship.

*HYMN "My Faith Looks Up to Thee” #84

We Confess Our Sins and Seek God’s Forgiveness

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Holy God, we often feel like we are in the wilderness, alone, in trouble, fighting temptation. We have turned from you. We have chosen our own gods which leave us little time to seek your kingdom for ourselves and for others. We hunger; but think we can fill our own needs; remaining empty. Forgive us; help us repent of sin; lead us out of the wilderness; and into life with you. Amen.

*SILENCE FOR PERSONAL PRAYERS

RESPONSE “Kyrie, Eleison” (‘Lord, Have Mercy’) (Sing twice)

*ASSURANCE OF PARDON

*PASSING THE PEACE

Followers of Jesus do not go into the wilderness alone. Not only are Christ and the Holy Spirit with us, so is the Body of Christ who include you and me. Supported by God and one another, we yearn for peace.

We want to find God in our wilderness. We are willing to support one another on the journey toward peace.

May the peace of Christ be among us. Let us share the peace of Christ with one another.

(All are invited to greet others with handshakes or hugs while saying to them "The peace of Christ be with you" and responding "and also with you.")

SONG OF FAITH "Ubi Caritas” (pg. 5 bulletin)

(Where charity and love are found, God is there.)

We Listen for the Word of God

CHILDREN’S TIME “Lead Us Not into Temptation”

THE CHOIR SINGS “With Gladsome Heart” (Mark Patterson)

SCRIPTURE READING Matthew 4:1-11

MEDITATION “Tempted Like Jesus” Pastor Jacoba Koppert

We Respond To God’s Faithfulness

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

INVITATION TO OFFERING

THE OFFERTORY “Prayer” (Robert Schumann) Karen Mohr

*THE DOXOLOGY

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise God, all creatures here below;

Praise God for all that love has done;

Creator, Christ and Spirit One. Amen.

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION

The Sacrament of Holy Communion¹

The United Church of Christ practices open communion. People of all ages who confess Jesus Christ as Savior are welcome today. We will come forward to receive the elements by Intinction.

HYMN “Just As I Am” (pg. 6 bulletin)

*INVITATION

Dear friends, we are going to Jerusalem with Jesus.

He is our pardon, our healing, and our peace.

We will suffer the trial with him, resisting evil

With him, we will walk the path to life.

But come first to the table where there is food for the journey.

With hearts full of joy we come,

giving thanks to God our maker,

and offering our praise!

PRAISE Pastor continues prayer…

We too declare your wonder and grace as with angels and saints we proclaim:

Holy, holy, holy God of love and majesty. The whole universe speaks of your glory. O God Most High.

REMEMBERING AND GIVING THANKS

Now, O God, we remember Jesus. (Silence)

He fasted and prayed; he was tempted and tried.

He relied on you for everything.

He was obedient to you and scorned by the powers of this world.

He confounded the haughty and gave hope to the humble.

He was betrayed and deserted, He died between thieves and was buried in a borrowed grave.

You gave him new life, He lives even now, our healer and friend.

He loved us well, loved us to the end, and loves us still.

Even on the night of betrayal, he ate supper with his friends.

THE WORDS OF INSTITUTION (Pastor)

PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT (Pastor)

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

THE BREAKING AND POURING

SHARING OF THE ELEMENTS

We invite you to come forward using the center aisle to receive the bread and the cup. You may choose to take the bread and dip in one of the chalices and then eat it; or you may take the bread, eat it and then take and drink from one of the small cups. The small cups contain wine (dark color) grape juice (light color.) The silver chalices contain wine; the ceramic chalices, grape juice. Youth will receive your empty cups at side aisles as you return to your pews. Anyone who would like to receive the elements in the pew is asked to raise their hands as the servers come nearby.

*PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

Thank you, merciful God, for gladness in this bread and cup, for love that cannot die, for peace the world cannot give, for joy in the company of friends, for the splendor of creation, and for the mission of justice you have made our own. Give us the gifts of this holy communion –– oneness of heart, love for neighbors, forgiveness of enemies, the will to serve you every day, and life that never ends. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

*HYMN “Beneath the Cross of Jesus” #253

*THE BENEDICTION

*RESPONSE "Lead Us from Death to Life"

Lead us from death to life, from falsehood to truth,

from despair to hope, from fear to trust. Lead us from hate to love, from war to peace; let peace fill our hearts,

let peace fill our world, let peace fill our universe.

*POSTLUDE Karen Mohr

The Light of Christ Leads Us into the World

¹By J. Mary Luti https://sicutlocutusest.com/2013/02/07/a-communion-liturgy-for-lent/

Live in charity Ubi caritas (Sing twice in Latin)

Ubi Caritas & Kyrie Eleison

OneLicense.net A-723900

Announcements

We welcome you to this service of worship. We hope you will experience the love of God and your neighbors. You are invited to join us in the Fellowship Hall downstairs for coffee/refreshments and conversation. Whoever you are and wherever you are on life's journey, you are welcome here.

Note: You will find the attendance folders in the pews on the center racks of every pew - please take time to fill out the attendance sheet including your full address and return them to the side aisles, ushers will collect them during the last hymn. Thank you.

Radio Broadcast Sponsors – Today the radio broadcast portion of our worship service is given anonymously by a faithful listener.

TODAY: The “Silent Auction” closes today at 10:00 a.m. We hope you had fun bidding. Following worship please go down and check to see if you had the winning bid. Monies will be collected today. Thank you for supporting this fund-raising event.

Annual Pancake & Sausage Breakfast TODAY sponsored by the UCC Men’s Club following worship service downstairs in Fellowship Hall. Serving regular/potato/blueberry pancakes.

12 years-Adults $6.00 – 5-11 years-$3.00 – Under 5 FREE

3:00 p.m. Communion Service at Neillsville Retirement Community. Come and join us.

Calendar

Monday, March 6 – 9 a.m. Quilting Session; join us!

6:30-7:30 p.m. Nar-anon.

Wednesday, March 8 – 3:30 p.m. CD’s and Confirmation;

6 p.m. Soup Supper here at UCC; 7 p.m. LENTEN Service at UCC; “Capernaum.”

Thursday, March 9 – 1:30 p.m. Circle of Friends meeting.

Next Sunday March 12- DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME BEGINS – REMEMBER TO TURN YOUR CLOCKS AHEAD! 9 a.m. Sunday School; 10 a.m. Worship; Sidney Sadowska Baptism.

Soup Supper – On the bulletin board you will find a sign-up sheet where you can help with our soup supper by donating ingredients for our soup and other items needed for our supper along with HELP needed to serve/clean-up. Thank you.

LENTEN FOLDERS are on the table in the Narthex for those of you that wish to use them. The Lenten monies are collected for local missions.

ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING – Look for the One Great Hour of Sharing envelopes in the pew racks. This special UCC offering helps support disaster, refugee and development actions. Thank you for your support!

Coffee Hour Servers – We could use some volunteers! Can you help us out? Sign-up on the bulletin board.