Worship Resources for
the Center for Faith and Giving
Lent III
Call to Worship (inspired by Psalm 63:1-8)
One: We’ve come to offer our praise to God, whose steadfast love is
better than life.
Many: Let our voices bless the Lord our God!
One: God is our help.
Many: God shelters us; today we sing our joy.
One: We seek God, like desert plants seek water.
Many: So we pray, praise, and proclaim the mighty power of God!
(Consider singing CH # 64, “We Sing Your Mighty Power, O God.”)
Opening Prayer
Holy God, your steadfast love holds us, even in challenging times.
Like a mother hen, you draw us close and cover us.
May this hour provide us strength and courage to step out into the
demands of our lives, confident that we do not go alone.
Thank you for your Spirit, which abides with us,
and for this congregation, which is one part of the Body of Christ.
AMEN
Moment for Stewardship
(Bring with you a nearly dead houseplant and a flourishing houseplant or use pictures on your screens.)
Jesus tells parables throughout the Gospels. The parable of the fig tree, in Luke, gives us a picture for this stewardship moment.
It’s as though the man who planted the fig tree realized it wasn’t doing well, and was not bearing fruit; a bit like this houseplant. (Show the nearly dead plant!)
Imagine this plant – and the fig tree — as symbols of church members who occasionally come to worship, but never give financially, never share their talents, or never offer time to engage in outreach or do basic work around the building.
Any wonder the owner is ready to toss out the tree?
Any wonder some of us can imagine God, ready to toss out those who never give of themselves or their resources?
As we come to our time of receiving all we are prepared to give, let’s hear the appeal of the gardener (which we might consider to be Jesus): “Let me work with it for a year, and then decide.”
For those who have ears…and eyes…see the beauty of a robust and healthy plant. (Show the healthy plant!)
With your gifts today, may your life shine like the cared-for plant!
Prayer of Thanksgiving
For all that has been given this day, we give you thanks, Generous God.
For the ways you are working with each of us through your Spirit, through this congregation, and through the parables of Jesus, thank you.
Receive these gifts and the commitments we make to share not only our
treasure, but our time and our talents, as offerings of our lives.
In Jesus’ name, AMEN
Invitation to Communion (from Luke 13)
(Plan to use “These I Lay Down” from Chalice Hymnal #391 as a solo, your communion hymn, or simply quote from John Bell’s words.)
In this Lenten season, we’re invited to look inside and recognize “the sorry things within.” No matter what face we put on, or how we try to present ourselves to others, each one of us knows we have fallen short of the life to which we’re called as followers of Jesus.
We may want to ask: “Are others worse than I am?”
Jesus rightly sets his disciples, and us, straight: “Unless you repent, you will all perish.”
Today, as we prepare to come to this table, let’s take our time.
In the quiet, let’s each step into an inner place.
Face the reality of what you see.
Hear Jesus’ invitation for us to repent;
to turn our backs on the “sorry things.”
Consider your own life, as we hear/sing “These I Lay Down.”
Then hear the plea of the gardener in Jesus’ parable:
“Let it alone…if it bears fruit, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.”