Worship Resources for
the Center for Faith and Giving
Lent 2A
Genesis 12:1-4a
Psalm 121
Romans 4:1-5, 13-17
John 3:1-17
Call to Worship (in response to Psalm 121)
L: Today and every day, the Lord is our keeper.
P. By day, the Lord is our shade. By night, the Lord is our shelter.
L: The One who keeps us will support us as we come in and as we go out.
P: Our help comes from the Lord!
L: So we offer up our praise and thanksgiving to the Lord our God.
P: We lift our voices to worship God!
Opening Prayer
Caring God, we turn to you this day, filled with gratitude for the ways you stand with us. As we move further into this season of Lent, may we tune our hearts to sing your praise, and focus our hearts to honor you with our words and with our actions. Accept our worship this day as one way we seek to live out our decision to be followers of Jesus, your Beloved Son.
AMEN
Moment for Stewardship (inspired by John 3:1-17)
Nicodemus only shows up in John’s Gospel, but many of us (from all parts of the Christian world) recognize we have some “Nicodemus” in us. Today, we have an opportunity to stand with him as he tries to decipher just who Jesus might be.
We realize there are times we want to come close to Jesus when no one else is around to question us.
But when we look at the stories in John about Nicodemus, we find his faith pushed him to give time and resources to Jesus. It was Nicodemus who showed up with another seeker (Joseph of Arimathea) to prepare Jesus’ body and bury him in a cave tomb.
In this season of Lent, as we focus on our faith, we’re challenged to make these 40 days of giving (both giving UP, and giving RESOURCES). You may have given up something that takes your energy and mental resources away from seeking a closer walk with Jesus (giving up things you find compelling or overwhelming). You may have decided to share more of your resources (time, money, or “stuff”) through the church or other places where your offering will make life better for someone else.
Today we’re 1/4th of the way from Ash Wednesday to Easter. It’s a good opportunity to renew your intentions for this Lenten season.
What will you share as we receive our morning offering?
What will you give as you consider what Nicodemus gave?
Let us share our gifts with joy-filled hearts.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
God of us all,
Thank you for this opportunity to give
and to consider how we can give more
as we claim our place as followers of Jesus.
Open our eyes, our minds, our hearts, and our wallets,
that we might share to honor the gifts Jesus gave
in his years of teaching, healing, and praying. AMEN
Invitation to Communion (from Eat Pray Love Liturgy)
We are here because Jesus has called us –
strangers and friends,
locals and visitors,
believers and doubters,
the certain and the curious.
It is always a mixed company that Jesus gathers
and invites to his table where, in bread and wine,
he meets us
and through him we, who are different,
are joined to each other.
So come,
not because you understand,
but because you are understood.
Come,
not because of how you feel,
but because God has food for you.
Come, not because you deserve a place,
but because Jesus invites you,
just as you are.