Lent 2012 – Promise in a Dark Time

GATHERING

 

ENTRANCE

 

REFLECTION

 

Great indeed is the baptism which is offered you. It is a ransom to captives; the remission of offenses; the death of sin; the regeneration of the soul; the garment of light; the holy seal indissoluble; the chariot to heaven; the luxury of paradise; a procuring of the kingdom; the gift of adoption.

 

Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem (c. 315-386)

from “Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril

 

CANDLE LIGHTING

 

CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader: In the days of Noah,

              God placed a rainbow in the sky,

              sign of a covenant of God’s love for all the earth.

 

Voice 1: In the colors of the rainbow,

               we see a hopeful sign of God’s grace for all creation.

 

Leader: In the days of Moses,

              the words of God were written on tablets of stone,

              sign of a covenant between God and all God’s people.

 

Voice 2: In the tablets of stone,

               we see a sign of God’s hope for each

               to live in peace with God and neighbor.

 

Leader: In these days,

              God’s promise is a new covenant in our hearts,

              a sign of hope to comfort us in dark times.

 

All:        In the darkness of Lent,

              we celebrate the promise of God’s abiding love.

 

INVOCATION

 

HYMN

 

WORD FOR THE CHILDREN

 

SILENCE

 

PRAYERS

COMMON CONFESSION

Leader: Holy One, we have a hard time

           seeing ourselves as those who need

           forgiveness and salvation.

 

Voice 1: We watch the evening news or read the paper

            and decide that we are not really so bad after all.

 

Voice 2: All the things we may have done

            are nothing compared to what other people are doing.

 

Leader: We will never have a true picture of ourselves

            and our fallen human condition

 

All:        until we understand

            there is no sin we are incapable of committing.

 

INDIVIDUAL PRAYERS OF CONFESSION

 

ASSURANCE

 

Leader: God has come

             to bring the knowledge of salvation

             by the forgiveness of sins.

             We are forgiven.

 

All:        Amen

 

PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND INTERCESSION

 

PRAYER OF COMMITMENT

All:         O Holy One, we come today

              to claim our relationship with you.

              We pray for the commitment to grow together,

              sharing the gifts you give us with others

              here and in the wider world.

              Forgive us for the hurt we have inflicted,

              and help us forgive those who have hurt us.

              Give us strength and discipline

              to nurture our relationship with you;

              to care for every part of your creation;

              to foster justice and be in solidarity with those in need;

              to work to end all war, and violence, and discord;

              and to respond joyfully when you call,

              freely giving our selves as you have shown the way.

              We open our hearts to you and your creation

              in the name of Jesus, who is the Christ. Amen.

 

HYMN

 

THE WORD

SCRIPTURE

 

SERMON

 

SILENT REFLECTION

 

OFFERING

 

COMMUNION

PREPARATION

Leader 1: This is the table of the Heavenly Feast,

                the joyful celebration of the people of God.

 

Leader 2: We gather now as one body, joined around the table.

                Here we celebrate God’s presence among us

                united in Christ’s spirit, broken and whole all at once;

 

All:          Nourished and hungry, loved and loving,

               sinner and forgiven; we make one circle of knowing,

               believing, rejoicing, being,

               as God lights and rests among us.

 

GREAT THANKSGIVING

Leader 1: Holy God of mystery and promise,

                our hearts overflow with gratitude

                for your generous covenant of grace.

 

People: We give you thanks and praise for your Son Jesus,

             who, freely giving his life, saved ours;

             who, suffering and dying, draws us to you;

             who, raised and exalted, calls us to your covenant.

 

Leader 2: We offer gratitude for your Holy Spirit,

                moving, troubling, breathing, renewing,

                giving us power to suffer and to serve,

 

People:  We give you thanks for your Holy Church,

              your witness throughout the world and time,

              source of our baptism into your kingdom.

BLESSING THE ELEMENTS

Leader 1: Christ invites everyone to eat the bread of life,

                 to drink the cup of the new covenant.

 

Leader 2: Jesus said, I am the bread of life.

                You who come to me shall never hunger,

                You who believe in me shall never thirst.

 

Leader 1: On the night of his arrest, Jesus took bread,

                and after giving thanks to God, broke it and said,

                This is my body,

                broken for the healing of the world.

                Whenever you eat it, do so remembering me.

 

Leader 2: After supper, Jesus took the cup and said,

                This is the  cup of the new covenant,

                poured out for you and for all.

                Whenever you drink it, do so remembering me.

 

SHARE THE ELEMENTS

 

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING AND DEDICATION

All:           God of abundance and mercy,

                we give joyful thanks

                for your eternal love and healing presence

                in our celebration of bread and cup.

                Bless this body of Christ

                that we may attend faithfully

                to our call to be your servants,

                with each other and throughout the world.

                Amen.

 

SHARED REFLECTIONS

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

HYMN

 

BENEDICTION

Leader: In the darkness of Lent, we stand in God’s promise.

           We receive the garment of light.

           We claim the gift of adoption.

           We are a people of the covenant.

           Let us go,

           offering ourselves to a hungry and broken world.

 

All:      Amen.