Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren
Long Green & Kanes Rds., near Glen Arm, Md.
March 10, 2013
Worship 10:00 am          Sunday School 11:10am

The Fourth Sunday in Lent

   Beginning with Praise (9:50 am)           "Oh, how wondrous the grace"           147
  Announcements
  Prelude

  Call to Worship                            Psalm 32

*Gospel Song                            "Grace like rain"                                    (insert)

*Opening Prayer

  Responsive Scripture           2 Corinthians 5:17-21                                     853

  Sharing a joy, a concern, a word of testimony or praise
                                 (please be brief, and aware of God's listening presence)

  Prayer Song                                  "Breathe"                                          (insert)

  Pastoral Prayer

  For Children                       "Be Prepared"

  Hymn of the Month                  "Who are these"       270

  Scripture                                   Luke 15:11-32

  Returning our Tithes and Offerings

  Offertory               (Please sign the attendance pad and pass it on)

  Scripture                                   Joshua 5:9-12

  Message                        "Twelve Smooth Stones" (mp3)

*A Video                                "Prodigal Daughter"               (while we respond)

*Song                                   "Trading my sorrows"                                 (insert)

*Benediction

*Postlude

*Rise in body or in spirit

#'s are from Hymnal: A Worship Book

Worship leaders - see basic guidelines

Call to Worship

1 - Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

2 - Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.

3 - When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me;
         my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.

4 - Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.”
         And you forgave the guilt of my sin.

1 - Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them.

2 - You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.

3 - I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

4 - Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not
         come to you.

1 - Many are the woes of the wicked,

2 - but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him.

3 - Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous;

4 - sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Psalm 32 from THE HOLY BIBLE,
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
    

Opening Prayer

1 - God of steadfast love, you give us so many reasons to rejoice - the best reason of all is having been
         brought so close to you in Jesus.

2 - Through him you enable us to be new people - part of your new creation.

3 - And you have entrusted us with the task of continuing to give shape to this new creation by commissioning us
         as ambassadors of Christ.

4 - By aligning our hearts with yours, we can speak the words to others which you have spoken to us in Christ:

1 - “You are loved.

2 - You are forgiven.

3 - You are saved.”

4 - We praise you and adore you, O God, as we offer this prayer in Jesus’ name.

All – Amen

written by Rev Moira Laidlaw, Uniting Church in Australia
     

Responsive Scripture
2 Corinthians 5:17-21

If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation:
      everything old has passed away;
      see, everything has become new!
All this is from God,
      who reconciled us to himself through Christ,
      and has given us the ministry of reconciliation;
      that is, God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself,
            not counting their trespasses against them,
            and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.
So we are ambassadors for Christ,
      since God is making his appeal through us;
            we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin,
      so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Pastoral Prayer

written closer to the time (if not at the moment)

For Children
"Be Prepared"

             Our resident children's storyteller, Ed Lewis, is back to share a bit from his own childhood, and invite our young ones to get ready for Easter (and everything else God has in mind).
  

Returning our Tithes and Offerings

             Such a well known story! And yet, every time we listen to it, we hear something new. Hidden within is a tale of stewardship – how an inheritance is wasted on glitz and bling, as well as in bitter savings. Front and center is a waiting father, whose arms embrace both a prodigal and an angry son. As you return your offering just now, finish the story in your imagination, for its ending is an open door. What will happen next? Where are you in this parable?

Pray with me.

Benediction

             “You are living stones. God is using you and me to build a heavenly home. Here we serve together as priests. Through Jesus Christ, the offering of our lives pleases God.” (1 Peter 2:5, Rockhay version)