St Jacob’s United Church of Christ, Blue Creek, 8am
Combined Sunday School at St. John’s, 9:30am
St John’s United Church of Christ, Penntown, 10:30am
We extend a warm welcome to each of you!
We lift in prayer those who are unable to be here
and all who join us for worship.
Pastor Lynne: (812) 623-0354 or (319) 830-4048 or
Church office: (812) 623-3410 or
March 12, 2017
2ndSunday of Lent
Roll Down, Justice!
“How Long: Renouncing Evil”
WE GATHER
Welcome/Announcements
Prelude
Call to Worship
There’s a voice, strong and clear,ringing out far and near,
“Let justice roll down, let justice roll down!”
Like the rush of a stream,
comes a powerful dream,
let justice roll down, justice roll down!
Words of Lent
…and injustice, and until that time, we cry out with the psalmist, “How long?”
Response
Roll down! Roll down, justice!
Roll like an ever-flowing stream.
Roll down! Roll down, justice!
Roll like an ever-flowing stream,
flowing stream, roll down!
Holy and Living God, we long for your justice, for your peace.
May peace flow. Let justice roll.
We long to be released from the shackles of fear and injustice.
May peace flow. Let justice roll.
We wait O God, crying “How Long?”
May peace flow. Let justice roll.
Peace
Pastor: Peace be with you!
People: And also with you!
Please pass the peace of Christ with those around you.
Opening Hymn
“We Need Thee Every Hour” #476
WE PROCLAIM
Come as a Child
A Word for Humanity
Scripture
Psalm 13
“How Long”
see insert
Prayer Poem
“Perfecting”
Perfecting God,
As we walk further into your light
and your Word manifests more deeply within us,
may we come to understand
that absence is not always enough.
The absence of hate is good,
but the presence of love perfects what is good.
The absence of evil is good,
but the presence of righteousness perfects what is good.
The absence of violence is good,
but the presence of peace perfects what is good.
The absence of scarcity is good,
but the presence of abundance perfects what is good.
The absence of discrimination is good,
but the presence of justice perfects what is good.
Transform us as only you can, Perfecting God.
Mold us and make us after your will,
while we are waiting, yielded and still. Amen.
“How Long”
see insert – sing refrain only
Sermon
Turn to someone near you, and say this to them,
“God is good, all the time
and all the time, God is good.”
WE RESPOND
Morning Prayer/Lord’s Prayer
Offering
Offertory
Doxology
[Tune: Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow, #147]
For death-defying hope, we praise;
for love what conquers all, we raise
Alleluia’s! Alleluia!
For justice here on earth we sing
and righteousness as if a stream.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Prayer of Dedication
For the gift of righteous indignation that can fuel our compassion,
we give thanks.
For these offerings which can become ways to alleviate injustice,
we give thanks.
For the gift of this community bound and working together,
we give thanks.
Closing Hymn
“There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy”#61
Benediction
As counterintuitive as it may seem, may the work of lament
be the fuel for your empathy.
Remember, you have the freedom and power to name injustice
and in that crying out, expose it to the Light in which it cannot survive.
Let the act of grief move us, rather than stymy us.
I invite you make a connection with those around you–
one hand on someone’s shoulder works well for
holding your worship guide in the other hand!
and to bless one another with these words:
May the song you sing in your heart
be pleasing to God,
moving you to the passion and compassion of Jesus,
uplifted by a Spirit
that keeps you humming life’s tune of love.
Amen.
Benediction Response
“May Peace Flow”
May peace flow through me
as music through an instrument,
let it flow through me
like the warmth from the sun
may peace flow through me
so that I may be a vessel
of the love of God for everyone,
for everyone.
Postlude
Worship Notes: Design, leader parts and liturgy © Marcia McFee, Used with permission. Opening and Closing Prayer/Poems © Bishop LaTrelle Miller Easterling. Used with permission for “Roll Down Justice” Lent series by Worship Design Studio. “Dust and Ashes” words by Brian Wren. Additional stanza © 2012 Hope Publishing Company. CCLI #3100743
Volunteers / Today / Mar 19 / Offerings / Capital CampaignFront Door Greeter / Please sign up to share your talents! / Budget $2127/wk / Pledges:
Side Door Greeter / 3/5 offering: $1572 / $103,050
Liturgist / OCWM $105 / Received:
Organist / Sylvia Gesell / Dee Hutson / Attendance 47 / $86,569
Next Week’s Scripture Focus: Matthew 25:31-40
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
*March 12 – Morris Volunteer Firemen’s Breakfast, 7 am – 1 pm, St. Anthony’s Schad Hall. Whole hog sausage, pancakes, biscuits & gravy, applesauce. Free will offering.
*March 19 – St. Jacob’s UCC Blue Creek Sausage & Pancake Breakfast, Bake Sale & Raffle – 7:30am-12:30pm in the church hall. Contact Janice at 623-3578 if you can help.
*March 27-31 Merom Work Camp –multi-generational opportunity, talk with Louie & Jim if you can come. Lots of fun, lots of hard work! Come make a difference with us.
Lenten Small Group Study – 7pm
Thursday March 16: Whiteness as the Norm – with Da Vita D. McCallister
Thursday March 23: Whiteness as Cash Value – with Traci Blackmon
Thursday April 6: On Being an Ally – with Stephen Ray
This webinar series offers a solid foundation on the subject of white privilege while also serving as a preview for the "White Privilege: Let’s Talk" adult education curriculum, part of the United Church of Christ's ongoing commitment to engaging communities of faith in Sacred Conversations on Race.
Please let Pastor Lynne know if you’ll be coming and haven’t already signed up.
It’s not too late to join us!
BROOKLAWN:
Sunday School invites you to help us support Brooklawn, a UCC sponsored Children's Home in Louisville.
Brooklawn currently serves about 175 children on campus. Last summer, one of their speakers shared from the pulpit of the needs of these young people.
This week, we are asking for swimming items: Goggles, sunscreen, and beach towels. Again, any items on the list are needed and appreciated.
Sunday School will be collecting through Easter. Please join us in being the Hands and Feet of Jesus here in our own Indiana-Kentucky Conference.
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