Lenten Home Worship
Sunday, March 22, 2020
Gathering
Prepared by Woodlawn Chapel Presbyterian Church
Chris Keating, pastor

Feel free to pass this along to your friends and family. Note that there are several links to other pages embedded below. You are invited to visit those pages as part of your worship experience.  The hymn, “Morning Has Broken” is in the public domain. Parts of the liturgy were adapted from the Book of Common Worship (Presbyterian Church, USA, 2018), permission granted for reproduction during March, 2020.  All other worship elements were designed and written by Chris Keating, copyright © 2020, Woodlawn Chapel Presbyterian Church, 16520 Clayton Road, Wildwood, MO 63011. 

Lighting of candle(s)

Begin your time of home worship by lighting a candle as a reminder of the presence of Christ, and as a symbol of your connection to the body of Christ throughout the world.  As you light the candle, say:

O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise. (Ps. 51:15)
The Lord’s unfailing love and mercy never cease, fresh as the morning and sure as the sunrise.
(Lam. 3:22–23)

Morning Hymn: “Be Thou My Vision”
Trans. by Mary E. Byrne.

(You may chose to read this reflectively, or you may wish to listen to a recording of this wonderful hymn. One beautiful rendition is found here on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMsEDVm-cT0

1. Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art—
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

2 Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

3. Riches I heed not, nor vain empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

4. High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

Gathering Prayer:

Let us pray,
God of all glory, on this first day you began creation,
bringing light out of darkness.
On this first day you began your new creation,
raising Jesus Christ from the darkness of death.
On this Lord’s Day grant that we,
the people you create by water and the Spirit,
may be joined with all your works
in praising you for your great glory.
Through Jesus Christ, in union with the Holy Spirit,
we praise you now and forever. Amen (The Book of Common Worship, p. 2)

Prayer of Confession

As we are gathered by Christ, we experience the overflowing abundance of God’s love and grace. Pause for a moment, silently naming the times you have ignored this abundance. Name the pain sin has caused for you or for others. Offer it to God, knowing that God is more ready to hear our prayers than we are to say them.

Assurance of Pardon

Be at peace and know that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is offered for you. Your sins are forgiven. Amen.

Proclaiming God’s Word

Scripture Reading: Psalm 23

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff– they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD my whole life long.

Lectio Divina (Spiritual reading): 

• • Read the Psalm once, either out loud or silently.

  • Pay attention to any phrase or word which captures your attention. Why does that word/phrase or image draw your interest? Spend a few moments reflecting on that word/phrase/image. How does this communicate God’s love?

  • Read the Psalm once again. This time, think of the Psalm like light filtering through stained glass. What reflections do you see? What action or movement is God doing in this Psalm?

  • Now read it a third time. As you read, think about the way you sensed God moving or acting. What about the way that God was moving compels you to act? What action does this Psalm invite of you, of your family, or of our church?

  • After a moment or two of silence, read the Psalm once more. Allow one or two lines to dwell deep within you, and carry them with you as you sit in silence with God for a few moments.

Responding To God

Offering

Our offerings are more than the gifts we share with our church – though those are important! What will you offer to God today in gratitude for all that God has given you?

(You may also make a donation to Woodlawn Chapel through our secure e-payment page: https://tinyurl.com/s6sbc9x)

Prayers of Thanksgiving, Supplication, Intercession and the Lord’s Prayer

Gracious God,
In these moments of confusion, heartache and struggle, we pause in gratitude for your gifts. We thank you and praise you for the gifts of friends, family, love, and peace. Even as we are separated from those we love, we know that we are gathered in you. We thank you for the resources which you have offered us, and for the grace that you provide in every moment of life.

Our hearts are heavy, O Lord, with fears and anxiety. Shepherd our souls, and provide for us even in times of terror. Center our minds in the promises of faith and relieve our anxiousness and worry. Give to us signs of your continuing love, so that we may know the safety and protection of your care.

Holy One, we place in your care those who are ill, especially those who suffer from disease; be present with doctors and nurses and all who care for the sick, lonely, and dying. Bring healing to those who suffer from the coronavirus and all other diseases and keep all your children close to your heart. Make us ever mindful of the way your Spirit is at work even now and relieve us from all discouragement and struggle.
Hear, too, the prayers we raise to you as Jesus taught, saying:

Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done,
On Earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever, Amen.

Going in God’s Name

Follow the link below to watch a video from “The Work of the People.”
The video is simple reminder of Psalm 23.
Allow its images and music to equip you with hope as you prepare to go into your day with God.

Click here: https://www.theworkofthepeople.com/fear-no-evil

Benediction

Go now with God, our protector, redeemer, sustainer and friend:
And may the blessings of God be with you
And all whom you love,
now and forever, world without end, Amen.

Here’s a wonderful rendition of “The Lord Bless You and Keep You” (Peter Christian Lutkin)
as sung by the Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ.

Click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4C9zVg5X_A