For Only One Short Hour, or, The Seamstress Anna E. Blunden, 1854. New Haven, CT - March 21, 2021 - Grace South Bay

Fifth Sunday in Lent
             March 21, 2021

For Only One Short Hour, or, The Seamstress
  Anna E. Blunden, 1854. New Haven, CT

Gather | Preparation

                    PRELUDE
              QUOTES FOR REFLECTION
  The following Reflection Quotes are provided to catalyze
 thought, and are therefore not always representative of the
                   views of Grace Church.

Probably the number one reason why prayer
malfunctions in the hands of believers is that
we try to turn a wartime walkie talkie into a
domestic intercom.
John Piper

The name of Jesus gives my prayers royal ac-
cess. They get through. Jesus isn’t just the
Savior of my soul. He’s also the Savior of my
prayers. My prayers come before the throne of
God as the prayers of Jesus. “Asking in Jesus’
name” isn’t another thing I have to get right
so my prayers are perfect. It is one more gift of
God because my prayers are so imperfect.
Paul E. Miller. A Praying Life

The only person who dares wake up a king
at 3:00 AM for a glass of water is his child. We
have that kind of access.
Tim Keller

Gather | Call to Worship

        WORDS OF PREPARATION
           Liturgist: Rev. Steven Chitty

          SONG OF APPROACH
        All Creatures of our God and King
All creatures of our God and King,
lift up your voice and with us sing
   O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
thou silver moon with softer gleam,
   O praise Him, O praise Him!
   Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Thou rushing wind that art so strong,
ye clouds that sail in heav’n along,
  O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou rising morn, in praise rejoice,
ye lights of ev’ning find a voice!
  O praise Him, O praise Him!
  Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

All ye who are of tender heart,
forgiving others, take your part,
  O praise Him! Alleluia!
Ye who long pain and sorrow bear,
praise God and on Him cast your care!
  O praise Him, O praise Him!
  Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Let all things their Creator bless
and worship Him in humbleness,
  O praise Him! Alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
and praise the Spirit, Three in One:
  O praise Him, O praise Him!
  Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Author: St. Francis of Assisi (1225); Paraphraser: William H. Draper. Tune: LASST UNS ER-
FREUEN (1600s)

CALL TO WORSHIP
                Psalm 61:1-5, 8
Hear my cry, O God,
 listen to my prayer;
from the end of the earth I call to you
  when my heart is faint.
Lead me to the rock
  that is higher than I,
for you have been my refuge,
  a strong tower against the enemy.
Let me dwell in your tent forever!
  Let me take refuge under the shelter of
your wings!
For you, O God, have heard my vows;
  you have given me the heritage of those
who fear your name.
So will I ever sing praises to your name,
 as I perform my vows day after day.

PRAYER OF APPROACH
          Concluded by the Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who is in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your 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 yours is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, forever. Amen.

              SONG OF PRAISE
               How Great is Our God
The splendor of the King
Clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice, all the earth rejoice
He wraps Himself in light
And darkness tries to hide
And trembles at His voice
And trembles at His voice

How great is our God
   Sing with me
   How great is our God
   And all will see how great
   How great is our God

And age to age He stands
And time is in His hands
Beginning and the End
Beginning and the End
The Godhead three in one
Father Spirit Son
The Lion and the Lamb
The Lion and the Lamb

Name above all names
Worthy of all praise
My heart will sing
How great is our God
Words and Music: Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeve, Ed Cash. © 2004 worshiptoget er.com songs /
sixsteps Music / Alletrop Music.

Grow | Confession and Renewal

            SCRIPTURE READING
                   Luke 18:1-8
And he told them a parable to the effect
that they ought always to pray and not lose
heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a
judge who neither feared God nor respect-
ed man. 3 And there was a widow in that city
who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give
me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while
he refused, but afterward he said to himself,
‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man,
5
 yet because this widow keeps bothering me,
I will give her justice, so that she will not beat
me down by her continual coming.’” 6 And
the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous
judge says. 7 And will not God give justice
to his elect, who cry to him day and night?
Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he
will give justice to them speedily. Neverthe-
less, when the Son of Man comes, will he find
faith on earth?”

PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Almighty, all-merciful God,
through Christ Jesus you have taught us
to love one another,
to love our neighbors as ourselves,
to love our enemies.
We confess the hatred in our hearts
And our indifference to the hatred
We see towards others.
In times of violence and fear,
let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts,
so that we may not be overcome with evil
but overcome evil with good.
Help us to see each person
in light of the love and grace
you have shown us in Christ.
Establish among us a future
where peace reigns,
justice is done with mercy,
and all are reconciled.
We ask these things
in the name and for the sake
of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

SONG OF CONFESSION
                               Instrument of Peace
    Lord, make me an instrument of peace,
    an instrument of peace.

Where is there hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is darkness, let me sow light.
For in the giving, we shall receive,
and in the dying, we’re given life.

Where there is sorrow, let me sow hope!
Where there is doubt let me sow faith!
Where is injury your pardon give
Your consolation to those in pain
Isaac Wardell | Jessica Fox | Liz Vice | Orlando Palmer | Paul Zach © 2020 Integrity Worship Music

                   ASSURANCE OF PARDON
                                        Isaiah 25:8
He will swallow up death forever;
and the Lord God will wipe away tears from
all faces,
   and the reproach of his people he will take
away from all the earth,
   for the Lord has spoken.

SONG OF ASSURANCE
                                  Psalm 126
Our mouths, they were filled,
filled with laughter;
Our tongues, they were loosed,
loosed with joy.
Restore us, O Lord! Restore us, O Lord!

   Although we are weeping,
   Lord, help us keep sowing
   The seeds of Your Kingdom
   For the day You will reap them!
   Your sheaves we will carry;
   Lord, please do not tarry!
   All those who sow weeping
   Will go out with songs of joy!

The nations will say,
“He has done great things!”
The nations will sing songs of joy.
Restore us, O Lord! Restore us, O Lord!
Words and Music: Isaac Wardell, 2011. © New Jerusalem Music

Grow | Feasting on the Word

            SCRIPTURE READING
                 James 5:12-18
But above all, my brothers, do not swear, ei-
ther by heaven or by earth or by any other
oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no”
be no, so that you may not fall under con-
demnation.

13
    Is anyone among you suffering? Let him
pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.
14
    Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for
the elders of the church, and let them pray
over him, anointing him with oil in the name
of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save
the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise
him up. And if he has committed sins, he will
be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to
one another and pray for one another, that
you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous
person has great power as it is working. 17 Eli-
jah was a man with a nature like ours, and he
prayed fervently that it might not rain, and
for three years and six months it did not rain
on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and
heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.
.........................................
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

SERMON
                  Prayer
             Rev. Bob Crossland

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Grow | Feasting at the Table

    INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE

          WORDS OF INSTITUTION

       COMMUNION ACCLAMATION
Let us proclaim the mystery of the faith:
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again!
Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.
Therefore let us keep the feast.
These are the gifts of God for the people of
God. Feed on them in your hearts by faith,
and with thanksgiving.

SONG OF RESPONSE
         What a Friend We Have in Jesus
What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
Soon in glory bright unclouded
Face to face will be our prayer.
Joyful praise and endless worship
Will be our sweet portion there
Words: Joseph Scriven. Music: Charles C. Converse.
Public Domain.

Go | Blessing and Sending

            SONG OF SENDING
                All Must Be Well
Through the love of God our Savior,
All will be well
Free and changeless is His favor,
All is well
Precious is the blood that healed us
Perfect is the grace that sealed us
Strong the hand stretched forth to shield us
All must be well

Though we pass through tribulation,
All will be well
Ours is such a full salvation,
All is well
Happy still in God confiding
Fruitful if in Christ abiding
Steadfast through the Spirit’s guiding
All must be well

We expect a bright tomorrow;
All will be well
Faith can sing through days of sorrow,
All is well
On our Father’s love relying
Jesus every need supplying
Yes in living or in dying
All must be well
Words: Mary Bowley-Peters; alt. Music: Matthew Smith. © 2007 detuned radio music.

                            BENEDICTION
                             Numbers 6:24-26
The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you
and give you peace.
Amen.

                                  CHARGE
Let us go forth to serve the world as those
who love our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Thanks be to God!

                                OFFERING
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churchcenter.com/giving