Bulletin

Welcome to United Christian Parish! Use the bulletin as guidance as you worship.
(download the bulletin as a PDF)

MARCH 1 ORDER OF WORSHIP

PRELUDE

WELCOME

CALL TO WORSHIP
One: Tell me something good!
All: The good news is this: God loves us with a great love. A love that feeds the hungry and welcomes the stranger. God loves us more than we could imagine.  
One: Tell me something good!
All: The good news is this: We are created for great love. Great love for God. Great love for neighbor.
One: Tell me something good!
All: God’s love meets us in this service of worship. We are not alone.   
One: This is good news indeed! Let us worship the One who is love.
All: Let us worship with hearts open wide and lives ready to love greatly.

OPENING SONG *
“Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” (#366)
Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heaven, to earth come down,
fix in us thy humble dwelling;
all thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, thou art all compassion;
pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation;
enter every trembling heart.

Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit
into every troubled breast;
let us all in thee inherit;
let us find the promised rest.
Take away the love of sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
end of faith, as its beginning,
set our hearts at liberty.

Come, Almighty, to deliver;
let us all thy life receive;
suddenly return, and never,
nevermore thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray, and praise thee without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.

Finish then thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be;
let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee:
changed from glory into glory,
till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.

CALL TO CONFESSION *

PRAYER OF CONFESSION *
One: Merciful God, You have loved us with a great love. You have fed us with daily bread. You have welcomed us as your own.
All: Yet we confess: We have passed by those who hunger. We have withheld welcome from the stranger.  We have chosen comfort over compassion. We have loved in word more than in deed.
One: Forgive us. Turn our hearts again toward you. Open our eyes to see Christ in the least, the lost, and the overlooked.
All: God, we long to be people who love our neighbors with the same overwhelming love that you have for them. But we must admit, we have a long way to go. Forgive us for the times when we let bias, scarcity, or fear get in the way of love. Wash us clean and give us the courage to try again.  
One: In your mercy, renew us in love.

WORDS OF FORGIVENESS *
One: Hear the good news: The One who identifies with “the least of these” is the same One who gives himself for us.
All: Even when we act with judgment, even when we are guided by fear, even when we turn our back on a neighbor in need, God does not turn God’s back on us.
One: So join me in this good-news declaration:
All: In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. In Jesus Christ, we are made new. In Jesus Christ, love has the final word.
One: Thanks be to God for this unending love.

GLORIA *
“Glory Be to the Father”
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.

PASSING THE PEACE

OFFERING

DOXOLOGY
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
praise Christ, all people here below;
praise Holy Spirit evermore:
Praise Triune God, whom we adore. Amen.

CHILDREN’S TIME

SONG

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

SCRIPTURE (Luke 7:36–39;44-50; Matthew 25:35-40)

SERMON

COMMUNION

LORD’S PRAYER
All: 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.

PRAYER
One: Gracious God, We thank you for meeting us at this table. You have fed us with great love. Now send us to love greatly.
All: When it comes to our neighbors, give us eyes to see as you see. Give us hands to serve as you serve. Give us arms to hold. Give us feet to journey alongside. Give us hearts of compassion, just like yours.
One: May we see Christ in the hungry. May we welcome Christ in the stranger. May we serve Christ in the suffering. May we love you by loving our neighbor
All: Grounded in this good news, send us into the world in peace. Amen.

CLOSING SONG *
“When the Poor Ones” (#762)
When the poor ones who have nothing share with strangers,
when the thirsty water give unto us all,
when the crippled in their weakness strengthen others,
Refrain: then we know that God still goes that road with us,
then we know that God still goes that road with us.

When at last all those who suffer find their comfort,
when they hope though even hope seems hopelessness,
when we love, though hate at times seems all around us, [Refrain]

When our joy fills up our cup to overflowing,
when our lips can speak no words other than true,
when we know that love for simple things is better, [Refrain]

When our homes are filled with goodness in abundance,
when we learn how to make peace instead of war,
when each stranger that we meet is called a neighbor, [Refrain]

CLOSING MESSAGE *

POSTLUDE

*Rise in body or spirit