Emmanuel Mennonite Church You lead us with your light and truth. We pray for ourselves and those dear to us. (open prayers) In your mercy, Lord, hear our prayer. “Proclaiming peace through Christ” Meeting House You provide for the poor and the stranger. We pray for our community and for our neighbors. (open prayers) In your mercy, Lord, hear our prayer You are the help and hope of your people. We pray for the church in all places, that we may be one. (open prayers) In your mercy, Lord, hear our prayer. 1236 NW 18th Avenue Gainesville, FL 32609 Phone: 352-377-6577 e-mail: gnvmenno@bellsouth.net Pastor: Eve MacMaster web site: gainesvillemennonites.org ______________________________________________________ March 22, 2015 All the nations belong to you. We pray for the world, that your reign may come and your will be done on earth. (open prayers) In your mercy, Lord, hear our prayer. We offer you other concerns we carry in our hearts. (open prayers) In your mercy, Lord, hear our prayer. God our only hope, you seat us at the table with our enemies, breathing in our fears. Feed us with your word, that our bread may be to do your will, in the strength of your Anointed, who taught us to pray: Our Father . . . INVITATION TO THE OFFERING *SUNG RESPONSE Praise God from whom PRAYER OF DEDICATION *SENDING SONG *BENEDICTION Will you come and follow me GATHERING/PRAISING Be joyful At the name of Jesus CALL TO WORSHIP Leader From Bethlehem to Nazareth, from Jordan to Jericho, from Bethany to Jerusalem, from then to now, People: Come, Lord Jesus. To heal the sick, to mend the broken-hearted, to comfort the disturbed, to disturb the comfortable, to liberate faith from convention, Come Lord Jesus. Hymnal 119 Sing the Story 39 To carry the cross, to lead the way, to shoulder the sin of the world and take it away, Come, Lord Jesus. Fifth Sunday in Lent *Please stand as you are able Sing the Story 18 Hymnal 342 Today, to this place, to us, Come, Lord Jesus. In the way of your decrees I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. LIGHTING THE PEACE LAMP OPENING PRAYER ALL: CONFESSING/RECONCILING Remember your mercy, O Lord, and the love you have shown from of old. Do not remember my sins; in your love remember me. (silence) You relieve the troubles of my heart, and bring me out of my distress. You consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins. Amen. EPISTLE LESSON A reading from Hebrews 5:5-10 (The Scripture is read) The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. THE PEACE OF CHRIST Since God has forgiven us in Christ, let us forgive one another: The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. And also with you. (The congregation exchange signs of peace) OLD TESTAMENT LESSON A reading from Jeremiah 31:31-34 (The Scripture is read) The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. RESPONSIVE PRAYER Psalm 119:9-16 Leader: How can young people keep their way pure? People: By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not stray from your commandments. I treasure your word in my heart, so that I may not sin against you. Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes. With my lips I declare all the ordinances of your mouth. *HYMN O love that will not let me go Hymnal 577 GOSPEL LESSON A reading from John 12:20-33 (The Scripture is read) The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. SERMON *HYMN GLORY, GLORY, HALLELUIAH! When we are tempted SILENT REFLECTION SHARING REFLECTIONS INTRODUCTIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS SHARING JOYS AND CONCERNS PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE Leader: Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage. People: Hear, O Lord, when we cry aloud; be gracious to us and answer us! Attentive God, we bring our prayers to you because we trust you to protect and provide. In your mercy, Lord, hear our prayer. Sing the Story 81 WELCOME VISITORS! We’re glad you’re here! Please sign the guest book and join us for join us for coffee after the worship service. TODAY AT THE MEETING HOUSE: Sunday school, 10:00 a.m. We’re reading John’s gospel. Worship, 11a.m. SERVING TODAY: Music direction, Kay Martin; Flute, Ginny Campbell; Worship leading, Dick MacMaster; Scripture reading, Shelley Carr; Sermon, Eve MacMaster; Sharing, Paul Campbell TUESDAY, March 24: Men’s group, 12:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY, March 25: The Prophets in Contemporary Culture, 7:00-8:30 p.m. FRIDAY, March 27: Elders, 11:00 a.m. IAIJ fundraiser, 5:00-7:00 p.m. Painting with a Twist See Dick MacMaster for more information. FARM WORKER JUSTICE AND IMMIGRANT RIGHTS The Gainesville Interfaith Alliance for Immigrant Justice (IAIJ) and the UF Center for Latin American Studies and the Program on Immigration, Religion and Social Change are sponsoring a spring conference After the Impasse on Immigration Reform: Working Together for Farm Worker Justice and Immigrants’ Rights April 18 at UF, beginning at 9:00 a.m. in Ustler Hall auditorium. Anton Flores, leader of the Mennonite-affiliated Alterna faith community and activist for immigrants’ rights will be one of the featured speakers. Conference registration is FREE Register with Paula Roetscher at proetscher.ufl.edu. For more information see https://www.facebook.com/events/402839973219409/ IAIJ is holding a FUNDRAISER at a local art studio called PAINTING WITH A TWIST to support travel to the conference for immigrants and low-wage workers. We are holding an art class taught by a local artist on Friday, March 27 from 5-7 p.m. Professional artists will help participants create paintings to keep or give as a gift. Registration per person is $35, with $15 going to IAIJ support attendance at the conference by. Register at: http://www.paintingwithatwist.com/events/viewEvent.aspx?eventIDmicroso =385947 SATURDAY, March 28: Interfaith dialogue, 10:00 --11:30 a.m. NEXT SUNDAY, March 29: Palm/Passion Sunday; Collection for Church World Service and peanut butter for Grace Market Place. Lectionary scriptures: Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 31:9-16; Philippians 2:5-11; Mark 14:1--15:47 THE PROPHETS IN CONTEMPORARY CULTURE Walter Brueggemann on Confronting Today’s “Pharaohs” Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. March 18 through April 22 a six-session DVD-based discussion series HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Kimberly Hunter, March 26. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, Jacob and Elyse Moser, married March 25, 2013; and Mark and Paula Moser, married March 26, 1983. PLANNING AHEAD April 2: Maundy Thursday service of communion and footwashing April 5: Celebration of the Resurrection: Easter Sunday brunch at Campbell’s, followed by worship at the Meeting House April 11: Yard sale to benefit Rural Women’s Health Project April 12: Church Council April 14: Serving supper at St. Francis House April 19: Anton Flores from Alterna Community, LaGrange, Georgia April 26: Sarah Werner on Creation Care Session 1: Moses, Pharaoh, the Prophets, and Us Session 2: The Prophets as Uncredentialed Purveyors of Covenant Session 3: Moral Coherence in a World of Power, Money, and Violence Session 4: The Shrill Rhetoric that Breaks Denial Session 5: The Grief of Loss as Divine Judgment Session 6: The Promissory Language that Breaks Despair Walter Brueggemann, Old Testament scholar and theologian, sets out prophetic thinking in clear and appealing terms as challenges to ancient cultures and worlds. Then he turns to our contemporary Western world and finds an urgent prophetic call to resist consumerism and power structures that oppress and dehumanize us all. This study is an opportunity to learn about the way the ancient prophets can be heard to speak to our time. JEREMIAH 31:31-34 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, “Know the Lord,” for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.” HEBREWS 5:1-10 Every high priest chosen from among mortals is put in charge of things pertaining to God on their behalf, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is subject to weakness; and because of this he must offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not presume to take this honor, but takes it only when called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming a high priest, but was appointed by the one who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.” In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. JOHN 12:20-33 Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor. “Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say— ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.
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