Virtual Worship – Sunday, March 29, 2020

First Presbyterian Church

Delavan, Illinois

Service for the Lord’s Day

March 29, 2020

Fifth Sunday of Lent

Welcome and Announcements

Good morning everyone. We are about to try a new thing in this time of social distancing. We are still a community of faith even though we are separated for the safety of ourselves, our families, our congregation, and our communities. We will be meeting like this on the 29th of March and April 5th, we hope to rejoin in worship on April 9th – Maundy Thursday. At this time the Community Easter Sunrise Service has been canceled. 

In this bulletin, you will find links to the hymns which also show the lyrics. If you get an ad (and you likely will) you can skip the ad by liking the SKIP AD usually found in the lower right corner of the video. There are also links to the Gospel reading and the sermon.

For next week please email or text the church or Pastor Jean with any prayer requests.

We offer praise and prayer to God

^Call to Worship

I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord;

Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.

LET US WORSHIP GOD!

^Opening Prayer

Almighty God, your Son came into the world to free us all from sin and death. Breathe upon us with the power of your Spirit, that we may be raised to new life in Christ, and serve you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

^Hymn     “To God Be The Glory” #72 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymrZO1PZbU4

Call to Confession

If the LORD counted our sins, who could stand? But with God there is forgiveness, steadfast love,  and great power to redeem. Hope in the LORD! It is God who will save us from our sin.

With faith and hope, let us confess our sin.

Confession of Sin

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 

Create in me a clean heart, O God; put a new and right spirit within me. 

Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit. 

Create in me a clean heart, O God; put a new and right spirit within me.

Time of Silent Confession

(Lord, have mercy on us) #300

Assurance of Pardon

Hear the word of the LORD: I will open your graves, O my people, and these dry bones will live! I will put my Spirit within you, and you will live, and you will know that I am the LORD.

In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. Thanks be to God!

^Gloria Patri (Glory be to the Father) #35

^Passing the Peace

We listen to God’s Word

Prayer for Illumination

Living God, help us so to hear your holy Word that we may truly understand; that, understanding, we may believe, and, believing, we may follow in all faithfulness and obedience, seeking your honor and glory in all that we do; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

First Reading  Ezekiel 37:1-14   Pew Bible, OT, pgs.

(The valley of the living, no longer dry bones) 

1The hand of the LORD came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. 3He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.” 4Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the LORD.”

7So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. 9Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath:Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” 10I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.

11Then he said to me, “Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.’ 12Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. 14I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken and will act, says the LORD.”

The Word of The LORD.  Thanks be to God.

Psalm 130 (Waiting for the LORD’s redemption) Responsive

Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD.

Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!

If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?

But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered.

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;

my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem.

It is he who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

Gospel Reading   John 11:1-45  Pew Bible, NT,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5ZX4dnwHFI

(The raising of Lazarus of Bethany from death to life.)

1Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. 3So the sisters sent a message to Jesus,“Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4But when Jesus heard it, he said, “This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 5Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, 6after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.

7Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. 10But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them.” 11After saying this, he told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.” 12The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right.” 13Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep. 14Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

17When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, 19and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. 20When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. 21Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.” 23Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, 26and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27She said to him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.”

28When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, and told her privately, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him. 30Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31The Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. 34He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35Jesus began to weep. 36So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”

38Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. 39Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days.” 40Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” 41So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you for having heard me. 42I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.” 43When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

45Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.

The Word of The LORD.  Thanks be to God.

Sermon The Path To The Cross – Walking Thru Sorrow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPWRiRy8v38

^Affirmation of Faith  Apostle’s Creed 

I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come again to judge the quick and the dead.  I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.  Amen.

^Hymn “Every Time I Feel The Spirit”  # 592 https://www.smallchurchmusic.com/2013/MP3/MP3-EveryTimeIFeel-Spiritual-SBand-128-CAM.mp3

Every time I feel the Spirit

Author: African-American Spiritual

Refrain

Every time I feel the spirit

Movin’ in my heart I will pray

Every time I feel the spirit

Movin’ in my heart I will pray

Up on the mountains my Lord spoke

Out of His mouth came fire and smoke

Looked all around me, it looked so fine

I asked the Lord could it be mine

Refrain

The Jordan river is chilly and cold.

It chills the body but not the soul.

There aint but one train upon this track.

It runs to heaven and then right back.

Refrain

Oh, I have sorrow and I have woe

I have heartaches here below

But while God leads me I’ll never fear

For I know that He is near

Refrain

Prayers of the People

Almighty God, you have promised to hear when we pray in the name of your Son. Therefore in confidence and trust we pray for the church.

O God, enliven the church for its mission that we may be salt of the earth and light to the world. Breathe fresh life into your people. Give us power to reveal Christ in word and action. We pray for the world.

Creator of all, lead us and every people into ways of justice and peace, that we may respect one another in freedom and truth. Awaken in us a sense of wonder for the earth and all that is in it. Teach us to care creatively for its resources. We pray for the community.

God of truth, inspire with your wisdom those whose decisions affect the lives of others, that all may act with integrity and courage. Give grace to all whose lives are linked with ours. May we serve Christ in one another, and love as he loves us. We especially pray for those making decisions in this time of crisis – our president Donald, our vice president Mike, members of the covid-19 task force and those working to find a cure or vaccine or treatment, our senators and representatives, our governor J.B., our state government, our county and town governments. We also pray for health care providers in any place, for their safety and for the healing touch which you provide. Do not let any become weary of doing good.

We pray for those in need.

God of hope, comfort and restore all who suffer in body, mind, or spirit. May they know the power of your healing love. Make us willing agents of your compassion. Strengthen us as we share in making people whole. We remember those who have died and those who mourn.

We remember with thanksgiving those who have died in the faith of Christ, and those whose faith is known to you alone. Loving God, into your hands we commend them. Give comfort to those who mourn. Fill the emptiness of their loss with your never-ending peace. We praise you for Pete and Raymond and all your saints who have entered your eternal glory. May their example inspire and encourage us. We pray for ourselves and our ministries.

We pray for the miracle of growth in this congregation; we pray for the miracle of revitalization of main street and we pray for the miracle of your blessing on this community and its schools.

Lord, you have called us to serve you. Grant that we may minister in your name, with your love in our hearts, your truth in our minds, your strength in our wills; until, at the end of our journey, we know the joy of our homecoming and the welcome of your embrace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Lord’s Prayer

We depart to serve Christ in the world

^Hymn “Lord, I Want To Be A Christian “   # 589         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ9-1LpEnFY

^Charge

Go out into the world in peace; have courage; hold on to what is good; return no one evil for evil; strengthen the fainthearted; support the weak, and help the suffering; honor all people; love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Benediction (A word of blessing)

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of God’s Son, Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, remain with you always. Amen

Please remember in your prayers

Crystal Hack, Marian Allen, Marge Donley, Helen Hopkins, Barb Day, Verbie Hoffman, Susan (Sinn) Funke, Glenn Holmes, Meryl (Pastor Jean’s cousin) and Dick Place, Diane Schlosser, Joyce Culbertson, Mardelle Neumann (Apostolic Christian Skylines), Donna Diekhoff, Dick Temple, Dick Watts, Myrna and Don Brose, Margaret Altine, Fran (Alzheimer’s), Val (new cancer diagnosis), Alex Rich and his family, Blake Renner (son of Diane Allen Renner),  Joy Heaton and 

Lyndee Lewis’ niece

The families and friends of Pete Timm and Raymond Woodrow

All affected by the Covid-19 virus and those working to find a cure.

Calendar:

Sun., 3/29: Virtual worship

Thurs., 4/2:  Bible Study on Lent CANCELED

Sat., 4/4:  Prayer Group, 9:00 a.m. AT YOUR HOME 

Sun., 4/5: Virtual worship

Sun., 4/5:  Community Lenten Service, CANCELED

Sun., 4/12:  Community Easter Sunrise Service, Delavan United Methodist Church, all pastors speaking, 6:30 a.m.

First Presbyterian Church

P.O. Box 602, 201 W. Fourth Street, Delavan, IL 61734

(309) 244-7105

E-mail: firstpresdelavan@gmail.com

www.firstpresdelavan.org

Rev. Jean Sparks, Pastor

Linda Clauser, Organist