Ward Hill Church of Christ the King
A Christ-Centered Community of Faith, Hope, & Love
The Lord’s Day, March 19, in the Lord’s Year 2023
Fourth Sunday in Lent
Please speak bold words and sing italicized words; * we invite you to stand as able.
Prelude & Quiet Prayer – five minutes before service (9:55-10:00 am)
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins. His mercy endures forever.
* Hymn 104 We Lift Up as Our Shield God’s Name ST PATRICK’S BREASTPLATE
* Invocation
* Confession of Sin: Gracious God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, you have promised to receive us when we come to you. We confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you or our neighbors as we should. Forgive us, O God, and grant that in the Holy Spirit we may live and serve you in newness of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
* Declaration of Forgiveness in Christ: If you have repented of your sin and turned in faith to Jesus Christ, I can declare through Christ’s atoning death and life-giving resurrection that you are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
* New Life in Christ: If you love God, keep his commandments. After God had delivered the Israelites, he gave them The Ten Commandments:
I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Honour thy father and thy mother. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Thou shalt not covet.
* Response (Hymn 252, verse 1) HAMBURG
When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of glory died; my richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride.
O Lord, open our lips, and our mouths shall show forth your praise.
*Gloria Patri (Hymn 735) GLORIA PATRI (GREATOREX)
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, amen.
* The Peace of Christ The peace of Christ be with you. And also with you.
Announcements, Scripture Memory, & Catechism – see Bell Ringer
Song – Morning has broken like the first morning, blackbird has spoken like the first bird. Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning! Praise for them, springing fresh from the Word!
Mine is the sunlight! Mine is the morning born of the one light Eden saw play!
Praise with elation, praise every morning, God’s re-creation of the new day!
Prayer of Gathering (Collect for Lent IV): Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Prayer for the Reading of the Holy Scriptures
1 Samuel 16:1-13 Psalm 23–Hymn 86 The Lord’s My Shepherd
Ephesians 5:8-14 John 9:1-41 The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Sermon – “Walking in the Light” Series: The Romans Road – Detoured
The Nicene Creed – hymnal page 846
Prayers of the People
Offering Tithes and Gifts
Offertory (Hymn 729) HERR JESU CHRIST
All things are thine; no gift have we, Lord of all gifts, to offer thee; and hence with grateful hearts today, thine own before thy feet we lay.
* Doxology (Hymn 731) OLD HUNDREDTH
Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below; praise him above, ye heavenly host; praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
* Offertory Prayer
Celebration of the Lord’s Supper
This is the table of the Lord, not of Ward Hill Church. Therefore, we invite to the Lord’s table all baptized persons who have confessed their sins and put their faith in Jesus Christ. Normally, you should also be in regular fellowship with, if not this church, a congregation in another location. If you do not wish to participate in the Lord’s Supper today, we understand and sincerely ask for God’s blessing on your life. Either way, we are thankful that you have been present with us this day in the house of the Lord.
Eucharistic Prayer and the Sanctus
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Praise be to you, Lord of heaven and earth. You have revealed your mercy towards your people in giving your only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. We give thanks for the redemption you have prepared for us through Jesus Christ. Let your Holy Spirit come into our hearts to enlighten us with a living faith. With your whole Church on earth and with all the saints and angels in heaven, we worship and adore your glorious name in this unending praise:
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might, Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Consecration of the Elements & Ourselves:Discerning the Body of Christ
O God, sanctify by your Spirit this bread and wine, which you have given and human hands have made. Here we offer them to you, that through them we may partake of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. On the same night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take, eat. This is my body, which is given for you.” In the same way, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to his disciples saying, “Drink this, all of you. This is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
Therefore, heavenly Father, we celebrate this supper in remembrance of your Son’s passion and death, his resurrection and ascension. We will eat of the Bread of Life and drink the Cup of Blessing until the day when he comes again in glory.
We ask you, O God, to remember the perfect and eternal sacrifice through which, in Christ, you have reconciled us with yourself. Grant that we may be united into one body and be made a perfect living sacrifice in Christ. Through him, and with him, and in him, by the power of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor are yours, almighty Father, forever and ever. And now we pray as our Savior taught us:
Our Father, who art in heaven… (saying ‘debts’)
Hymnal 424 Shepherd of Souls, Refresh and Bless ST AGNES
Holy Communion:Receiving the Body and Blood of Christ
The bread which we break is a sharing in the body of Christ. The cup for which we give thanks is a participation in the blood of Christ.
Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast.
The gifts of God for the people of God. Amen.
Please remain seated for the giving and the receiving of the Lord’s Supper.
Thanksgiving and Commission:Being the Body of Christ in the World
Let us give thanks. Almighty and eternal God, you have fed us with the Holy Communion of the body and blood of your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ; we thank you for this gift, by which you assure us that we are members of the mystical body of your Son and heirs through hope of your everlasting kingdom. So assist us by your Holy Spirit that we may grow daily in knowledge of your truth, and in faithfulness to your will, abiding in that fellowship in which all your saints have part; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be all honor and glory, world without end. Amen. Go forth in peace to love and serve the Lord. Amen.
* Hymnal 642 Be Thou My Vision SLANE
* Benediction
Postlude
The Ward Hill Church Bell Ringer
The Lord’s Day, March 19, 2023–4th Sunday in Lent
St Patrick the Missionary Dinner – TODAY
Lenten Prayer – Tuesday, March 21 at 7 pm
VISITORS – Thank you for joining us. If you have any questions, please ask. We hope to see you again soon. Email – wardhillchurch@gmail.com
Look us up on Facebook, Twitter, and wardhillchurch.org!
Service – 10 am (Lord’s Supper observed on 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month)
Fellowship & Study – 11 am to 12 noon
Lectionary and Hymns for Next Sunday, March 26, 2023
Season: Lent – 40 days of fasting and 6 Lord’s Days before Easter Sunday
Color: Purple – for repentance
Fourth Sunday in Lent, March 26
Lectionary: Ezekiel 37:1-14; Psalm 130; Romans 8:6-11; John 11:1-45
Hymns: 263 – Lift High the Cross; 264 – Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross;
Monthly Prayer Focus for March
Local Church Focus: Sacred Hearts Parish, Bradford – Fr John Delaney
Missions Focus: Somebody Cares New England
Community Resources – Food, Clothing, Shelter, & Other Help
www.communityactioninc.org/phocadownload/resource_guide_english_october_2017.pdf National Suicide Hotline: 988
Global Crisis Help: World Relief – worldrelief.org
Monthly Scripture Memory for March
Romans 5:6-8 (ESV) – 6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Weekly Catechism: Outline of the Faith
Q. Why is the Church described as apostolic?
A. The Church is apostolic, because it continues in the teaching and fellowship of the apostles and is sent to carry out Christ’s mission to all people.
Q. What is the mission of the Church?
A. The mission of the Church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.
Q. How does the Church pursue its mission?
A. The Church pursues its mission as it prays and worships, proclaims the Gospel, and promotes justice, peace, and love.
Q. Through whom does the Church carry out its mission?
A. The church carries out its mission through the ministry of all its members.
Q. Who are the ministers of the Church?
A. The ministers of the Church are pastors, deacons, and lay persons.
Ward Hill Church of Christ the King 