WORSHIP SERVICES

Lent 1:
Deep in the sea – called to deep relationship

ORDER OF SERVICE

Note: All hymns are from the new Voices Together hymnal

Centering chimes

Lighting of the solidarity lamp
-Symbolic of our Sister Church relationship with El Divino Redentor

Prelude – Intermezzo op. 118 #2 (excerpt) by Brahms

Call to Worship

One:    God, we are here at the water’s edge, casting off from shore

Many: into unknown waters.

One:    With fear and trembling, we drop our oars,

Many: letting them go, trusting the sea.

One:    God, we trust the signs of your covenant:

the ark through the water,

the waters of baptism,

Many: the bow in the clouds and the dove from the heavens.

All:      We call to you as you called us deeper into steadfast love.

Hymn #166 – Your love is washing over me

Welcome & prayer

Passing the peace (break-out zoom groups)

Hymn #303 – O love, how deep, how broad

Scripture Video: Genesis 9:8-17

Children’s story
– Song “Let the children come to me”
– The Children’s offering through February 28 benefits Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) as it celebrates its centennial year in 2020. All households are invited to set out a basket and gather an offering weekly. Donations may be sent to the FMC office at any time or can be made online (select children’s offering in “To” box)

Scripture: Mark 1:9-15

Sermon

Hymn #456 – Oceans

Prayer of Confession and Assurance

Many: Deep calls to deep.

We call to you from the depths of our hearts.

One:    We confess when we have stayed too close to the surface,

                        avoiding you,

                        avoiding our neighbors.

We confess when we have felt in over our heads.

                        Needing you,

                        needing our neighbors.

            (Silence. Or name the forces that keep us from deep relationship.)

Deep calls to deep.

You call to us from the depth of your love.

Many: Calling us to deep relationship.

We come to you, God.

Congregational Sharing & prayer

Meditation music – Resting in the arms of God by Mark Hayes
– In the absence of a weekly offering collection, reflect on how you are practicing and receiving generosity. Consider giving to First Mennonite Church by mailing a check, giving through your bank, or giving online.

Work of the church

Benediction Hymn #640 – My shepherd will supply my need

Worship Leader – Pastor Deb
Prelude & Meditation Music – Jan Kellogg
Hymns – Andrea Welty Peachey
Scripture Video – Shawn Rodriguez
Scripture Reader – Peter Dyck
Sermon & Sharing – Pastor Michael
Technician – Phil Martens

Ash Wednesday
February 17, 2021

ORDER OF SERVICE

Note: All hymns are from the new Voices Together hymnal

Prelude – Shana Tova – by Ilana Yahav – Time to show some compassion… שנה טובה תשפ”א- זמן חמלה

Welcome & prayer

Hymn #140 – Out of the depths I cry to you
Scripture: Joel 2:1-2, 12-17
Response Poem: Every Riven Thing by Christian Wiman

God goes, belonging to every riven thing he’s made
sing his being simply by being
the thing it is:
stone and tree and sky,
man who sees and sings and wonders why

God goes. Belonging, to every riven thing he’s made,
means a storm of peace.
Think of the atoms inside the stone.
Think of the man who sits alone
trying to will himself into a stillness where

God goes belonging. To every riven thing he’s made
there is given one shade
shaped exactly to the thing itself:
under the tree a darker tree;
under the man the only man to see

God goes belonging to every riven thing. He’s made
the things that bring him near,
made the mind that makes him go.
A part of what man knows,
apart from what man knows,

God goes belonging to every riven thing he’s made.

Hymn #715 – Longing for light
Scripture: Isaiah 58:1-12
Response Meditation: This little light of mine arr. Calvin Taylor

Hymn #147 – Kyrie eleison
Scripture: Psalm 51:1-17
Response: Prayer of Confession (Voices Together #897)

God of mercy,
we are sorry that we have not always done what you wanted us to do.
We have not loved you with all our heart,
and we have not cared enough for other people.
Forgive us through Jesus. Amen

Hymn #304 – Sign us with ashes, merciful God
Scripture: John 12:20-30
Response: Reflecting with flour

Benediction (Voices Together #918)

Leader: Remember: we are earth,

People: and to earth we shall return;

Leader: we are ashes,

People: and to ashes we shall return;

Leader: we are dust,

People: and to dust we shall return;

Leader: earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
(silence)

Leader: Remember:
the One who breathed life into dust recreates us;
the One whose feet walked the earth journeys with us;
the One whose embers glow in ashes becomes in us a living flame.

Worship Leader – Shawn Rodriguez
Scripture Readers – Chuck Gibson & Lynne Sancken
Musicians – Pastor Deb, Story Singers (Longing for Light)
Poetry Reader – Matt Yoder
Technician – Phil Martens

Theme:
New hymnal dedication

ORDER OF SERVICE

Centering chimes

Lighting of the solidarity lamp
–Symbolic of our Sister Church relationship with El Divino Redentor

Prelude – El Senyor (Voices Together #118 – sung by the Hesston College Bel Canto Singers)

Welcome

Call to Worship

Voices Together #594 – Over my head (Cindy Breze & Andrea Welty Peachey)

Prayer

Reflection: Farewell to the old (Matt Yoder)

Green Hymnal #74 – Now go in peace (Matt Yoder)

Children’s story
– Song “Let the children come to me”
– “Like a Rock” (Voices Together #634) using our new mallet instruments (Shungu family)
– The Children’s Fall/Winter offering benefits Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) as it celebrates its centennial year in 2020. All households are invited to set out a basket and gather an offering weekly. Donations may be sent to the FMC office at any time or can be made online (select children’s offering in “To” box)

Reflection: How the new hymnal came into being (Cindy Breeze)

Reflection: Welcome the new (Andrea Welty Peachey)

Voices Together #377 – New earth, heavens new (Andrea Welty Peachey & Liesel Schrag on oboe)

Voices Together #62 – God is here among us (Andrea Welty Peachey)

Reflection: Anabaptist contributors (Matt Yoder)

Voices Together #389 – Together (Virtual Choir)

Reflection: How the hymnal expands our theology, welcome, imagination & connection (Pastor Deb)

Voices Together #582 – My love colors outside the lines (sung by Eastern Mennonite University Choir)

Congregational sharing & prayer

Meditative music – Living, moving, end and beginning (Voices Together #425 sung by the Menno Singers)
– In the absence of a weekly offering collection, reflect on how you are practicing and receiving generosity. Consider giving to First Mennonite Church by mailing a check, giving through your bank, or giving online.

Work of the church

Voices Together #1 – Summoned by the God who made us (Virtual Choir)

Benediction

Worship Leader & sharing – Pastor Deb
Announcements – Pastor Michael
Hymns – Cindy Breeze, Andrea Welty Peachey, Matt Yoder, Virtual Choir & a variety of Mennonite choirs
Virtual Choir – Cindy & Clark Breeze, David Horst Lehman, Carrie Nelson, Marcia & Randy Nelson, Kathy Springer, Deb Sutter, Andrea Welty Peachey & Matt Yoder
Oboe – Liesl Schrag
Children’s Storyteller – Cindy Breeze
Mallet Instruments – Shungu family
Reflections – Cindy Breeze, Pastor Deb, Andrea Welty Peachey & Matt Yoder