Bulletin – Sunday, March 27, 2022 – Fourth Sunday in Lent

Sunday, March 27, 2022
Fourth Sunday in Lent

Approach

Lighting the Lenten Candle

During Lent, we remember the events that led up to the crucifixion. Jesus had come to bring hope and light to the world, but at every step there were those who could not accept the power of the light. He came to meet people’s needs. But there were those who misunderstood the kind of needs that Jesus meant to fill. Because he would not do what they wanted, they rejected him. Even when we wander, wander so very far away, we are greeted with light and love. We are welcomed back with open arms and we too are celebrated. We light this candle to remember that we are loved, even when we wander, that the light and love that Jesus brought to the world is there for us no matter how far we wander from God.

Call to Worship

One:   God’s reach is endless.
All:      God’s mercy is unstoppable.

One:   God’s grace is lavish.
All:      God’s love is constant.

One:   God’s wisdom is vast.
All:      God’s hope is stubborn.

One:   God’s presence is near—
All:      with us, among us, moving through us. Breathe easy. Breathe deeply.

One:   We are in God’s house.
All:      Let us worship the One who welcomes us home.

Hymn – “There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy”

There a wideness in God’s mercy like the wideness of the sea;
There’s a kindness in God’s justice which is more than liberty.

There is no place where earth’s sorrows are more felt than up in heaven;
There is not place where earth’s failings have such gracious judgement given.

For the love of God is broader than the measures of the mind,
And the heart of the Eternal is most wonderfully kind.

Prayer of Approach and Confession

If you were to ask any parent with a teenager what it’s like to wait up for their child to meet curfew, they will tell you—they’re standing at the door. The porch light is on. No one can sleep until that child is home safe.

I think that you, Loving God, are like this for us. The porch light is on. The door is unlocked. We might be late for curfew, but you, Gracious God, are just glad that we have come home. So let us trust that no mater what we do or what we leave undone, the porch light is always on.

We know that the prodigal son is not given a name, but we know his name. It sounds like ours. And we know his story. It sounds like ours. For whom among us hasn’t burned a bridge? Who among us hasn’t forgotten that we belong to one another? Who among us hasn’t ached for home? The prodigal son isn’t given a name, but we know his name.

Forgive us God. We want to come home.

Words of Assurance

Response:

Fill my cup, Lord.
I lift it up, Lord.
Come and quench the thirsting of my soul.
Bread of heaven, feed me ‘til I want no more.
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole.

Time for All Ages

Hymn – “O God, How We Have Wandered”

O God, how we have wandered and hidden from your face;
In foolishness have squandered your legacy of grace.
But how, in exile dwelling, we turn with fear and shame,
As distant but compelling, you call us each by name.

And now at length discerning the evil that we do,
By faith we are returning with hope and trust in you.
In hate you come to meet us, and home rejoicing bring,
In gladness there to great us with calf and robe and ring.

O God of all the living, both banished and restored,
Compassionate, forgiving, our peace and hope assured.
Grant now that our transgressing, our faithlessness may cease.
Stretch out your hand in blessing, in pardon, and in peace.

The Word

Scripture Reading:           2 Corinthians 5:16-21

     ¹⁶ From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. ¹⁷ So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! ¹⁸ All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹ that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. ²⁰ So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. ²¹ For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Scripture Reading:           Luke 15:1-3; 11b-32

     ¹ Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. ² And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
     ³ So he told them this parable
“There was a man who had two sons. ¹² The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. ¹³ A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. ¹⁴ When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. ¹⁶ He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. ¹⁷ But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! ¹⁸ I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.” ’ ²⁰ So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. ²¹ Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ²² But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; ²⁴ for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.
     ²⁵ “Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. ²⁷ He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.’ ²⁸ Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. ²⁹ But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ ³¹ Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’”

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God!

Meditation – “Prodigal Grace”

Anthem – “Jesus, Take All of Me”

The Response

Prayers of the People

One:   Gracious and loving God, we ask in our prayers and in the ordinary lives, each and every day, we may exhibit your generous spirit to other people. We pray for the millions of homeless people whom we will never meet but whose predicament we see on the TV. We ask for your blessings on those humanitarian agencies who attempt to care for them, and all who give generously to support their work. We lift up our prayers to you prodigal God,
All:      and in your extravagant love, answer.

One:   We pray for unwanted, the poor, and marginalized in our own country, from Vancouver’s east side, to Winnipeg’s inner city, to Halifax. Please give both wisdom and a generous spirit to our Federal and Provincial governments, that they might care for the least among us, and strengthen the outreach ministries of your churches. We lift up our prayers to you prodigal God,
All:      and in your extravagant love, answer.

One:   We pray for any among us here today, who with dignity and courage are secretly enduring misfortunes or ongoing worries and stress. Please give your peace and healing to hem, and keep us sensitive, that we may recognize a cry for help if it comes our way and respond generously. We lift up to you now those who we know need to feel your presence in their lives today and every day… We lift up our prayers to you prodigal God,
All:      and in your extravagant love, answer.

One:   We pray for neighbours or friends, colleagues, and for those familiar but nameless faces we notice each day in cars or bus, elevator, bank, or supermarket. Please bless each according to their need, and without any prying or self-importance on our part, make us ready to help in the hour of need. We lift up our prayers to you prodigal God,
All:      and in your extravagant love, answer.

One:   We pray for all the bewildered, lost souls, for your people lashing out, puzzled adults who might feel lost during this time, those who find that neither career nor family satisfy their deepest need, elderly person who have struggled with loneliness during this time and long for happiness in their lives. Please gather the lost into your loving arms, and help each of us to treat the challenging people in our lives with the generous respect that you have for each. We lift up our prayers to you prodigal God,
All:      and in your extravagant love, answer.

One:   Loving God, seeking the lost and the unlovely, we worship you. Caring Spirit, enabling the weak and the meek, we worship you. Holy God, generous beyond all calculation, we worship you. Amen.

(adapted from Bruce Prewer)

Hymn – “Come, Let Us Sing of a Wonderful Love”

Come, let us sing of a wonderful love,
Tender and true, tender and true,
Out of the heart of the Father above,
Streaming to me and to you
Wonderful love, wonderful love
Dwells in the heart of the Father above.

Jesus the Saviour this gospel to tell
Joyfully came, joyfully came,
Came with the helpless and hopeless to dwell,
Sharing their sorrow and shame,
Seeking the lost, seeking the lost,
Saving, redeeming at measureless cost.

Jesus is seeking the wanderers yet;
Why do they roam? Why to they roam?
Love only waits to forgive and forget;
Home, weary wonderers, home!
Wonderful love, wonderful love
Dwells in the heart of the Father above.

Come to my heart, O thou wonderful love!
Come and abide, come and abide,
Lifting my life till it rises above
Envy and falsehood and pride:
Seeking to be, seeking to be
Lowly and humble, a learner of thee.

Benediction

As you leave this place, may you be awestruck by the beauty of this world. May you laugh, and may it be contagious. May you overflow with love for those around you. May you be bubbling over with hope and quick to point out joy. And in all of your living, breathing, and being, may you find yourself full to the brim with God’s Holy Spirit, and may it change your life. In the name of the Lover, the Beloved, and Love itself—go in peace, full to the brim. Amen.

Response

Peace for the nations, peace, peace.
Peace for the nations we pray.
Following the path of One of peace,
We work for healing, we work for peace;
Peace for the nations today.