March 13, 2011
10:30 AM
First Sunday in Lent


WE ENTER INTO GOD’S PRESENCE
Preparation for Worship
Welcome
Call to Worship – John 6:5-14
*Song of Praise – 543 “Guide Me, O My Great Redeemer”
*Invocation
*We Greet Others
*Continuing Praise
I believe in Jesus
In my life Lord
Not I but Christ
Call to Confession – John 6:25-27
Prayer of Confession
Generous God, you have certainly provided us with all that we need and so much more.  We thank you for the food that fills our stomachs and for all the other things you know our bodies need.  Yet we confess that too often we fail to seek out the food that gives us eternal life.  We neglect your Word; we live in isolation from brothers and sisters in your family; we do not make coming together in worship the priority it should be.  Forgive our selfishness and turn our eyes to the only One who can truly satisfy, our Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.
Assurance of Pardon – John 6:28-29
*Song of Response–  282:1,3,4 “Break Now the Bread of Life”
HEAR GOD’S WORD
Children’s Time
Prayer of Preparation
Scripture Reading – John 6:32-51
Message – “Look at Jesus:  The Bread of Life”
Prayer
WE RESPOND WITH THANKSGIVING
*Song of Preparation – 311:1-3 “I Come with Joy to Meet My Lord”
Celebration of the Lord’s Supper
Scripture – John 6:53-58
The bread that we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.
We who are many are one body, for we all share the same loaf.
The cup for which we give thanks is a sharing in the blood of Christ.
The cup that we drink is our participation in the blood of Christ.
The gifts of God for the people of God.
The body of Christ, the bread of heaven..
Thanks be to God.
The blood of Christ, the cup of salvation..
Thanks be to God.
*Song of Thanksgiving – 311:4 “And Thus with Joy We Meet Our Lord”
The Offering - General Fund
Offertory Prayer
Sharing Joys and Concerns
Intercessory Prayer
WE ARE SENT TO LOVE AND SERVE
Opportunities for Ministry and Fellowship
*Closing Scripture – John 6:60-69
*Closing Prayer
Lord, you have put gladness in our hearts; you have satisfied our hunger with good things.  In giving all, you have not withheld from us your own dear Son.
How can we withhold anything from you, our Lord and our God?  Renew us day by day with the gift of your Spirit, that we may give ourselves completely to your service and walk with joy in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Amen.
*Parting Song – 311:5 “Together Met, Together Bound”
Postlude

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Some Sundays during Lent an elder will lead the opening of the worship services as a reminder of the continuity of the church during our time of pastoral transition. 

We have entered the season of the church year called Lent.  These forty days (plus Sundays) before Holy Week are a time for God’s people to focus in a special way on the suffering Jesus endured so that we can be brought back into the family of God.  To help us focus, our services during Lent will invite us to see varied pictures of Jesus in the Gospel of John, getting us ready for looking at Jesus on the cross on Good Friday.
Our worship today includes a celebration of the Lord’s Supper.  Communion during Lent always has an added significance, seeing the cross next to the table.  Eating the bread and drinking the juice is a gift for all who have publicly professed their faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord.  If that is you, please receive the elements as they are passed and eat and drink with the rest after all have been served.
Wednesday, 6:00 AM Men’s breakfast at the Spot
                   9:30 AM Women’s Bible study at Ruth Giese’s home
                  7:00 PM Council meets                                                                                               
In case you still have a change-filled baby bottle for the Life Choices Center, please return it to church as soon as possible so we can get the money to them for their use.  Thank you to all who participated in this fund raiser this year.

Classis notes:  (from last week)
NEXT SUNDAY, March 20, 2011
SUNDAY SCHOOL:  9:15 AM  Classes for all ages meet.  The adult class, joined by the teens, will continue the series “Becoming a Good Samaritan.”  This video-led discussion, hosted by John Ortberg and developed in partnership with World Vision, is intended to help Christians live out Christ’s love in world-changing ways, right now, right here. 
MORNING WORSHIP:  10:30 AM  Pastor Gelder will bring us God’s Word.  He will continue the series of Lenten messages “Look at Jesus”, focusing on “The Living Water”, based on John 4:1-15.