March 9 2008, 11:00 AM
Fifth Sunday in Lent

WE ENTER INTO GOD’S PRESENCE
Preparation for Worship
*Invocation
Holy and loving God, as we worship you today, we long for your Spirit to both comfort and challenge us, to help us become more holy and more loving.  In a world that does not understand repentance, we pray for new understanding, humility, patience, and discipline that will help us die to sin and live for Jesus.  Amen.
*Opening Song – 373:1,4,7 “Lift High the Cross”
*God Greets Us
*We Greet Each Other
*Continuing Praise  – “The Nails in Your Hands”
                                        “At the Cross”
                                       377:1,2 “Were You There?”
Call to Confession –
The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite   heart, O God, you will not despise.(Psalm 51:17)
Prayer of Confession
          Your mercy flows upon us like a river;
          Your mercy stands unshakable and true. 
In our weakness you are stronger than the mightiest mountain.    Most Holy God, of all good things the giver, we turn and lift our prayers to you.  By your grace, empty us of all pride; fill us with your humility.  In the name of Jesus, the perfect Lamb, Amen.     
Assurance of Pardon –
Be comforted, for he has borne our infirmities and carried our disease; he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have all turned to our own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
Behold the Lamb, the precious Lamb of God, bore all my sin, that I may live again:  the precious Lamb of God.
Out of his anguish he shall see light, the righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous, and he will bear their iniquities.  Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great, because he poured out himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors.
Worthy is the Lamb, the precious Lamb of God, who was slaughtered, to receive power and wealth, wisdom and might, honor and glory and blessing, forever and ever.  Amen.
(based on Isaiah 53 and Revelation 5)
*Song of Assurance – 620 “By the Sea of Crystal”
WE HEAR GOD’S WORD
Children’s Time
Prayer of Preparation
Scripture Reading – II Corinthians 12:1-10
Message – “Thorns to Keep Me Focused”
Prayer
*Song – 434:1-3 “God Moves in a Mysterious Way”
WE RESPOND WITH THANKSGIVING
The Offering - General Fund
Sharing Joys and Concerns
Intercessory Prayer
WE ARE SENT TO LOVE AND SERVE
Opportunities for Ministry and Fellowship
*God Blesses Us
*Closing Praise – 573:1,3,4 “O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee”
Postlude

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Monday, 7:00 PM Education Team meets
  7:30 PM Growth and Renewal Team meets
Tuesday, 7:00 PM Elders meet
Wednesday, 11:30 AM Women’s Luncheon at   ???

Because we will be celebrating the Lord’s Supper on Maundy Thursday (March 20), we will not have communion today as was announced in last week’s bulletin.  Sorry for the miscommunication.

Next Sunday is Palm Sunday.  In addition to having the children process with palms, they will also be presenting an Easter musical as part of the service that day.  Plan to attend this special service.

You have another opportunity today after the service to look at the pictures of what it would look like to have a cross on the outside of the building, as well as a way to envision one inside.  There are papers you can use to indicate your preferences to the council.  Thanks to Dave Huizinga for the work he did to make this presentation possible.

Council is beginning the process of finding nominees to serve as elder and deacon for the coming years.  Marcus Doller and Bill Kutz are concluding their terms as elder and Amy Cook, Judy Crawford and Paul Peterson are concluding their terms as deacon.  Today you will find an insert in the bulletin on which you can indicate names of members you think would serve us well in these positions.  Give prayerful consideration and plan to return the forms next week Sunday.

If you forgot to return the baby bottles for the Life Choices Center last week, please do so today.  Return any unused bottles too.

We pray that God will comfort Paul and Linda Palmer and their families on the death of Paul’s mother last week Saturday night. 

Continue to pray that Jacob Komaromi will have a good recovery after his heart surgery on Tuesday.  We thank God for hearing many prayers for Jacob and his family during this difficult time.

Retreat announcement

NEXT SUNDAY, March 16, 2008

SUNDAY SCHOOL:  9:45 AM  Classes for all ages.  The adults conclude the series of studies of several world religions called “Which Way to God?” 
MORNING WORSHIP:     11:00 AM   Pastor Gelder will be with us to continue the Lenten series on “Crown of Thorns, Crown of Glory.”  This message will be “Thorns of Rejection”, based on Luke 13:31-35 and 19:41-44.  The children will also present an early Easter musical at this service.
The second offering next Sunday is for Calvin Seminary’s “Facing Your Future” program, which provides college students an opportunity to investigate what ministry in the CRC might be like.