CCLI license #1913561
Lakeview Presbyterian Church Service, March 14, 2021
The Fourth Sunday of Lent
Questions for Reflection: When you dream do you look forward toward what might be, or do you look back at what might have been? Is God to be found in the future or the past?
Prelude “Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling” Will L. Thompson sung by Keisha Prime
Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,
Calling for you and for me;
See, on the portals He’s waiting and watching,
Watching for you and for me.
Refrain:
Come home, come home,
You who are weary, come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!
Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading,
Pleading for you and for me?
Why should we linger and heed not His mercies,
Mercies for you and for me?
Refrain:
Time is now fleeting, the moments are passing,
Passing from you and from me;
Shadows are gathering, deathbeds are coming,
Coming for you and for me.
Refrain:
Oh, for the wonderful love He has promised,
Promised for you and for me!
Though we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon,
Pardon for you and for me.
Refrain:
Opening Words
In the quiet and peace of the garden, God is with me.
In the noise and chaos of the judgement, My Savior leads me.
In the unknown of the future, as in the past, God’s Spirit will be with me.
In the presence of the One who is, and way, and ever shall be, let us bow in worship.
Opening Prayer
Almighty God, through Jesus Christ you bring salvation to the world. Give us faith to believe in him and courage to follow him that we may fulfill the purpose for which you have made us. Amen.
Hymn “Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord” Paul Baloche, 1997 sung by Keisha Prime
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see You
I want to see You
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see You
I want to see You
To see you high and lifted up
Shining in the light of Your glory
Pour out Your power and love
As we sing holy, holy, holy,
holy ,holy, holy
Holy, holy, holy
Holy, holy, holy
Prayer for Illumination
Almighty God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, open your Word and illumine our darkened world, that we may see clearly and live faithfully by the light of your truth in Jesus Christ. Amen.
A Reading from the Hebrew Scriptures: Genesis 13:1—9
So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the Negeb. Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. He journeyed on by stages from the Negeb as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai to the place where he had made an altar at the first; and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.
Now Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, so that the land could not support both of them living together; for their possessions were so great that they could not live together, and there was strife between the herders of Abram's livestock and the herders of Lot's livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites lived in the land. Then Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herders and my herders; for we are kindred. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left."
Reading from the Gospels: Matthew 12: 46—50
While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers were standing outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, "Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you." But to the one who had told him this, Jesus replied, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."
Sermon “No Looking Back” The Rev. Russell Lehman
Hymn “Where He Leads Me” E W Blandy c.1890 sung by Keisha Prime
I can hear my Savior calling,
I can hear my Savior calling,
I can hear my Savior calling,
“Take thy cross and follow, follow Me.”
Refrain:
Where He leads me I will follow,
Where He leads me I will follow,
Where He leads me I will follow,
I’ll go with Him, with Him all the way.
Refrain:
I’ll go with Him through the garden,
I’ll go with Him through the garden,
I’ll go with Him through the garden,
I’ll go with Him, with Him all the way.
Refrain:
I’ll go with Him to the judgment,
I’ll go with Him to the judgment,
I’ll go with Him to the judgment,
I’ll go with Him, with Him all the way.
Refrain:
He will give me grace and glory,
He will give me grace and glory,
He will give me grace and glory,
And go with me, with me all the way.
Refrain:
Pastoral Prayer
O God, our source, and our hope in every age, you call forth men and women of integrity to lead your people in the way of righteousness. Give us wisdom to know your truth, courage to speak the truth in love, and shield us from temptation to misuse our authority.
God, your reign encompasses all the earth, save all the nations from the wrath of disobedience and cause us to dwell in peace promoting the common good.
God, hear the cry of the sick and the afflicted. Save them from their distress, heal them of their disease and deliver them from the destructive power of suffering.
God, in your mercy, hear the cries of those imprisoned by poverty, fear, or bigotry. Bring to all the oppressed your word of justice and your vision of hope, and make righteousness cover the earth. Amen.
Lord’s Prayer (Ecumenical Version)
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen
Minute for Mission: One Great Hour of Sharing
Because Healing Empowers
“Mama O” is a survivor, a healer.
Her moment of greatest need led her to Black Women’s Blueprint, a civil and human rights organization headquartered in Brooklyn, New York. Since 2008, Black Women’s Blueprint is specifically focused on the needs of Black women and girls. At 65 years of age, Mama O is among the eldest survivors of sexual violence in the organization. Despite living with the lifelong trauma that results from sexual violence, Mama O is a pillar of strength for other survivors, both young and old. Our One Great Hour of Sharing gifts are helping Black Women’s Blueprint in its vital mission to take action on social justice issues and to deliver educational resources and support services to women like Mama O.
A Statement about Offering our Gifts
People of God, let us offer our sacrifice of thanksgiving, telling of God’s mercy with acts of kindness and God love with open and joyful hearts
Donations can be mailed to Lakeview Presbyterian Church at 1310 22nd Av S, St Petersburg, FL, 33705 or given online through our website @lakeviewpresbyterianchurch.org
Special Music: “This Little Light of Mine” Negro Spiritual Sung by Keisha Prime
Prayer of Dedication
Accept these offerings with the dedication of our lives, that we may be for the world a sign of your abiding love and a testament to your enduring promise. Amen.
Charge and Blessing
Follow where the Lord leads in covenant faithfulness, trusting in God’s everlasting covenant and the blessing of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, will uphold you on the way.
Postlude “They Crucified my Lord He Never Said a Mumbalin’ Word’ AA Spiritual Sung by Keisha Prime
They crucified my Lord,
And He never said a mumbalin’ word;
They crucified my Lord,
Refrain
And He never said a mumbalin’ word.
Not a word, not a word, not a word.
They nailed Him to a tree,
And He never said a mumbalin’ word;
They nailed Him to a tree,
Refrain
They pierced Him in the side,
And He never said a mumbalin’ word;
They pierced Him in the side,
Refrain
The blood came trickalin’ down,
And He never said a mumbalin’ word;
The blood came trickalin’ down,
Refrain
He bowed His head and died,
And He never said a mumbalin’ word;
He bowed His head and died.