March 14, 2021, Fourth Sunday in Lent

Pine Street Presbyterian Church in the

City of Harrisburg

March 14, 2021 Fourth Sunday in Lent

GATHERING IN THE PRESENCE OF THE RISEN CHRIST

VOLUNTARY Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy Arr. by Cindy Berry Joseph Garrison

INTROIT Sometimes a Light Surprises

William Cowper Pine Street Quartet

Sometime a light surprises the child of God who sings; it is the Lord who rises with healing in his wings; when comforts are declining, he grants the soul again a season of clear shining to cheer it after rain. Though vine nor fig tree neither their longed-for fruit should bear, though all the fields should wither, nor flocks nor herds be there, yet God the same abiding, his praise shall tune my voice; for while in him confiding, I cannot but rejoice.

SALUTATION Dr. Sullivan

CALL TO WORSHIP

One: The Lord is our light and our salvation. Do not fear. Many: The Holy One is our stronghold. We are not afraid.

One: Like a mother, God protects us in God’s own house.

Many: Like a father, God invites us to share God’s wisdom.

One: Let us join in singing the praises of the Lord most high.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

O God, who offers us peace, healing, and the power of the Holy Spirit, forgive us when we reject your gifts. Forgive us when we cling to our brokenness, rather than accept your healing. Forgive us when we try to do things under our own power, rather than to draw upon the power of your Spirit which is most visible in weakness. Teach us to see ourselves as your beloved children who are called to accept your grace, mercy, and empowerment to flourish in life. In the name of Christ, the Great Physician, we pray. Amen.

SILENCE FOR PERSONAL CONFESSION

KYRIE

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

FIRST TESTAMENT 2 Kings 5:1-15a

One: The Word of the Lord.

Many: Thanks be to God.

PSALM 30 Come Sing to God (No. 805, from Glory to God)

L

ESSON FOR YOUNG CHRISTIANS

SECOND TESTAMENT John 5:1-9

SERMON “Do You Want to be Made Well?” Dr. Sullivan

Sermon Series: Questions God Asks

A

FFIRMATION OF FAITH

The Apostles’ Creed I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

OFFERING OF TITHES AND GIFTS TO GOD (Text 267-367-4910 to give)

ANTHEM There Is a Balm in Gilead

Arr. by Mark Hayes Baritone Chris Earhart

There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole. There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul. Sometimes I feel discouraged and think my work’s in vain, but then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again. There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole. There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul. If you can preach like Peter, if you can preach like Paul, go home and tell your neighbor, “He died to save us all.” There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole. There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul, to heal the sin-sick soul.

SEALING THE WORD

SACRAMENT OF THE LORD’S SUPPER

One: The Lord be with you.

Many: And also with you.

One: Lift up your hearts.

Many: We lift them to the Lord.

One: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. Many: It is right to give God thanks and praise.

The prayer continues.

… Great is the mystery of faith:

INTERCESSION, SUPPLICATION, AND CONSECRATION

One: In your mercy, Many: Lord, hear our prayer.

LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

DISTRIBUTION OF THE BREAD AND CUP

Please share in your home bread and juice or wine.

BEARING AND FOLLOWING THE WORD OF GOD INTO THE WORLD

BENEDICTION

CHORAL BENEDICTION The Lord Bless You Edwin Willmington Pine Street Quartet

The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious, be gracious unto you. Amen.

VOLUNTARY Toccata in C minor

LEADING IN WORSHIP TODAY

The Reverend Dr. Russell C. Sullivan, Jr., Pastor Joseph W. Garrison, Minister of Worship and Music Chris Earhart, Brianna Heinly, Kiera Heinly, and Timothy Lupia, Pine Street Quartet

COPYRIGHT NOTES

Hymns in the bulletin are used by permission and printed legally under OneLicense.net #A-71074. All rights reserved.

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NOTICES

WORSHIP AND THE BUILDING

Public worship at Pine Street has been canceled until the Session determines when it is possible to return. The service will be recorded each week and posted to the website and Facebook.

EXPERIENCE PRAYER IN LENT

Lent is a wonderful season to focus on prayer and the renewal of our spiritual lives. This Wednesday we continue a series of classes specifically focusing on prayer, the Celtic tradition, and the labyrinth as a tool for prayer and meditation. Our teacher is the Rev. Dr. Kay Mutert, a United Methodist minister and a master teacher with Veriditas (www.veriditas.org), a ministry “dedicated to inspiring personal and planetary change and renewal through the labyrinth experience.” The link to connect you to the class is in the all-church email sent this week.

INSIGHT FORUMS,

SUNDAY MORNINGS, 8:45 A.M.

The email link to these forums via Zoom will be sent weekly in the all-church email. No prior registration is required for those who are on our email list. Here are the coming forums:

March 14, 21 – The Sermon on the Mount New Testament scholar, Dr. Meg Ramey, will lead us in this study of “The Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew 5-7, the most famous of all of Jesus’ speeches. In three chapters, Jesus teaches us how to live in God’s kingdom, a realm that requires practicing a “greater righteousness” of loving-kindness towards God and our neighbors. Join us for this five-week study as we meditate on what’s been called the “Torah of Jesus” and discuss how we may apply it in our worship and communal lives today.

March 28 and April 4 – There will be no forums on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday.

April 11, 18 – Partisan Faith: The Church in an Age of Polarization

There has been a good bit written about how divided our country is and how this threatens our democracy. These two sessions will explore how polarization threatens the church (and faith) and explore ways the church can productively respond so that faith informs faith participation in civic life. This forum will be led by Dr. David True, Associate Professor of Religion at Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. His research interests grow out of his interest in Reformed faith and culture. He coedited the book Paradoxical Virtue: Reinhold Niebuhr and the Virtue Tradition (Routledge 2020). He has written on theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, political fundamentalism, just war theory, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. True is a member minister of the Presbytery of Carlisle and has served congregations in McLean and Richmond, Virginia.

THIS WEEK IN PRAYER

David Freet (at home)

Bonnie Dixon, hospitalized

Jason Quaid, surgery

Jane McCutcheon, recovering from surgery in rehabilitation

John Young, brother of Jackie Young

Alicia McDonald, on the death of her uncle, George McDonald