News & Updates — Wayne Community Church

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Worship with Wayne Community Church – Live!

April 6, 2025 5th Sunday of Lent

(Today’s music is livestreamed by permission through ONE LICENSE #732935-A, CCLI license #22104930 and #22104923, or via public domain. Message by Rev. Marcos Juliao. Scripture passages from NIV – New International Version of the Holy Bible.) *Please stand as you are comfortable.

We Gather…

Prelude: A Lenten Prelude (Frederic Chopin, from Op. 34, No. 2; arr. by Lani Smith. © 2000 Lorenz Publishing Company, a division of the Lorenz Corporation. All rights reserved. Livestreamed under ONE LICENSE #732935-A.)

Welcome

Welcoming the Light of Christ: Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days UMH 269 v. 1

(Words: Claudia F. Hernaman, 1873. Music: USA folk melody; arr. by Annabel Morris Buchanan, 1938; harm. by Charles H. Webb, 1988. Music © 1938, renewed 1966 J. Fischer and Bro. Co.; harm. © 1989 J. Fischer and Bro. Co. Words held in the public domain. Music livestreamed under ONE LICENSE #732935-A.)

Call to Worship: (Psalm 126)

When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with shouts of joy; then it was said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them."

The LORD has done great things for us, and we rejoiced. Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like the watercourses in the Negeb.

May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy.

Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.

*Hymn of Praise: Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above UMH 126

(Words: Johann J. Schutz, 1675; trans. by Frances E. Cox, 1864. Music: Bohemian Brethern’s Kirchengesange, 1566; harm. by Maurice F. Bell, 1906. Both held in the public domain.)

…To Pray,

Opening Prayer

Sometimes, like Judas, we like to complain about your generous ways, rather than living in your grace. Those in need are always with us, occasionally justifying ignoring them. In our memories, we focus on a perceived golden past, and so we ignore the new things you do in our minds. We are so enamored with our achievements that we are not willing to throw them away in order to follow Jesus.

Forgive us, Restoring God, and help us to notice Your Kingdom springing forth in our midst. By your grace, may our fears turn to acts of faith, our seeds produce a bumper crop of joy, and our tears turn into torrents of tenderness as we journey with Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Making a way through all the foolishness and mistakes of our lives, God leads us into new life, where we are restored to grace, to hope, and to peace.

Do we notice what God has done for us, what God is doing in us? This is good news for everyone. Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! Amen.

Prayers of the Community

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 trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Anthem: A Shadow Fell on Sharon’s Rose

…To Hear the Word,

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 43: 16-21

16This is what the Lord says—

he who made a way through the sea,

a path through the mighty waters,

17who drew out the chariots and horses,

the army and reinforcements together,

and they lay there, never to rise again,

extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:

18“Forget the former things;

do not dwell on the past.

19See, I am doing a new thing!

Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the wilderness

and streams in the wasteland.
20The wild animals honor me,

the jackals and the owls,

because I provide water in the wilderness

and streams in the wasteland,

to give drink to my people, my chosen,

21the people I formed for myself

that they may proclaim my praise.

Our Holy Scripture. A Holy Gift.

Thanks be to God.

Message: I Am About to Do New Things - Guest Speaker, Karen Vernola

…To Respond to the Word,

Invitation to the Offering

Hymn of Blessing: Here I Am, Lord UMH 593

*Blessing Our Gifts: Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow UMH 95

(Words: Thomas Ken, 1674. Music: Attr. to Louis Bourgeois, 1551. Both words and music held in the public domain.

The Lord’s Supper: (Gluten free bread)

Pastor - Christ our Lord invites to his table all who love him, who earnestly repent of their sin and seek to live in peace with one another. Therefore, let us confess our sin before God and one another.

All - Merciful God, we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart. We have failed to be an obedient church. We have not done your will, we have broken your law, we have rebelled against your love, we have not loved our neighbors, and we have not heard the cry of the needy. Forgive us, we pray. Free us for joyful obedience, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Pastor - Hear that as Good News: Christ died for us while we were yet sinners; that proves God's love toward us. In the name of Jesus Christ, blessed by the blood, you are forgiven!

All - In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven! Glory to God. The Lord is with us. Lift up our hearts with gratitude. It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

Pastor: Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ. By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection you gave birth to your Church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant through Jesus’ ministry.

On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: "Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."

When the supper was over, he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said: "Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood.

Sharing bread and cups.

Prayer after partaking of the bread and the cup.

Pastor: In remembrance of your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

All: Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.

By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory, and we feast at his heavenly banquet.

Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father, now and forever. Amen.

…To Go Into the World.

Getting Strong & Holding On (Announcements)

Go For It!

Commission & Benediction: Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days UMH 269 v. 5

Postlude: Toccata in C (Carlos Seixas, 1704-1742. Music held in the public domain.)