Second Sunday in Lent

March 8, 2020

8:30 & 11:00 am

Welcome…In today’s gospel reading Jesus tells Nicodemus that he must be born of water

and Spirit. At the font we are given a new birth as daughters and sons of God. As God made a covenant with Abraham, in baptism God promises to raise us up with Christ to new life. From worship we are sent forth to proclaim God’s love for all the world.

Please take a moment to sign in and register your attendance today

with the cards found in the pew rack, or online at mountolivetumc.com.

CHIME CALL TO WORSHIP

VOLUNTARY

If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee, Hymn #142 (Johann Sebastian Bach)

~ Dr. Steven K. Shaner, organ

*HYMN #116: The God of Abraham Praise LEONI

*GATHERING LITANY

From where will our help come?

Our help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Who is our keeper?

The Lord is our keeper, by day and by night.

How long will God protect us?

God will keep our going out and our coming in

from this time on and forevermore.

*PRAYER OF THE DAY

God our helper, our shade, our protector,

you are able to give life to the dead,

to call into being things that do not exist.

We trust in your power to make all things new;

to keep us in sunlight and moonlight,

along rocky paths and pathways unknown;

until all our going and coming brings us at last

to your kingdom promised in Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.

*SOLO RESPONSE:

The Lord is in this holy temple. Let all the world keep silence before God.

SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM [See green Baptism card in pew rack] (11:00)

Eliza Charlotte Simms

Born: March 11, 2019

Parents: Jack & Caroline Simms

ANTHEM

God So Loved the World (Sir John Stainer)

~ The Mount Olivet Choir (8:30)

Jesus Is Just Alright (Arthur Reid Reynolds)

~ ARISE Choir (11:00)

~ Don Halterman, director

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION:

God of signs and wonders,

we come to your word again and again,

seeking understanding and the new life it offers.

By the power of your Holy Spirit, illumine our hearts and minds

so that we may believe this testimony and have eternal life.

In the name of Jesus Christ, our teacher and Savior, we pray. Amen.

SCRIPTURE:

Psalm 121 ~ Page 571 in O.T. section of the pew Bible

John 3: 1-17 ~ Page 93 in N.T. section of the pew Bible

The Word of God for the people of God.

Thanks be to God!

CHILDREN’S SHARING [After Children’s Sharing at the 11:00 service, children age 3—Kindergarten will go upstairs

to Room U4 and children in grades 1-5 will go upstairs to Room U7 for Belief Builders]

SERMON

*HYMN #142: If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee WER NUR DEN LIEBEN GOTT

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE OF PARDON

Gracious God, we come before you in need of forgiveness and grace.

You call us to trust in you completely, but we do not.

We are timid and fearful as we follow your lead.

We justify our actions and words,

though we know they are not what you require.

We struggle to understand the new life Christ offers,

preferring old habits to risky change.

Forgive us, we pray.

Help us to be born again into the life of Christ,

trusting that you have included us by grace in the family of faith.

In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

Friends, God is for us and not against us!

For that very reason,

God sent his son into the world

not to condemn the world,

but that the world might be saved through him.

Believe the good news, in Jesus Christ we are forgiven!

Thanks be to God!

*SHARING OF GOD’S PEACE

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

(The congregation responds to each petition of “Hear us, O God,” with:

“Your mercy is great.”)

THE LORD’S PRAYER (in unison)

LENTEN OFFERING SPEAKER ~ Belayneh Loppiso

Program Director for Migration and Refugee Services at Catholic Charities, Arlington

THE PRESENTATION OF GOD’S TITHES AND OUR OFFERINGS

MUSICAL OFFERING

If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee, Hymn #142 (Georg Böhm)

~ Dr. Steven K. Shaner, organ (8:30)

God So Loved the World (Sir John Stainer)

~ The Mount Olivet Choir (11:00)

*DOXOLOGY #296: Sing, My Tongue, the Glorious Battle PICARDY

Unto God be praise and glory:

to the Father and the Son, to th’eternal Spirit honor

now and evermore be done;

praise and glory in the highest, while unending ages run. Amen.

*HYMN #159: Lift High the Cross CRUCIFER

*BLESSING

CHORAL BENEDICTION

The Benediction (Knut Nystedt)

~ The Mount Olivet Choir

VOLUNTARY

Processional on Lift High the Cross, Hymn #159 (Donald Busarow)

~ Dr. Steven K. Shaner, organ

[You are welcome to be seated or come to the choir area during the Voluntary]

* * *

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Sign-Up

Wednesday Night Dinner, (Wednesday, March 11, 5:30 pm). Sign me up!

On the menu: Shepherd’s Pie, Roasted Vegetables, Salad, Kid’s Pasta, Dessert.

Name: _______________________ Email: _________________________ ____Number of Adult Meals ____Number of Kid Meals

Congregational Prayers

For Healing:

For those battling cancer: Nancy Hanna, Kate Heavner, Michael Griggs, Joel

Miller, Doug French, Patricia Reed, Carolyn Moore-Kochlacs, Carol Dommisse,

Nick, Ed Desmond, Anne Wetmore, Christina Hershey, Sara Beth Howard,

Jack Kauflin, Reneé Michel, Ed Desmond, Anne Bailey, Linda Heinricks,

Meredith, Kathe Traynham, Carolyn Brooks, Amanda McCormick, Laura Borak.

For Bob Furlow, who was hospitalized last week.

For baby Foster, born prematurely at two pounds to Myriah & Blake

Foster, dear friends of Diane, Tad, and Amy Davis.

For Nina Hebert, friend of Tad and Diane Davis, who is recovering

from a brain aneurysm.

For Cindy Newcomb, who is recovering from knee replacement

surgery.

For Loretta Cochran, Cindy Newcomb’s mother, who is

recuperating from a fractured femur.

For Bonnie Fowler, who is recovering from surgery on her femur.

Prayers for the World:

For the people of Nashville and Middle Tennessee where at least 24

people were killed by a string of tornadoes that burst through the

region last Monday night.

For peace in Syria in the face of expanded war between Turkey and

Syria in the Idib province of Syria.

For peace in Afghanistan, where there have been 100,000 civilian

casualties in the last 10 years.

For the 38 million people that the U.S. Census Bureau finds meets

the definition of poor. Despite a minor decline in poverty, one in

eight families live in poverty and nearly 28 million people still have

no health insurance.

For Arlington County Board member, Erik Gutshall, who was

hospitalized for treatment of a brain tumor last week.

For Arlington and Washington, D.C., where the public fears about

the corona virus could cost the county and city tens of millions of

dollars in lost taxes if tourists and professional groups cancel travel

to the D.C. area this Spring.

For persons with immune system impairment, respiratory disease

and cancer who are especially at risk from corona virus and flu

infections.

For peace and care for the environment throughout the world.

To activate our prayer chain, please contact Carmen Clipper at

carmenstewartclipper@gmail.com

Participants in Today’s Worship Services:

Preacher: Rev. Teer Hardy

Liturgists: Donovan Rossi (8:30); Isaac Mann (11:00)

Acolytes: Jason Brown, Jacob Myers (11:00)

Children’s Sharing: Linnea Carlson (8:30, 11:00)

Choirmaster/Organist: Dr. Steven K. Shaner

Choirs: The Mount Olivet Choir; ARISE Choir

Mount Olivet United Methodist Church is committed to loving God and

loving neighbor with our whole selves—heart, mind, soul, and strength.

We believe that all persons are of sacred worth and dignity as part of God’s

creation, as demonstrated by the ministry of Jesus Christ. We therefore

welcome all persons into the life and ministry of our congregation regardless

of race, culture, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, family or

socioeconomic status, education, politics, physical or mental ability or health,

or faith history.

MOUNT OLIVET UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

1500 North Glebe Road Arlington, VA 22207 703 527-3934

Email: contactus@mtolivet-umc.org; website: mountolivetumc.com

* * * While worshipping here today it is our hope that you will. . .

Sign in and register your attendance on either the members/friends or guests/visitors

cards found in the pew rack or online at mountolivetumc.com.

Feel free to use the nursery and childcare, located on the main level to the left of the

sanctuary. You will be given a pager for your infants and/or toddlers.

Ask an usher for a large print bulletin, a large print hymnal and/or an assisted listening

device.

Join us for refreshments and fellowship in the Gathering Space following worship.

Please stand, as able, for those acts of worship marked with an asterisk*.

Words in bold type indicate a congregational response with God and each other.

Need a ride to church? We are happy to provide transportation. Please call the church office

by noon on Wednesday.

If you have any questions, speak to someone with an “Ask Me” ribbon or visit our

Information Wall in the Gathering Space.

Mount Olivet records and live streams its 8:30 worship service on the internet so that those

beyond our walls are able to worship with us. While the camera’s frame is restricted to the

chancel area, if you are sensitive to this, the pews in the rear and balcony of the Sanctuary are

the least likely to be in the camera’s frame; or you may wish to attend the 11:00 worship

service.

Mount Olivet is a “green” church, please recycle your bulletin.