4th Sunday in Lent

Central United Methodist Church in Fayetteville, Arkansas

March 14, 2021 / 10:45 a.m.
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GREETING Dr. Jan Davis

OPENING VOLUNTARY Aria Cantabilé arr. Howard Helvey

Frode Gundersen & Scott Montgomery, piano duet

* CALL TO WORSHIP Rev. Greg Gibson

Pastor: Let us worship God, for whom our souls thirst and our bodies long.
People: Listen, listen to me, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
Pastor: We have come to hear the Word God has sent.
People: God’s Word will not return empty,
but will accomplish through us his holy purpose.
Pastor: Let us worship God in spirit and in truth.
All: Then we will go out with joy and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and the hills will sing;
the trees of the field will clap their hands.

* OPENING HYMN 578 God of Love and God of Power UNSER HERRSCHER
1. God of love and God of power, grant us in this burning hour
grace to ask these gifts of thee, daring hearts and spirits free.
God of love and God of power, thou hast called us for this hour.
2. We are not the first to be banished by our fears from thee;
give us courage, let us hear heaven's trumpets ringing clear.
God of love and God of power, thou hast called us for this hour.
3. All our lives belong to thee, thou our final loyalty;
slaves are we whene'er we share that devotion anywhere.
God of love and God of power, thou hast called us for this hour.
4. God of love and God of power, make us worthy of this hour;
offering lives if it's thy will, keeping free our spirits still.
God of love and God of power, thou hast called us for this hour.

* AFFIRMATION 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 Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried; the third day he rose from the dead;
he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at 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 Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

* GLORIA PATRI 70 MEINEKE

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen.

CALL TO CONFESSION Rev. Greg Gibson

The proof of God’s amazing love is this:
While we were sinners, Christ died for us.
Because we have faith in him, we dare to approach God with confidence,
trusting that God will forgive our sin and cleanse us from every kind of wrong.
Let us confess our sins to almighty God.
 PRAYER OF CONFESSION
God of compassion,
in Jesus Christ you did not disdain the company of sinners,
but welcomed them with love. Look upon us in mercy, we pray.
Our sins are more than we can bear; our pasts enslave us;
our misdeeds are beyond correcting. Forgive the wrongs we cannot undo;
free us from a past we cannot change; heal what we can no longer fix.
Grace our lives with your love and turn the tears of our past
into the joys of new life with you. Amen.

PASTORAL PRAYER

THE 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.

MINISTRY SPOTLIGHT Wesley Campus Ministry

GIVING OF OUR TITHES & OFFERING

OFFERTORY SOLO Wondrous Love arr. Richard Walters

Dennese Adkins, soprano

* SCRIPTURE LESSON Ephesians 2:1-10

This is the Word of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God.

SERMON Crosstalk: Dr. Jan Davis

FAITH

OPENING VOLUNTARY Fugue in C Minor Johann Krebs

Scott Montgomery, organ (1713-1780)

(*) The asterisk indicates to please stand, as you are able.

MINISTRY SPOTLIGHT
Hello Central family, because of your faithful and generous giving Wesley has been able to love students throughout
the pandemic. On Ash Wednesday students gathered and acknowledged sins and brokenness before Christ. Though
certainly a somber time, and different because of social distancing, everyone was thankful to be together and in the
presence of Christ. The same is true as we've been going through Exodus on Tuesday nights or studying the Sabbath
with grad students over lunch on Wednesdays. For some who come through our doors, the Wesley is just about the
only thing they get to do that isn't on Zoom. The truly wonderful thing is, I'm watching these same students
transform and grow in Jesus right before my eyes. Your faithful giving makes this life changing ministry possible.
Thank you, and praise the Lord. -- Daniel Rupp, Wesley Campus Director and Pastor

JOIN US THIS WEDNESDAY AT NOON

FOR OUR WEEKLY LENTEN MEDITATION SERVICE
These 30-minute services will include a Lenten hymn, meditative music, and a short message of hope.
You may view each service beginning at noon on Wednesdays at Central’s website (centraltolife.com),
as well as Central’s Facebook Page (Central United Methodist Church – Fayetteville).