Lent 4.
Call to Worship
Let us praise God who meets our needs and leads us to places of tranquillity and rest.
Let us praise God who comforts us and replaces our fears with overflowing love.
Song: All creatures of our God and King (omit verses 5 and 6)
Prayer
Glorious God, you gather together your children as a hen gathers her chicks under her winds. We praise you for enfolding us in your great love. We rejoice in the knowledge that your care for us is so great that we lack nothing. You provide for all our needs, even the strength to cope in times of darkness and distress. The depth of your care for us is revealed in the person of Jesus, who was prepared to go to the cross to prove that your goodness and mercy is more powerful than evil and death. In response to these many blessings, we have gathered together in this, your house, praying that this time of worship will be a fitting response to the many blessings we receive from you. This we pray in Jesus' name. Amen
Jesus, servant King and Light of the world you penetrate the darkness of the world with your love and your life, graciously enlightening us in ways which enable us to see the world and our neighbours as you see them. We confess, however, that there are times when we choose to reject the gift of your insight, preferring to 'close our eyes' to the pain and suffering which are daily experiences for so many people.
When selfishness blinds us to the needs of others;
Jesus, Light of the world, forgive us.
When our insensitivity blinds us to the hurt we cause others;
Jesus, Light of the world, forgive us.
When our prejudices blind us to the equal dignity and worth of others;
Jesus, Light of the world, forgive us.
When our pride blinds us to our own faults;
Jesus, Light of the world, forgive us.
When the lure of materialism blinds us to the poverty of others;
Jesus, Light of the world, forgive us.
Jesus, Light of the world, help us to walk in your light so that goodness, righteousness, and truth are made visible as we reflect your love and your mercy in and through all we say and do. Amen
Prayers of forgiveness:
Hear the good news! "Once you were darkness, but now in the we live as children of the light" (Ephesians 5: 8) because in Jesus, Light of the world, we are enlightened; we are healed; we are forgiven
The Lords Prayer.
Notices and Offering
Paul - The labyrinth. Thursday - 6 people to help out sport out the labyrinth - from 6 pm please.
Song: God is Love, his the care
Talk: (Pic - smile)
Intro: Did you know that the Fourth Sunday of Lent, following an old tradition, is celebrated as "Laugher Sunday" or "Holy Humour Sunday". We lighten up, we relax, and recall the joy of the Lord in the midst of the Lenten pilgrimage. We celebrate God's presence and goodness in the midst of life. We tell jokes.
Why is it called lipstick if you can still move your lips?
- Why is it that night falls but day breaks?
- Why do they call it "chili" if it's hot?
- Have you ever seen a toad on a toadstool?
- Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavour, and dishwashing liquid made
with real lemons?
- If tin whistles are made out of tin, what do they make fog horns out of?
We share inspirational stories with humorous twists. And we still hear the gospel of the day. Whenever "Laugher Sunday" it is celebrated, and by whatever name, it is characterised by joking around, singing, dancing, and merry-making. And it reminds us that God is a God of laughter as well as of sorrow - much as God is Lord of the valleys as well as the mountain tops.
Red Nose day - next week. But we have a God who invented laughter, a God with a sense of humour!
Drama: How to install Love. (Amy and Ken!)
By Rick Anderson, based on an idea by an unknown author.
Summary: A Customer Services Representative gives computer style instructions in how to install love.
Characters: Customer and Customer Service (CS) Rep
Customer Service (CS) Rep. : Yes, Madams how can I help you today?
Customer: Well, after much consideration, I've decided to install LOVE. Can you guide me through the process?
CS Rep. : Yes, I can help you. Are you ready to proceed?
Customer: Well, I'm not very technical, but I think I'm ready to install now. What do I do first?
CS Rep. : The first step is to open your HEART. Have you located your HEART ma'am?
Customer: Yes I have, but there are several other programs running right now. Is it okay to install while they are running?
CS Rep. : What programs are running?
Customer: Let's see, I have PAST-HURT.EXE, LOW-ESTEEM.EXE, GRUDGE.EXE, and RESENTMENT.COM running right now.
CS Rep. : No problem. LOVE will gradually erase PAST-HURT.EXE from your current operating system. It may remain in your permanent memory, but it will no longer disrupt other programs. LOVE will eventually overwrite LOW-ESTEEM.EXE with a module of its own called HIGH-ESTEEM.EXE. However, you have to completely turn off GRUDGE.EXE and RESENTMENT.COM. Those programs prevent LOVE from being properly installed. Can you turn those off ma'am?
Customer: I don't know how to turn them off. Can you tell me how?
CS Rep. : My pleasure. Go to your Start menu and invoke FORGIVENESS.EXE. Do this as many times as necessary until GRUDGE.EXE and RESENTMENT.COM have been completely erased.
Customer: Okay, done. LOVE has started installing itself automatically. Is that normal?
CS Rep. : Yes. You should receive a message that says it will reinstall for the life of your HEART. Do you see that message?
Customer: Yes I do. Is it completely installed?
CS Rep. : Yes, but remember that you have only the base program. You need to begin connecting to other HEART's in order to get the upgrades.
Customer: Oops. I have an error message already. What should I do?
CS Rep. : What does the message say?
Customer: It says 'ERROR 412 - PROGRAM NOT RUN ON INTERNAL COMPONENTS.' What does that mean?
CS Rep. : Don't worry madam that's a common problem. It means that the LOVE program is set up to run on external HEARTS but has not yet been run on your HEART. It is one of those complicated programming things, but in non-technical terms it means you have to 'LOVE' your own machine before it can 'LOVE' others.
Customer: So what should I do?
CS Rep. : Can you pull down the directory called 'SELF-ACCEPTANCE'?
Customer: Yes, I have it.
CS Rep. : Excellent. You're getting good at this.
Customer: Thank you.
CS Rep. : You're welcome. Click on the following files and then copy them to the 'MYHEART' directory: FORGIVE-SELF.DOC, REALIZE-WORTH.TXT, and ACKNOWLEDGE-LIMITATIONS.DOC. The system will overwrite any conflicting files and begin patching any faulty programming. Also, you need to delete VERBOSE-SELF-CRITIC.EXE from all directories, and then empty your recycle bin afterwards to make sure it is completely gone and never comes back.
Customer: Got it. Hey! My HEART is filling up with new files. SMILE.MPG is playing on my monitor right now and it shows that PEACE.EXE, and CONTENTMENT.COM are copying themselves all over my HEART. Is this normal?
CS Rep.: Sometimes. For others it takes a while, but eventually everything gets downloaded at the proper time. So, LOVE is installed and running. You should be able to handle it from here. One more thing before I go.
Customer: Yes?
CS Rep. : LOVE is freeware. Be sure to give it and its various modules to everybody you meet. They will in turn share it with other people and they will return some similarly cool modules back to you.
Customer: I will. Thanks for your help. By the way, what's your name?
CS Rep.: You can call me the Divine Cardiologist, also known as The Great Physician, but most call me God. Most people feel all they need is an annual check-up to stay heart-healthy, but the manufacturer (Me) suggests a schedule of daily maintenance for maximum efficiency. Put another way, keep in touch ......... and keep praying !.............................................
By Rick Anderson, based on an idea by an unknown author. This script may be used free of charge, provided no charge is made for entrance to the performance. A note to the author would be appreciated. He may be contacted at rande@be.bricker.com
A Powerpoint presentation - prepared by Deborah A Bellante is available to accompany this script. A copy may be obtained by contacting jandhmcneil@paradise.net.nz
Bible Readings 1 Sam 16: 1-13 ; Hazel B
Song: Joyful, joyful, we adore thee (Ode to Joy)
(Mothers Day flowers)
All Age Talk:
Magnifying glass Pic
You would have to organise this ahead with some of the people who exercise leadership in your church.
Introduce the theme by saying that a very important task needs to be completed - it will need to be done by someone who loves God and who would try to do the job as God wanted it done.
As soon as you finish saying this one of the leaders of the church stands up and says "I think I would fit that job description very well. I'm very good at doing important tasks."
Invite the person to come out front.
I'm important - Gordon/Fiona (Beckham)
I'm powerful - Gwenda (Amir Khan)
I'm influential - Bob//Beverly (Tony Blair)
I'm strong - Ken/ Carol (Weight lifter)
Someone who is regal - Thelma/Ste (Queen)
Intelligent - Ste/Libby/Norman/Keith (Hawkins)
Have them 'preen' themselves before the congregation and speak among themselves saying how they would definitely fit the bill etc etc. Look at them and shake your head and then go and take a child/young person by the hand and lead him/her out front saying, "no, this is the one.
David and Goliath - pic
Remember, God is a God of surprises and does not always act as we would expect." Invite everyone to return to their seats and link what you have just done with the
OT reading where- to everyone's surprise - David, the youngest son of Jesse is the one chosen by God to be anointed as king. Power moves from those whom we would expect to be most powerful down to the lowest and the least..
Christ on the cross
Jesus came from the same town as David, and the powerful people looked down on Jesus as someone from the backwoods - someone of no importance - yet - both Jesus and David were kings - David used his power to build
himself up, Jesus used his power to build others up, and his crown was one made with thorns. God speaks of using the foolish things to confuse the wise, of taking a bruised reed and making it unbreakable. Of taking us when we fall and fail when we feel weak and useful - and making us into His children. There are surprising turns with God, just when you can see no hope - with God there is real home and new life.
Ask Joy and Freda to play the music for our next song, and as we listen let us reflect on some places and situations where hope and new life is needed right now.
Song: Come and see…
Intercessions: Images
Song: We Are Marching (SIYAHAMBA)
Benediction
May the goodness and mercy of God enfold you, the glory and light of Jesus Christ shine upon you, the insight and power of the Holy Spirit inform you this day and every day….. and may the Grace of the lord Jesus Christ, The love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, Be with us all ever more
Amen