A Warm Welcome Awaits You!
+ORDER OF SERVICE+
March 17th, 2024
Fifth Sunday in Lent
Prelude: Adagio in g minor - Tomaso Albinoni
Welcome and Announcements (10:25 am)
Entry of the Word (please rise)
Greeting and Call to Worship
This is a day for forgiveness and reconciliation.
We celebrate God’s love and forgiveness for us.
Glad cries of deliverance surround us.
Shouts of joy arise from our hearts.
Let all who are faithful offer up their prayers.
May all who are in Christ give thanks.
Hymn # 374: Oh for a thousand tongues to sing
Prayer of Adoration and Confession
Assurance of Pardon
Hymn # 201: We come to ask your forgiveness
Choir Anthem: Lord, I Pray to Thee - Patrick Liebergen
Prayer of Illumination
O God of Compassion,
You are slow to anger, full of mercy, and welcome sinners who return home to You. Receive us in Your loving embrace, and seat us at Your table of grace, that we may feast on all that satisfies the hungry heart, for we ask it through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Old Testament Isaiah 55:1-9
Responsive Reading Psalm 32 (Refrain 1)
Epistle Philippians 3:4b-9
Gospel Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
Sermon “The Joy of Being in the Father’s Arms”
Hymn # 706: Come, let us sing
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Offering: SOLO - All You Got to Do is Pray - Johnny Lange
Sung by Mr. Gary Palmer
Doxology # 661: We give thee but thine own (v.1)
Hymn # 209: O Love that wilt not let me go
Benediction
Parting Hymn: “Go Now In Peace”
Go now in peace, never be afraid;
God will go with you each hour of every day.
Go now in faith, steadfast, strong, and true;
Know He will guide you in all you do.
Go now in love, and show you believe;
Reach out to others so all the world can see.
God will be there, watching from above;
Go now in peace, in faith, and in love.
Amen. Amen. Amen.
Words by Don Besig and Nancy Price. Copyright 1988 Harold Flammer Music.
Used by permission
Postlude: Praeludium in c minor, BWV 549 - J.S. Bach
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Grocery Bags
Community Meals is in need of reusable grocery bags to enable our guests to take home items from our meals. Our guests will be asked to bring them to the next meal to help them take home either a hot meal or some of the items we are offering. If you have a reusable grocery bag or two that you could give to community meals we would appreciate it and make sure that they are put to good use. Please bring one or two next Sunday or drop them off in the Gathering Room, next to the Office.
Thank-you from Bill Schreiter and the Community Meals Volunteers.
Sunday Morning Fellowship continues both before and after service. Join us downstairs in McCullough Hall around 9:45 and/or immediately following the service. All are warmly invited! If you are a regular attendee either before or after service, please consider helping by providing a simple treat or helping in the kitchen. A sign-up sheet is available on the kitchen counter.
Sunday Coffee Time
Sunday Coffee Time has resumed here at St. Andrew’s, both before and after Service. Before Service fellowship begins around 9:45 am and After Service fellowship begins immediately following worship downstairs in McCullough Hall. All are warmly invited!
Free Sunday Bus Service
There is a free bus service to Sunday worship at St. Andrew's for those in the Stratford area. If you wish to use the bus, please call the Office at St. Andrew's at (519) 271-5668 to book a ride. The deadline for booking or cancelling (if you have a weekly scheduled pick up) is 12 noon on the Friday prior to the Sunday you wish to attend
GROUP MEETINGS
Tuesday March 19 – Bible Study 10am
Tuesday March 19 – Session Meeting 7:30pm
Thursday March 14 – Choir 7pm