Third Sunday of Lent

March 3, 2024

Springwell Holy Eucharist

 

Call to Gather for Worship

 Celebrant ☩ Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
People     And blessed be his kingdom, now and forever.

Amen.

 

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hidden: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 Celebrant         Jesus said, “The first commandment is this: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There are no other commandments greater than these.”

 

The Collect of the Day

 Celebrant         The Lord be with you.

People             And also with you.

Celebrant         Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

 

OLD TESTAMENT: Exodus 20:1-17

Then God spoke all these words:

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me.
You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.
You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.
Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. For six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore, the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.
Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

Reader: The Word of the Lord.

People: Thanks be to God.

 

We will repeat lines from Psalm 22 together in unison

The law of the Lord is perfect
and revives the soul; *
the testimony of the Lord is sure
and gives wisdom to the innocent.

The statutes of the Lord are just
and rejoice the heart; *
the commandment of the Lord is clear
and gives light to the eyes.

The fear of the Lord is clean
and endures forever; *
the judgments of the Lord are true
and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold,
more than much fine gold, *
sweeter far than honey,
than honey in the comb.

By them also is your servant enlightened, *
and in keeping them there is great reward.

Who can tell how often he offends? *
cleanse me from my secret faults.

Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins;
let them not get dominion over me; *
then shall I be whole and sound,
and innocent of a great offense.

 

THE GOSPEL

Celebrant The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to John
People Praise be to you, O Christ.

John 2:13-22

The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”
The religious authorities then said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?” But Jesus was speaking of the temple of his body.

After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

Celebrant: The Gospel of the Lord.

People: Thanks be to God.

 

Sermon                                                 Pastor Neil

At the end of the sermon—Celebrant: Let us bless the Lord.

 People: Thanks be to God.

 

 

 

 

The Apostles’ Creed

Celebrant and People together


 I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

 I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living 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.                               

 

Prayers of the People

 Celebrant Let us pray for the Church and for the world.

With all our heart and with all our mind, let us pray to the Lord, by saying, “Lord, have mercy.”

Leader For the peace from above, for the loving-kindness of God, and for the salvation of our souls. For the welfare of the holy Church of God, and for the unity of all peoples, let us pray to the Lord.            People Lord, have mercy.

Leader For our Bishops and church leaders; for congregations and their leaders and people. For our President, for the leaders of the nations, and for all in authority, let us pray to the Lord.                    People      Lord, have mercy.

Leader For this city of Baltimore, for every city and community; on our mountains and farms; and for holy places—and for those who live in all of these places. For the residents and staff of Springwell and their families. For the good earth that God has given us, and for the wisdom and will to conserve it, let us pray to the Lord.                                                   People  Lord, have mercy.

Leader For the aged and infirm, for the widowed and orphans, and for the sick and the suffering. For Jackie, Joyce, John, Paul, Lynn, Joe, Carlton, Holly, Miles and Wanda; Arthur, Margie, and all their families; for Sister Anne and Neil, and all others needing our prayers. Let us pray to the Lord.                        People         Lord, have mercy.

Leader For the people and peace of the Holy Land in the Middle East, and all the pe0ple of various tribes and nations who live there. For Hawaii, Morrocco, Libya, and Canada; for Ukraine, deeply we pray; for peace-makers and for their success; and for those for whom we have promised to pray; for all of them and their concerns, let us pray to the Lord.                                                                                                         People    Lord, have mercy.

Leader For the poor and the oppressed, for the unemployed and the destitute, for prisoners and captives, and for all those who remember them and care for them, let us pray to the Lord.                                People   Lord, have mercy.

Leader For all who have died in the hope of the resurrection, and for all the dearly departed, particularly, Georgia, Helen, Yvonne, Cynthia, Donald, and all their families and loved ones. And, that we may end our lives in faith and hope, without suffering or reproach, let us pray to the Lord.                          People   Lord, have mercy.

 Celebrant  Almighty and eternal God, ruler of all things in heaven and earth: Mercifully accept the prayers of your people and strengthen us to do your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord.                   People     Amen.

 

A Confession of Our Sins to God

 Celebrant Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbors.

Silence will be kept.

 

Celebrant and People Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

 

Celebrant Almighty God have mercy on you, ☩ forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in
eternal life. Amen.

 

Offertory Prayer

Celebrant and People        Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. For everything in heaven and on earth is yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom, and you are exalted as head overall. Amen.

 

The Peace

Celebrant The peace of the Lord be always with you.

People     And also with you.

Then the Ministers and People may greet one another in the name of the Lord

 

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING

Celebrant        The Lord be with you.

People              And also with you.

Celebrant         Lift up your hearts.

People              We lift them to the Lord.

 Celebrant         Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

People              It is right to give our thanks and praise.

 Celebrant         It is indeed right and holy that we should—in all times and in all places—give thanks to you, Almighty Father. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Our Lord was tempted in every way as we are tempted, but he did not succumb sin. By his grace we are able to triumph over every evil; and to live no longer for ourselves alone, but for him who died for us and rose again. Therefore, we praise your name and join angels and archangels by saying:

 

All, spoken: Holy, holy, holy Lord; God of power and might. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

 

Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself. When we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you in your mercy sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all. He stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice for the whole world.

On the night before his death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, “Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”

Therefore, we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.

We celebrate the memorial of our redemption,        O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanks- giving. Recalling his death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts. ☩ Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him. ☩ Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace. And at the last day bring us with all your saints into the joy of your eternal kingdom. All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ.

By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and forever. Amen.

And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to pray:

 

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 and ever. Amen.

 

The Call to Communion

Celebrant   The gifts of God for the people of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.

 Celebrant will distribute communion to people in their chairs.

 

 

Post Communion Thanksgiving

 Celebrant        Almighty and ever-living God,

 All   We thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the Body of your Son, and heirs of your eternal kingdom. And now, Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord. To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and forever. Amen

 

The Sending Blessing

Celebrant        Sisters and brothers, we go out into the world in peace. We live and walk as part of God’s beloved community. May God help us all to be of good courage, to hold on to what is good, and to return to no one an evil for an evil. Strengthen the faint-hearted, support the weak, aid the suffering; do justice, honor all people, and let our gentleness be known by everyone. May God, who raised our Lord Jesus from death, lift us up and restore us to wholeness. And may God bless us all, ☩ in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

Dismissal

Celebrant         Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

People              Thanks be to God.