To clasp the hands in prayer

is the beginning of an uprising

against the disorder of the world.

We Listen for Gods Word

KETUVIM
Karl Barth

We Gather as Gods People

HYMN

In Christ There Is No East or West

548

CALL TO WORSHIP
Celtic
As we gather in faith, in wonder, in doubt, in hope,
As we gather in the wilderness time of Lent
May our feet rest firmly on the ground
May our souls touch the sky
May we see clearly
May we have the capacity to listen
May we be free to question
May our words be true
May our hearts and minds be open
May our hands be empty to fill the need
May our arms be open to others
May our gifts be revealed to us
So that we may return to the world in faith, love, and justice
that which has been given by you.
We gather in faith, in wonder, in doubt, in hope,
worshiping you in spirit and in truth.
YOUNG PEOPLES MESSAGE
HYMN
OPENING TO GOD

Open My Eyes

454

Alan Paton, South Africa

For Courage to Do Justice

O Lord,
open my eyes that I may see the needs of others;
open my ears that I may hear their cries;
open my heart so that they need not be without succor;
Let me not be afraid to defend the weak
because of the anger of the strong,
nor afraid to defend the poor because of the anger of the rich.
Show me where love and hope and faith are needed,
and use me to bring them to those places.
And so open my eyes and my ears that I may this coming day
be able to do some work of peace for thee.

Psalm 107:1-9

830

EPISTLE
Galatians 2:16; 3:6-9, 28; 5:6
Even so, we have come to realize that one is justified not
by the works of the law, but through the faithfulness of Jesus
Christ. Therefore, we too have put our trust in Christ Jesus
and become faithful to him, in order that we might be justified
by Christs faithfulness and not by doing the works of the law,
because no one will be justified by the works of the law.
Just as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him
as righteousness, so, you see, those who believe are the
descendants of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that
God would justify the Gentiles by faith, declared the gospel
beforehand to Abraham, saying, All the Gentiles shall be
blessed in you. For this reason, those who believe are blessed
with Abraham who believed.
There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or
free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one
in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are
Abrahams offspring, heirs according to the promise.
For in Christ Jesus . . . the only thing that counts is faith
working through love.
EPISTLE
James 2:14-26
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have
faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother
or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to
them, Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill, and yet you
do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So
faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
But someone will say, You have faith and I have works.
Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my
works will show you my faith. You believe that God is one;
you do well. Even the demons believeand shudder. Do you
want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from
works is barren? Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by
works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that
faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought
to completion by the works.
Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham
believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,
and he was called the friend of God. You see that a person is
justified by works and not by faith alone. Likewise, was not

Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she

welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another road?
For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without
works is also dead.

We Respond to Gods Word

REFLECTION

FaithWorks

HYMN

Pues Si Vivimos

356

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & THE LORDS PRAYER

OFFERING & DOXOLOGY

We Are Sent Into Gods World

ANNOUNCEMENTS
BENEDICTION
RESPONSE
What Wondrous Love Is This?
292
To God and to the Lamb, I will sing, I will sing,
to God and to the Lamb, I will sing;
to God and to the Lamb who is the great I AM while millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing;
while millions join the theme, I will sing.

Essex Eats Out Feb/March

Mar 20 - St James

Mar 27 - EUMC

Announcements

March/ April Usher/Greeter Schedule is available in the foyer.

Church CleanUp Day is being rescheduled. Watch this space.
Our parking lot can get very busy; please consider parking across the
street Sunday mornings to allow closer parking for the less agile and
those with small children .
Soap Time Again We are collecting for UMCOR health kits --the soap
only--and hope to have 200 bars to take to Shelburne kit party in May.
Please, no Ivory or Jergens. Collection Box is downstairs on table at
foot of stairs.

Easter Flowers. If you would like to purchase & bring flowers to

decorate the altar for Easter please have them here by 9:00 am on
Saturday 4 April. Please put your name on the pot so that you can take
yours home after worship. There is a sign up list going around for the
names of loved ones to be honor/remembered in the Easter bulletin.
Crafting and Conversation: The Crafters are regrouping and meeting
every other week to begin making things for the Holiday Bazaar in
November. Bring a project that you're currently working on or come
and work on the group project for the day. Please contact Patty
Mitchell or Maureen Wiegner and they will include you in the
reminder e-mail prior to our meeting. Next session is planned for
Monday, March 16th at one o'clock in fellowship hall.

Calendar

Sun, 15 Mar: Lenten Study 8:15 am

Worship 10:00 am
Youth Group 11:45
Dinner Discussion atEmily & Wills home, 158 Sand
Hill Rd (first house on right past school entrance
heading south) 5:00 pm. Bring salad/wine/dessert
Mon, 16 Mar: Crafters, 1:00 pm Fellowship Hall
Tue, 17 Mar: Office Hours
Church: 9-10:30am
Phoenix Books 10:35 am-noon
Bible Study
1:00-2:30 pm in the Parlor.
Choir, 6:30 pm
Trustees 7:00 pm
Thu, 19 Mar: Food Shelf Set Up 6:30 pm
Sat, 21 Mar: Food Shelf Distribution 9:00 am
Vermont District Celebration, Hedding UMC, Barre.
Keynote Speaker: Jeemias Franca of Chicuque Rural
Hospital in Mozambique. 9:30 am- 3 pm.
Sun, 22 Mar: Fifth Sunday in Lent
Mon, 23 Mar: Monday Companions 7:00 pm Eves House
Tue, 24 Mar: PPR 7:00 pm
Fri, 27 Mar: Mitch at BOOM Executive Committee, Lawrence
Essex Eats Out Meal at EUMC, 5:30 pm

Birthdays & Anniversaries

March 18 - Steffen Parker

March 20 - Mitchell Hay, Judy Hatin
March 21 - Stephen Chesser
March 16 - Marilyn & Richard Almeida Anniversary
March 21 - Jo-Anne & Bill Bowman Anniversary

Below are people, places, & concerns that folk have lifted up.
Please keep them in your prayers at home.
Please call or email the church office to add to the prayer list.

Ongoing Prayers
Judy & Diezela
Zachary Roy
John Bartlett
Carol Johnson
Bob Brooks (Hirst)
Michael Parker
Jill & Doug Griffin
Stan Komecki
Jenna Roy
Paul
Dick Shepard
Robin
Jaylene
Mary
Jake Greg
 DJ

Ongoing Prayers, cont.



John Young IV
Brenda
Lenore
Chris
Gloria
Anne

FaithWorks

Lifted Up Last Sunday

Jen Horwitz & Chris Diehl
Rodgers family - traveling mercies
Judy M - Marjorie St. John, broke
wrist on ice
Bruce - Donna
Nancy - Irene, respite from pain
Elissa - captors of Bob Levinson, 8
years of captivity

Holy Week

Sun, 29 Mar: Palm Sunday

Mon, 30 Mar: Taiz Service at St. Pauls in Burlington, 7:30 pm
Wed, 1 Apr: Green Mountain Nursing Home 2:30 pm
Thu,2 Apr:
Maundy Thursday Service 7:00 pm
Fri, 3 Apr:
Good Friday Ecumenical Service, St. James, noon
Good Friday Evening Tenebrae Service 7:00 pm
Sat, 4 Apr:
Holy Saturday Vigil
Sun, 5Apr: Easter Sunrise Service Bixby Hill, 6:00 am
Resurrection Sunday Service, 10:00 am

Essex Center United Methodist Church

essex_umc@comcast.net
tel. 878-8304
www.essexumc.com
Ministers: the entire congregation
Equipping Pastor: Rev. V. Mitchell Hay
home tel. 878-3778 (feel free to call)
mitchellhay@comcast.net
Office Manager: Heidi Evans
Organist: Kathryn Parker Pianists: June Packard, Ellie Uckele
Djembe: Barbara Lemmel
Guitar: Richard Randazzo
Song Leader: Dana Thomas Projection: Sam Evans
Greeter - Eve Thorsen & Janet Bedard
Ushers - Dawn Hill-Fleury, Gil & Barb Myers

Essex Center

United Methodist Church

15 March 2015

Fourth Sunday of Lent

Lenten Disciplines

Lenten Disciplines

Lenten Disciplines

Its not just about Sunday morning! Here are some practices,
readings, discussion points, and contemplative prompts for the
rest of this week. These things will both point back to the
previous Sunday and look forward to the next Sunday. Please
select those practices which are appropriate to you.

Its not just about Sunday morning! Here are some practices,
readings, discussion points, and contemplative prompts for the
rest of this week. These things will both point back to the previous
Sunday and look forward to the next Sunday. Please select those
practices which are appropriate to you.

Its not just about Sunday morning! Here are some practices,
readings, discussion points, and contemplative prompts for the
rest of this week. These things will both point back to the previous
Sunday and look forward to the next Sunday. Please select those
practices which are appropriate to you.

Scripture: Please consider daily scripture readings along a

common theme or from a portion of the Bible in sequence. If
youd like to read more about grace, sin, and our own efforts,
read from Ephesians, 2:1-10. Related passages can be found here:
Colossians 2:12-15; Acts 15:10-11; and 1 Corinthians 1:26-31.
Read the passage from Ephesians over the course of Monday and
Tuesday, and then read the verses from the other books on
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, respectively.

Scripture: Please consider daily scripture readings along a

common theme or from a portion of the Bible in sequence. If
youd like to read more about grace, sin, and our own efforts, read
from Ephesians, 2:1-10. Related passages can be found here:
Colossians 2:12-15; Acts 15:10-11; and 1 Corinthians 1:26-31.
Read the passage from Ephesians over the course of Monday and
Tuesday, and then read the verses from the other books on
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, respectively.

Scripture: Please consider daily scripture readings along a

common theme or from a portion of the Bible in sequence. If
youd like to read more about grace, sin, and our own efforts, read
from Ephesians, 2:1-10. Related passages can be found here:
Colossians 2:12-15; Acts 15:10-11; and 1 Corinthians 1:26-31.
Read the passage from Ephesians over the course of Monday and
Tuesday, and then read the verses from the other books on
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, respectively.

Prayer: Just as last week, consider daily prayers in the vein of

repentance and spiritual preparation. If you are having trouble
finding the specific words, try this Lenten prayer from the 1662
Book of Common Prayer: We beseech thee, Almighty God,
mercifully to look upon thy people; that by thy great goodness
they may be governed and preserved evermore, both in body and
soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer: Just as last week, consider daily prayers in the vein of

repentance and spiritual preparation. If you are having trouble
finding the specific words, try this Lenten prayer from the 1662
Book of Common Prayer: We beseech thee, Almighty God,
mercifully to look upon thy people; that by thy great goodness
they may be governed and preserved evermore, both in body and
soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer: Just as last week, consider daily prayers in the vein of

repentance and spiritual preparation. If you are having trouble
finding the specific words, try this Lenten prayer from the 1662
Book of Common Prayer: We beseech thee, Almighty God,
mercifully to look upon thy people; that by thy great goodness
they may be governed and preserved evermore, both in body and
soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Musical Prayer: For a morning routine, consider listening to a

musical setting of Psalm 95 with the text in front of you. Our
own hymnal follows the setting of William Boyce, found on page
91. For an evening routine, consider listening to a musical setting
of the Nunc Dimittis the text of which comes from Luke 2:29-32.
There are several versions on Youtube, including a Taiz chant..

Musical Prayer: For a morning routine, consider listening to a

musical setting of Psalm 95 with the text in front of you. Our own
hymnal follows the setting of William Boyce, found on page 91.
For an evening routine, consider listening to a musical setting of
the Nunc Dimittis the text of which comes from Luke 2:29-32.
There are several versions on Youtube, including a Taiz chant..

Musical Prayer: For a morning routine, consider listening to a

musical setting of Psalm 95 with the text in front of you. Our own
hymnal follows the setting of William Boyce, found on page 91.
For an evening routine, consider listening to a musical setting of
the Nunc Dimittis the text of which comes from Luke 2:29-32.
There are several versions on Youtube, including a Taiz chant..

Fasting: If you are fasting/abstaining again this week, take the

time you would have spent on a meal or activity to pray or read
Scripture. Particularly suitable passages for fasting and
repentance are: Isaiah 58, Joel 2: 12-17, Mark 2: 13-23, and
Matthew 6: 16-21.

Fasting: If you are fasting/abstaining again this week, take the

time you would have spent on a meal or activity to pray or read
Scripture. Particularly suitable passages for fasting and
repentance are: Isaiah 58, Joel 2: 12-17, Mark 2: 13-23, and
Matthew 6: 16-21.

Fasting: If you are fasting/abstaining again this week, take the

time you would have spent on a meal or activity to pray or read
Scripture. Particularly suitable passages for fasting and
repentance are: Isaiah 58, Joel 2: 12-17, Mark 2: 13-23, and
Matthew 6: 16-21.

Christian Community: As you did last week, gather in

community outside of church to ponder and discuss this weeks
lesson. A good prayer for gathering is found on page 412 of our
hymnal. You are welcome to gather at 6 pm at the parsonage
tonight. Please bring a salad or wine or dessert.

Christian Community: As you did last week, gather in

community outside of church to ponder and discuss this weeks
lesson. A good prayer for gathering is found on page 412 of our
hymnal. You are welcome to gather at 6 pm at the parsonage
tonight. Please bring a salad or wine or dessert.

Christian Community: As you did last week, gather in

community outside of church to ponder and discuss this weeks
lesson. A good prayer for gathering is found on page 412 of our
hymnal. You are welcome to gather at 6 pm at the parsonage
tonight. Please bring a salad or wine or dessert.