Sunday, March 20, 2022 3rd Sunday of Lent

1 No matter who you are, No matter where you are on life s journey, You are welcome here. Sunday , March 20, 2022 3rd Sunday of Lent 2 Welcome to Worship at St. Paul UCC March 20, 2022 ~ 9:00 am Third Sunday of Lent WELCOME Rev. Michelle Torigian PRELUDE My Shepherd, You Supply My Need Southern Harmony, arr. by John Behnke INVOCATION (UNISON Based on Psalm 63) Holy One, Our Balm, Our Feast- we lift our hands and call your name, in need of healing. Your steadfast love is better than life. Open us this day to your nourishment in the songs of the sky, in the beauty of the land in the simple and good enough moments that fill our days.

2 Amen. * opening HYMN God of Grace and God of Glory (see next page) TODAY S WORSHIP LEADERS Senior Michelle Torigian Organist ..Robert Chamberlin Liturgist ..Stephenie Bauza 3 4 * prayer OF REFLECTION In our Gospel scripture today, we will hear about the unproductive fig tree. Oh, the shame of being unproductive! Cut it down! Make room for a more dedicated and hard-working fig tree! Who among us is living up to our fullest potential? The productivity experts these days can diagnose what s wrong and sell us the antidote in three amazing sessions for a low-low price that is guaranteed to turn our lives around.

3 But the gardener offers an alternative medicine nurture it slowly, letting it soak in the manure all around until it can get the good stuff out of it. Lying fallow and getting fertilized with laughter and tears at the tough stuff of life can help heal what ails us. Is this not sometimes productive enough? What productivity expectations are holding you captive? Let us take a moment of silent Silent Reflection Hear this compassionate word from Isaiah: Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

4 Know that already, God is offering us love enough no matter how much we attain or achieve. We are invited to release oppressive expectations of ourselves and others so that we might recognize true worth afforded to all. Amen. CHILDREN S CHAT Mary Lu Bretsch MISSION MOMENT Pastoral Relations Committee ANTHEM The King of Love My Shepherd Is, by Dan Forrest Chancel Choir SCRIPTURE Luke 13:1-19 SERMON Unusual Healing Rev. Michelle Torigian This worship service is live streamed and recorded. *Notes where to stand if comfortably able.

5 Information about today s service: All St. Paul United Church of Christ services may be recorded and/or streamed. Music is used with permission through License #A-715913, CCLI #1795791, St. James Press License #17755, or public domain. All liturgy and leader parts Marcia McFee Used and adapted with permission. A Blessing for Slowing Down [excerpt] from Good Enough: 40 ish Devotionals for a Life of Imperfection by Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie. Used with permission. 5 PASTORAL prayer AND LORD S prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

6 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. REFLECTION ON GIVING *DOXOLOGY (Tune: Old Hundreth) Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise Christ in whom God s grace we know Praise Spirit, with us evermore One God, triune, whom we adore. Amen. *BLESSING OF THE GIFTS (UNISON) Generous God, in light of your extravagant blessings no matter what the state of the world or our imperfect lives we offer our gifts and ourselves, and know that you transform what we plant into the produce of love.

7 Amen. *CLOSING HYMN There's a Wideness in God's Mercy (see next page) A BLESSING FOR SLOWING DOWN BENEDICTION And now, may the God who loves all of creation, and you without price, and Jesus, our companion along this crooked path called life, and the Holy Spirit, who loves to improvise in surprising ways, go with you, dwell among you, and give you joy. Amen. POSTLUDE Beloved Jesus Johannes Brahms 6 ATTENTION FIRESIDE MEMBERS! Please plan to attend the Culinaire s breakfast after worship today. There will be a short meeting after breakfast.

8 7 7 8 October 1955 saw the sixty-third anniversary of a women s group at St. Paul. What was the name of this organization? Archives Artifacts ~ St. Paul trivia from the desk of Roger Henke Sundays 9am Traditional Worship 10am Coffee Hour & Culinaire s Breakfast (3rd Sunday of the month) Here is how to stay in touch with St. Paul 1) Watch the services and check for event updates on FACBOOK - Like us at St. Paul United Church of Christ Belleville, IL 2) Go to -and you will find: videos of services, sermons, archives, and much more!

9 ! 3) Listen to the radio! 690am 9am Live Sundays & repeat at 9pm 4) Sign up for the eNews (Newsletter)! This Week Weekly Attendance 9am Mar 6, 2022 79 + Online Participants Mar 7, 2021 24 + Online Participants For Your Prayers ANSWER: Women s Guild Circle B . Like us on Facebook St Paul United Church of Christ, Belleville, illinois Watch videos on YouTube: Gus Kuether Lori Coleman Karen Zaber Ann Holliday Bev Clark Mike Eckert Al Stahl Audrey Krummrich Carol Hotz Kristine Mueller Shirley Martin Aaron Coleman Tammy Flach Alec Zaber Grace Wolf Larry Walton Eileen Wetzel Christopher Mitchell Darwin Bretsch The Family of Dawn Steen David Grimm, Diane Dennison s daughter in laws s brother Scott Schmidt.

10 Brother of Steve Schmidt Brian Sample, nephew of Kathy Birkner prayer REQUESTS Please send prayer requests to or call 618-233-3303 Praying for your health and well being!