Southminster Presbyterian Church
4th Sunday in Lent March 30, 2025
Order of Worship 10:30 am Hybrid/Zoom Worship
Liturgical Color Today is Purple
*All who are able, please stand
Prelude
Welcome Pulpit Assistant
Sharing the Peace of Christ
Leader: The Peace of Christ be with you.
People: And also with you.
Introit “He Has Made Me Glad” Leona Von Brethorst
THE GATHERING OF GOD’S PEOPLE
Call to Worship
Leader: Do you feel it? God’s kingdom is beneath our feet.
People: We live in the new creation shaped by God out of our brokenness.
Leader; Do you know it? God’s reconciling love in Christ has shattered our ways of viewing people.
People: No longer do we label our sisters and brothers, we welcome them with open arms.
Leader: Do you believe it? God has made everything, including us, new,
People: and sends us forth to share this good news with everyone!
Hymn of Praise “My Life Flows On” Page 821
Call to Reconciliation
We know our faults — the way we have treated others, our alienation from God, our unwillingness to be faithful people. We will not hide our sins or remain silent but confess them to the One who surrounds us with steadfast love. Please join me as we pray the prayer of confession in unison, saying
Prayer of Confession (Unison)
On this very day, Waiting God, we admit all the lengths to which we go so we might avoid you. You offer us that kingdom of joy and wonder, yet we would hide in places where temptation waits. You invite us to feast on your grace and peace, but we stubbornly refuse, because you also welcome those we call ‘outsiders.’ We are quick to see all the mistakes that those around us make but hope you will ignore our foolish choices.
Celebrating God, before we come to our senses, we find you running towards us, sweeping us up in your arms, tears of grace mingling with our cries of confession, a mighty river washing away our sinful ways to restore us to new life. In Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, we find no limitations on your grace, no reservations about your love, but a feast that overflows with wonder, a place we can finally call home.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
Leader: God rolls away everything that stands in our way – our past, our sin, our pain, our hesitation, and reshapes us into new people living in the new creation. What wonderful grace. We are forgiven!
People: Broken, we are made whole; lost, we are brought home; empty, we are filled with songs of gladness. We rejoice and give thanks to God who has graced us with mercy. Amen.
*Gloria Patri Page 581
Anthem “Blessed Redeemer” Avis Christiansen
THE WORD FOR GOD’S PEOPLE
Prayer for Illumination
Gracious God, we do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from your mouth. Make us hungry for this heavenly food, that it may nourish us today in the ways of eternal life; through Jesus Christ, the bread of heaven. Amen.
First Reading 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
Second Reading Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
Hymn of Inspiration “Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound” Page 649
Sermon Rev. Nancy Neal
Affirmation of Faith (from “A brief Statement of Faith, “ Presbyterian Church (USA)
In life and in death we belong to God. Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel, whom alone we worship and serve. With believers in every time and place we rejoice that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.
THE GRATEFUL RESPONSE OF GOD’S PEOPLE
Announcements
Moment of Mission Kicheko Driggins
Invitation to Prayer Christian Women/Men’s Fellowship
Sharing of Joys and Concerns
Prayers of the People and the Lords’s Prayer
Our Father who are 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 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.
Choral Response “To You Alone” Ruth & Fred Coleman
Invitation to Offering
Offering
*Doxology Page 606
Prayer of Dedication
May we not be like the older brother, grumbling and resentful of your generosity. Rather, with joy and hope, we offer our gifts that others might be swept up in your loving and gracious arms. Amen.
THE SENDING OF GOD’S PEOPLE
*Closing Hymn/Recession “To God Be the Glory” Page 634
*Charge and Benediction
Leader: God sends us forth,
People: to be reconcilers of the broken and oppressed.
Leader: Jesus, our Brother, sends us to welcome everyone.
People: We will embrace the prodigals with joy,we will make a feast for all of God’s people.
Leader: The Spirit sends us with arms full of healing.
People: We will go to bring hope to all we meet.
Choral Prayer “Freely, Freely” Carol Owens”
Postlude
SOUTHMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
7801 Livingston Road Oxon Hill, MD 20745
Phone: 301 567-1510
E-mail Address: Southminster @verizon.net
Webpage: www.Southminstermd.org
Pulpit Supply: Rev Nancy Neal
Choir Director: Gail Tyler
Organist: Alberta Stith
Administrative Assistant: Lori Weaver
Pulpit Assistant
March 30th through April 5th
TODAY 10:30 am WORSHIP SERVICE
MONDAY Church Office Closed
TUESDAY Church Office Open 8:30 am – 1:00 pm
WEDNESDAY Church Office Open 8:30 am – 1:00 pm
Bible Study, led by Gwen Driggins
10:30 am – 11:30 am
THURSDAY Church Office Open 8:30 am – 1:00 pm
FRIDAY Church Office Open 8:30 am – 1:00 pm
SATURDAY Church Office Closed
The bulletin can also be found on the church website.
Moderator. Rev. Nancy Neal.
Clerk of Session– Don White
Session Elders:
Class of 2026– Julius Njabebuh, Kudi Njembu, Frida Fru.
Class of 2027– Jennifer Driggins, Janis McGeehan, Theresia Njembu.
Class of 2028 – Kicheko Driggins, Gregory Nguhmbi, Anna Tendongfack.
Welcome! We are blessed by your presence with us today. We give a special welcome to our visitors. Southminster is committed to growing in faith and being a blessing to our neighbors. We thank God for our diversity of race, theological views, and personal background. We invite you to visit with us during the fellowship time after worship and to worship with us again. If you have questions about our ministry, speak with a worship leader. Please send us your email and telephone number if you have questions about us and may want to join us in worship at some time. We offer you blessings in the name of the Lord. To join us for worship online each Sunday, you may join from your computer, tablet, or smartphone. Please invite others. The link to church worship services can be found on the Church website at the following URL http://southminstermd.org/worship.
Prayers: We continue to pray for our homebound member.
Upcoming Events
Oxon Hill Elementary Family Market
The school has a grant that provides enough food for 100 families from the Capital Area Food Bank. If you are interested in volunteering to help sort the food and distribute it once a month, please let Janis McGeehan know. All adult volunteers will need a background check if you plan to volunteer more than once. Teens are welcome and will receive Community Service Credits. The food is sorted from 2-4 pm and distributed from 4-5 pm. You may assist all or part of that time. The school system website has directions for how to apply. The fee is $61 payable by the volunteer.
Thank you to our dedicated volunteers who helped during the 2023-24 school year! The dates for this year are every 3rd Tuesday of each month. Apil 15, May 20, June 17.
Oxon Hill Food Pantry- The pantry continues to need volunteers to help sort and distribute food. Please continue to bring canned goods, cereal, peanut butter, jelly, pasta, soups, spaghetti sauce, or other shelf stable foods to Southminster any Sunday. Speak to Janis McGeehan to volunteer. Thank you for your continued support to help provide food to our local community.
The One Great Hour of Sharing special offering will be collected March 2nd through April 27th. There will be special envelopes on the back table and on the hallway table. Children will be given a fish offering box in their Sunday School class and are encouraged to put their offerings in it. This offering supports the PCUSA to provide relief from natural disasters, food for the hungry, and support for the poor and oppressed in our country and around the world. Southminster donated $571 in 2024.
Flower Fund needs replenishment. Please see Nurture Division.
Special Offering Dates-
Higher Education Scholarship Fund (February through June)
One Great Hour of Sharing for PCUSA (March 2 – April 27)