Southminster Presbyterian Church
3rd Sunday in Lent March 23, 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: We come, because we seek our God.
People: Every morning, every day, every evening, every moment, God is with us.
Leader: We come, because we hunger for Christ.
People: Jesus will feed us with hope, will replace our emptiness with grace.
Leader: We come, because we thirst for the Spirit.
People: Who fills our yearning for peace, who ends the drought of justice.
Hymn of Praise “There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy” Page 435
Call to Reconciliation
Do you think that because you have spoken hurtfully, or failed to help, or left God behind as you travel through each day, that God forgets you? God’s love is as constant as the sun; God’s forgiveness is as sure as the stars in the night sky. Let us join together, as we pray the prayer of confession, saying,
Prayer of Confession (Unison)
The thirsty come, and we offer lead-filled water;
the hungry come, and we offer a single can from our overflowing pantries;
the lonely come, and we cling to our cliques;
the broken come, and we hand them an aspirin;
the needy come, but we have wasted everything on stuff we do not need.
Have mercy on us, Steadfast love, and pour your heart into our grace-parched souls. As you have been with us in every moment, may we go to be with all around us. May we listen to the needs and hearts of others, even as you lean down to listen to us in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
Leader: In every moment, God seeks what is best for us, continually offering us peace, hope, and forgiveness.
People: We will bless God in every moment, rejoicing with the One who fills us with steadfast love. Thanks be to God, we are forgiven. Amen.
*Gloria Patri Page 581
Anthem “Lead Me to Calvary” Jennie E. Hussey
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 Isaiah 55:1-9
Second Reading Luke 13:1-9
Hymn of Inspiration “Sometimes a Light Surprises” Page 800
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
Having been blessed by you, Loving God, we will not waste our gifts but offer them back to you, so the parched throats might be soothed by your grace, the hungry feed on your bounty, and the stranger welcomed as family who have been away for too long. This we pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
THE SENDING OF GOD’S PEOPLE
*Closing Hymn/Recession “God of Grace and God of Glory” Page 307
*Charge and Benediction
Leader: God sends us out to empty our gifts for others.
People: Letting us charge whatever we need to grace’s account.
Leader: Jesus sends us out to find those who are thirsty and hungry.
People: Giving us water for parched children,
filling our arms with bags of groceries for the hungry.
Leader: The Spirit sends us out to search for those who long for community.
People: Taking us by the hand when we grow weary,
so we might continue to welcome the stranger.
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 23rd through March 29th
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 Majorie Anderson.
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)