March 1, 2026
SECOND SUNDAY OF THE SEASON OF LENT
A Service of Prayer, Song, Symbolism, and of Journeying
AGM SUNDAY
THEME: “The Nicodemus Found In Us”
Lead Minister: The Rev. Jope Langejans
Music Director: Cody Obst
Minister Emeritus: Rev. Gerry Scharff
Honorary Associate Ministers: Rev. Clint Mooney & Rev. Kelley Warner
Chair of Council: Vacant
Reader: Joan Shedden
“The reason birds fly and we can’t, is simply that they have perfect faith, for to have faith is to have wings.” (James Matthew Barrie) and to add to this: “There are two lasting bequests we can give our children: one is roots…the other is wings.” (Hodding Carter, Jr.)
PRELUDE
CHOIR ENTRANCE
Gathering
(*Indicates that you may stand if you are able…)
Psalm 121 (Rev. Jope)
Rev. Jope: Were you there, were you there on the day that love was born? Were you there, when pride and greed died a painful death? Were you there, when hope’s fragile tendrils pushed their way through the hardened cracks? Were you there, when death birthed life and spring came again? (Pick up pinwheels…)
I was there…and you were there…we each know the pain of letting go and making space for the Spirit’s breath of life.
Rev. Jope: (The Service of Diminishing Lights…)
During Lent, we remember the events that led up to the crucifixion. Jesus had come to bring hope and light……
…….A little of the light which had come into the world was snuffed out by people Jesus had come to save.
(Extinguishing of the Second Candle)
All in Prayer: O Loving God, as we journey through this holy season of Lent, may we be open to your presence. Give us the strength to make the changes that are needed in our lives and the courage to take on the work of transforming the world… Amen.
HYMN VU # 121 “Tree of Life and Awesome Mystery”
(verses 1 and 2)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
ACKNOWLEDGING OUR TERRITORY (Rev. Jope)
INTROIT MV # 62 “There Is Room for All”
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Welcome into this Lenten journey…welcome upon this road which leads somewhere. It is through worship together, where we share our plans for this, our journey of faith.
ALL: It is in this place where we hear the urgings of our God to make a new world…to make room for the outsider.
Leader: Today we continue to move inward as this journey parallels the journey of Jesus toward his surrender,
ALL: towards his moments of deepest vocation, toward the Self raised against the sky, arms outstretched, in the agony of love.
Leader: It is upon this parallel road where each of us comes into contact with our inner spirit, with our centre of our being and who we are as followers of Christ.
ALL: Call us on the journey out into blessing; fold us in, into Living Blessing. Call us on the journey out into faithing; fold us in, into Living Faith. Call us on the journey out into questing; fold us in, into Living Questions. Call us out and call us in…to meet Holy You.
We now share in song:
*HYMN VU # 117 “Jesus Christ Is Waiting”
OPENING PRAYER (Unison)
O Holy One, Lent may mean something to some of us and to others, it’s just another day or another period in the liturgical year. Regardless of our thoughts on this, there are always periods in our lives where we have desert experiences, and we search for ways of how to journey out of this place. This is why we come together on Sunday mornings so that our collective thoughts may be held out in prayer. Often when taking our own journey, we find ourselves in a cul-de-sac, or at crossroads not knowing which road to go on or on a roundabout where we circle endlessly. Journeying with others we find the way as we go on with purpose, guided by your divine Spirit, towards a common goal. May this season of Lent be for each of us a time of finding our way out of desert places into a newness of life. May we always be dependent on each other’s gifts and sharing in each other’s hopes...Amen.
HYMN VU # 111 “As the Sun with Longer Journey”
Engaging the Sacred Text
(Reader: Joan Shedden)
GENESIS 12: 1-4a (8) God calls Abram to be a blessing…
ROMANS 4: 1-5, 13-17 (916) The promise of God rests on grace…
HYMN OF ILLUMINATION VU # 948 “O God, Hear My Prayer”
JOHN 3: 1-17 (863) Nicodemus learns that “God so loved the world…
MESSAGE “Our Prayer Walk”
*HYMN VU # 670 “Precious Lord, Take My hand”
Responding
OFFERING INVITATION (Leader)
Receive our gifts, O God. May they be used to show to the world the greatness of your love. We ask this in the name of Jesus the Christ, your perfect gift and our Saviour…our offerings will now be taken up…
(Beth W Johnston, while at Bridging Waters P.C., Nipawin, Sask. Gathering, pg. 33)
CHOIR’S MUSICAL SELECTION
“I Lift Up Mine Eyes (Psalm 121)” by: Allen Poe
OFFERING DEDICATION PRAYER (Rev. Jope)
CLOSING PRAYERS of the PEOPLE (Rev. Jope)
(We will use MV # 166 “Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ” as a prayer response…when you hear, “and how do we answer?” that will be entrance into the prayer response….)
“Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, Son of God among us, thank you for every sign showing that you love us.”
LORD’S PRAYER
Blessing
COMMISSIONING (unison)
May God go with us from this place and help us to be born again each day to faith and joy, love and hope, peace with justice…Amen.
*CLOSING HYMN VU # 422 “God Be with You till We Meet Again” (verses 1 and 4)
BLESSING (Rev. Jope)
RECESSIONAL
POSTLUDE MUSIC
SCRIPTURE PASSAGES for SUNDAY, MARCH 8
Third Sunday in the Season of Lent
EXODUS 17:1-7
PSALM 95
ROMANS 5:1-11
JOHN 4:5-42