[During Lent] of what are we to repent?

Our indifference,
our hardness of heart. What are we to believe? Jesus thirsts
even now, in your heart and in the poor -He knows your weakness. He wants only your love, wants
only the chance to love you.
Teresa of Calcutta

We Gather as Gods People

HYMN

Jesus, Lover of My Soul

479

CALL TO WORSHIP
Teri Peterson
We come before you this day,
some of us tired and hungry,
looking for your word to sustain us,
your spirit to comfort us.
Some of us come bruised and sore,
looking for healing, longing for wholeness.
Some of us come despairing,
wondering where the joy of life has gone.
Some of us come with heavy hearts,
praying for young people harmed
by those who should protect,
praying for those who look different and so are suspect,
praying for a world on edge,
tense with fear and hate and violence.
We come!
looking for good news in the midst of the worlds bad news.
We come!
seeking to know your presence when we feel so alone
We come!
seeking to know your heart and will
We come!
We come in worship.
CHOIR ANTHEM

Jesus Wept

KETUVIM

Come and Fill Our Hearts

Psalm 51:1-17

NEVIIM
Jeremiah 31:31-34
The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will
make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house
of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their
ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of
the land of Egypta covenant that they broke, though I was
their husband, says the Lord.
But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of
Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within
them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their
God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach
one another, or say to each other, Know the Lord, for they
shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says
the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their
sin no more.
GOSPEL
John 12:20-26
Now among those who went up to worship at the festival
were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from
Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, Sir, we wish to see
Jesus. Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip
went and told Jesus.
Jesus answered them, The hour has come for the Son of
Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of
wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single
grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their
life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will
keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me,
and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever
serves me, the Father will honor.

We Respond to Gods Word

Nan & Dennis Allen

REFLECTION

YOUNG PEOPLES MESSAGE

TAIZE

We Listen for Gods Word

2157
785

HYMN

SBNR
Open Our Eyes, Lord

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & THE LORDS PRAYER

OFFERING & DOXOLOGY

2086

We Are Sent Into Gods World

ANNOUNCEMENTS
BENEDICTION
RESPONSE
What Wondrous Love Is This?
292
And when from death Im free, Ill sing on, Ill sing on,
and when from death Im free, Ill sing on;
and when from death Im free, Ill sing and joyful be,
and through eternity Ill sing on, Ill sing on;
And through eternity Ill sing on.

Essex Eats Out Feb/March

March 27 - EUMC
April 3 - 1st Congregational
April 10 - Holy Family
April 17 - St James
April 24 - 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.

Calendar

Sun, 22 Mar: Fifth Sunday in Lent

Lenten Study 8:15 am
Worship 10:00 am
Youth Group 11:45
Dinner Discussion at Emily & Wills home, 158 Sand
Hill Rd (first house on right past school entrance
heading south) 5:00 pm. Bring salad/wine/dessert
Mon, 23 Mar: Monday Companions 7:00 pm Eves House.
Well look at a few videos of potential author/curriculum.
Tue, 24 Mar: Office Hours
Bible Study
Choir, 6:30 pm
PPR 7:00 pm

Church: 9-10:30am
Phoenix Books 10:35 am-noon
1:00-2:30 pm in the Parlor.

Thu, 26 Mar: Mens Breakfast, 8:00 am. $5.

Fri, 27 Mar:

Mitch at BOOM Executive Committee, Lawrence

Essex Eats Out Meal at EUMC, 5:30 pm

Wed, 1 April : Green Mountain Nursing Home 2:30 pm

Sun, 29 Mar: Palm Sunday

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

SBNR

(Spiritual But Not Religious)

Lifted Up Last Sunday

Judy - friend, Christine with arthritis
Helen, surgery this week
Bruce - travelling with Donna to
Dartmouth for treatment
Ron D - brother in New Hampshire,
& sister-in-law in New York,
medical issues


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

Sat, 11 Apr:

Church Spring Cleaning: Floors and Windows!

Come and help us see clearly! 9:00 am.

Birthdays & Anniversaries

March 24 - Vickie Casazza
March 26 - Judy Wright
March 26 - Nick Duff

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 - Midge & Ken Yates
Ushers - Jeremy LaClair, Chuck LaClair, Judy McDonald

Essex Center

United Methodist Church

22 March 2015

Fifth Sunday of Lent