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TRINITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
March 23, 2025
Third Sunday of Lent
GATHERING AND PREPARING TO WORSHIP GOD
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Leader: Christ is risen!
People: He is risen indeed!
PRELUDE: “10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)” J. Myrin, M. Redman
Organist/Pianist, Charlotte Palmeri
Readying Our Hearts (A time of silent prayer and reflection in preparation for worshiping God together.)
Scripture for Reflection and Memorization: 1 John 1:8-9
“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
LENTEN CANDLE EXTINGUISHING
Call to Worship (adapted from Psalm 63:2, 3, 8)
Leader: We have seen God in the sanctuary, and beheld His power and glory:
People: Because His love is better than life, we will glorify Him.
Leader: Let us cling to our God; and may His righteous hand uphold us.
People: May we rejoice in God our Savior. Let us praise His holy name.
Lenten Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did — and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test Christ, as some of them did — and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did — and were killed by the destroying angel.
These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
Extinguishing the Third Candle.
As we extinguish the third Lenten candle, we know that we face temptations every day. May we be reminded that if we should ever stumble and fall into temptations, God’s grace and love is always there to redeem us. This is only possible through the redeeming, reconciling work of His Son, Jesus Christ.
(Extinguish purple candle while reader is speaking.)
Let us pray together . . .
O God, may we never give up hope during those times that we fall away from Your grace. But may we know that each time we turn to You, You are always present to renew and refresh our spirits. Amen.
*OPENING SONG: #252 “Lord, Who Throughout these Forty Days”
Lord, who throughout these forty days,
For us did fast and pray,
Teach us with You to mourn our sins,
And close by You to stay.
As You with Satan did contend,
And did the victory win,
O give us strength in You to fight,
In You to conquer sin.
As You did hunger and did thirst,
So teach us, gracious Lord,
To die to self, and so to live
By Your most holy word.
And through these days of penitence,
And through Your Passion-tide,
Forevermore, in life and death,
O Lord, with us abide.
Abide with us that through this life
Of doubts and hope and pain,
An Easter of unending joy
We may attain at last!
PRAYER OF CONFESSION: (Unison prayer after a time of silent personal confession.)
Have mercy on us, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out our transgressions. For we know our transgressions, and our sins are always before us. We have sinned against You and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are proved right when You speak and justified when You judge. Wash away all our iniquities and cleanse us from our sins. Create in us pure hearts, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within each of us. Restore to us the joy of Your salvation, and grant us a willing spirit to sustain us. O Lord, open our lips, and our mouths will declare Your praise. (adapted from Psalm 51:1-4, 7, 10, 12, 15)
ASSURANCE OF PARDON (adapted from Psalm 32:1-5)
Leader: Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
People: Blessed are they whose sin the LORD does not count against them, and in whose spirit is no deceit.
Leader: If we keep silent, our bones will waste away through our groaning all day long. For day and night God’s hand will remain heavy upon us.
People: But when we acknowledge our sin to God, and do not cover up our iniquity, God forgives the guilt of our sin.
Leader: As we have confessed our sin to God, know that in Christ Jesus, and by the love and mercy of God, we are forgiven!
*All: (Gloria Patri)
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen.
ENCOUNTERING GOD THROUGH GOD’S WORD
SCRIPTURE READING: John 8:1-11 (Pew Bible pp. 1661-1662)
Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her. Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
“No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Leader: This is the word of the LORD.
People: Thanks be to God.
CHILDRENS MESSAGE
SCRIPTURE READING: 1 John 1:1-2:2 (Pew Bible pp. 1898-1899)
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched — this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father — Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
Leader: This is the word of the LORD.
People: Thanks be to God.
SERMON: “Reformed Liturgy Elements: God’s Commands, Our Confession, God’s Pardon”
RESPONDING TO GOD’S WORD THROUGH AFFIRMATION,
OFFERING, AND PRAYER
*SONG OF REFLECTION AND RESPONSE: #384 “Rock of Ages”
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood, from Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure, save from wrath and make me pure.
Not the labors of my hands can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone; Thou must save and Thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress, helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly; wash me, Savior, or I die!
While I draw this fleeting breath, when my eyes shall close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown, see Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee.
THE CELEBRATION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER AND OFFERING
Invitation
Affirmation of Faith: The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through Him all things were made. For us and for our salvation He came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human. For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He suffered death and was buried. On the third day He rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and His kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Words of Institution
Partaking of the Elements and the Giving of Our Offering
“A Quiet Pastorale” Robert J. Powell
(For those joining us in the Sanctuary this morning, you are invited, as you come forward to receive the Communion Elements, and as you feel so led, to place your offering in one of the plates up front. For those unable to be with us physically, you are encouraged to partake of the elements in your home at this time. Also, as you are able, we invite you to set aside your offering as an act of personal dedication at this time, either to be mailed in, dropped off at the church, or brought in when you are able to join us in worship. Let this time be one of receiving from and offering yourself up to our Lord — to the praise of His holy name.)
Prayer of Commitment
*Sung Response (Doxology)
Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts; Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
SHARING OF JOYS AND CONCERNS
PRAYER OF INTERCESSION/SUPPLICATION
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father who art 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.
BRINGING OUR WORSHIP INTO OUR WORLD
*CLOSING SONG: #372 “I Then Shall Live”
I then shall live as one who’s been forgiven;
I’ll walk with joy to know my debts are paid.
I know my name is clear before my Father;
I am His child, and I am not afraid.
So greatly pardoned, I’ll forgive another;
The law of love I gladly will obey.
I then shall live as one who’s learned compassion;
I’ve been so loved that I’ll risk loving, too.
I know how fear builds walls instead of bridges;
I dare to see another’s point of view.
And when relationships demand commitment,
Then I’ll be there to care and follow through.
Your kingdom come around and through and in me,
Your power and glory, let them shine through me;
Your hallowed name, oh, may I bear with honor,
And may Your living kingdom come in me.
The Bread of Life, oh, may I share with honor,
And may You feed a hungry world through me.
*BENEDICTION: (Hebrews 13:20-21)
May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
*POSTLUDE: “Trumpet Tune” W. Boyce, arr. S. Drummond Wolff
ANNOUNCEMENTS
(Note: The church’s new email address is – office@trinitychurchtroy.org. The new website address is – www.trinitychurchtroy.org.)
- If you would like to help support the work of Hope 7 in our local community, we encourage you to drop off non-perishable food items, toiletries and other hygiene items either at Trinity Church, or at Hope 7 directly (M-F 9:30-11:45), or call Sue Laz (518-892-4042) to arrange for a pick-up.
- We are receiving new or gently used clothes for the Capital City Rescue Mission (CCRM). There is a box in the narthex for donations. You may bring your items to the church or call Sue Laz to arrange for a pick-up.
- Adult Bible Study meets on Sundays before worship (9:15-10:00am). The current study is a survey of the Old Testament. We will look at those Bible books (historical and prophetic) that cover the time period between the fall of the Northern Kingdom at the hand of the Assyrians (931-722 BC) and the fall of Judah (586 BC).
- Church “business-style” cards are available in the narthex. You are encouraged to take some to hand out as you invite others to join us in worship.
- Lenten Soup Suppers Wednesday evening, at 6:15 with worship starting around 6:45 and ending around 7:30. You are invited to join us as we gather to share a meal of homemade soups and bread followed by an informal time of worship. If you would like to bring soup, bread, or cookies to share please indicate that on the sign-up sheet in the narthex.
- International Crossroads Game Night, March 29th from 4:00 – 9:00 PM, we have the privilege of hosting a game night for international students and their friendship partners. There will be snacks and time to play various board games, along with the always popular ping pong tournament! Then we will have pizza and end the night by watching a movie that presents the gospel message. This is a wonderful opportunity to interact with individuals from all around the world. Everyone is encouraged to come and join in the fun for all or just part of the evening. If you can help with set up, clean up, or serving snacks please speak with Pastor John or Sue Laz.
- We will gather Saturday, April 5th at 10:00AM to sort through the clothing donations that have come in so far. If you would like to help, please speak with Sue Laz
- Spring Clean Up Day, April 12th at 9:00 — outdoor tasks include several projects to clean up the lawn and grounds after the winter. Indoors we will be cleaning in the sanctuary and in the kitchen. Please contact Andy Miller for details.
- Community Garage Sale, June 7th from 9-2. If you would like to reserve a space, please speak with Andy Miller. If you would like to help with set-up, clean-up, or manning the food table or church information table, please speak with Sue Laz.
- During Holy Week we will gather Thursday evening (6:15pm, 4/17; Maundy Thursday for a meal and worship) and Good Friday (7pm, 4/18 for worship in the sanctuary).