Because Congregational UCC is closed for in-person worship we are putting our March 29 worship service on our church website, www.uccic.org. Click on “Church Service” on the righthand side at the top of the Home Page. This will take you to a Vimeo site for a recording of the worship service. The worship service will be put up by Sunday morning. So that you can participate in worship at home, the bulletin for the worship service is below. After worship please join us on the Congregational UCC of Iowa City Group Page for a virtual coffee hour. Here’s the link to that page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1363552690498867/.
The Virtual Coffee Hour will begin at 11:00 on Sunday morning.
CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
30 N. CLINTON ST.
IOWA CITY, IA 52245
319-337-4301
WORSHIP FOR MARCH 29, 2020
FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT
“What God does first and best and most is to trust God’s people with their moment in history. God trusts them to do what must be done for the sake of God’s whole community.”
PRELUDE Bill Crouch, organist
GREETING AND WELCOME
CALL TO WORSHIP (Lamentations 3:22-
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
God’s mercies never come to an end.
They are new every morning,
your faithfulness, O God, is great.
You, O Lord, are good to those who wait for you,
to all those who seek you.
OPENING PRAYER
We come to you this day, O God, as we are.
We are disturbed by the news.
We are frustrated by all that is left undone.
We are afraid of what the coming days will bring.
We are worried about people nearby and people far away.
We come into your presence seeking your light, your peace, and your grace. We ask you to
clear our minds so we may think
calm our hearts so we may rest
and refresh our spirits so we may meet the challenges of this coming week.
As we worship, grant us a sense of your love and strength that will sustain us this day and in the days ahead. Amen.
HYMN “God, You Spin the Whirling Planets”
God You spin the whirling planets
Fill the seas and spread the plain
Mold the mountains fashion blossoms
Call forth sunshine wind and rain
We created in your image
Would a true reflection be
Of Your justice grace and mercy
And the truth that makes us free
You have called us to be faithful
In our life and ministry
We respond in grateful worship
Joined in one community
When we blur Your gracious image
Focus us and make us whole
Healed and strengthened as Your people
We move onward toward Your goal
SCRIPTURE LESSON Isaiah 42:5-9
PSALM 121
I lift up my eyes to the hills—
from where will my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
God will not let your foot be moved;
the One who keeps you will not slumber.
The One who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is your keeper;
the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all evil;
God will keep your life.
[Unison]
The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in
from this time on and forevermore.
SCRIPTURE LESSON Philippians 1:1-11
SERMON “Longing Distance”
A TIME OF GRATITUDE
SOLO “My Lord, What a Mornin’” Kristin Ramseyer
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER
HYMN “God of Compassion, in Mercy Befriend Us”
God of compassion, in mercy befriend us,
giver of grace for our needs all-availing.
Wisdom and strength for each day do you send us,
patience untiring and courage unfailing.
Wandering and lost, you have sought us and found us,
stilled our rude hearts with your word of consoling.
Wrap now your peace, like a mantle, around us,
guarding our thoughts and our passions controlling.
How shall we stray, with your hand to direct us,
you who the stars in their courses are guiding?
What shall we fear, with your power to protect us,
we who abide in your greatness confiding?
BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE
“God You Spin the Whirling Planets” Words: Jane Parker Huber © 1978, Presbyterian Publishing/Westminster John Knox/Geneva Press. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-715458. All rights reserved.
After worship please join us on the Congregational UCC of Iowa City Group Page for a virtual coffee hour. Here’s the link to that page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1363552690498867/.
The Virtual Coffee Hour will begin at 11:00 on Sunday morning.