PRELUDE              “Wondrous Love”                Alfred Fedak 

SERVICE FOR THE LENTEN CANDLES                            

LITANY -- from Psalm 32:1, 10

We are surely a blessed people

for God forgives us of our sins!

As they are wiped away, God’s kindness shields us.

All of us who trust God are shielded.

SCRIPTURE AND PRAYER 

HYMN 39          Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Great is thy faithfulness, O God, my Father;
there is no shadow of turning with thee.
Thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not;
as thou hast been, thou forever wilt be.

Refrain: Great is thy faithfulness,
Great is thy faithfulness,
morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed thy hand hast provided;
great is thy faithfulness,
Lord unto me.

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
sun, moon, and stars in their courses above
join with all nature in manifold witness
to thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love. Refrain

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
blessings all mine and ten thousand beside.  Refrain

PRAYER OF CONFESSION                                                

Trusting the grace promised to us in Jesus Christ, let us confess our sins before God and one another.

God of Mercy, in Jesus Christ you have brought light into the darkness. But we confess that we have chosen to remain in the darkness where we have made our home. You would give us life, but we have grown accustomed to death. You would give us love, but we have nurtured resentment too long. You would give us hope, but we are afraid hope will disappoint us once again. Forgive us, O God. Forgive us for being afraid of your salvation…

Silent Prayers of Confession  

ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS -- 2 Corinthians 5:17

Hear the good news: Those who are in Christ are a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come.  All this is from God to whom we have been reconciled through Christ.  And so, I declare to you, in Jesus Christ we are forgiven. 

Thanks be to God!

GLORIA PATRI 

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION 

SCRIPTURE LESSON: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

SERMON                  “The Trouble with Grace” 

HYMN 418            Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling                              

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,

calling for you and for me;

see, on the portals he’s waiting and watching,

watching for you and for me.

Refrain:

Come home, come home;

you who are weary come home;

earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,

calling, O sinner, come home!

Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading,

pleading for you and for me?

Why should we linger and heed not his mercies,

mercies for you and for me? Refrain

O for the wonderful love he has promised,

promised for you and for me!

Though we have sinned, he has mercy and pardon,

pardon for you and for me. Refrain

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH                      The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic* Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.  

*“catholic” (little c) means “universal” and is not a reference to the Roman Catholic Church.

PASTORAL PRAYER AND THE LORD’S PRAYER                                 

RECEIVING OF GOD’S TITHES AND OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY ANTHEM

       “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”      arr. Charles McCartha

DOXOLOGY

PRAYER OF DEDICATION

HYMN 649             Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound 

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,

that saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost, but now am found,

was blind, but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,

and grace my fears relieved;

how precious did that grace appear

the hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils and snares

I have already come:

'tis grace has brought me safe thus far,

and grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,

his word my hope secures;

he will my shield and portion be

as long as life endures.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,

bright shining as the sun, 

we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise

than when we’d first begun.

CLOSING PRAYER AND BENEDICTION                                                   

POSTLUDE  

          “Toccata on ‘Amazing Grace’”   arr. J. Christopher Pardini  

______________________________________________

 Congregation stands.  Please remain seated if standing is difficult for you.

SERVING US TODAY

RE Gayle Boykin, Mt. Horeb Presbyterian Church, Council 

RE Judy Green, Acme Presbyterian Church, Riegelwood 

Rev. Barrett Ingram, Clarkton Presbyterian Church

RE Ann MacDuffee, Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church, Elizabethtown

Rev. Clarence Page, Central Presbyterian Church, Clarkton 

Rev. Adrain Parker, Second Presbyterian Church, Elizabethtown 

CRE Johnny Simpson and RE Jodi Simpson, Beth Car Presbyterian Church, Tar Heel

Randy Page, organist/music director and CPC chancel choir

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Now all the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. 2And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinner and eats with them.’ 3 So [Jesus] told them this parable:

11b ‘There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.” So he divided his property between them. 13A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. 14When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. 17But when he came to himself he said, “How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.’ ” 20So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 21Then the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” 22But the father said to his slaves, “Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” And they began to celebrate. 25 ‘Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. 27He replied, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.” 28Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 29But he answered his father, “Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends.30But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!” 31Then the father said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.” ’

About the Lenten Candles

Symbols are important in life because they draw us from the tangible, sometimes mundane world to a world of meaning where God is all the more realized to be present and active in all of life. As candles are used during Advent for the Advent wreath, the Paschal candle during Eastertide, so too, candles can have an important role during the Lenten season. Just as the Lenten season reminds the Christian of Christ’s journey to the cross, the seven candles and the weekly extinguishing of each one enhances that long, soon to be dark journey. When the last candle is extinguished, and the darkness seems to be all-consuming, the darkness of the soul at the time of Christ’s crucifixion is felt. On Easter Sunday, the purple candles are removed, and the Christ Candle is lighted to celebrate His resurrection, reminding us ultimately that His “light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5).