“In the Bible, after being baptized by John in the Jordan River, Jesus went off alone into the wilderness where he spent 40 days reflecting on what it meant to be himself, asking what his life, his spiritual journey, would be. Perhaps this is our task also during the Lenten season: to look at ourselves, our life, our spiritual journey in order to discover something not only of who we are, but also of who we are becoming.  Lent is an invitation to move beyond the daily questions of when and how that face us. … Lent beckons us to consider what matters the most, those questions about meaning and purpose and values.  So, begin here: Who are you becoming? What do you need to let go of?  What do you need to go forward?”  ~  Frederick Buechner

WELCOME – Larry Reimer

PRELUDE – “Praise God with the Trumpet” (Jeremy Young) -UCG Choir – Phillip Herr-Klepecki, Director.  Trumpets – Tim Martin, David Martin

CALL TO WORSHIP – Jennifer Larsen

Leader:    Fill us in the morning with your wisdom;
People:    Shine through us all of our lives.
Leader:    Let our hearts soon grow transparent in the radiance of your love.
People:    Show us how precious each day is;
Leader:    Teach us to be fully here.
All:          And let the work of our hands prosper, for our little while.
                      (from Psalm 90, paraphrased by Stephen Mitchell)

*OPENING HYMN – #28 in the grey songbook – “He’s Got the Whole World” Vs. 1-3   Mariam Sow, Larry Reimer guitar; Jackie Davis, bass

He’s got the whole world in His hands
He’s got the whole world in His hands
He’s got the whole world in His hands
He’s got the whole world in His hands.

She’s got the wind and the rain in Her hands
She’s got the wind and the rain in Her hands
She’s got the wind and the rain in Her hands
She’s got the whole world in Her hands.

He’s got you and me, brother, in His hands
He’s got you and me, sister, in His hands
He’s got you and me, brother, in His hands
He’s got the whole world in His hands.

PRAYER – “In a Time When the Landscape Has Changed”

Leader: O God, there are times when we wake
and discover that the landscape has changed.
The light suggests a later season; the land is different.
Growth has changed some people and removed others.
We may feel alone with no path to follow.
In these days, O God, you push us deep into the river of faith.
There we find you flowing with the ever-changing stream of our lives.

People: We sense your pulse in the beating of our hearts.
       We hear your spirit in the rhythm of our breath.
       We feel your grace in the cleansing wash of tears.
       We experience your release in the burst of laughter.

Leader: And we find that what we feared was lost in all those changes,
is we ourselves, and we are found.

All: Blessed be.  Amen.  (From The Hospital Handbook, Larry Reimer)

RESPONSE– #28 – “He’s Got the Whole World”- vs. 4-5

She’s got the little bitty baby in Her hands
She’s got the little bitty baby in Her hands
She’s got the little bitty baby in Her hands
She’s got the whole world in Her hands.

He’s got everybody here in His hands
He’s got everybody here in His hands
He’s got everybody here in His hands
He’s got the whole world in His hands.

TIME WITH CHILDREN – Alexis Dixon
BIRTHDAYS
INTERLUDE 

OFFERTORY

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Variations on “Jesus Loves Me” 
Alexis Dixon, Lizzie Dixon, Phoebe Papadi – English
Charlotte and Christoph Seubert – German
Helda Montero, Elena Frenock – Spanish

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND PRAYER CONCERNS

Choral Response:
Phillip will play the Taize chant once; then we will sing it twice.

Within our darkest night,
you kindle the fire that never dies away, never dies away.
Within our darkest night,
you kindle the fire that never dies away, never dies away.

SCRIPTURE – Matthew 3:14-17; 4:1-11

SERMON – “Putting Flesh on the Bones of Faith” – Larry Reimer

PRAYER – Sandy Reimer

RESPONSIVE PRAYER – (paraphrase of the Lord’s Prayer by Parker Palmer)         
Heavenly Father, Heavenly Mother,
Holy and blessed is your true name.
We pray for your reign of peace to come;
We pray that your good will be done.
Let heaven and earth become one.
Give us this day the bread we need.
Give bread to those who have none.
Let forgiveness flow like a river between us
from each one to each one to each one.
Lead us to holy innocence beyond the evil of our days.
Come quickly, Mother, Father, come
for yours is the power and the glory and the mercy.
Forever your name is All in One.

*HYMN – “When Darkness Falls” #84 in the grey songbook – Mary Fukuyama flute, Jackie Davis, bass

BENEDICTION

Go from this place with the awareness
That what you fear most to lose is you,
And you are found.
Look for the shinings of everlasting light,
Before you, around you, within you.
Go forth now – be of good courage

Surrounded by light and grace
As we begin our journeys, seeking
who we are becoming, what we
need to let go, what we need to go
forward.  May you – may I – may we–
have a good Lent.

Blessed be.