Prepare to Worship for March 2010
Sunday, March 7, Third Sunday in Lent
The warnings are plentiful and blunt on the third Sunday in Lent. Lent is a season of repentance. Cut it out or get cut down! The warnings are accompanied by God’s invitation to attentiveness: “Incline your ear, and come to me: listen, so that you may live.” The landowner’s ultimatum is forestalled by the gardener’s readiness to till the ground one more year. That is good news for all of us. Thanks be to God!
The readings are Isaiah 55:1-9; Psalm 63:1-8; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13; and Luke 13:1-9. The hymns are ELW 328, “Restore in Us, O God,” ELW 331, “As the Deer Runs to the River,” and ELW 342, “There in God’s Garden.” At 8:45 a.m. baritone Mark Garner will provide both offering and communion music singing the first movement of Bach “Cantata No. 82” with Sue Odem playing the oboe obbligato. At 11:00 a.m. Cathedral Choir will sing the verse anthem “As Longs the Hart for Flowing Streams,” by G.F. Handel throughout the service accompanied by the St. John’s Chamber Orchestra.
Sunday, March 14, Fourth Sunday in Lent
The psalm sets the tone this day: “Happy are they whose transgressions are forgiven, and whose sin is put away!” Happy are those who have “become the righteous of God” in the merits of Christ Jesus. Happy are those for whom the forgiveness of God has “rolled away…the disgrace” of former times. Happy is the father at the return of his prodigal son. Happy are we that our sins are forgiven for Jesus’ sake. Rejoice!
The readings are Joshua 5:9-12; Psalm 32; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21; and Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32. At 8:45 a.m. Cantorei will sing “Gather Your Children by Allan Mahnke during communion, and at 11:00 a.m. Cathedral Choir will sing “What Wondrous Love is This,” arr. by Howard Helvey for offering and the Mahnke piece during communion. There is the rite of Laying on of Hands and Anointing with Oil for Healing at all services this weekend.
Sunday, March 21, Fifth Sunday in Lent
The Lord our God makes all things new. In the first reading God promises it. In the gospel Mary anticipates it, anointing Jesus’ feet with costly perfume in preparation for the day of his burial. In the second reading we recall the transformation of Saul, the persecutor, into Paul, the apostle. In baptism, God’s new person (you!) rises daily from the deadly mire of trespasses and sins.
The readings are Isaiah 43:16-21; Psalm 126; Philippians 3:4b-14; and John 12:1-8. The hymns are ELW 339, “Christ, the Life of All the Living”; ELW 338, “Beneath the Cross of Jesus,” and ELW 324, “In the Cross of Christ I Glory.” At 11:00 a.m. Cathedral Choir will sing “O Dearest Friend,” by Darrell A. Dalton.
Sunday, March 28, Sunday of the Passion / Palm Sunday
The voice of the suffering savior, Jesus, can be heard in the prophet Isaiah’s words and pleading of the psalm. We are invited into the agony of our Lord in the extended reading of the story of Jesus’ passion. In the second reading, we who have put on Christ in holy baptism are urged to let the mind of Christ be our own. Lent leads us to this holy moment. Embrace it.
Weather permitting, the 8:45 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. services will begin outside on the west side of the church building with the reading of Luke 19:28-40. The assembly will then process with our palms around to the east side of the church and enter through the 6th Avenue doors to the sound of bells and the organ preparing us to sing “All Glory, Laud, and Honor.” The readings for this day are Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 31:9-16; Philippians 2:5-11; and Luke 22:14-23:56.
The hymns will be ELW 344, “All Glory, Laud, and Honor,” ELW 346, “Ride on, Ride on in Majesty,” and ELW 347, “Go to Dark Gethsemane.” At 8:45 a.m. the Kisasa Choristers and Cantorei will sing “Hosanna! Ride On!” by Carolyn Jennings for offering and Kisasa will sing “Little Grey Donkey,” by Natalie Sleeth during Communion. Cathedral Choir will repeat the Jennings piece for offering at 11:00 a.m. The service ends quietly to prepare us for our entry into Holy Week.
There are no services the Wednesday of Holy Week, March 31.
