Third Sunday in Lent

Morning worship, 11:00 am             March 7, 2010

Lillington Presbyterian Church

William C. Goodnight                                Donald E. Waters

                        Pastor                                            Director  of Music

PO BOX 245 Lillington, NC  27546    (910) 893-3545

e-mail: church – lillingtonpres@embarqmail.com

pastor – wcg53@aol.com

(Office hours  are generally mornings, Monday-Friday)

WE ASSEMBLE IN GOD'S NAME

Prelude           

Preparation for Worship

Welcome and Announcements

The Lighting of the Candles

Greeting:  The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.                  And also with you.

The Psalm                                                 Psalm 63:1-8

 [1] O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

            [2] So I have looked upon you in the  sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.

[3] Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.

            [4] So I will bless you as long as I live; I will  lift up my hands and call on your name.

[5] My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast, and my mouth praises you with joyful lips

            [6]when I think of you on my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night;

[7] for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.

[Unison] [8] My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.

Prayer: Creating God, deep within our hearts we yearn for your presence, and hunger and thirst for your righteousness. Satisfy us by the power of your Spirit, yet keep us restless to seek your will as we follow where Christ may lead. Amen.

*Hymn #282     If Thou but Trust in God to Guide Thee

*Call to Confession:                                        Hebrews 4:15-16

We do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

*Unison Prayer:

Eternal God, we confess to you that we often focus more on our weaknesses

than on your strength.

We often dwell on the difficulty of our personal circumstances,

rather than on the all-sufficiency of your Holy Spirit working in us

and through us for your purposes.

Breathe into us the determination we need to endure, and beyond that, to triumph.

May all we do and say be for your glory alone, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

*A Moment of Silent Prayer

*Declaration of Pardon:                             II Corinthians 5:17

Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation.  The old life has gone; a new life has begun! 

     People: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Amen.

*Response # 579      Glory Be to the Father     Gloria  Patri

WE HEAR GOD'S WORD

Old Testament Lesson                               Isaiah 55:1-9, p. 685

Gospel Lesson                                       Luke 13:1-9, p. 76 NT

Children's Message                                             

Anthem                   

Epistle Lesson                                       1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Sermon:                          Getting Ready to Journey: Endurance

*Hymn#457 I Greet Thee, Who My Sure Redeemer Art TOULON

*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.

WE RESPOND TO GOD

The Invitation to the Giving of Ourselves to the Table:

Jesus said: Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me;  for I am gentle and humble in heart,  and you will find rest for your souls. I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

                                                           (Matt. 11:28-30, Rev. 3:20; Ps. 34:8)

Giving to Change the World and Offertory

You may bring your 2 cents per meal offering forward after the Ushers pass your row.  Elders serving should take their seats in the front during the hymn.

* Response #510   Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts  QUEBEC LM

Prayers of the People and the Great Thanksgiving

The Lord be with you.    And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.         We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.     

                 It is right to give our thanks and praise.

The Lord’s Prayer

The Words of Institution and Sharing of the Meal

Prayer of Thanksgiving

*Hymn #281 Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah CWM RHONDDA

WE GO FORTH IN GOD’S NAME

*Charge and Benediction

*Postlude

Scripture Used This Morning

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, [2] and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, [3] and all ate the same spiritual food, [4] and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. [5] Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness. [6] Now these things occurred as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil as they did. [7] Do not become idolaters as some of them did; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to play." [8] We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. [9] We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by serpents. [10] And do not complain as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. [11] These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come. [12] So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall. [13] No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.

Flowers in the sanctuary were given to the glory of God and in honor of Elizabeth Murchison’s birthday by Hill Murchison.

WORSHIP LEADERS

      Today, March 7, 2010         Next Week, March 14, 2010

North Entrance                      North Entrance

                    Ed & Ann McCormick               Scott & Lynn Murchison

South Entrance                       South Entrance

 Judy Breeden, Rosie Lee Johnson                  Paul & Jennifer Phillips

Nursery                                      Nursery   

                   Ron Hill, Kay Swanson                     Dave & Judy Shroats

Liturgist         Betsy McCormick    Liturgist                     Al Bain

Acolyte                    Communion    Acolyte     Cameron Mewborn

Counters in March are Sylvia Goodnight & Rupert Langdon.

Welcome, visitors!

Thank you for coming; please take a moment to complete a visitor’s card & drop it into the collection plate. All first-time visitors are invited to pick up a church mug in the vestibule. If you would like more information or would like to join our church, please speak to our pastor. Your presence has made today’s worship all the more fulfilling. A nursery is provided on the ground floor of our educational facility for infants & preschoolers.

March Sunday School offerings be added to PCUSA’s One Great Hour of Sharing offering on Easter Sunday.

Sunday school classes are collecting peanut butter and canned fruit for the Harnett Food Pantry. Please contribute!

PRAYER NEEDS

IN THE CHURCH:  Golden Thomas Oker Lee Thomas       Frank Lewis     Eloise Harrington     Imogene Holmes    Erin Tart       Betty White   Shirlee Johnson  Anne Plummer  Margaret Riddle    Juanita Barr  Lotes Holmes       Eliza Paschal  Margarette Fields 

BEYOND THE CHURCH:Damien Hudson Keeter Baggett Pope     Jill Upshaw    Melissa Adams Autry

IN NURSING HOMES:

Brookfield: Ada Stone, Dorah Tart, Jane McKinney    

Britthaven: Edna Newton     Liberty Commons: Margaret Eller

Morningside:Barbara Broadwell In Mooresville: Donnie Senne     

In Salisbury: Martha Dickens, Bonnie Goodnight

Our thoughts are prayers are with  Malcolm Stout, whose sister Helen Enzie, passed away last week, as well as with Faye Taylor (Bill Goodnight’s sister) whose husband, Jeter Taylor,  passed away in February (2970 Cedar Creek Run, Little River, SC 29566).

We welcome the Rev. Dr. David Walker to the pulpit next Sunday. Dr. Walker is the General Presbyter and Stated Clerk of the Presbytery of Coastal Carolina.

Strengthening Team meeting – Wednesday, 7:30pm. Outreach Team meeting – Thursday, 7pm.

Circle #3 will meet tomorrow at 1pm instead of at 2pm with a nursing home visit following. Circle #1 will meet at the church in the fellowship hall at 7pm.

Coming Soon! Centennial Directory  photos April 2-3 and 13-14. Sign-up TODAY or call the office. The Centennial directory team needs your help! They’re looking for any photos of members, activities, groups or families from 1910-1960. Contact Marie Salmon (893-3266) or Dianne Johnson (893-3620) by March 15 to set up a time to scan photos and return to you.

The Rev. Dr. Héctor Rodríguez, PC(USA) Associate for Hispanic/Latino/na Congregational Support, Louisville, KY, will be visiting Sanford churches  March 13 -14 .You’re invited to meet him on Sat. March 13, 4:30 p.m. at Morningside Presbyterian Church for a welcome with light refreshments. Dr. Rodríguez will preach during the 11:00 a.m. worship service at Pocket Presbyterian Church on Sun., March 14. He will also participate in the gathering at Coats Community Center that afternoon. Morningside Pres. is located at 7th Street at Goldsboro Ave. in east Sanford; Pocket Pres. is at 669 Pocket Church Road, off Steel Bridge Road west of Sanford. For more info, call Rev. Kathryn Dudley at 919-777-9898, or email her at pastorkdudley@windstream.net.

Lillington PAL (Police Athletic League) seeks volunteers. For more information, call 893-3015.

A blood drive will be held this Thursday, March 11, at the Harnett Co. Government Complex. Call 893-7579 for information and appointments.

Next Sunday, Coats Christian Community Center will have a united multi-cultural worship service at 4pm. They were blessed by our outreach to them at Christmas and would be pleased to see representatives from the church there for food, fellowship, music, and more. The church is located at 1073 NC 55E in Coats. 890-1962.

Thank you, Stephanie Salmon, for your help getting the newsletter out last week despite the winter weather!

From Church History:

On March 24, 1920, the Session drew up two letters, one on the evil of dancing, the other on non-church attendance and ordered the clerk (O.L. Johnson) to send them to such members of the church as are concerned. Four days later, Session reconvened. Dr. L.J. Arnold suggested that the letter prepared on the evil of dancing “be withheld for the present, which suggestion was accepted by the Session.”

The Transfiguration of the Lord

SINCE IT IS BY God’s mercy that we are engaged in ministry, we do not lose heart.       II Corinthians 4:1

LILLINGTON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

William Goodnight                  Don Waters

                                    Pastor                             Director of Music

1101 8^th Street, P.O. Box 245, Lillington, NC 27546

893-3545    www.lillingtonpres.com

e-mail: church – lillingtonpres@embarqmail.com

pastor – wcg53@aol.com

(Office hours  are generally mornings, Monday-Friday)

WE ASSEMBLE IN GOD'S NAME

Prelude                                                                   

Personal Prayers of Preparation

Welcome and Announcements

The Recognition of the Presence of God’ Spirit

                                                      (Lighting of Candles)

WE ADORE AND CONFESS

Greeting:  The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.                       And also with you.

The Psalm                                                        Psalm 99

The Lord is king; let the peoples tremble!  He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!
            The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted over         all the peoples.         
Let them praise your great and awesome name. Holy is he!
            Mighty King, lover of justice, you have       established equity; you have executed justice       and righteousness in Jacob.

Extol the Lord our God; worship at his footstool. Holy is he!                                               
            Moses and Aaron were among his priests,            Samuel also was among those who called on        his name. They cried to the Lord, and he        answered them.

He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud; they kept his decrees, and the statutes that he gave them.

[Unison] O Lord our God, you answered them; you were a forgiving God to them, but an avenger of their wrongdoings. Extol the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy.

Prayer:     Holy God, you are exalted over all the nations,

and just in all your ways. Strengthen us to worship you with our deeds and to proclaim your greatness with our lips, for the glory of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

*Hymn #263          Immortal, Invisible              ST. DENIO

The Call to Confession:                                          (1 John 1:9)

If we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Please join me in our unison prayer of confession:

*Unison Prayer of Confession:

God of compassion,
in Jesus Christ you reveal the light of your glory,
but we turn away, distracted by our own plans.
We confess that we speak when we should listen,
and act when we should wait.

Forgive our aimless enthusiasms.
Grant us wisdom to live in your light
and to follow in the way of your beloved Son,
Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

*A Moment of Silent Prayer

Lord, have mercy.       

            Christ, have mercy.    Lord, have mercy.

The Declaration of Pardon:    

The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting. I declare to you, in the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. May the God of mercy, who forgives you all your sins, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.

*Response # 579     Glory Be to the Father   GLORIA PATRI

WE HEAR GOD'S WORD

Anthem                                      I Will Sing of My Redeemer

Old Testament Lesson                           Exodus 34:29-35

Children's Message                                      Transfiguration

Hymn # 73   Swiftly Pass the Clouds of Glory    GENEVA

Epistle Lesson                                2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2

Prayer for Illumination

Sermon                                        Three Valentines from God

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 dea.d
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.

WE RESPOND TO GOD

Presentation of Tithes and Offerings 

*Response #592  Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow

Litany:

In the midst of hunger and war

       we celebrate the promise of plenty and peace.

In the midst of oppression and tyranny

       we celebrate the promise of service and freedom.

In the midst of doubt and despair

       we celebrate the promise of faith and hope.

In the midst of fear and betrayal

       we celebrate the promise of joy and loyalty.

In the midst of hatred and death

       we celebrate the promise of love and life.

In the midst of sin and decay

       we celebrate the promise of salvation and       renewal.

In the midst of death on every side

[Unison] we celebrate the promise of the living Christ.

Prayers of the People and The Lord’s Prayer

*Hymn #435    We All Are One in Mission          AURELIA

WE GO FORTH IN GOD’S NAME

*Charge and Benediction

*Choral Response

*Postlude

WORSHIP LEADERS

      Today, Feb.14, 2010             Next Week,  Feb. 21, 2010

North Entrance                      North Entrance

                 Dallas & Dorothy Pope              Scott & Lynn Murchison

South Entrance                       South Entrance

  John Wilbourne, Sylvia Goodnight             Mel Cox, Brenda McLeod

Nursery                                      Nursery   

                Betsy & Ann McCormick     Mary Goodnight, Diana Murchison

Liturgist           Scott Murchison    Liturgist       Cornelia Stewart

Acolyte                      Drew Bain    Acolyte          Joshua Gilchrist

Welcome, visitors!

Thank you for coming; please take a moment to complete a visitor’s card & drop it into the collection plate. All first-time visitors are invited to pick up a church mug in the vestibule. If you would like more information or would like to join our church, please speak to our pastor. Your presence has made today’s worship all the more fulfilling. A nursery is provided on the ground floor of our educational facility for infants & preschoolers.

February Sunday School offerings will benefit

PCUSA’s Haiti Disaster Relief efforts.

Scriptures Used This Morning:

Exodus 34:29-35

Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. [30] When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him. [31] But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them. [32] Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. [33] When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; [34] but whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would take the veil off, until he came out; and when he came out, and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, [35] the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

2 Corinthians 3:12-18

Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, [13] not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. [14] But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside. [15] Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; [16] but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. [17] Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. [18] And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit. [4:1]Therefore, since it is by God's mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. [2] We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God's word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.

Our Ash Wednesday service on Feb. 17 will begin at 6pm with dinner  (Men of the Church will prepare traditional “breakfast” foods) followed by the community service at 7pm. 

Wednesdays in Lent there will be services with lunch following beginning at noon at Lillington United Methodist Church.  This is a wonderful opportunity to hear from other area pastors, worship together, and fellowship.

The Lenten Worship and Lunch schedule is as follows:

 2/24       Bill Goodnight, Lillington Presbyterian

 3/3         Tom Smith, Lillington Methodist

 3/10       Ken Smith, Lillington Baptist

 3/17       Ken Dalton, Crossroads Church

 3/24       Bill Pauley, Retired Presbyterian minister

 3/31       Melinda Ivey, Kipling United Methodist

The Session will have a planning workshop at the church Saturday, Feb. 20 from 9am-2pm. Please pray for them as they look at the needs of the church and community for the coming year.

Campbell Winter Academic Lecture – Feb. 16 – Dr. Philip Jenkins on “The Lost History of Christianity” 6:30pm. Call 800-334-4111, ext. 1830.

Last week’s Souper Bowl lunch raised $463 for the Harnett Food Pantry! Thank you for your participation, hard work, and generosity.

Heart of Harnett Playhouse’s production of “The Women” features several LPC members and friends! After today’s matinee at 3pm, it runs Feb. 19-21, and 26-28 (Sundays 3pm; all other 7pm) at the old Lillington school auditorium on 11^th street. For more information, call 893-6333 or the church office.

Free tax help for qualified households – call 1-888-927-3230 or visit www.eitc-carolinas.org.

Coming Soon! Pictures will be taken for our Centennial Directory on April 2-3 (Fri-Sat before Easter) and April 13-14 (Tues-Wed). Sign-ups will begin NEXT SUNDAY, FEB. 21.

SCHEDULE CHANGE

Choir practice and handbell choir will BOTH MEET TUESDAY at 7pm. this week because of the Ash Wednesday service.

Campbell Univ. drama dept. presents C.S. Lewis’

 “The Screwtape Letters” Feb. 19-20 and 25-27 at 8pm at Memorial Baptist Church in Buies Creek.

Call 893-1509 for ticket info.

Excerpts from Suzanne Prince’s letter to you (full letter is posted on the bulletin board opposite the pastor’s study):

Dear Church Family:

…18 people who went on our trip representing 11 churches within our Presbytery.  We arrived Monday, January 25 and spent the night in dorm rooms at the local Presbytery.  On Tuesday we traveled to Comalcalco where we would spend the remainder of the week in the homes of local church members. …We were able to work Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at the building site of a new hospital/clinic for the Comalcalco area of Tabasco. …Currently, there is no physical therapy facility in this area of the state. … I hope to show photos and talk to you more about this great experience.  This trip was truly one of the high points of my life. I thank each of you …for sponsoring me …Presbytery plans to do these partnership trips annually. There will also be future opportunities to help out with buying supplies and building materials. Please keep the parishioners of Tabasco in your prayers as they continue to build the clinic and to do God’s work .

Church Calendar, Feb. 14-21

Lillington-Shawtown school sent a note of thanks to Lillington Presbyterian via Ed McCormick for donating 8 kits containing personal hygiene and first aid kits headed to Haiti to help earthquake victims.

PRAYER NEEDS

IN THE CHURCH: Frank Lewis     Eloise Harrington    Imogene Holmes    Erin Tart   Betty White   Gary Thomas    Shirlee Johnson    Anne Plummer     Margaret Riddle       Juanita Barr       Lotes Holmes      Eliza Paschal     Oker Lee Thomas   Margarette Fields 

BEYOND THE CHURCH: Don Matthews    Keeter Baggett Pope  

Terri Gillette    Jill Upshaw   Melissa Adams Autry

IN NURSING HOMES:

Brookfield: Ada Stone, Dorah Tart, Jane McKinney     

Britthaven: Edna Newton      Liberty Commons: Margaret Eller

Morningside: Barbara Broadwell  In Mooresville: Donnie Senne     

 In Salisbury: Martha Dickens, Bonnie Goodnight

The Transfiguration of the Lord

SINCE IT IS BY God’s mercy that we are engaged in ministry, we do not lose heart.      

II Corinthians 4:1

LILLINGTON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

William Goodnight                  Don Waters

                      Pastor                             Director of Music

1101 8^th Street, P.O. Box 245, Lillington, NC 27546

893-3545    www.lillingtonpres.com

e-mail: church – lillingtonpres@embarqmail.com

pastor – wcg53@aol.com

(Office hours  are generally mornings, Monday-Friday)

WE ASSEMBLE IN GOD'S NAME

Prelude                                                                   

Personal Prayers of Preparation

Welcome and Announcements

The Recognition of the Presence of God’ Spirit

                                                      (Lighting of Candles)