PRELUDE: Andante Grazioso by Gaston Déthier/arr. by Charles Callahan; Julie Metz, violin
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
CALL TO WORSHIP
HYMN: All Creatures of Our God and King [Lasst Uns Erefreuen]
PRAYER
INTROIT: Sing, My Soul, His Wondrous Love by Arlen Clarke
Sing, my soul, his wondrous love, who from yon bright throne above, ever watchful over our race, still to us extends his grace. Heaven and earth by him were made; all is by his scepter swayed; what are we that he should show so much love to us below? God, the merciful and good, bought us with the Savior’s blood, and to make salvation sure, guides us by his Spirit pure. Sing, my soul, adore his Name! Let his glory be thy theme: praise him till he calls thee home; trust his love for all to come. [Anonymous c. 1800]
PRAYER
SCRIPTURE LESSON: Joshua 5:9-12
ANTHEM: Blessings by Laura Mixon Story/arr. by Heather Sorenson; Julie Metz, violin
We pray for blessings. We pray for peace, comfort for family, protection while we sleep. We pray for healing, for prosperity. We pray for your mighty hand to ease our suffering. And all the while, you hear each spoken need, yet love us way too much to give us lesser things. ‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops? What if your healing comes through tears? What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know you’re near? What if trials of this life are your mercies in disguise? We pray for wisdom, your voice to hear, and we cry in anger when we cannot feel you near. We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love, as if every promise from your Word is not enough. And all the while, you hear each desperate plea, and long that we’d have faith to believe. When friends betray us, when darkness seems to win, we know the pain reminds this heart that this is not our home! What if my greatest disappointments, or the aching of this life is a revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy? What if trials of this life, the rain, the storms, the hardest nights, are your mercies in disguise? Amen.
SERMON: “The Blessedness of Letting Go”
HYMN: Faith Begins by Letting Go [Lux Prima]
PRAYER
HYMN: Spirit, Open My Heart [Wild Mountain Thyme]
BENEDICTION
BENEDCITION RESPONSE: Jesus, Keep Me Near by Ellen Purchase
Through these forty days, Jesus keep me near, I pray. [based on Matthew 4:1-11]
POSTLUDE: Aria (alla Bach) by Sigfrid Karg-Elert/arr. by Carsten Klomp; Julie Metz, violin
Presbyterian Disaster Relief (PDR): God’s people are called on to stand in the “GAP” — Give. Act. Pray. The PDR’s response to the situation in Ukraine will include both financial and technical assistance as the network of faith communities providing humanitarian assistance grows in the months ahead. Gifts can be made online, by calling (800) 872-3283, by texting PDAUKR to 41444, or by check made payable to Presbyterian Church U.S.A. with “DR000156-Ukraine” on the memo line & mailed to Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), P.O. Box 643700, Pittsburgh, PA, 15264-3700.
Covenant Flood Recovery Renovation: To make a donation, please click on the GIVE button on the home page of our website or mail a check into the church office. The first $75,000 will be matched! We invite you to make your dollars count double.
Would you like to sponsor flowers one week for worship? You can place your order for any Sunday throughout 2022 by using this link that takes you to Covenant’s Flowers for Worship form — https://forms.gle/9C98VA1d17SPmTBV8
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