https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tr_j0EDPY8c53zAmbe8LKDeqcvtW7WEW/view
Above is the link to the recording of worship from Sunday 3/23/25. Copy this link and place it into your browser so you can view the recording.
Order of Worship, Grafton Community Church, 03-23-25
Bill Watson is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Grafton Community Church Worship
Time: Meeting – 9:45 a.m. March 23, 2025
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Meeting ID: 235 223 715
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**In the sanctuary, masks and a safe social distance are optional. We recommend care and consideration, especially when singing or responding in prayer!!!
Order of Worship, Grafton Community Church, 03-23-25 — Third Sunday in Lent
Prelude (Ken Olsson, Music Minister)
Eternal Father, Strong to Save (Lloyd Larson)
Just As I Am, Without One Plea (Mark Hayes)
Air in D (J. S. Bach)
Amazing Grace (Lee Dengler)
Praise, My Soul, the God of Heaven (Larry Shackley)
Welcome and Announcements (Linda Robertson, Council Chair)
No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here!
*Please observe a moment of silence; so we may each offer our prayers and praise to Creator, Christ & Holy Spirit.
*Hymn #23 “Praise, My Soul, the God of Heaven”
1 Praise, my soul, the God of heaven; glad of heart your carols raise;
ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven who, like me, should sing God's praise?
Alleluia! Alleluia! Praise the Maker all our days.
2 Praise to God for grace and favor shown to all who are oppressed.
God shows steadfast love for ever, slow to chide, and swift to bless:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Glorious is God's faithfulness!
3 Mother-like God tends and spares us; knowing well our fragile frame.
Father-like, God gently bears us, tender-hearted, slow to blame.
Alleluia! Alleluia! All within me praise God's name!
4 Frail as summer's flower we flourish, blows the wind, and it is gone.
But while mortals rise and perish God's compassion still lives on.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Praise the high eternal One!
5 Angels, teach us adoration you who see God face to face;
sun and moon, and all creation, dwellers all in time and space:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Praise with us the God of grace!
* Call to Worship (from “Prayers for the World & Its People,” Iona Abbey Worship Book)
One: Believing that God made and loves the world,
Many: we gather.
One: That it may be reshaped to fulfill God’s purposes,
Many: we pray.
One: To seek a wisdom deeper than our own thinking,
Many: we listen.
One: To honor God who gave us voice,
Many: we worship.
* Unison Prayer
God of infinite goodness, throughout the ages You have persevered in claiming and
reclaiming Your people. Renew for us Your call to repentance, surround us with
witnesses to aid us in our journey, and grant us the time to fashion our lives anew.
In the names of Creator, Christ and Holy Spirit we pray. Amen.
*Response: (#23, Verse 2)
Praise to God for grace and favor shown to all who are oppressed.
God shows steadfast love for ever, slow to chide, and swift to bless:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Glorious is God's faithfulness!
Scripture:
Isaiah 55: 6-9
Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;
let the wicked forsake their way and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the LORD, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Luke 13: 1-9
The parable of the fig tree
[As Jesus was making his way toward Jerusalem] there were some present who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
He asked them, "Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans?
No, I tell you, but unless you repent you will all perish as they did.
Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them--do you think that they were worse offenders than all the other people living in Jerusalem?
No, I tell you, but unless you repent you will all perish just as they did."
Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none.
So he said to the man working the vineyard, 'See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?'
He replied, 'Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it.
If it bears fruit next year, well and good, but if not, you can cut it down.'"
*Hymn #546 “Amazing Grace”
1 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.
2 'Twas grace first taught my heart to fear and grace my fears relieved;
how precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed.
3 Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come;
'tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.
4 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.
Reflection: “ Seeking God ” Pastor Bill Watson
Synopsis: In this week’s scriptures Isaiah brings hope to the Judaic exiles in Babylon and Jesus raises the suspense for his followers with a puzzling parable. How will that help us on our Lenten journey?
*Hymn #85 “Eternal Father, Strong to Save”
1 Eternal Father, strong to save, whose arm has bound the restless wave,
who bid the mighty ocean deep its own appointed limits keep:
O hear us when we cry to thee for those in peril on the sea.
2 O Savior, whose almighty word the winds and waves submissive heard,
who walked upon the foaming deep, and calm amid its rage didst sleep:
O hear us when we cry to thee for those in peril on the sea.
3 O Holy Spirit, who did brood upon the chaos wild and rude,
and bid its angry tumult cease, and gave, for fierce confusion, peace:
O hear us when we cry to thee for those in peril on the sea.
4 O Trinity of love and power, all travelers guard in danger's hour;
from rock and tempest, fire and foe, protect them whereso'er they go:
thus evermore shall rise to thee glad praise from air and land and sea.
Offerings of the People
You can present your offering for the work of Grafton Community Church, using the “Donate Now” button on our Facebook page at The Grafton Church, or on our web site www.graftoncommunitychurch.org (The button may actually say “Shop Now,” but it has the same function. You will not run afoul of Martin Luther’s edicts on indulgences.)
Offertory: (Ken Olsson, Music Minister)
Peaceful Piano #3 (Mark Hayes)
Response: Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Praise God all creatures here below – Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise God above the source of gifts!
Praise Jesus Christ, whose power uplifts.
Praise the Spirit, Holy Spirit – Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Offertory Prayer of Dedication
The Benediction & The Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory,
For ever and ever. Amen.
Postlude: (Ken Olsson, Music Minister)
Just a Closer Walk with Thee (Lloyd Larson)
Please greet your neighbors on Zoom or at a “Safe Social Distance” in the sanctuary, as the postlude ends. Unmute your mikes, share greetings and the peace of this virtual space.
Grafton Prayer List:
Our Planet Earth *Those with PTSD & their families *Those enduring times of stress * *Beloved pets of Grafton *Mary Karam, & the Humes family *Arlene & Ron Carey *Gaelle McLoud *The Rowley family *Carol Bason *Arthur Park *Galen Pinkham *Michael Brown (Matt Brown’s brother) *Pastor Harold Noyes *Sylven Lang *Kenny King (Pastor King’s brother) *Norm Robertson *Robert Johnson (Ken Olsson’s father-in-law) *Nancy Merrill *Dick Warren *Dave Robinson *Michelle Dufort *Joyce Olsson (Ken’s mom) *Cecile Fisher Smith *Dennis Scharback *Todd Baker (Pastor Watson’s friend) *Linda Preziosi *Paul Nolan (Steve Nolan’s cousin) *Debbie Wright *Christine Tattersall *Gayle Arbuckle *JoAnn Supple (Sherry Brown’s mother) *Henry Feder *Jason Roger (Wren’s tenant & friend) *Jeremiah Olmas (Mary Feder’s friend’s grandson) *Luann King, (Pastor King’s stepmother) *Jessica Tragellis (Dear Nolan Friend)
Those Who Have Lost Loved Ones
*Irene Rice & family *Family & friends of Bill Brown *Family & friends of Luann Ward *Family & friends of Helene Delaney (Steven Humes’ mother-in-law) *Family & friends of Ron Metzger (Pastor Watson’s cousin) *Family & friends of Simon Kimber (Christine Tattersall’s brother-in-law) *Family & friends of Peggy O’Keefe Lafave *Family & friends of Liam Parker (Michele Chickering’s son) *Family & friends of Jerry Goldlust (Christine Tattersall’s close friend) *Family & friends of Bob Wright *Family & friends of Barbara Andrews (Meg Gonzalez’ mom) *Family & friends of Bob Haseltine *Family & friends of Donald F.M. Bolton *Family & friends of Denize Schemm *Family & friends of Helen Lanoie (mother of Andre Lanoie) * Family & friends of Bernard “Pete” Haley *Family & friends of Donna Rice
Extended Care:
*Dottie Royal, Bromley Manor, 2595 Depot St., Manchester, VT 05255
*Rev. Catherine Cadieux, Sterling House, 33 Atkinson Street, Bellows Falls VT 05101
*Estelle Pieth, Crescent Manor, 312 Crescent Blvd, Bennington, VT 05201
Grafton Community Church, 55 Main Street, PO Box 158, Grafton, VT, 05146, United States
(802) 843-2346 Graftonchurch@gmail.com
Our Website: www.graftoncommunitychurch.org
On Facebook: The Grafton Church
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