Morning Worship

We offer you a warm welcome, and as is our practice, we remember that the land on which we meet is, was, and always will be native land. We acknowledge those indigenous tribes to Oklahoma: the Wichitas, Caddos, Plains Apaches, and the Quapaws, as the original custodians of the land in this place. We grieve the violence done to native language, culture, and personhood, and seek to honor the sovereignty and dignity of native peoples.

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Longing for Light, We Wait in Darkness
Bernadette Farrell arr. Mark Hayes
Glenda Stansbury

One: Let us begin the second Sunday in Lent with a prayer for illumination: There are many things, Holy One, that try to hold our attention and keep our focus. New updates, distraction, anger, and fear are all around us.

All: But we trust that You are still speaking, quietly and persistently. Open our hearts, Holy One, that we might hear the good news again. Leaning towards love, we pray, Amen.

One: Good morning and welcome from Mayflower Congregational United Church of Christ, where no matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey . . .  

All: You are welcome here!

One: We know the news. We have been told how bad things are and how much is broken. We’ve been given the statistics, the hot takes, and the one-liners.

All: But we are a stubborn people, so we’ve gathered this morning to cultivate the Good News of liberation, goodness, and mercy.

One: Let us spend this hour learning how to better care for our neighbor and nourish our community.

All: God’s love meets us in this moment, so let us offer to the world what we have been so freely given!

Teach Me, O Lord, Your Holy Way, Hymn 465
New Century Hymnal

[Please rise in body or in spirit.]

One: "May the peace of Christ be with you."
All: "And also with you!"

My Love Mine All Mine
Mitski Miyawaki
Adele Marie-Alix

Moon, a hole of light
Through the big top tent up high
Here before and after me
Shining down on meMoon, tell me if I could
Send up my heart to you
So, when I die, which I must do
Could it shine down here with you?

'Cause my love is mine, all mine
My love, mine, mine, mine
Nothing in the world belongs to me
But my love, mine, all mine, all mine

My baby here on Earth
Showed me what my heart was worth
So, when it comes to be my turn
Could you shine it down here for her?

'Cause my love is mine, all mine
My love, mine, mine, mine
Nothing in the world belongs to me
But my love, mine, all mine

Nothing in the world is mine for free
But my love, mine, all mine, all mine

One: Family of faith, we long to love others as God loves us, but that work is easier said than done. We lose our way. We become distracted. We grow fearful. Join me in our prayer of confession so that we can covenant with God to change our ways. Let us pray: Did we see you hungry and give you something to eat, Holy One? Did we see you alone and offer you company? Or did we cross the street? Did we avert our eyes? Did we come up with every excuse in the book?

All: We long to be people who love our neighbors with the same overwhelming love that You have for them. But we confess that we have a long way to go. Forgive us for the times when we let bias, scarcity, or fear get in the way of love.

One: Even when we act with judgment, even when we are guided by fear, even when we turn our back on a neighbor in need, you do not turn your back on us. We know that You will not give up on us, so we can’t either.

All: Grant us courage, Holy One, as we try again. With hope and resolve to do better we pray, Amen.

One: We read today of a woman with an alabaster jar, who refused to keep her gratitude quiet. It is in this tradition that we, too, give thanks for the goodness in our lives, like those who are celebrating birthdays: Samuel Hunt, Angela Reconnu-Shoffner, Emilee Bounds, Isaac Jones, Diane Ball, and Kelly Moore. We are grateful for all the people who volunteered to lead our Lenten Connection Groups and the people who signed up and showed up to get to know one another better.  And as the daylight hours lengthen and we put away our winter coats, we give thanks for the changing of the seasons and the reminder that the winters of our lives always give way.

And now, as a beloved community, we pray as Jesus taught the disciples:

All: Our Creator, who is in heaven, holy is your name. Your kingdom come, your 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 you reign in the power that is love, now and always, Amen.

One: God wouldn't bring you this far to leave you. God wouldn't bring you this far to let you go.
God wouldn't bring you this far to leave you. No height, nor depth, nor anything else can separate us from the love that God will show.

All: God wouldn't bring you this far to leave you. God wouldn't bring you this far to let you go.
God wouldn't bring you this far to leave you. No height, nor depth, nor anything else can separate us from the love that God will show.

[excerpt from God Wouldn't Bring You This Far to Leave You by Tom Trenney]

When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.” Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Rev. Dr. Lori Walke

Here at Mayflower, everyone is welcome at the Table. All that is needed is a desire to be in communion with God and this beloved community.  We will go through the communion liturgy, and then everyone is invited to receive communion either by remaining in your pew, so that communion can be brought to you, or by coming forward to receive the elements. If you come forward, go to either side of the Table to receive a gluten-free cracker from the ministers and then cup of juice from a deacon. Pause to eat and drink or take the elements back with you to the pew to eat and drink there. Place the cup in the pew back in front of you for our deacons to collect after worship.

Invitation to the Table
One: Friends, we come to the table because there is room for us here—whether we arrive weary or hopeful, certain or searching. Love gathers us in.

All: At this table, no one is overlooked, no story is dismissed, no heart is too heavy. Here, we are met by the One who calls us by name and draws us toward wholeness. So, we come—trusting that this meal will steady us, renew us, and remind us that we belong.

Prayer of Consecration
Now that we know all are welcome, let us bless the bread and the cup:
One: Holy One, we remember the story: how on the night he was betrayed, Jesus gathered his friends around the table, took bread and cup, and when he had given thanks, said, “This is my body given for you. This cup is the new covenant. Eat and drink in remembrance of me.”

All: You are a God of abundant love. When others draw lines, you open doors. When shame tries to have the final word, you speak forgiveness and peace. We remember the woman who poured out her love with courage and tenderness, and we ask you to bless this bread and this cup, that they would strengthen us to love with the same extravagant abundance. Amen.

One: Just as Jesus and the disciples ate the bread and drank from the cup after they were blessed, we do so now, in remembrance of his life and ministry. [eat & drink]

Prayer of Thanksgiving
One: We give thanks, Holy One, for this meal that reminds us that we have something good to tell.

All: Having received hope and grace, we will not hold them close, but will rise to carry them into the world we know. We will offer kindness and courage, justice and mercy, trusting that these gifts can help mend what is broken. We pray in the name of Jesus, who showed us the way. Amen.

O for a World, Hymn 575
New Century Hymnal

[Please rise in body or in spirit.]

When you meet anger, speak with love.
When you meet fear, speak with hope.
When you meet pain, speak with gentleness.

The good news is alive in the world, as long as we embody it,
so go in peace, pray for peace, wage a little peace, and love one another . . .

All: Every single other.

What Does the Lord Require?
Jim Strathdee

Part 1: What does the Lord require of you? What does the Lord require of you?

Part 2: Justice, kindness, walk humbly with your God. Justice, kindness, walk humbly with your God.

Part 3: To do justice, and love kindness and walk humbly with your God. To do justice, and love kindness and walk humbly with your God.

[Sung in a round, Part 1 begins the response, joined the second time by Part 2, then by Part 3, and then a fourth time through. For those in-person, it is our tradition for the congregation to stand and turn towards the center aisle during the benediction response so that we might "send each other forth" to embody what we sing.]