(Image: “Christ and the Pauper”, Mironov, Andreĭ, 1975-, Painting)
©Order of Worship for Sunday March 15, 2026
Fourth Sunday in Lent
For the Avent Ferry UMC Worship Video Click Here Link (Link opens in a new window)
Prelude:………“O Sacred Head, Now Wounded”……..Greg D.
Words: Anon. Music: Hans L Hassler, 1601, harm. J. S. Back, 1729
Coming of the Light:
Greetings:……………………………………………..Pastor Liz.
Announcements:………………………………………….Lorri B.
Call to Worship/Opening Prayer:……………Jean Marie A.
From Bethlehem to Nazareth,
from Jordan to Jericho,
from Bethany to Jerusalem,
from then to now,
Come, Lord Jesus.
To heal the sick,
to mend the brokenhearted,
to comfort the disturbed,
to disturb the comfortable,
to cleanse the temple,
to liberate faith from convention,
Come, Lord Jesus.
To carry the cross,
to lead the way,
to shoulder the sin of the world
and take it away,
Come, Lord Jesus.
Today,
to this place,
to us,
Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.
Opening Hymns:“O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing” #57 UMH
Words: Charles Wesley, 1739 Music: Carl G. Glaser;
Arr. by Lowell Mason, 1839
1. O for a thousand tongues to sing my
great Redeemer’s praise, the glories of my
God and King, the triumphs of his grace!
2. My gracious Master and my God, assist
me to proclaim, to spread through all the
earth abroad the honors of thy name.
3. Jesus! the name that charms our fears, that
bids our sorrows cease; ‘tis music in the
sinner’s ears, tis’ life, and health, and peace.
4. He breaks the power of canceled sin, he
Sets the prisoner free; his blood can make the
Foulest clean; his blood availed for me.
5. He speaks, and listening to his voice, new
life the dead receive; the mournful, broken,
hearts rejoice, the humble poor believe.
6. Hear him, ye deaf; his praise, ye dumb, your
loosened tongues employ; ye blind, behold your
Savior come, and leap, ye lame, for joy.
7. In Christ, your head, you then shall know,
shall feel your sins forgiven; anticipate your
heaven below, and own that love is heaven.
Passing of the Peace:………………………………..Pastor Liz
Let us offer signs of reconciliation and peace to one another.
Gloria Patri:…….“Glory Be to the Father”…….#71 UMH
Words: Lesser Doxology, 3rd-4th century
Music: Henry W. Greatorex, 1851
Glory be to the Father
and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, to
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen. Amen.
Giving of our Tithes and Offerings:…………….Pastor Liz
AFUMC Giving Link: https://aventferryumc.org/give/
Offertory:…“Blessed Is He Who Comes in God’s Name” W&S 3077…………………….…………………………………….Greg D.
Words: John Thornburg, Music: Jane Marshall © 2003 Abingdon Press
1. “Blessed is he who comes in God’s name!”
cried the excited crowd. Spreading their cloaks, they
welcomed a King; “Peace”, they said, “here and now!”
2. As the great city came into view
Jesus began to cry. “Would that you knew the
makings of Peace!” he uttered with a sigh.
3. They did not hear him; neither do we.
Might is our golden calf. We would see Christ
equipped with a sword, not with a shepherd’s staff.
4. Peace is not gained through posture and threat.
Justice is not a game. Come, Christians, turn;
surrender the pride; repent in Jesus’ name.
“Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow” (The Doxology) #95
The United Methodist Hymnal
Words by Thomas Ken, 1674
Music attributed to Louis Bourgeois, 1551
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise God, all creatures here below;
praise God, above, ye heavenly host;
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Prayer After Receiving:……………………………..Pastor Liz
The Prayers of the People:…………………………Pastor Liz
Anthem:….“When You Prayed Beneath the Trees”…..Choir
Words: Christopher Idle Music: Lloyd Larson Hope Publishing Company
Gospel Lesson: ……….John 9:1-41
John 9:1-12………………………………..…………Eli A.
The man born blind
As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” Some were saying, “It is he.” Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like him.” He kept saying, “I am he.” But they kept asking him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ Then I went and washed and received my sight.” They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”
Prayer:
God of mercy,
like the disciples, we see suffering and rush to judgment.
We search for someone to blame rather than seeking your grace.
We have closed our eyes to the ways you are working among us.
Forgive us for the times we fail to see your presence
in the lives of those around us.
Open our eyes to your healing work in the world.
Kyrie #3133 W&S
Music: Steve Garnaas-Holmes © 1990 Steve Garnaas Holmes
Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison.
Kyrie eleison. Grant to us Your peace, Lord.
John 9:13-23………………………………………………………Lorri B.
They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not observe the Sabbath.” Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And they were divided. So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” He said, “He is a prophet.”
The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind, but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
Prayer:
God of new beginnings,
you bring transformation into our lives,
yet we often question and doubt what you have done.
We struggle to believe that people can change,
that healing can happen, that new life is possible.
Forgive us for the ways we limit your power
and fail to celebrate the good you are doing among us.
Give us eyes to recognize your grace.
Kyrie:
Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison.
Kyrie eleison. Grant to us Your peace, Lord.
John 9:24-34……………………….……………………..Samantha M.
So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.” He answered, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” Then they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” The man answered, “Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?” And they drove him out.
Prayer:
God of truth,
like those who questioned the healed man,
we cling to our own certainty and resist what challenges us.
We guard our traditions and our comfort
more closely than we seek your living presence.
Forgive us when certainty blinds us
and when fear keeps us from hearing the truth.
Humble our hearts so we may see more clearly.
Kyrie
Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison.
Kyrie eleison. Grant to us Your peace, Lord.
John 9:35-41…………………………………………………Beverly B.
Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.” He said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped him. Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see may see and those who do see may become blind.” Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this and said to him, “Surely we are not blind, are we?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains”.
Prayer:
God who opens our eyes,
we confess that we are not always as wise as we think we are.
We claim to see clearly, yet miss your work in our midst.
We overlook those you lift up
and fail to recognize Christ before us.
Forgive us.
Lead us into the light of your grace.
Kyrie
Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison.
Kyrie eleison. Grant to us Your peace, Lord.
Message:……………………………….Pastor Liz
Response to the Word:
Closing Hymn: “As a Fire Is Meant for Burning” #2237 TFWS
Words: Ruth Duck Music: From The Sacred Harp, 1844
Words: © 1992 GIA Publications, Inc.
1. As a fire is meant for burning with a bright and
warming flame, so the church is meant for mission,
giving glory to God’s name. Not to preach our creeds
or customs, but to build a bridge of care, we join
hands across the nations, finding neighbors everywhere.
2. We are learners; we are teachers; we are pilgrims
on the way. We are seekers; we are givers; we are
vessels made of clay. By our gentle, loving actions we
would show that Christ is light. In a humble, listening
spirit we would live to God’s delight.
3. As a green bud in the springtime is a sign of life renewed,
so may we be signs of oneness ‘mid earth’s peoples, many
hued. As a rainbow lights the heavens when a storm is
past and gone, may our lives reflect the radiance of God’s
new and glorious dawn.
Dismissal with Blessing:………………………………..Pastor Liz
Postlude:…………………………………………………………Greg D.
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Each Easter season, the Worship Team purchases Easter Lilies to adorn the Sanctuary for our Easter Service. The Worship Team will be purchasing Easter Lilies for the Sanctuary.
If you would like to purchase an Easter Lily in Honor or in Memory of a loved one, you can request a Lily and provide the name or names of the persons you would like to honor or remember.
Suggested Donation for a Lily is $15.00. Lilies will be available for pick up after the Easter Sunday Service on April 5th.
Click on this link: Purchase Easter Lily (link will open in a new window)