Worship

Welcome to new visitors and old friends; to believers,
Questioners, and questioning believers, welcome to all
People: any shape, size, color culture, gender, age,
Ability, sexuality, and family type

We give thanks for the diversity of God’s family and our
unity as god’s people. This is a safe place for celebration,
Healing, rejoicing and renewal.

Because your health and safety is our highest priority, we agree to worship together outdoors with the following conditions:

1. Remain in your vehicle.
2. Masks must be worn if the windows of your vehicle are rolled down.
3. You may leave your vehicle to use the facilities. One person in the restroom at a time, please.

Tune to FM channel: 87.9

GATHERING

PRELUDE

WELCOME AND ANNOUCEMENTS

GATHERING SONG
Baptized and Set Free ELW 453
Cathy Skogen-Soldner © 1999 Augsburg Fortress CCLI # 877775

We are people created, chosen by God.
Then we’re washed, ever gently, in mercy and love.
Sin has power no more. Jesus opened the door
to a fountain bringing healing and wholeness and more.

We are fed and we’re nourished, filled and refreshed.
Then our hunger returns and again we are blessed.
For whatever the need, God is greater, indeed:
endless ocean, always deeper than all of our need.
We are nourished by water, all living things,
and by life that the Spirit abundantly brings.
As we journey toward home, may our presence be known:
precious river, ever-flowing, now carry us home.

Now with praise and thanksgiving, we join the song.
All are welcome! We gather to sing loud and strong.
Not enslaved, but set free! From now on, all will be
one in Jesus, one in water, baptized and set free!

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Blessed be the holy Trinity, + one God,
the keeper of the covenant,
the source of steadfast love,
our rock and our redeemer.
Amen.

God hears us when we cry, and draws us close in Jesus Christ. Let us return to the one who is full of compassion.

Silence is kept for reflection.

Fountain of living water,
pour out your mercy over us.
Our sin is heavy, and we long to be free.
Rebuild what we have ruined
and mend what we have torn.
Wash us in your cleansing flood.
Make us alive in the Spirit
to follow in the way of Jesus,
as healers and restorers of the world you so love.
Amen.
Beloved, God’s word never fails.
The promise rests on grace:
by the saving love of Jesus Christ,
the wisdom and power of God,
your sins are + forgiven, and God remembers them no more.
Journey in the way of Jesus.
Amen.

SONG OF PRAISE
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise him, for he is your health and salvation!
Let all who hear now to his temple draw near,
Joining in glad adoration!

Praise to the Lord, who will prosper your work and defend you;
Surely his goodness and mercy shall daily attend you.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do
If with his love he befriend you.

Praise to the Lord! Oh, let all that is in me adore him!
All that has life and breath, come now with praises before him!
Let the amen sound from his people again.
Gladly forever adore him, gladly forever adore him!

GREETING AND PRAYER OF THE DAY
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray. . . . who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.

WORD

FIRST READING
Genesis 17:1-7,15-16

PSALM
Psalm 22:23-31

SECOND READING
Romans 4:13-25

GOSPEL
Mark 1:31-38

SERMON
Pastor Annemarie Burke

SONG OF THE DAY
Will You Come and Follow Me ELW 798 vv. 1, 2, 5

“Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown, will you let my name be known,
Will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?”

“Will you leave yourself and behind if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare, should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?”
Lord, your summons echoes true when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.
In your company I’ll go where your love and footsteps show.
Thus I’ll move and live and grow in you and you in me.

APOSTLE’S CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Each petition ends, “Hear us, O God.” You are invited to respond, “Your mercy is great.”

OFFERING
At this time we offer to God what God first gave us: ourselves, our time, and our possessions. Signs of God’s gracious love. As the gifts are brought forward, we sing:

Create In Me
Keith Green. ©1984 For the Shepherd Music/EMI Christian Music Publishing CCLI # 877775
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a right spirit within me.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from thy presence, O Lord,
And take not thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation,
And renew a right spirit within me.

MEAL

HOLY COMMUNION
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 God thanks and praise.
It is indeed right . . . we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Holy, Holy
Sara Thomsen. © 1997 Sara Thomsen/Dakota Road Music. CCLI # 877775
Holy, holy, holy, tender, gentle God.
Heaven and earth are full of you,
Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest and in the low ones.
Blessed in the one who comes in your name.

In the night in which he was betrayed . . . Do this for the remembrance of me.

THE LORD’S PRAYER
You are welcome to pray the Lord’s Prayer in the following translation or in the language of your heart.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen

The body and blood of Christ, given and shed for you.
At this time, we eat and drink the bread and wine, remaining in our vehicles.

The body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.
Amen.

SENDING

SENDING SONG
I Could Sing of Your Love Forever
Martin Smith. ©1994 Curious?Music, admin. by EMI Publishing

Over the mountains and the sea,
Your river runs with love for me,
And I will open up my heart and let the Healer set me free.
I’m happy to be in the truth,
And I will daily lift my hands,
For I will always sing of when your love came down.

I will sing of your love forever. (4x)

Oh, I feel like dancing.
It’s foolishness, I know.
But when the world has seen the light,
They will dance with joy like we’re dancing now.

I will sing of your love forever. (4x)

BLESSING
You are what God made you to be:
created in Christ Jesus for good works, chosen as holy and beloved,
freed to serve your neighbor.
God bless you that you may be a blessing,
in the name of the + holy and life-giving Trinity.
Amen.

DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Serve the Lord!
Thanks be to God!

POSTUDE

Worship Leaders

Pastor Annemarie Burke
Deacon Connie Rose-Kamprath
Musician: Steve Newell
Reader: Elizabeth Farquhar

Esperanza Lutheran Church
2601 Thunderhill Place
Phoenix. Arizona 85048
480.759.1515

Words for worship from Sunday
s & Seasons, © 2020 Augsburg Fortress

Announcements for the community

Now More Than Ever Habitat Needs Our Help

A big thank you to Esperanzans who have made our church the top giver to the Southeast Valley Lutheran Coalition (SELC) for Habitat for Humanity this year. But if you haven’t yet donated, please consider doing so. Time remains to make a donation using the 2020 State Tax Credit. You may give online at https://habitatcaz.org/ Please be sure to designate your donation is in support of SEVL Coalition, and that you are from Esperanza.

Second, volunteers are needed! Crews have been falling short of by four or five of the number needed on Tuesdays and Saturdays. This coming Saturday they need all hands on deck–on the roof actually–to complete the roof shingles. If you can help be sure to sign up through the volunteer-hub at the Habitat CAZ website. Start by creating an account. When done, return to Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona (volunteerhub.com) and select the Southeast Valley Lutheran Coalition calendar from the “Events” dropdown button. Select the Saturdays you want to volunteer.

Mid-Week During Lent: Soup Supper and Holden Evening Prayer

Our tradition of mid-week services during Lent resumes Wednesday. We will celebrate Holden Evening Prayer during a pre-recorded service, which will be posted each week on Wednesday afternoon. Our hope is that you will participate in the service in the evening, as a meditative ending to your day.
This year we cannot gather in-person for the soup and salad suppers that preceded the services, but we can continue the tradition in our homes. Make a soup and salad supper for your family to eat before the service!
Do you have an especially tasty soup recipe? Send it to us and we will post it on our website. You may send your recipe tp Pastor Annemarie or to Liz Farquhar.

God’s Work, Our Hands: Ways to Serve

The Esperanza community is reaching out to help others, especially in this time of crisis. Join one of these initiatives:

Kyrene Family Resource Center: In January, Esperanza donated 31 pounds of food to the center!

Esperanza has been supporting the Kyrene Family Resource Center with food and other donations throughout the pandemic and before. The center provides essential assistance to financially challenged families in the Kyrene School District. The center is experiencing increasing demands for food right now. Bring your donations to the church Fellowship Hall on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. For more information, contact Larry Hanson.

Scholl’s Helping Hands: Scholl’s Helping Hands for the Homeless supplies items essential to the homeless such as hygiene products and clothing. Bring your donations to church Monday, Wednesday and Fridays 9 a.m. – noon.

Keep Esperanza Running: Esperanza needs your help. Our campus needs maintenance, the building needs to be cleaned, administrative tasks continue. Our grounds, the building, and other chores like office tasks and communications are essential to our ability to do God’s work! If you can help, see the list of opportunities is posted at https://myesperanza.org/volunteers-needed/

Join the Meals Brigade: When members of our community are facing illness, surgery or other of life’s challenges, Esperanza’s Meal Brigade go to work in the kitchen. Peggy Wagner organizes the brigade, and she has immediate need of a few more cooks. If you can help out, contact Peggy right away at [email protected]

Congregation Council Officers

Michele Tinsley (Pres.) 480-706-6384 [email protected]
Elizabeth Farquhar (V. Pres.) 480-560-6069 [email protected]
Doris Dorwart (Sec.) 480-460-0265 [email protected]
Michael Paradise (Tres.) 703-595-8885 [email protected]

Members at Large
Robert Elsaesser 480-759-6390 [email protected]
Paul Gerrish 480-390-8243 [email protected]
Peggy Wagner 480-730-6868 [email protected]
Craig Peck 602-290-7090 [email protected]
Herb Pinske 760-801-9122 [email protected]