THE LITURGYOF LENT

Lent is, first of all, about God baptizing us into a life of faithful discipleship or, to use Martin Luther’s phrase, “creeping back to the font.” Lent prepares us and leads us to the baptismal font and the Lord’s Table as we are reminded of our baptism into Christ’s death and resurrection. The tone of this Lenten order of worship—in the midst of its call to turn, repent, and be cleansed of sin— is one of promise and hope. Sunday after Sunday the Scripture Readings reflect God’s promises. These promises are centered in the fact that God sends Jesus not to condemn the world but to rescue and heal it, casting out sin and evil. Over and over we will see, hear, touch, and taste, how the impossible difficulties of sin are met with the promise of God’s saving action.

Audio for A Lenten Litany of Confession and Exorcism

A Lenten Litany of Confession and Exorcism

Voice: We are possessed by demons.

All of us.

No matter how many times we pray,

they won’t go away completely.

Moods, habits, devilish desires

inhabit the regions of our hearts and minds

and break out suddenly, without explanation, without warning,

taking us over,

making us someone we would rather not be,

someone we really are not.

All: We are obsessed with demons,

surrounded daily by demonic forces:

drink, drugs, consumerism,

money, power, possessing as much as we can;

they are taking control of our neighborhoods,

trying to break down the doors of our homes

and all too often breaking our hearts and our lives.

Voice: Have mercy on me, O God,

according to your steadfast love;

according to your abundant mercy

blot out my transgressions.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

and cleanse me from my sin.

All: Create in me a clean heart, O God,

and put a new and right spirit within me.

Do not cast me away from your presence,

and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

and sustain in me a willing spirit.

All: Cast out the demons treacherously lurking within us 

and around us, O God.

Voice: Drugs and alcohol are demons.

All: Cast out the demons of drugs and alcohol, 

O Christ, 

Prevent them from overpowering us.

Voice: Violence and abuse are demons.

All: Cast out the demons of violence and abuse, 

Messiah Jesus.

Let them not control our lives.

Voice: Excessive consumption and greed are demons.

All: Cast out the demons of excessive consumption and greed,

O Holy One of God.

Prevent them from dominating our lives.

Voice: Uncontrollable anger is a demon.

All: Cast out the demon of uncontrollable anger,
patient Teacher.

Let it not destroy our lives.

Voice: Injustice is a demon.

All: Cast out the demon of injustice, 

merciful Lord.

Let it not oppress our lives.

Voice: Let us put ourselves in the hands of God

Who has overcome the demons.

(Silence for reflection and self-examination)

Voice: God destroyed the demonic forces,

through the cross of Christ,

casting sin from us and giving us the power of forgiveness.

God, now, through the Holy Spirit cleanses and comforts us,

breaking the powers of the evil ones over us

and bringing us to newness of life.

All: Amen.

GATHERING

WE RESPOND TO GOD’S CALL WITH PRAISE AND PRAYER,
AND PREPARE TO HEAR GOD’S WORD OF LIFE

GREETING

Pastor: From our God who loves us with an everlasting love

who brings forth a new creation in Christ,

who leads us by the Spirit in the wilderness,

grace, love and abundant peace be with you all.

People: And also with you

KYRIE                                                                                                                                [click on the link below]                                                 https://youtu.be/b8WdyJHLUgg

Kyrie eleison  Lord have mercy,

Christe eleison  Christ have mercy

Kyrie eleison  Lord have mercy

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Pastor: The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.

Pastor: Let us pray:

People: O God, by the passion of your blessed Son you made an instrument of shameful death to be for us the means of life.  Grant us so to glory in the cross of Christ that we may gladly suffer shame and loss for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ our Saviour and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.   Amen.

WORD

THE CHURCH HEARS THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD ACTING
IN THIS AND EVERY TIME AND PLACE

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

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.’ Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, ‘As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. 

God said to Abraham, ‘As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.’ 

SECOND READING  Romans 4:13-25

For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation. 

For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, as it is written, ‘I have made you the father of many nations’)—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become ‘the father of many nations’, according to what was said, ‘So numerous shall your descendants be.’ He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Therefore his faith ‘was reckoned to him as righteousness.’ Now the words, ‘it was reckoned to him’, were written not for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification. 

THE GOSPEL

Pastor: The Holy Gospel according to St.________, the _________ chapter.

People: Glory to you, O Lord.

Mark 8:31-38

Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’ 

He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’ 

Pastor: The Gospel of the Lord.

People: Praise to you, O Christ.

SERMON

[click on the link below]

HYMN OF THE DAY

“Take Up Your Cross, The Savior Said”

[click on the link below]

“Take up your cross,” the Savior said,

“If you would my disciple be;

forsake the past, and come this day,

and humbly follow after me.”

Take up your cross; let not its weight

pervade your soul with vain alarm;

his strength shall bear your spirit up,

sustain your heart, and nerve your arm.

Take up your cross, nor heed the shame,

nor let your foolish heart rebel;

for you the Lord endured the cross

to save your soul from death and hell.

Take up your cross and follow Christ,

nor think till death to lay it down;

for those who humbly bear the cross

one day will wear the glorious crown.

APOSTLES’ CREED

Pastor: Let us confess our faith in the words of the Apostles’ Creed.

All:       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 again 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.

TODAY IN OUR PRAYERS

Bill, Carol, Curtis, and Christine Buchkowsky, Teri Peterson, Wayne Turner, Janet Gregory, Jody Giesbrecht, Marge McMillan, Kyrie Parimi, John Beaven, Doris Turner, Hilda Anderson, Linda Wolfe, Naomi, Joan Schock, Bev Gregory, Dale Robinson, Bryan Matschke, AnnE and Joel Zimmerman, Ursula Coakwell, Evelyn Robson, Audrey Hedlin, Liz Sand, the family of Lyle Sand, the family of Marguerite Sanders (Don Sander’s sister), the family of Norm Gregory, and the family of Sophie Kobrynsky (Paul Slusar’s sister), the family of Mary Anderson (Evelyn Robson’s mother), the family of Steve Slusar (Paul Slusar’s brother).

We remember the missing and murdered indigenous women in Canada, the people of Syria, Iraq, Iran, Ukraine, Sudan, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Turkey, Yemen, Venezuela, Somalia, Libya, Hong Kong, Belarus, the Palestinians and Israelis,  Armenia and Azerbaijan, Thailand, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Myanmar, the Rohingya Muslim refugees, all at the Mexico/United States border seeking refuge, the people of Haiti suffering from natural and political disasters, the people of the Bahamas suffering from hurricanes, the people of Texas and throughout much of the United States caught in the grips of unbearable cold and snow, those in the United States, Canada, and throughout the world caught up in racism and injustice and the resulting violence, and those throughout the world, in Canada, in our province, and in our community threatened by the coronavirus.

THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE OF FAITH

 [The congregational response after each petition is:  “GRANT US YOUR PEACE.”]

Pastor:  As we journey with Jesus to the cross, the tree of life, witnessing to the transformation of life that comes with faith, repentance and forgiveness, let us pray for the renewal of the Church and the restoration of the whole world to the life of God, saying, “O God in your compassion,” and responding, “Grant us your peace.”

Petitioner:  Merciful God, we sometimes doubt and often resist your desire to protect and to save us, yet you persist.  Sustain your people by your Spirit working through your Word and sacraments.  Protect us from the danger and threat of doubting your promise and give us the boldness to follow your way of grace and love.  O God in your compassion …

Petitioner:  Righteous God, bring peace to all the peoples who strive with one another and others, who exploit and oppress  Teach us to honour our common humanity within diversity.  Lead us away from hatred, fear, and misunderstanding.  Restore your blessing promised to Abraham and Sarah for all the nations so that mercy, peace, and justice might reach to the ends of the earth.  O God in your compassion …

Petitioner:  God of wisdom, you show us how to live in joy and peace.  Raise us up from the waters of our baptism to be a new people sent forth into the world, not to condemn but to offer mercy.  Lead us all through our times of barrenness and blindness to see that Christ was lifted up in death so that we might know God’s love and mercy for all creation.  O God in your compassion …

Pastor:   Comforting God, your grace sustains all whose hearts are broken and you supply every human need.  Bless all who bear doubt, despair, illness, conflict, loss, and grief with your comforting presence.  We remember especially before you ….  Renew them with your promises.  O God in your compassion …

Petitioner:  God of new life, you poured out your life on the cross for the sake of the world.  We pray for this community of faith, that following the pattern of Jesus, we may empty ourselves as you pour out your love through us for the sake of the Gospel and make us a community of welcome and grace for all.  When we seem to be drowning in complacency, fear, doubt, and sin, shower us with your promises, assure us, give us faith. Deepen our care for one another to reach out to those who are absent or experiencing difficult circumstances.   Empower us to be your light, salt, and the body of Christ in this community. O God in your compassion …

Petitioner:   Praiseworthy God, renew the creation, so that barren fields and burdened cities may become a blessing to all generations in every place.  Renew all people and creation suffering from  the effects of global warming and climate change that the goodness of creation might bear witness to your love for all that is yours.  O God in your compassion …

Petitioner:   Sustaining God, Jesus through his suffering death shows us a new way of love and invites us to love one another as he loves us.  Plant this Word in our hearts, so that in its power and love our love may not grow cold in your service, nor that we may be tempted to fail, deny, or leave you, but in faith, cling to the cross and its way to life.  O God in your compassion …

Pastor:  Gracious God, hear us as we pray.  As you have made us and redeemed us, so now sustain us with your hope, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

People:  Amen.

THANKSGIVING

THE COMMUNITY PRAISES GOD FOR THE GRACIOUS GIFTS OF CREATION
AND THE SAVING DEEDS OF JESUS CHRIST

THE GREETING AND SHARING OF PEACE

Pastor: Sisters and brothers, rejoice, encourage one another, live in peace.
God through Christ has given us the gift of reconciliation.

People: Therefore, let us be reconciled to God and to one another.

Pastor: The peace of the Lord be with you always.

People: And also with you.

(If with others greet one another with a gesture of peace, using these or similar words: “Christ’s peace be with you.”)

THE OFFERING

(We worship God with the offering of our selves, our time, our talents, and our possessions.)

OFFERTORY SONG

“Create In Me”

[click on the link below]

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

Let me be like you in all my ways.

Give me your strength,

Teach me your song,

Shelter me in the shadow of your wings.

For we are your righteousness.

If we die to ourselves and live through your death,

We shall be born again to be blessed in your love.

OFFERTORY PRAYER

Leader: Let us pray.
Compassionate God,

People: we offer you these gifts

as signs of our time and labour.

Receive the offering of our lives,

and feed us with your grace,

that, even in the midst of death,

all creation might feast on your unending life

in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Pastor: Lord, remember us in your kingdom, and teach us to pray:

People: 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.

SENDING

ALL RECEIVE THE BLESSING OF GOD, LEAVE IN PEACE,
AND ARE SENT OUT TO SERVE

BENEDICTION

Pastor: God give you the strength to raise up the cross of Christ,

wisdom to follow in the cross of Christ,

and the guidance of the Spirit to carry the cross of Christ

into our world.

People: Amen.

CLOSING HYMN

“Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross”

[click on the link below]

Jesus keep me near the cross, there’s a precious fountain;

free to all, a healing stream flows from Calvary’s mountain.

Refrain:

In the cross, in the cross be my glory ever;

till my ransomed soul shall find rest beyond the river.

Near the cross, a trembling soul, love and mercy found me;

there the bright and morning star sheds its beams around me.

Refrain

Near the cross! O Lamb of God, bring its scenes before me;

help me walk from day to day with its shadow o’er me.

Refrain

Near the cross I’ll watch and wait, hoping, trusting ever,

till I reach the golden strand just beyond the river.

Refrain

ANNOUNCEMENTS

DISMISSAL

Pastor: Go in peace. Proclaim the love of the life-giving cross.

People: Thanks be to God.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Because of the high level of COVID cases throughout Saskatoon and the province, at an online consultation involving all the church leaders and clergy in the Synod it was strongly recommended that congregations continue to suspend all in person worship services until a time when it is safe to gather together.   King of Glory’s Church Council met to consider this recommendation and unanimously passed a motion that we suspend in person worship services and post online worship services on our website through March 2021. Of course, should there be any significant changes with regard to the pandemic situation the Church Council will revisit the issue.

COMING UP AT KOG 

 Sunday, March 7, King of Glory online Worship service.

 Sunday, March 14, Trinity provides online Worship service. For seven ELCIC churches 

 Sunday, March 21, King of Glory online Worship service.   

 Wednesday, March 24, Church Council meets via ZOOM at 7:30 p.m.

 Sunday, March 28, King of Glory online Worship service. 

January, February, and Year-to-Date Budget and Contribution Report for KOG

2020 Budget:  $49,536       Monthly Budget:  $4,180.50     Weekly Budget:  $964.73

2021income/expenses: $3,531.66

January income/expenses: $3,531.66

Contributions from February 1 through February 15: $1550

Offerings.  

Even though we are not meeting together we still have expenses and need your offerings so that we can pay them.  Church Council has decided that the best way to receive your offerings is that you mail a cheque (Please no cash for mail security reasons) to the church and we can process them from there.  

Send your contributions to:  King of Glory Lutheran Church

    3318 Merritt Street

    Saskatoon, SK  S7M 3P6

Thank you for your generosity.

Thank you to Karen McKenzie for preparing the charitable contribution receipts.

St. David’s Trinity United Church

ST. PATRICK’S STEW SUPPER   

Wednesday, March 17th, 2021

Curbside Pick-up between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m.

ADVANCE TICKETS only by March 10th:  $15/meal

Meal includes 12 oz. beef stew, homemade soda bread and shamrock cookie

(chilled, ready to heat or freeze)

Gluten-free meal option available at no extra cost

Call Church office at 306 978-0707 to purchase tickets or

Via Interac e-transfer to st.davidstrinityuc@sasktel.net (no password required)

The website for all seven ELCIC congregations in Saskatoon is now up and the address is https://saskatoonelcic.com/   It will be used now mainly for sharing information during the pandemic and has the online worship services from our seven congregations. 

WEDNESDAY MID-WEEK LENTERN SERVICES

Sisters and brothers,
Our joint weekly Lenten services will be shared among all 7 ELCIC congregations in Saskatoon starting Feb 24, 2021 at 7:30 PM.

Please, use the Zoom information below to join our Lenten services starting Feb 24 at 7:30 PM.
Please, click on the link below to access the service.
You can also call in using the phone numbers below as indicated. Please, note that long-distance charges will apply unless you have a long-distance plan with your phone carrier.
Join Zoom Meeting
Online:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89600870712?pwd=YjlxOEE5bUFyUE81QUp0bGJpQXNKdz09
Zoom App:
Meeting ID: 896 0087 0712 THEN Passcode: 093604
Phone:
        1 647 374 4685 Canada THEN 896 0087 0712 THEN Passcode: 093604
        1 647 558 0588 Canada THEN 896 0087 0712 THEN Passcode: 093604
Blessings,
Pastor Ali 

The schedule for Lent in 2021 is as follows:   

Lent 2                       March 3rd       Trinity is host

Lent 3                       March 10th     Augustana is host

Lent 4                       March 17th     Good Shepherd is host

Lent 5                        March 24th     Zion is host

Maundy Thursday     April 1st          Resurrection provides worship ???

Good Friday              April 2nd          Zion provides worship ???

Co-Treasurer position for King of Glory 

King of Glory is looking for a co-treasurer primarily responsible for documenting and filling out the forms for the province, the Canada Revenue Agency and the ELCiC.  They will work Pat Sarich whose primary responsibility is oversight of the budget and the bookkeeping with respect of receipts and expenditures.  Please contact Pastor Michael about this position.

Additional Prayers

Petitioner:  Generous God, fill us with compassion and concern for others, young and old, that we may look after one another in these challenging days. Bring healing to those who are sick with the virus and be with their families. Comfort the family and friends of those who have died. Strengthen and protect all medical professionals caring for the sick and all who work in our medical and health care facilities. Give wisdom to leaders in healthcare and governance that they may make the right decisions for the well-being of people.  We pray in gratitude for all those in our country who will continue to work in the days ahead in so many fields of life for the sake of us all. Bless them and keep them safe.  O God of creation and life, we place ourselves in your protection.  May the mantle of your peace enfold us this day and tomorrow.  Hear us, O God of life …

HYMN OF THE DAY

CLOSING HYMN