Covenant Church
an ecumenical liberal baptist congregation
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A Service of Worship for
the Third Sunday of Lent
March 15, 2020


Thousands have lived without love, not one without water. W.H. Auden 

Worship Order
Worship notes are also included at the bottom of this page.

Prelude
J. A. Van Eyken, "Adagio" from Sonata II, performed by Patrick Parker.

​Call to Worship

Opening Prayer
God, our Mother, Living Water, River of Mercy, Source of Life, in whom we live and move and have our being who quenches our thirst, refreshes our weariness, bathes and washes and cleanses our wounds, be for us always a fountain of life and for all the world a river of hope springing up in the midst of the deserts of despair.
Honor and blessing,
Glory and praise
To You forever.
Amen


​Scripture Lesson: Exodus 17:1-7

​Time for Children

​Call to Confession
Unison Confession
God of Justice, whenever we settle for the way things are instead of the way you would have them to be, forgive us.
Whenever we are paralyzed by fear or limited in vision, increase our trust in you. 
​Whenever we offer charity, but fail to work for justice, show us the more excellent way that your love requires.
Whenever we tire of the struggle and tomorrow feels overwhelming, restore our hope.
Whenever we forget those who have gone before us or act as if we were the first to follow in the way of peace, allow us to recognize our arrogance.
May the resources of our faith encourage us to dream again.
Amen.

Music
“I Have Longed for Thy Saving Health, O Lord”                     
William Byrd

​Proclamation

​Invitation

Prayer

​Prayer of Dedication
God, you have entrusted us with the care of great beauty and enormous wealth. We feel in turns honored, careless, possessive, and helpless in the face of such providence. Do you mean we have to figure out together how to live with this abundance? We are so much better at dividing, hoarding, spending, and claiming little pieces. God, open our hearts and minds and hands that we may grow into the fruitful generous images of yourself that you made us to be. 
​
Amen.


​Affirmation of Faith
Justice is what love looks like in public.
​

Postlude
Buxtehude's Ciacona in E Minor BuxWV 160, performed by Patrick Parker at St. Helena's Episcopal, Beaufort, South Carolina.

Worship Notes
​

The worship leader is Melissa Bernardoni.

​The Call to Worship is a prayer by Nancy Murzyn printed in Soul Weavings: A
Gathering of Women's Prayers edited by Lyn Klug.

The Opening Prayer is by the Medical Mission Sisters reprinted in 
Life Prayers 
Around the World, edited by Elizabeth Roberts and Elias Amidon.

The Unison Confession is adapted from a prayer by J. Bennett Guess.
​

The Prayer of Dedication is by Virginia Rickeman from The Well Is Deep: Prayers to Draw Up Living Water.

The Affirmation of Faith is by Cornel West.


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Covenant Church
4949 Caroline St., Houston, TX 77004
office@covenanthouston.org
713-668-8830
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