Online Worship for March 27, 2022

Welcome to Church of the Holy Cross’s live streaming worship service for March 27, 2022. Feel free to follow the service text by scrolling down, or you may download and print the service in PDF format below.

Online Worship, March 27, 2022
Fourth Sunday in Lent

Rev. Eric S. Anderson, Pastor

WE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD

Welcome                                                                                                    Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Prelude: Father, We Praise Thee—Benton Price, tune: Christe Sanctorum from an ancient playing chant                                                                     Kayleen Yuda

Call to Worship: based on 2 Corinthians 5:16-21                         Carolyn Lum-Bellem

Leader: How should we regard our neighbors? Should we look at them with a human point of view?
All: No, we should not. Once we knew Christ as a human being, but we know better now.

Leader: God has made us into new creations. All people of the world have been made new.
All: God has made reconciliation in Christ. God has then given us this ministry to reconcile.

Leader: We are ambassadors for Christ, with God making this appeal through us.
All: For our sake Christ came, so that in Christ we might become the righteousness of God.

Invocation: based on Joshua 5:9-12                                                  Carolyn Lum-Bellem

Roll away from us our disgrace, O God. Roll away the shame of others’ judgments; roll away the guilt of our unknown sins. May we keep a feast of righteousness with you and with one another, giving you praise for your guidance and your forgiveness, rejoicing in the company of those redeemed by grace. May we eat and drink the produce of this land in joy. Amen.

Hymn #202: O God, How We Have Wandered                             Eric Anderson
                                                                                                                        Doug Albertson
                                                                                                                      Movement led by Genie Phillips

Scripture                                                                                                    Carolyn Lum-Bellem

Psalm 32
Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven,
    whose sin is covered.
Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity,
    and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

 While I kept silence, my body wasted away
    through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
    my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah

 Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
    and I did not hide my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
    and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah

 Therefore let all who are faithful
    offer prayer to you;
at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters
    shall not reach them.
You are a hiding place for me;
    you preserve me from trouble;
    you surround me with glad cries of deliverance. Selah

 I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go;
    I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
    whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle,
    else it will not stay near you.

 Many are the torments of the wicked,
    but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the Lord.
Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous,
    and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

 So he told them this parable:

Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself withthe pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.”’ So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.

“Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.’ Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ Then the fathersaid to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’”

Story/Sermon: What if We Don’t Want Them?                           Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Pastoral Prayer                                                                                       Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Please join me in the Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come.  Thy 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 Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen

Vocal Anthem: Part of the Family                                                     Eric Anderson
                                                                                                                        Doug Albertson
                                                                                                                      Movement led by Genie Phillips

Call to Offering                                                                                        Carolyn Lum-Bellem

Around the world, gifts given by this faith community to One Great Hour of Sharing weave together a tapestry of faith, hope, and love in action. We are grateful for the opportunity to change the world through our acts of kindness, large and small. The tapestry we weave includes our being present with communities near or far, following various kinds of disasters, assisting communities with the resources they need to survive, or helping children with educational needs. Yet, we cannot be in all places needing our assistance ourselves or even see them with our own eyes; but through our generous gifts, we can show that love remains, in spite of all obstacles. Let us give, joyfully and generously, in that spirit. Please send your offering through the mail in an envelope to 440 West Lanikaula Street, Hilo, Hawai’i, 96720, or give online at holycrosshilo.com/donate. Let us pray together:

Offertory Prayer

We offer these gifts, O God, in the spirit of love. May the gifts that we offer this day embody our loving response to your great love for us. Through these gifts, may others feel the love of Christ. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Special Vocal Anthem: I Will Choose Christ                                Doug Albertson & Kayleen Yuda

Baptism of Mace Zuoming Peng

Pastor: They were bringing children to Jesus that Jesus might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, Jesus was indignant, and said to them:

People: “Let the children come to me, do not hinder them, for to such belongs the realm of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the realm of God like a child shall not enter it.”

Pastor: And Jesus took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands upon them.

Address

Questions of the Candidate and of the Parents

Congregational Assent

Pastor: Jesus Christ calls us to make disciples of all nation and to offer them the gift of grace in baptism. Do you, who witness and celebrate this sacrament, promise your love, support, and care to the ones about to be baptized, as they live and grow in Christ?
People: We promise our love, support, and care.

Affirmation of Faith

Pastor: Do you believe in God?
People: I believe in God.

Pastor: Do you believe in Jesus Christ?
People: I believe in Jesus Christ.

Pastor: Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?
People: I believe in the Holy Spirit.

Baptismal Prayer                                                                                   Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Baptism

Prayer for the Baptized

Announcements                                                                                     Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Benediction                                                                                               Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Postlude: Postludium—Donald Moore                                           Kayleen Yuda

Permissions:
Father, We Praise Thee—Benton Price
Tune: © 1968 Lorenz Publishing Company, a division of The Lorenz Corporation
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890

O God, How We Have Wandered
Lyrics by Kevin Nichols, 1980
Tune PASSION CHORALE by Hans Leo Hassler & J. S. Bach
Public Domain
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890

Part of the Family
Copyright © 1984 by James K. Manley
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890

Call to Offering and Offertory Prayer from the United Church of Christ. Used by permission.

I Will Choose Christ
© 1991, Tom Booth. Published by Spirit & Song®, a division of OCP.
All rights reserved.
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890

Postludium—Donald Moore
Tune: © Lorenz Publishing Company, a division of The Lorenz Corporation (Admin.by Music Services)
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890

                                                                  Dates to Remember
Today, March 27 – Dedication of One Great Hour of Sharing

Pastor                                                                                                          Rev. Eric S. Anderson
Moderator                                                                                                 Woody Kita
Lay Reader                                                                                                Carolyn Lum-Bellem
Chapel Decorations                                                                              Cindy Debus
Choir Accompanist                                                                                Kanako Okita
Choir Director                                                                                         Doug Albertson
Organist                                                                                                     Kayleen Yuda
Hand Bell Director                                                                                Anna Kennedy
Childcare Coordinator                                                                        Evonne Shioshita
Movement Leader                                                                                 Genie Phillips
Projected Imagery                                                                                Sue Smith
Web Master                                                                                              Ruth Niino-DuPonte  
Videographers                                                                                        Eric Tanouye, Bob Smith

This week at the Church of the Holy Cross

• Pickleball: Wednesdays, 2:00 p.m., Saturdays 1:30 p.m., Sundays 1:30 p.m. Building of Faith—limited to 10 attendees
• Bible Study with Pastor Eric: Tuesdays, 3:00 p.m. via Zoom.
• Online Song – Wednesday, 11:00 a.m. online.
• Community Concert – 2^nd and 4^th  Fridays, 6:00 p.m. online.