Worship for March 19, 2023

The video will stream live beginning a few minutes before10:00 AM on Sunday, March 19, 2023. You may need to click Play to launch the stream. You can also watch the recorded video at this same place at any time afterward.

Welcome to Church of the Holy Cross’s live stream of its worship service for Sunday, March 19, 2023. Feel free to follow the service text by scrolling down. You are welcome to attend worship in person or to participate via live stream or recorded video.

Service of Worship, March 19, 2023
Fourth Sunday in Lent

Rev. Eric S. Anderson, Pastor

WE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD

Please note that audio and video of this service are being live streamed on the Internet and will be recorded. The right rear section of the sanctuary will not be captured by any cameras. Please be aware that in other sections you may be visible at times.

Prelude: Prelude on “Detroit”                                                            Kayleen Yuda

Lighting of the Candles

Ringing of the Bell

Welcome                                                                                                    Rev. Eric S. Anderson

*All who are able, please rise

* Call to Worship: (based on 1 Samuel 16:1-13)                        Barbara Iwami

Leader: Come peaceably to the Creator of the Universe to offer your praise.
People: We come peacefully to sanctify ourselves and to seek the love of God.

Leader: Look out upon the world, upon its features and its peoples.
People: We look, we perceive, and yes: We judge.

Leader: Do not judge by appearance or stature or event reputation.
People: For the LORD does not see as mortals see: the LORD looks on the heart.

All: Let us worship God.

* Hymn #327: Jesus Loves Me (v. 1 English, v. 1 Hawaiian, v. 2-3 English)

* Invocation: (based on Psalm 23)                                                   Barbara Iwami

We come to you, Great Shepherd, where we will not want. Lead us to green pastures; lead us to still waters; restore our souls. Lead us in the paths of righteousness to the glory of your name. When we walk the darkest valleys, be with us. Bring your rod and staff to comfort us. Lay a table before us even in the presence of our enemies. You have showered us with blessing such that our cups overflow. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives, and we shall live with you forever. Amen.

Please be seated

Anthem: Adagio in C major for Glass Harmonica                        Kanako Okita

Time with the Children

Scripture: Ephesians 5:8-14                                                               Barbara Iwami

For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light—for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

‘Sleeper, awake!
    Rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.’

John 9:1-41
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. Wemust work the works of him who sent mewhile 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 the man.’ 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.’

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.’ But 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 Jesusto be the Messiahwould be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, ‘He is of age; ask him.’

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, and 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.

 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 worshipped 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 near 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.

Sermon: Fault                                                                                           Rev. Eric S. Anderson

WE RESPOND IN WORD AND DEED

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

* Hymn #248: Such Perfect Love My Shepherd Shows (v. 1-6)

Call to Offering                                                                                        Barbara Iwami

Generosity flows out of our own hearts, where seeds of truth and love have been planted. Today, through your special offering to One Great Hour of Sharing, you have the opportunity to plant generous seeds in places near and far. Your gifts help organizations confront food insecurity. Your gifts allow women to plant crops, produce fertilizers and receive the physical seeds they need for planting. Your gifts allow other women to learn practices of irrigation and sustainable farming techniques. Your gifts help support food pantries and soup kitchens and much more. We cannot be in all of these places ourselves or even see them with our own eyes, but through our generous tithes, offerings and special gifts, we can proclaim boldly that it’s time to share. Whether you share your gift here in the church today, through a gift online, or via an envelope in the mail, let the offering now be received.

Offertory: Comfort and Rest                                                               Kayleen Yuda

* Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above ye heavenly host
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost – Amen

* Offertory Prayer                                                                                 Barbara Iwami

Generous God, we offer these gifts in the spirit of gratitude and with an open heart. These offerings are one way of showing our commitment to sharing with those who are in need, neighbors near and far, whom we are unlikely to meet. Let us not grow weary in giving our gifts to others. Bless them, just as you have us, with an extra measure of your grace. In Christ’s name, Amen.

* Hymn #547: Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound (v. 1-5)

Please be seated

Announcements                                                                                     Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Benediction                                                                                               Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Postlude: Song of Joy                                                                             Rev. Eric S. Anderson

* Please stand if you are able.

Permissions
Prelude on “Detroit”
Wayne L. Wold
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890

Jesus Loves Me
Text by Anna B. Warner, 1860,
& David Rutherford McGuire, 1971
Hawaiian trans. Laiana, 19^th cent.
Public Domain
Tune JESUS LOVES ME by William B. Bradbury, 1862
Public Domain

Adagio in C major for Glass Harmonica
W A Mozart
Public Domain

Such Perfect Love My Shepherd Shows
by Henry W. Baker, 1868
Public Domain
Tune DOMINUS REGIT ME by John B. Dykes, 1868
Public Domain

Comfort and Rest
Edward Broughton
Tune: © 1980 Lorenz Publishing Company,
a division of The Loren Corporation
(Admin. by Music Services)
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890

Offertory Invitation and Offertory Prayer provided by
One Great Hour of Sharing Worship Resources
United Church of Christ
Used by permission

Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound
Text by John Newton, 1779
Public Domain
Tune AMAZING GRACE trad.
First pub. Columbia Harmony, 1829
Public Domain

Song of Joy
Robert Hughes
Tune: © 1962 Lorenz Publishing Company
A Division of The Lorenz Corporation
(Admin. by Music Services)
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890

                                                                 Dates to Remember                    
Today, March 19 – Dedication of One Great Hour of Sharing
Today, March 19 – Deacons Meeting after worship                                                         

Pastor                                                                                  Rev. Eric S. Anderson
Moderator                                                                         Stefan Tanouye
Lay Reader                                                                        Barbara Iwami      
Choir Accompanist                                                        Kanako Okita
Choir Director & Conductor                                     Doug Albertson
Organist                                                                             Kayleen Yuda
Hand Bell Director                                                        Anna Kennedy
Chapel Decorations                                                       Sachi & Ruth Ohata
Childcare Coordinator                                                Evonne Shioshita
Movement Leader                                                         Genie Phillips
Projected Imagery                                                        Sue Smith
Web Master                                                                      Ruth Niino-DuPonte  
Videographers                                                                Eric Tanouye, Bob Smith, Eli   
                                                                                                Yamaki, Ruth Niino-DuPonte