“Love, Hope, and Light in the Community”

9:30 Sunday School

Today's Leaders

*Song Leader: Susan Huyard *
*Worship Leader: Susan Huyard
*Children’s Time: Tate Love
*Accompaniment: Sandy Carter
*Readers: Ben, Luke, Isaac Huyard

Pastor Kevin Gasser

Announcements

Thanks to everyone who helped with last Sunday’s worship service. The EMHS Touring Choir and family appreciated all of your hospitality.

As a part of its 30 year anniversary observance, the Family Life Resource Center is offering a Marriage Maintenance class series starting April 3 and meeting for four Mondays from 7-8:30 pm. There is no charge for the class, led by Harvey Yoder, but contributions to the Center's scholarship fund are welcome. Call 540-434-8450 to register.

All are invited to participate in a Way of the Cross service at Staunton Mennonite on Good Friday, April 14, beginning at 7:00 pm. This will be a joint service with Signs of Life Fellowship. The service will include scripture reading and an opportunity to touch, feel, and participate in various actions from the Good Friday story. Please see Kevin for details.

The annual Southern District Hymn Sing is scheduled for 6:00 pm on April 23 at Lynside Mennonite. Come and hear missional stories from our district churches as we blend our voices together in songs of praise

Please pray for:

• The family of Michael Sharp as they mourn his recent passing in the Democratic Republic
   of Congo.
• Ruth Duncan, as she recovers from shoulder surgery.
• Joyce Showalter, as she recovers from a broken ankle.

Ezekiel 37:3, “He asked me, ‘Son of man, can these bones live?’”

No one truly knows Christ unless they follow Him daily in life" - Hans Denck

Thank you for joining us in worship today.  If this is your first time at Staunton Mennonite, please fill out the “Welcome” card in the back of the pew and place it in the offering plate.

Lent 4 Restore us, O God! We see. Call to worship Leader: Here in this place we gather to worship. All: Open our eyes and our hearts. Leader: Here in this place we gather to see you. All: Open our eyes and our hearts. Leader: Here in this place we gather to perceive you in all your glory and beauty. All: Open our eyes and our hearts. Leader: Remove our blindness so that we might see ourselves honestly, and humbly worship you. Offering prayer With all that we have and all that we are, we honor you. Restore us, O God, to live in freedom and trust. Confession and words of assurance Leader: O God, you open our eyes to see what is true. We confess that sometimes it is easier for us to stay blind than to embrace the fullness of your truth. People: We admit that it is scary and unsettling to fully accept what you want us to see. Leader: Your truth exposes our hidden secrets, upsets our expectations, and establishes a new order where we are no longer leading the way. Forgive us, O Lord, when we would rather stay in the darkness of our current reality instead of receiving your miracle of light and new life. People: Remove the cataracts from our eyes, that we may see and celebrate your goodness around us. Quicken our minds, and soften our hearts, that we may recognize that you are at work. (Pause for silent confession) Leader: God who brings all things into the light, All: restore us. Leader: The Lord is our shepherd, we shall not want. Though we cannot see through the valley of the shadow of death, God is with us. We will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Amen.