A Midweek Lenten Service

This week, we had a second midweek Lenten service at my church.  Since many of my friends attend churches that don't experience this type of worship, I thought I would post the service from this past Wednesday (2/27/2013).  Like the New Year's Eve service, this one was written by my pastor.  His introduction, As We Gather, summarizes the theme of the service.
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AS WE GATHER
"The day of the Lord" is a phrase that Amos uses three times within the three verses of Amos 5:18-20.  This day is much like the "day of Jezreel" (Hosea 1:11), "the Day of Midian" (Isaiah 9:4), "the day of Egypt" (Ezekiel 30:9), and "the day of Jerusalem" (Psalm 137:7).  All of these refer to military action;  hence "the day of the Lord" is another way to say "the battle of the Lord."  From events narrated in, e.g., Exodus 14 and Joshua 6-8, Israel was quite certain of what would happen on the Lord's day.  It was a day when He would appear to defeat the nations' enemies.  Amos, however, turns these expectations on their head when he announces that most certainly God will come to defeat His enemies.  The shock, now, is that His enemy has become Israel!  Our only refuge from this day of darkness is to trust in Christ, our Redeemer, who is our Light and our Salvation.

WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS
We had a guest pastor this week, Reverend Jonathan Liebich, from Christ Lutheran Church in Hebron, CT.  He has visited every Lenten season for the past six years and always brings an updated family photo to share with the congregation.  You see, he missed his first scheduled visit with us six Lenten seasons back because he was at the hospital awaiting the birth of his oldest son.  Pastor Jonathan and his boy celebrated his birthday this morning with donuts (candles added, of course).

INVOCATION (from selected verses in Psalm 27)
Pastor:  Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear;  though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.
Congregation:  The Lord is my light and my salvation;  whom shall I fear?

Pastor:  One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after:  that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.
Congregation:  The Lord is my light and my salvation;  whom shall I fear?

Pastor:  For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble;  he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;  he will lift me high upon a rock.
Congregation:  The Lord is my light and my salvation;  whom shall I fear?

Pastor:  Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;  be gracious to me and answer me!
Congregation:  The Lord is my light and my salvation;  whom shall I fear?

HYMN:  "Rise, My Soul, To Watch and Pray"

CONFESSION & ABSOLUTION (based upon Amos 5:21-24)
Pastor:  Almighty Father, apart from humble repentance you hate and despise our worship and take no delight in our solemn assemblies.
Congregation:  You want justice to roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

Pastor:  When we give our offerings in a perfunctory and lukewarm manner you do not accept them;  and you do not look with favor upon our half-hearted worship.
Congregation:  You want justice to roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

Pastor:  When you hear our shallow singing and duplistic praises, you say, "Take away from me the noise of your songs;  to the melody of your harps I will not listen."
Congregation:  You want justice to roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

Pastor:  Merciful Father, we are guilty of having the outward form of godliness, but inside we harbor pettiness and vindictiveness.  We confess it, renounce it, and disown it, trusting that you will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every stain of evil.  We place our hope in Christ's atoning blood.

(A brief time for personal confession and meditation)

Pastor:  By the command of our Lord Jesus Christ, I, a called and ordained servant of Christ, forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Congregation:  Amen.

FIRST LESSON:  Amos 5:18-24

Pastor:  O Lord, have mercy on us.
Congregation:  Thanks by to God.

GOSPEL LESSON:  John 12:27-36

Pastor:  O Lord, have mercy on us.
Congregation:  Thanks by to God.

APOSTLE'S CREED
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ, His 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 ascended into Hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.  Amen.

HYMN:  "Renew Me, O Eternal Light"

SERMON:  "This is the Night the Lord Has Made"  (Amos 5:18)

OFFERING

PRAYERS
Pastor:  Heavenly Father, we pray for your Holy Christian Church, scattered throughout the world, that you will empower all the baptized to cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light for if we walk in the light, as you are in the light, 
Congregation:  We have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

Pastor:  Father, we pray for all pastors and teachers of the Gospel, that their lights would shine brightly as their lives testify to the truth they teach for if we walk in the light, as you are in the light,
Congregation:  We have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

Pastor:  Lord, empower our nation's leaders to be instruments of justice and righteousness, so that your Church may live in peace and tranquility as it lifts high the cross and proclaims the love of Christ, for as we walk in the light, as you are in the light,
Congregation:  We have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

Pastor:  Tender Father, shower your compassion upon all who walk in darkness and in the valley of the shadow of death.  Heal the sick, comfort those who mourn, and bind up the brokenhearted.  Use us to restore all that is dark, for if we walk in the light as you are in the light,
Congregation:  We have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

Pastor:  O God, give us grace to follow Jesus, the Light of the world, and in following him keep us steadfast and immovable, always abounding in your work, for if we walk in the light, as you are in the light,
Congregation:  We have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

LORD'S PRAYER

BLESSING

CLOSING HYMN:  "I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light"