Third Sunday in Lent, March 12, 2023

Welcome to the Season of Lent

A SANCTIFIED ART: During this church season we call Lent, we are using a wonderful worship resource called “A Sanctified Art LLC.” It is a collective of artists in ministry who create resources for worshiping communities. Their mission is to empower churches with resources to inspire creativity in worship and beyond. Driven by the connective and prophetic power of art, they believe that art helps us connect our hearts with our hands, our faith with our lives, and our mess, with God. Through their art, prayers, poems and mus ic, we hope you will find moments to connect deeply with the sacred time of traveling through the wilderness these 40 days – The Rev.

Dr. Lisa Tucker-Gray

LIVING WATER

by Lauren Wright Pittman

Inspired by John 4:5-42

Digital painting

Artist’s Statement: In a quick Google image search of this story, I noticed that, in most of the art, Jesus and the Samaritan woman are almost never on the same level. In my piece, the positioning of Jesus and the Samaritan woman is inspired by the work of Karoline M. Lewis in her commentary on John. She introduces a fresh way of looking at this text, with a focus on their “mutuality of need.” Jesus needs water to drink, and the woman needs living water. She writes: “Jesus needs her to be a witness, and she needs Jesus to invite her into this new identity.”

In this image, their body positioning is mirrored, with their eyes on the same plane. Where their arms overlap becomes a vibrant blue, creating a water drop with a dove in it, representing the living water that springs forth from their mutual need and relationship. Each of their clothing is patterned with the other’s need. In Jesus’ clothing are simplified “springs of water gushing up to eternal life” (John 4:14). In the Samaritan woman’s clothes, her water jar is positioned upright and poured out, representing her wrestling with whether she will interact with this man—and further, whether he is the awaited Messiah.

The image is subtly divided in half by slight shifts in color value. There is a chasm between them socially, culturally, religiously, etc. Referencing a primary dispute between the Jews and the Samaritans, their places of worship are in the background: on the left is the temple in Jerusalem, and on the right is Mount Gerizim.

In the center is the Samaritan woman’s vessel. We are not told whether she fills the jar or gives Jesus water, however, we are told that she leaves the jar behind. Her need is not the water in the well; her need is for grounding in a new identity, and to be seen for who she really is. She needs to not be defined by the worst parts of her life, the number of her husbands, or others’ assumptions, but to be seen through the lens of mutual need to be seen as one of the first witnesses of the Messiah, and now a vessel of living water herself. Rev. Lauren Wright Pittman

A PENITENTIAL ORDER

Prelude Bless the Lord Matt Redman

(Melissa Toth, Tajj Crowder and Grace Mauk)

Welcome The Rev. Dr. Lisa Tucker -Gray

Call to Worship Prayer by Rev. Sarah A. Speed, A Sanctified Art LLC, sanctifiedart.org

Priest: Listen!

People: There is hope to be found here.

Priest: Listen!

People: God calls you by name here.

Priest: Listen!

People: There is love that abides here.

Priest: The world is full of chatter, so may we do our best to listen.

People: God is speaking.

Priest: Let us worship.

People: Amen.

Confession & Absolution

We Make the Road by Walking, Brian McLaren

Priest: Let us confess our sin against God and our neighbor.

People: Gracious God, we have hurt others, and we have been hurt. We have presumed upon others, and we have been presumed upon. We have taken others for granted, and we have been taken for granted. We have dishonored others, and we have been dishonored. As we receive forgiveness today for our wrongs, may we also extend forgiveness to other who have wronged us. Have mercy upon us all. Amen.

Priest: To all and to each where regret is real, The God of Love pronounces pardon and grants us all the right to begin again. Amen.

Kyrie

M. Roger Holland II The Sound of My People

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy . Lord, have mercy, mercy, mercy. Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Christ have mercy , mercy, mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy, mercy, mercy, mercy, mercy . Lord, have mercy, mercy, mercy, mercy.

The Liturgy of the Word

Collect of the Day Prayers for an Inclusive Church Leader: The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you. Leader: Let us pray.

Lord of the wellspring, source of life and tru th: Jesus asked for water from the hands of a woman in the land of the stranger; may he teach us to name our need, to love our neighbor and worship yo u in spirit and truth, through Jesus Christ, who shows us who we are. Amen.

The First Lesson Exodus 17:1-7 Reader: A reading from Exodus.

From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. The people quarreled with Moses, and said, “Give us water to drin k.” Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with th irst?” So Moses cried out to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” The Lord said to Moses, “Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you str uck the Nile, and go. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.” Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled and tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

Reader: The Word of the Lord.

People: Thanks be to God.

Psalm Psalm 95

The Psalm will be read allowed responsively by half verse.

O come, let us sing to the most High Creator of the Cosmos;* let us make a joyful song to the Beloved!

Let us come to the Radiant One with thanksgiving,* with gratitude let us offer our psalms of praise!

Psalms for Praying

For the Beloved is Infinite, the Breathing Life of all.* The depths of the earth belong to Love; the height of the mountains, as well.

The sea and all that is in it, the dry land and air above were created by Love.*

O come, let us bow down and give thanks, let us be humble before the Blessed One!

For the Beloved is Supreme,* and we, blessed to be invited to friendship as companions along the Way!

O that today we would harken to the Beloved's voice!*

Harden not your hearts, as in days of old, that you be not separated from Love.

Be not like those who hear the Spirit's Voice and heed it not,* thinking to be above the Teacher.

For life is but a breath in the Eternal Dance, a gift to be reverenced with trust, * an opportunity to grow in spirit and truth, That in passing into new Life,* you enter into the new Jerusalem.

The Second Lesson Romans 5:1-11

Reader: A reading from Romans.

Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indee d, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. Much more surely then, now that we have been just ified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. But more than that, we eve n boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Reader: The Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God.

There’s a place you can get to without any sound It’s a place where the wick has burned out There’s a place at the point that’s past turning around There is a place to be lost long after you’re found Coax your quiet questionings

Speak your soft uncertainties

There is room for these

In the land of the seeking

THE GOSPEL John 4:5-42

Deacon: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to John. People: Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Jesus came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon.

A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and J esus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that li ving water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?” Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.”

Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come back.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!” The woman said to him, “Sir, I see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.” Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one who is speaking to you.”

Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you want?” or, “Why are you speaking with her?” Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?” They left the city and were on their way to him.

Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, “Rabbi, eat something.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Surely no one has brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. Do you not say, ‘Four months more, then comes the harvest’? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may r ejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I have ever done.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world.”

Deacon: The Gospel of the Lord.

People: Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon Deacon Meribah Mansfield

(Pause for reflection.)

Affirmation of Faith Prayer by Rev. Sarah A. Speed, A Sanctified Art LLC, sanctifiedart.org

We believe in a God who meets us in the shadows, who welcomes our questions, who invites us to begin again. We believe that Jesus showed us a new way, a deeper faith, a more compassionate existence.

We believe that all of our beginnings should return us to this foundation, and that no matter how many times we lose our way, God always welcomes us home. Amen.

Prayers of the People

During this season we will sing and speak our petitions of prayer.

REFRAIN

Intercessor: God of justice hear the cry of those who yearn for justice around the world; the persecuted and oppressed, the exploited and the ill-treated.

God of love hear the cry of those who yearn for love; fractured families, broken homes neglected, unwanted, alone.

REFRAIN

God of peace hear the cry of those who yearn for peace; in battle zones and broken states, those who are frightened, fearful and anxious. (Pause)

God of healing hear the cry of those who yearn for healing; physical and spiritual hurting, weakened and depressed. (Pause)

REFRAIN

God of mercy hear the cry of those who yearn for mercy; convicted, in need of your Grace, contrite, humble, bowed down. (Pause)

May we know the peace of God the love of God the justice of God the healing and mercy of God this day and all days. Amen.

REFRAIN THE PEACE

Deacon: The peace of the Lord be always with you. People: And also with you.

Announcements

Offertory Invitation

To give online, visit www.trinitytoledo.org/online -giving/, choose GIVE NOW and today’s date. You can also text the word “Give” to 419-OMG-LOVE (419-664-5683) to make your weekly offering. This season we will not “pass the plate” at the time of the offertory; offerings can be deposited in our Giving Box stationed at the back of the sanctuary.

Offertory

Psalm 23 (I Am Not Alone)

Israel Houghton (Trinity Choir)

The Liturgy of the Table

The Great Thanksgiving A Wee Worship Book, Iona Community

Celebrant: The Lord be with you.

All: And also with you.

Celebrant: Lift up your hearts.

All: We lift them to the Lord.

Celebrant: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

All: It is right to give God thanks and praise.

We praise you, O God, whom eternity cannot contain, for coming to earth and entering time in Jesus. We praise you for his life which informs our li ving, for his compassion which changes our hearts, for his clear speaking which contradicts our harmless generalities, for his disturbing presence, his innocent suffering, his fearless dying, his rising to life breathing forgiveness and restoring us forever to you. For these gifts we praise and worship you.

All that is spectacular, all that is plain have their origin in you. All that is lovely, all who are loving, point to you as their fulfillment. Therefore we gladly join our voices to the song of the Church on earth and in heaven:

Sanctus The Sound of My People, M. Roger Holland Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of hosts

Heaven and earth are full of your glory , Hosanna in the highest Blessed is they who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna, Hosanna Hosanna in the highest Hosanna, Hosanna Hosanna in the highest Hosanna, Hosanna Hosanna in the highest

Jesus was always the guest. In the homes of Peter and Jairus, Martha and Mary, Joanna and Susanna, he was always the guest. At the meal tables of the wealthy where he pled the case of the poor, he was always the guest. Upsetting polite company, befriending isolated people, welcoming the stranger, he was always the guest.

But here, at this table, he is the host. Those who wish to serve him must first be served by him. Those who want to follow him must first be fed by him. For this is the table where God intends us to be nourished. This is the time when Christ can make us new. So come, you who hunger and thirst for a deeper faith, for a better life, for a fairer world. Jesus Christ, who has sat at our tables, now invites us to be his guests.

On their last night together, and as they were sitting at a meal, Jesus gave thanks, took a piece of bread and broke it. He gave it to the disciples saying, “This is my body. It is broken for you. Do th is to remember me.”

Later, after they had eaten, he took a cup of wine, gave thanks and said, “This cup is the new relationship with God made possible because of my death. Drink this all of you, to remember me.”

So now we do as Jesus did. We offer this bread and this wine to each other, and proclaim the mystery of faith:

Celebrant and People

Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

We ask that these signs of your love be filled with the fullness of Jesus. Let that same love rest on us, converting us from the patterns of this passing world, until we conform to the shape of him whose food we now share. Amen.

And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we now pray this version of the Lord’s prayer:

The Lord’s Prayer Version from New Zealand Prayer Book

Eternal Spirit,

Earth-maker, Pain bearer, Life-giver, Source of all that is and that shall be, Father and Mother of us all, Loving God, in whom is heaven: The hallowing of your name echo through the universe! The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world! With the bread we need for today, feed us. In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us. Your heavenly will be done by all created beings! Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth! In times of temptation and test, strengthen us. From trials too great to endure, spare us. From the grip of all that is evil, free us. For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and forever. Amen.

The Fraction: Breaking of the Bread Enriching Our Worship

Celebrant: We break this bread to share in the Body of Christ .

People: We who are many are one body, for we all share in the one bread .

Celebrant: The Gifts of God for the people of God; holy food for holy people.

Invitation to Communion

Please be seated until you are invited to come forward to receive communion. Please let us know if you would like the bread brought to you. All are welcome.

Communion Hymn See insert.

The Post Communion Prayer (Please stand as you are able .)

Celebrant: Let us pray.

Jesus, we have feasted on the bread of life. Together we have tasted the love of your kin-dom here on earth. In your risen power you have united us with all of those who have come before, with those gathered today, and with those ye t to find their way to this table of love set and ready to welcome all. May the sense of a new heaven and a new earth strengthen and renew us today and in the days to come. Now, send us out into the world to do the work you have given us to do offering you r fearless love and priceless peace to all we meet in the name of our loving, liberating life -giving God. Amen.

BlessinG Prayer by Rev. Sarah A. Speed, A Sanctified Art LLC, sanctifiedart.org

As we leave this place, may God bless us with seeking. Seeking out the hungry. Seeking the weary. Seeking the good in every person we pass. Seeking out the hopeful. Seeking the faithful. Seeking God in everyone. As we seek and as we wonder, may we all find what we are looking for. In the name of our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer, who is always seeking us. Amen.

. May the rain fall off your shoulders when you’re caught in a storm. When the frost comes a callin’ may it find you safe and warm. May your place be set, and may your promises be kept. And may you never forget that you are loved.

Dismissal

Deacon: Go in peace to serve our loving, liberating, life -giving God. People: Thanks be to God.

Reminder: All are invited today to join us upstairs in My Brother ’s Place for lunch and conversation about Community Engagement following the service.

Trinity’s Daily Bread- As a community of faith, we are called to love and be loved; to serve and be served, to give and to receive. In short, we don’t want anyone to “fall behind or drop out.” In this season of connecting in new ways, we are introducing Trinity’s Daily Bread. Please let us know if you need prayer, assistance or connection by filling out our Daily Bread form on our website, www.trinitytoledo.org!

Trinity Episcopal Church

Vestry Leadership

Donna Steppe, Sr. Warden, Jeffrey Albright, Jr. Warden

Karen Keune, Clerk, Margaret Baehren, Treasurer

Dennis Degnan, Becky Koskinen, Leah Reed

Fritz Hany, Gary Franklin & Jamie Paul

Parish Staff

The Rev. Dr. Lisa Tucker-Gray, Rector

Heather Meyer, Director of Operations and Community Development

George Benson, Director of Community Engagement

Chelsie Cree, Director of Music & the Arts

Grace Mauk, Assistant Director of Music and the Arts

Brian Buckner, Trinity@Home Accompanist

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES & COPYRIGHT INFO:

Collect of the Day: Prayers for an Inclusive Church. Steven Shakespeare. Readings and Gospel from: Revised Common Lectionary: lectionarypage.net, 2021.

Affirmation of Faith: Prayer by Rev. Sarah A. Speed, A Sanctified Art LLC, sanctifiedart.org

Psalm: From Psalms for Praying by Nan Merrill.

Prayers of the People: Refrain from Psalm 103, alt. Taize – GIA Publications. Confession & Absolution: from The Road We Make by Walking, Brian McLaren

The Great Thanksgiving: A Wee Worship Book, Iona Community

Lord’s Prayer: New Zealand Prayerbook

Fraction: Enriching Our Worship

All printed music from The Hymnal 1982, Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing, My Heart Sings Out, Wonder, Love, and Praise was used by permission through purchase of riteseries.org.

All other printed music permission through purchase of CCLI Copyright license #20577215 Size B

Streaming License #20577284 Size B

Secular music permission through purchase of CCS WORSHIPcast Copyright license #13190

All printed music from Gather permission through purchase of onelicense.net License # A-700000