ST. LUKE'S UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

FEBRUARY 22, 2026      

FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT                                                            

SILENT MEDITATION: 

“We thrill at the idea of canyons as a test of courage, but—as mirrors of the soul—they take us

places we don’t want to go.”  --Belden Lane, The Great Conversation

GATHERING MUSIC  

GREETING  

PRELUDE: “Softly as a Dove”                                          

Douglas E. Wagner

CONGREGATIONAL HYMN No. 327 “Crown Him with Many Crowns”                                              

ST. DENIO           

Crown him with many crowns, the Lamb upon his throne.
Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing of him who died for thee,
and hail him as thy matchless King through all eternity.

Crown him the Lord of life, who triumphed o'er the grave,
and rose victorious in the strife for those he came to save.
His glories now we sing, who died, and rose on high,
who died, eternal life to bring, and lives that death may die.

Crown him the Lord of peace, whose power a scepter sways
from pole to pole, that wars may cease, and all be prayer and praise.
His reign shall know no end, and round his pierced feet
fair flowers of paradise extend their fragrance ever sweet.

Crown him the Lord of love; behold his hands and side,
those wounds, yet visible above, in beauty glorified.
All hail, Redeemer, hail! For thou hast died for me;
thy praise and glory shall not fail throughout eternity.
 

CALL TO WORSHIP 

(From Psalm 32)

One:  Happy are those whose sins are forgiven.

All:     Happy are those whose transgressions are cast away.

One:  Let us rejoice in the LORD and be glad.

All:     Our hearts rejoice!

One:  The LORD surrounds us with songs of rescue!

All:     Let us worship our God and sing for joy!

CALL TO CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (Unison)

Merciful and gracious God, you are the sanctuary where distress cannot reach us. In your steadfast love, forgive us. In your healing caress, cleanse us. In your Holy Spirit, restore to us life and to the fullness of joy. Amen

ASSURANCE OF PARDON
 

GLORIA PATRI

Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen. Amen.

MOMENTS WITH MINNIE 

PASTORAL PRAYER and 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 sins as we forgive those
who sin against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.  Amen.

SPECIAL MUSIC “You Are Mine”                                                          

David Haas                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 32

SERMON: “Fossilized”

CONGREGATIONAL HYMN  No. 269 “Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days” (vs 1,3,4,5)         

RATISBON

Lord, who throughout these forty days for us didst fast and pray,
teach us with thee to mourn our sins and close by thee to stay.

As thou didst hunger bear, and thirst, so teach us, gracious Lord,
to die to self, and chiefly live by thy most holy word.
 

And through these days of penitence, and through thy passiontide,
yea, evermore in life and death, Jesus, with us abide.
 

Abide with us, that so, this life of suffering over past,
an Easter of unending joy we may attain at last.

STEWARDSHIP REFLECTION
CALL TO STEWARDSHIP  
THE BEAUTY OF SHARED GIFTS “Antiphonal Hosanna”                                                 

G. Alan Smith

CELEBRATING STEWARDSHIP — DOXOLOGY
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise God, all creatures here below;
Praise God above, ye heavenly host:
Creator, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

PRAYER OF DEDICATION (In Unison)       

By your grace, O God, our eyes are opened and our hearts are attuned to the needs of others. Let our generosity be blessed by your Spirit so that the gifts we bring may expand our compassion and tear down the limits of our caring. May the ministry of our congregation be blessed in the effort to make your presence known to all your children. Amen

CONGREGATIONAL HYMN No. 277 “Tell Me the Stories of Jesus”                                  

STORIES OF JESUS      

Tell me the stories of Jesus I love to hear; things I would ask him to tell me if he were here:
scenes by the wayside, tales of the sea, stories of Jesus, tell them to me.

First let me hear how the children stood round his knee, and I shall fancy his blessing resting on me;
words full of kindness, deeds full of grace, all in the lovelight of Jesus' face.

Into the city I'd follow the children's band, waving a branch of the palm tree high in my hand;
one of his heralds, yes, I would sing loudest hosannas, "Jesus is King!"

BENEDICTION  

POSTLUDE “Lift High the Cross”                                   

Sidney Hugo Nicholson

The Liturgist today is Tiffany Alger Trussell
Thank you to John Kritos for accompanying the hymns.  
 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

LENTEN STUDY
The Lenten Study, “If These Walls Could Talk”, will be at 7:00 PM on the following Tuesday evenings:
February24th, March 3rd, 10th, 17th & 24th.
It will be hybrid, both in person and on zoom. More information will be available closer to time

SHARING TABLE
Take time on Sundays, or anytime during normal office hours, to SHOP at the sharing table. There are Bibles and some old hymnals available if you would like to take one or even more.