Liturgy: Lent 1, Matthew 5-8 (Lessons and Carols; February 26, 2023)

*You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

(Ash Wednesday Liturgy here)

As we did last year, Boone Memorial Presbyterian Church in Caldwell, ID, will spend this Lent reading straight through a gospel from beginning to end: this year, Matthew. We will NOT have sermons during Lent, instead structuring worship around a "lessons and carols" model. All hymns are from the PC(USA)'s "Glory to God" hymnal.

The theme that will accompany this project is "Unlocking Salvation". As we work our way through Matthew's gospel, we will make note of the things standing between God and humanity (and specifically each of us) and how Jesus "unlocks" the doors that separate us. 

I will post the liturgies for ensuing weeks as I write them. I'm happy for anyone to use any part(s) of this series in their own worship contexts with proper attribution, but I would request that you let me know in the comments that you're doing so.

*NB: If there is nothing written under the heading, it's a portion of worship that I do extemporaneously.*

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Lent 1 Worship Service (Liturgy by Rev. Katey Schwind Williams)

(Bold words are to be read aloud in unison, * indicates an invitation to stand)

Liturgy: Ash Wednesday, Matthew 1-4 (Lessons and Carols, February 22, 2023)

*You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

As we did last year, Boone Memorial Presbyterian Church in Caldwell, ID, will spend this Lent reading straight through a gospel from beginning to end: this year, Matthew. We will NOT have sermons during Lent, instead structuring worship around a "lessons and carols" model. All hymns are from the PC(USA)'s "Glory to God" hymnal.

The theme that will accompany this project is "Unlocking Salvation". As we work our way through Matthew's gospel, we will make note of the things standing between God and humanity (and specifically each of us) and how Jesus "unlocks" the doors that separate us. 

I will post the liturgies for ensuing weeks as I write them. I'm happy for anyone to use any part(s) of this series in their own worship contexts with proper attribution, but I would request that you let me know in the comments that you're doing so.

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Ash Wednesday Worship Service (Liturgy by Rev. Katey Schwind Williams)

(Bold words are to be read aloud in unison)

2023 Lenten Devotional: Unlocking Salvation

*You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.* 

Daily Devotional for Lent below --> 

Sermon: “The Deal of a Lifetime”, Matthew 16:24-17:8 (February 19, 2023 - Transfiguration Sunday)

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Although this week’s reading begins towards the end of Matthew 16, the full episode actually starts back in verse 13. You already know the story, though: Jesus asks the disciples who they say he is, and Peter quickly (and correctly) responds, “You are the Christ, the son of the living God!” Jesus praises Peter’s understanding and declares him the rock upon which the Church would be built. But not three verses later, Peter gets spooked by Jesus’ teachings about the Messiah’s suffering and crucifixion and tells him not to speak of such things. Jesus makes a 180 from calling Peter the rock upon which the Church would be built to the stone that could cause him to stumble. And that’s the point at which today’s reading begins.

Liturgy: Transfiguration - Matthew 16:24-17:8 (February 19, 2023)

*You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Call to Worship

Leader: We gather with Jesus on the mountaintop.
People: We keep company with such ones as Moses, Elijah, and the Christ.

Sermon: "Knock Knock", Matthew 7:1-12 (February 5, 2023)

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At the end of last April, after two full years of avoiding it, my household was finally taken down by COVID-19. It was not fun, but having been vaccinated, we were only down and out for about a week. When I returned to the church office after quarantine, I felt fine, but continued to wear a mask around others out of an abundance of caution. I think we can all agree, however, that while they’re an effective way to stop the spread of illness, masks are THE WORST. Besides, there were times that I was the only one in the office all day. So as a way to keep other people safe from my germs while minimizing my own discomfort, I came up with an extremely clever solution (at least, by this pastor’s standards). I kept my office door closed, and I printed out a sign to hang on the door. It said, “Knock, and the door will be opened unto you (i.e., I’ll come out with a mask).” The sign is long gone by now, but the memory came back to me when I read this week’s scripture.