their colored clothes; cap and bells.

ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and
Quote for Reflection: And then all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on
I believe in Christianity once more the quiet mystery his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will
as I believe that the sun has risen: is present to me, the throng's clamor pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the lord of that
not only because I see it, recedes: the mystery slave released him and forgave him the debt.
but because by it I see everything else. that there is anything, anything at all, But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his
C. S. Lewis let alone cosmos, joy, memory, everything, fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him
rather than void: and that, O Lord, by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ Then his fellow slave
Creator, Hallowed One, You still, fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I
hour by hour sustain it.
-We Gather as God’s People- will pay you.’ But he refused; then he went and threw him into
prison until he would pay the debt.
HYMN Love Divine, All Loves Excelling UMH 384 -We Listen for God’s Word- When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were
greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all
CALL TO WORSHIP based on Psalm 5:1-8 HEBREW SCRIPTURE Isaiah 49:13
that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to
Lord, listen to our words. Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;
 him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you
Hear our prayers.
 break forth, O mountains, into singing! pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your
Listen to our sighs. For the Lord has comforted his people,
 fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his lord
Hear our prayers. and will have compassion (racham) on his suffering ones. handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire
Listen to the sound of our aches and our cries.
 debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if
Hear our prayers. you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
GOSPEL Matthew 18:15-35
We lift up our voices to you alone this morning.
Hear our prayers.
 “If another member of the church sins against you, go and point
Draw us near by your steadfast love.
 out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member
Draw us near, and we will enter your house.
Draw us near, and we will bow in awe of you.

listens to you, you have regained that one.But if you are not
listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every
-We Respond to God’s Word-
Draw us deeper into your righteousness. word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three REFLECTION Faith Working Through Love
Hear our prayers. Amen. witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the
church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, HYMN There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy UMH 121
SPIRITUAL Come Out the Wilderness UMH 416 let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I
tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & THE LORD’S PRAYER
PASSING THE PEACE and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in
heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth OFFERING & DOXOLOGY
YOUNG PEOPLE’S MESSAGE about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in
heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am
TAIZÉ Ubi Caritas
Ubi caritas et amor; ubi caritas, Deus ibi est.
FWS 2179 there among them.” -We Are Sent Into God’s World-
Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of
(Live in charity and love; live in charity, God will live with you) ANNOUNCEMENTS
the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As
many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but,
OPENING TO GOD Denise Levertov BENEDICTION
I tell you, seventy-seven times.
Days pass when I forget the mystery.
“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a RESPONSE Let Our Earth Be Peaceful W&S 3159 v. 1
Problems insoluble and problems offering
king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he
their own ignored solutions
began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand
jostle for my attention, they crowd its antechamber
talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord
along with a host of diversions, my courtiers, wearing
 Birthdays & Anniversaries We take prayer seriously at Essex United Methodist Church.
We don’t pray because we think God is absent and needs cajoling.
March 10: Sarah Adorisio
March 15: Liz Rochefort
March 14: Jeremy LaClair
March 17: Sally Jablonski
We don’t pray because we think God is a celestial Santa Claus.
We pray because that is how humans begin to discern God’s will. Faith Working
Essex Eats Out Schedule
We pray because prayer changes us; prayer opens us up
more and more to God’s grace and the movement
of God’s Spirit in our hearts, our community, our world.
Through Love
Mar 15 - St. James Mar 22 - EUMC Mar 29 - St. Pius X Below are people, places, & concerns that folk have lifted up.
Please keep them in your prayers at home.
Announcements Please call or email the church office to add to the prayer list.
COTS request from Mission Committee: Winter frigid nights Ongoing Prayers Ongoing Prayers, cont
continue. The staff really appreciated our contributions of new Harley
Arlitha
items. Biggest need is new linens, necessary toiletries, baby
Callie Gordon Mitchinson
wipes and warm mittens (they have enough hats). Red Tub in
Fellowship Hall is open-- full list is beside it. Anne Kennison Susan
Mary Willard Tim
Wood for Stricklands We need signup help March 24 & 31 Norma Strickland Lenore
Judy & Diezela Michael Parker
Calendar Matthew C.
Tuesdays: Pastor Is In @ Nest Coffee Shop 10 am - 11 am Elissa & Leif Lifted Up Last Sunday
Jericho Clergy Group 11:30-12:30 Greg Kathryn - Kylie, loss of pets
Church Office 1 pm- 2 pm Paula DeMichele Lisa - Peace and Healing
Mt Mansfield Bible Study 2 pm Don Strickland Barb - Paul’s mother, end of life
Ellie Uckele Judy M - sick friend
Thursdays: Church Office 10:00 am- noon
Cole
j
Judy H -

Mon, 11 Mar: Monday Companions at Eve’s home, 7 pm.

Wesley Discussion j
Tue, 12 Mar: Administrative Board 7 pm
Essex Center United Methodist Church
Sat, 16 Mar: Food Shelf Distribution at Good Shepherd essex_umc@comcast.net tel. 878-8304
www.essexumc.com
ELCA- 9-noon
Ministers: the entire congregation Lay Leader: Joshua Knox
Courageous Conversations Post-GC2019 Equipping Pastor: Rev. V. Mitchell Hay
Circle-process, Lebanon UMC, 1-3 pm cell tel. 881-3268 (feel free to call) mitchellhay@comcast.net
Office Manager: Elissa Johnsen
Sun, 17 Mar: Adult Sunday School: Wesley pt 2 8:45 am.
Sunday School Coordinator: Krista Rochefort
Spiritual Gifts Class 1-4 pm Organ: Kathryn Parker Piano: June Packard
Song Leader: Dana LaClair Projection: Sam Evans
Mon, 18 Mar: Living the Questions 7:00 pm Subject: Trinity
Reading The Divine Dance by Richard Rohr Ushers: Marilyn A, Donna P Next Week: Barbara A, Eve, Janet
Essex Center
Greeters: Sally J
Nursery Helper: Liz R
Next Week: Claire Noble
Next Week: Gail G
Un-Tied Methodist Church
Tue, 19 Mar: Trustees Meeting 7 pm
Sun. Sch. Helper: Elissa Next Week: Emily
Shoveling: Joe M Next Week: Kevin H 1st Sunday of Lent 10 March 2019
Fri, Mar 28: WoWW Luncheon, at Mimmo’s, 11:30 am.