21st Century Africana Worship Resources for the Fourth Sunday in Lent, Year B

Invocation
We seek the presence of a good God. Help us appreciate who you are. We come thanking you, O so awesome God, for letting us know you made and created us. Today we invite you to take notice of our situation and be patient as we face sins and struggles. Refresh us in worship by your Spirit so that we may know "trouble don't last always." In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Call to Praise
(Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22)
One Voice: O, give thanks to the Lord! Why? Because God's steadfast love endures forever.

Many Voices: O, give thanks to the Lord!

One Voice: Let's admit that this good God surely can save us from sin and shame.

Many Voices: O, give thanks to the Lord!

One Voice: Let's give God thanks as we prepare to overcome our afflictions and transgressions. Let those of us who are worked over and worn out come together quickly. Let's come from the north, south, east, and west to give thanks to the Lord.

Many Voices: O, give thanks to the Lord!

One Voice: People of faith, put aside failure and frailty. Come together, troubled and tried ones. Let us offer God soulful sacrifices of thanksgiving and spiritual songs of joy and praise. People, created and called, let us all say:

All: O, give thanks to the Lord! O, give thanks to the Lord! O, give thanks to the Lord!

Offertory Prayer
(Based on Ephesians 2:1-10)
Lord, we give you thanks today as we prepare to give. Because of your goodness and grace, we want to give from our riches. No sinner saved can boast; we give because we received grace. We won't give "presidents" that clang in the offering plates. We "give until it helps" and we give to help the hurting. Amen.

Sending Forth
People made by God:
Go, Go, Go.
Go thanking and telling others of God's goodness.

About the Author: Darlene A. Moore is the pastor of Camphor Memorial United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Darlene serves as the co-chair of the Youth Component of the W. T. Handy Convocation. She is the mother of one teenage son, Joshua. The Rev. Moore plans retreats, paints, and uses other art media.