Forest Hill Church: diverse, inclusive and welcoming

3031 Monticello Blvd, Cleveland Hts OH 44118

216-321-2660 Fax: 216-320-1214

Email: office@fhcpresb.org Website: www.fhcpresb.org

Rev. Dr. John C. Lentz, Jr., Pastor

Rev. Lois Annich, Interim Assoc. Pastor

Anne Wilson, Director of Music

Kate Burleigh, Dir. of Children’s Ministries

Shannon Headen, Dir. of Youth Ministries

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Service of Worship March 4, 2018 at 11:00 am: Third Sunday in Lent

Celebration of Holy Communion

Welcome! Thank you for joining us today for worship.

This morning we celebrate the Eucharist (the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper,

or Holy Communion) by intinction (dipping the bread into the cup).

We also provide a gluten-free alternative. After receiving the elements

you may come to the railing to receive a blessing from the pastors.

Prayer of Preparation Gracious God, in this time of worship, turn our hearts to you that we may be

transformed. We need to be reminded of your compassion and peace. Amen.

Welcome

Prelude Jean Bartle

“Hand Me down My Silver Trumpet”

Descant Choir; Cassie Webster and Margaret Dyck, soloists

Greeting Our God with Joy

Call to Worship Elder Robyn Hales

One: Friends, we gather this day to celebrate life –

All: The life we have been given by God,

One: The life we share with one another in community,

All: The life that Jesus gives in abundance.

One: Let us be grateful for the joy of life,

All: And let us worship God.

* Processional Hymn No. 182 “I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say”

*please stand if able

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Renewing Our Relationship with God

Prayer of Confession

Holy and gracious God, at times we feel so frail and fragile, getting

blown about by the latest crisis, by bad news, by our own short

tempers and failings. You call us to hold fast to what is good, but so

often we flounder, unable to find that solid thing that will center us

again. Help us, we pray. Help us to see you as our center, and to cling

to the good that you create in the world. Help us to set aside all our

jealousies and prejudices, all of our betrayals and lies, all that adds

to the world’s hurt. Help us to grow even more into Christ’s likeness,

that we will bear his love and truth to the world. We pray in his

name. Amen.

Time of Silent Confession

Kyrie eleison (Lord, have mercy) John Merbecke

Affirming the Good News in Our Lives

Assurance of Pardon

* Be Still and Know (John Bell)

All sing first time; 2nd time lower

voices begin; upper voices begin

1 measure later

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Opening Our Hearts to God’s Word Scripture Lessons

Romans 12: 1-2

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to

present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God,

which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but

be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern

what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Luke 23: 34

Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they

are doing.”

After the readings

Leader: Hear what the Holy Spirit is telling God’s people.

People: Thanks be to God.

Sermon Rev. Lois Annich

“Forgiving and Free”

Ritual of Friendship

Offering

Offertory arr. Roger Emerson

“Witness”

Sine Nomine Choir

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* Response Hymn No. 697

* Prayer of Dedication

Eucharist Invitation

Great Thanksgiving

Leader: The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.

Leader: Lift up your hearts.

People: We lift them up unto the Lord.

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

People: It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Sanctus John Merbecke

Prayers of the People

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 debts as we forgive our debtors;

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine

is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

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Communion of the People

Music during Communion

“Lord, Make Us More Holy” spiritual

“Non Nobis Domine” William Byrd

Prayer after Communion

Gracious God, thank you for sharing your life with us. Send us forth

as a light to the nations. Send us forth as a people with a blessing.

Send us forth as disciples of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Going Forth to Live as God’s People

* Closing Hymn No. 435 “There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy”

* Commission and Blessing

* Choral Benediction “Sanctuary”

* Passing of the Peace

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Postlude Paul Halley

“Outer Hebrides Toccata”

Parts of the liturgy comes from HoldFastToWhatIsGood.com

Welcome Visitors!

We look forward to greeting you and answering any questions you may

have. Welcome bags are available in the foyers and the narthex. Take one

home with you! Be sure to visit our website, www.fhcpresb.org, for a list

of upcoming events, education programs for all ages, and past sermon

texts and audio.

Please join us in wearing a name tag so that we might greet you. Our ushers

have hearing devices, large print editions of the bulletin, activity bags for

children staying in worship, and directions to our nursery for babies and

young children.

Notes & Announcements Chancel Flowers: Today’s flowers are given by Sue and Scott Lafferty in

loving memory of their children Sarah, Douglas and Daniel and in honor of

Christine, Abel and AJ, Juliann and TJ, and Peter and Kate; and by the

Cameron family in loving memory of Donald B. Cameron.

Prayers are requested this week for: Max Harmon, Florence and Ron

Klein, Wafa Kuri, Jimmy Strong, Bob and Linda Uhle, and Connor White.

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Please remember these homebound members in your prayers: Marge

Drollinger, Iris and Al Gilbert, Emelia McGuire, Joyce Peters, Margie

Stauffer, Elaine Tapié, Lorian Thomas, and Beryl and Henrietta Williams.

Today Is Hunger Sunday Any cash or checks in envelopes marked Hunger

will be used 100% for support of Forest Hill Church’s Abundance Pantry.

This Month’s Ushers Thank you to head usher Roger Heineman and

today’s ushers. Please contact the church office if you are interested in

joining an usher team.

Care Group: The Eden Care Group is responsible for assisting the clergy in

meeting members’ needs during March. Please call the church office to

report an illness, hospitalization, family emergency, birth or death.

Information will then be passed on to the Care Group leaders.

Members of the Eden Care Group are: Wendy Brock, Deacon leader

Doris Allen

Nathan & Lane Baldwin

Mary Ball

Kiva Bohanon

Kathy & Bruce Carr

Jane & Derek Duncan & family

Jeff Dyck & Lara Troyer & family

Julie Lafferty Ely

Kris & Bill Fay

Carol Leslie

Steve Marunowski & Peg Weissbrod

Clayton & Julie Minder

Leslie Pendleton

Ron Polderman & Carol Smith

Lorraine Ranchod

Elizabeth Shaw

Carolyn Smith

Jeff & Anne Smith

Quentin Smith & Sylvia Herd

The Deacons encourage you to stop by the Greeting Card Table in

Fellowship Hall before or after worship to sign a card for one or more of

our homebound members. We will address and mail the card for you.

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Carrie Fister

Bob & Pat Jeffreys

Sue & Scott Lafferty

Linda Martin

Tammy Steele

Elaine Tapié

Elaine Turley

Paul & Katie Weissbrod

Coming Up TODAY

Today is Hunger Sunday. All contributions marked HUNGER will help

support Forest Hill Church’s Abundance Pantry.

A BIG Thank You to all who contributed to making this year's Black History

Month a success! And special thanks to all the wonderful cooks who

happily tried something new for our African and Caribbean Potluck! We

will continue our discussion of the book Sister Citizen today right after

worship. We will meet in South Hall to discuss the chapters on Shame and

Strength (chapters 3-5).

Postcard Campaign! We will provide postcards addressed to our senators

and representatives – you will supply the message, whether it concerns

immigration, sanctuary, DACA, gun safety, environmental issues…Write

your card, sign it, and leave it in a basket on the table. We will stamp and

mail them (of course you are welcome to take cards to write and mail from

home). See the display in Fellowship Hall for more information

Compline: You are invited to attend the ancient monastic service of

Compline this evening at 7 pm in our candlelit sanctuary. The Chancel

Choir will sing (mostly a cappella) from the pews and the congregation may

sit in the choir pews, the transepts, or the front pews, This peaceful 30-

minute service, led by cantors John Lentz and Jack Lentz, will calm your

heart and spirit.

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THIS WEEK

Bible Study: The lessons for this week are: Numbers 21: 4-9; Psalm 107:

1-3, 17-22; Ephesians 2: 1-10; John 3: 14-21

Bible and Bagels discusses next Sunday’s text(s) on Wednesday

mornings from 7:30 to 8:30. All are welcome!

Calling All Pacesetters: We’re having a Planning Party on March 10! Invite

friends and come to the Laffertys’ (1969 Bromton, Lyndhurst) on Saturday,

March 10 at 7 pm – bring an appetizer or dessert to share, and something

to drink. RSVP not required – just show up with food, drink and ideas for

next year’s Pacesetter activities.

NEXT SUNDAY

Adult Education, 9:30 in South Hall

During March and April the class will use Raymond Brown's book A Risen

Christ in Eastertime as the basis for discussions led by Revs. John Lentz,

Lois Annich and Laury Larson. The books are available for $13.00; dates

for this class are March 18 and 25, April 15 and 29.

Next Sunday, March 11, Dale Hilton, Director of Teaching and

Learning at the Cleveland Museum of Art, will be a guest speaker; her

topic is “The Art of the Passion.” On April 8 Dr. Sheila McGinn, Chair

of the Department of Theology & Religious Studies at John Carroll

University, will speak.

Labre Project Warm, gently-used clothing and accessories – coats,

sweaters, hats, gloves, blankets for men, women and children – are

appreciated for the Labre Project in East Cleveland. Please leave donations

in the bin in Fellowship Hall.

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LOOKING AHEAD

Criminal Justice Reform Campaign Launch : Have you or someone you

love struggled with addiction, a mental health issue, incarceration, or lack

of opportunity due to a felony record? The Ohio Organizing Collaborative

is fighting to free people from addiction and incarceration by passing a

statewide criminal justice reform ballot initiative that will move people out

of the prison system and into drug treatment, mental health services, and

education opportunities.

To learn about the policy, campaign needs, and how to get involved, join

the Ohio Organizing Collaborative on Tuesday, March 13 from 6:30 to 8:30

pm for a meeting here to launch the campaign in Cuyahoga County.

The Group and Hilltoppers: We’re going to hear the Suburban Symphony

on Sunday, March 18 at 3:30 pm. The Hilltoppers will go to lunch first and

the Group will go to dinner afterwards. Join one or both! Details and

reservation information are in the March TOWER.

Visitors: Please join us for a Tea and Tour of Forest Hill Church on Sunday,

March 18 after worship. The event will begin in South Hall.

Lecture: Professor Timothy Beal invites his Forest Hill friends to the Spring

2018 Ratner Family Lecture in Religion: “Balm in Gilead – Memory,

Mourning and Healing in the African American Autobiography,” by Albert

J. Raboteau (Emeritus Professor of Religion, Princeton University). The

lecture is presented by the Department of Religious Studies at CWRU on

Wednesday, March 21, 4:30 pm, 11308 Bellflower Rd.

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Youth News Sundays: The youth class (grades 6-12) meets from 9:30 – 10:30 am in the

Ruah Room.

Next Sunday: We’re serving pancakes after worship! Come help – this

is our first fundraiser of the year.

Staff Emails

Rev. Lois Annich Interim Assoc. Pastor pastorannich@fhcpresb.org

Financial Office Finance finance@fhcpresb.org

Lynda Bernays Administration office@fhcpresb.org

Kate Burleigh Children kateb@fhcpresb.org

Ann Donkin Building mgr. adonkin@fhcpresb.org

Stavros Gazis Custodial office@fhcpresb.org

Shannon Headen Youth shannon@fhcpresb.org

Rev. Dr. John Lentz Jr. Pastor pastorlentz@fhcpresb.org

Peg Weissbrod Outreach pegw@fhcpresb.org

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Calendar: March 4-11, 2018 Sunday, March 4 3 Lent

9:00 am Child care begins

Nominating Committee

9:30 am Adult Education

Youth Education

Descant Choir

10:15 am Descant Choir activity

10:30 am Continental Breakfast

Chancel Choir

11:00 am WORSHIP: Communion

12:15 pm Coffee and Conversation

Postcard Campaign

Book discussion: Sister Citizen (cont.)

CE Parents meeting

5:00 pm Faith Leader

7:00 pm Service of Compline

Monday, March 5

6:00 pm Progress not Perfection (AA)

6:45 pm LRP – Building & Grounds mtg

7:00 pm Al Anon

7:30 pm Borton Group (AA)

Boy Scout Troop #403

Tuesday, March 6

12:00 pm Abundance Lunch

1:00 pm Abundance Pantry

5:00 pm Fitness Fusion exercise class

Wednesday, March 7

7:30 am Bible and Bagels

12:30 pm Wed. Women’s AA

7:00 pm Long Range Planning meeting

Thursday, March 8

5:00 pm Fitness Fusion exercise class

6:20 pm Voices in Bronze

7:30 pm Chancel Choir

Forest Hill Swim Club

Friday, March 9

10:00 am Al Anon

Saturday, March 10

9:00 am CEIRS class

Daylight Saving Time begins!

Turn clocks AHEAD 1 hour

Sunday, March 11 4 Lent

9:00 am Child care begins

LRP Finance Committee mtg

9:30 am Adult Education

Youth Education

Descant Choir

10:15 am Descant Choir activity

10:30 am Continental Breakfast

Chancel Choir

11:00 am WORSHIP

Pathways to the Promise Land

12:15 pm Coffee and Conversation

Sine Nomine Choir

Pancake brunch (youth fundraiser)

5:00 pm Faith Leader

Troop #403 Dinner

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Lent 2018 at Forest Hill Church

Friday, March 16: Lenten Dinner and discussion

Reservations are required; please use form below or the online

link

Holy Week: March 25-31

Maundy Thursday, March 29

6:30 Dinner, 7:30 Worship

Good Friday, March 30

12:00 Community worship at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

Easter Vigil, March 31, 7:30 pm

If you are interested in being baptized (or having a child

baptized) at this service, please contact Rev. Lentz.

Easter: April 1

Worship at 9 and 11 am

The FHC Youth will serve pancakes

after worship next Sunday – stay for

brunch and support their summer

mission trip!

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Reservations for March 16 dinners

“Exploring an Easter Church through Justice and Mission”

Name_______________________________________________________

_____

___Yes, I/we will attend on March 16

How many adults?____________________________________

____________________________________________________________

_____

Do you need child care? For what age(s)?

______________________________

You may put this in the offering plate

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For Becky’s farewell lunch we dressed as Becky look-alikes

Dear Friends,

Thank you SO much for the lovely goodbye and

generous gift last Sunday.

It has been my honor and privilege to work for

Forest Hill Church and for you all these past

years.

It’s hard to leave such a wonderful place but I

am looking forward to retirement and

celebrating springtime in my new home!

Fondly,

Becky