Sunday, March 8, 2026 The Third Sunday of Lent

 Today is International Women’s Day! Who are the women you would like to celebrate? Let us recognize and celebrate the gifts that many women bring to our community and to our world! 💐

Hymn.        I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say # 626

Prayer:  God of the Wilderness, God of the journey, soften our ears that we might heed Wisdom’s call. Stir us to vision and action, that we may extend your love wherever there is need for hope and healing. Amen. (a prayer from the United Church’s worship resource, Celebrate God’s Presence.) 

Scripture Lessons:        Exodus 17:1-7

                                      Psalm 95 p. 814VU

                                      John 4:5-42 

Hymn       Rock of Ages

Message

Prayer:  O God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. 

I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean I am actually doing so. 

But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. 

I hope I will never do anything apart from that desire. 

And I know that if I do this, you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. 

Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. 

I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone. Amen. 

(prayer by Thomas Merton, found in In Touch with the Word by Lisa-Marie Calderon-Stewart)

Hymn        Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah #651VU

This Sunday’s services are 9:30 in Howick and 11:00 in Ormstown, which is the annual meeting service for the congregation. 

Barbara will be preparing another newsletter before Easter. Please let her know of any items to be included. 

Howick UCW will meet Wednesday, March 11th at 7pm in the church. This will be a planning meeting for the rest of the year. 

There will not be a St Paul’s Session meeting this week. It will be held next week instead, on Wednesday March 18th at 1pm, in the hall. 

St Paul’s Stewards will meet on Wednesday March 18th at 7:30pm in the hall. 

We hold the family and friends of Donald Grant (Wilene Cullen’s father) in our thoughts and prayers following his death on Friday. There will be a service to remember and celebrate his life next Saturday, March 14th, at 1:30 in the Athelstan Presbyterian Church. 

Upcoming Worship Schedule for Holy Week: 

Sunday, March 29 11:00 Palm Sunday service, combined service in Howick for Howick and Ormstown. 

Sunday April 5. Easter Sunday service with Communion, 9:30 Ormstown, 11:00 Howick 

A Good Friday blog will also be prepared and posted along with the Easter Sunday one.