Today's Service: 21 March
Leader: Meg Thomson
This is best viewed in Landscape orientation
You will appreciate the sound better if you use earphones or an external loudspeaker, whatever type of device you view on.
The Fifth Sunday in Lent
Opening words: Psalm 51: 10 - 12
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
As we sing our first hymn may we prayerfully consider our Saviour breathing forgiveness over us and filling us with His spirit that our hearts may be filled with heavenly joy.
Hymn 543 Lead Us, Heavenly Father, Lead Us
tune: Mannheim, with Intro.
1. Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us
o'er the world's tempestuous sea;
guard us, guide us, keep us, feed us
for we have no help but thee;
yet possessing every blessing,
if our God our Father be.
2. Saviour, breathe forgiveness o'er us;
all our weakness thou dost know;
thou didst tread this earth before us,
thou didst feel its keenest woe;
lone and dreary, faint and weary,
through the desert thou didst go.
3. Spirit of our God, descending,
fill our hearts with heavenly joy,
love with every passion blending,
pleasure that can never cloy:
thus provided, pardoned, guided,
nothing can our peace destroy.
James Edmeston (1791-1867)
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for the joy of a new day,
the pleasure of breathing fresh air,
the delight of knowing that all over the world people are joining together in praising your name.
May we enter your gates with thanksgiving in our hearts knowing that when we confess our sins you are faithful and just and will forgive us when we let you down.
May we strive to be more like you Lord in what we think and say and do.
Let us join in saying the words Jesus taught us ...
The 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 trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen
Reading: John 12: 20 - 33
Jesus Predicts His Death
20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.
23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
27 “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!”
Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
30 Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up[a] from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.
Reflection - Carling, carlin or care ling
What do you call the fifth Sunday in Lent, the Sunday between Mothering Sunday and Palm Sunday?
Well, good question, it depends on who you talk to or where you look on the Internet. The fifth Sunday in Lent or two Sundays before Easter is known as "CARLING SUNDAY". The day was sometimes called "Care" or "Carline/Carlin" Sunday. There are only guesses as to where the "Care" comes from, but Carling is almost certainly "care" with "ling" stuck on the end. Why is it called Carling Sunday? Why, because carlings are served, of course. Carlings or carlins are maple peas, an old variety of field pes with a nutty flavour and a texture a bit like a chickpea. To make carlings, the dried peas are soaked overnight, rinsed, boiled, then fried in butter and seasoned with pepper.
CARLING SUNDAY
Draw yourself a circle, take the L out of carling and put it in the circle.
You're left with CARING SUNDAY
A day to CARE.
i) CARE for ourselves. From the words in Psalm 51 David calls to be put right with God and for God to renew his spirit and restore the joy of salvation. As we care for ourselves may God meet our spiritual needs our physical needs and our mental needs. How are you doing?
ii) CARE for others. Luke 10:27 reads "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and Love your neighbour as you love yourself."
iii) CARE for the world in which we live. What does that look like for you?
What of the L - well, that stands for LOVE
And the circle? O, well, that represents nothing. Romans 8:39 "there is nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord."
You may not have CARLINGs in the house this SUNDAY, but you are CARED for and you do have the capacity to care in abundance.
May the Spirit of God fall afresh on us to transform us and give us strength for the work He has called us to do. We sing together.
Hymn: 308 and 309 Spirit of the Living God
tune of the same name, with full verse Intro.
308: Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me.
Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me.
Melt me, mould me
Fill me, use me
Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me.
309: Spirit of the living God,
Move among us all;
Make us one in heart and mind,
Make us one in love;
Humble, caring,
Selfless, sharing -
Spirit of the living God,
Fill our lives with love!
Daniel Iverson (1890-1972) & Michael Baughen (1930- )
Reading: Romans 5: 5 - 10
5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
Reflection - Soak me - Fry me - Season me
CARLINGS are traditionally steeped overnight in water, fried in butter,
and seasoned with salt and pepper before being served.
As we look toward Easter, we marvel at the demonstration of God's love outpoured through Christ's death on the cross for us whilst we were still sinners (Romans 5:8).
Are you willing to soak overnight, to immerse yourself in God's love?
Are you willing to be fried/refined-have the impurities removed? (Not necessarily a pleasant experience).
Are you willing to be seasoned ready to serve a living saviour?
Thinking about where you are in life just now, are there any parallels you can draw for yourself when you consider the phrase; soak me - fry me - season me? John 12:24
Hymn: 387 (Source) O Happy Day
tune of the same name, with Intro.
1. O happy day, that fixed my choice
On Thee, my Saviour and my God!
Well may this glowing heart rejoice,
And tell its raptures all abroad.
Chorus:
O Happy day, O happy day,
When Jesus washed my sins away!
He taught me how to watch and pray,
And live rejoicing every day:
Happy day, O happy day,
When Jesus washed my sins away!
2. O happy bond, that seals my vows
To Him Who merits all my love!
Let cheerful anthems fill His house,
While to that sacred shrine I move.
Chorus
3. Tis done: the great transaction's done!
I am the Lord's, and He is mine;
He drew me, and I followed on,
Glad to confess the voice divine.
Chorus
4. Now rest, my long-divided heart,
Fixed on this blissful centre, rest;
Here have I found a nobler part;
Here heav'nly pleasures fill my breast.
Chorus
5. High heav'n, that heard the solemn vow,
That vow renewed shall daily hear,
Till in life's latest hour I bow
And bless in death a bond so dear.
Chorus
Philip Doddridge (1702-1751)
Prayer
Heavenly Father
We bring before you the cares of our world.
The civil unrest in Myanmar and Hong Kong
Attacks on the Niger border
Families fleeing danger in Mozambique.
Natural disaster around the world, floods, landslides, fires
and .......
Lord hear our prayers.
We bring before you the cares for others.
Our World Leaders and decision makers
Those who are lonely.
Those struggling with mental health issues.
The tired and weary 
The homeless
Those in debt
The unwell
and ......
Lord hear our prayers.
We bring before you the cares for ourselves.
Grant us peace and wisdom in all we do
and ......
Lord hear our prayers.
In your name and to your glory
May God grant us peace to keep loving, love to keep serving and joy to keep praising. Amen.
Hymn: 523 Give me joy in my heart
tune: Sing Hosanna, with Intro.
1. Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning.
Give me oil in my lamp, I pray.
Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning,
keep me burning 'til the break of day
Chorus:
Sing hosanna, sing hosanna;
sing hosanna to the King of Kings,
sing hosanna, sing hosanna,
sing hosanna to the King of Kings
2. Give me joy in my heart, keep me praising,
Give me joy in my heart, I pray
give me joy in my heart, keep me praising,
keep me praising 'til the break of day
Chorus
3. Give me peace in my heart, keep me loving;
give me peace in my heart, I pray;
give me peace in my heart, keep me loving
Keep me loving 'til the break of day
Chorus
4. Give me love in my heart, keep me serving,
give me love in my heart, I pray
give me love in my heart, keep me serving,
keep me serving 'til the break of day
Chorus
Trad.
Blessing
May the Lord bless you and take care of you.
May the Lord be kind and gracious to you;
May the Lord look on you with favour and give you peace.
Amen
THE GRACE
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with us all now and for evermore. Amen
Next week, the service will be led by Harry Bunting
Don't forget the live streamed hymns on Sundays at 10:45 a.m. from Zöe (via Northgate URC Darlington Facebook)
These are available to view later as well. (via YouTube, for those without Facebook, and also Facebook)
The streamings are a great success - well done, Zöe!
The recorded streamings are now, thanks to Harry Marshall, available to all on YouTube - search for 'Northgate URC Darlington'.
Ask Harry to invite you to the Northgate Facebook Group 
and you will get a notification of the live stream.
- Or you can just search for 'Northgate URC Darlington' in Facebook.
The URC denominational church audio Services (podcasts) at https://devotions.urc.org.uk/ are excellent, with well-delivered prayers and readings using a selection of voices and well-presented hymns.
Do give these a try - they are excellent.
(Just start the sound playing and scroll down to the written words)
Why not put the time aside for Zoe at 10:45, our preacher's service after that and follow up with the podcast - you will feel as if you had been IN church, as well as WITH church.