LOVELY LANE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
First Sunday in Lent, Year A
FEBRUARY 22, 2026
† Stand as you are able
Organ Prelude
Welcome and Announcements John Strawbridge, Lay Leader
Choral Introit “I Want Jesus To Walk With Me” Spiritual, arr.Moore
I want Jesus to walk with me;
All along my pilgrim journey,
I want Jesus to walk with me.
†Call to Worship
Today, we follow Jesus into the wilderness—into hunger, silence, and temptation.
We follow, trusting in God’s mercy.
We come with our frailty and our honest need.
We come to be strengthened by grace.
Let us worship God, whose unfailing mercy journeys with us.
†Opening Hymn “Lord, Who throughout These Forty Days” UMH 269
Prayer of Illumination
Holy Spirit, breath of the living God, open our ears to hear what is good, and open our hearts to receive what is true. Where we have made faith a performance, teach us worship that becomes justice. Where we have settled for easy answers, give us the wisdom of the cross. Where we have grown weary or afraid, speak the blessing of your kingdom again: Blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed are the meek. Blessed are the merciful. Blessed are the peacemakers. Illuminate your Word within us, that we may do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with you—not only in this sanctuary, but in the world you so love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
A Reading from the Prophets Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 NRSV
The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.” Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.'” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die, for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to the eyes and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.
The word of God, for the people of God. Thanks be to God!
Congregational Prayer
Merciful God, we begin this Lenten road not with bravado, but with truth. We confess how easily we reach for what is quick instead of what is faithful; how often we trade trust for control, prayer for distraction, and obedience for applause. Meet us in the wilderness places of our lives—the places of testing, loneliness, grief, and longing. Give us clarity to recognize temptation, courage to resist what deforms our souls, and humility to receive the care you send—often through quiet mercies and unexpected messengers. Keep us close to Christ, that this season would renew us in love, truth, and holy courage. Amen.
Passing of the Peace “Sweet, Sweet Spirit” UMH 334
Sharing Joys and Concerns
Pastoral Prayer
Lord’s Prayer
Choral Response “Holy Spirit, Come to Us” TFWS 2118
†A Reading from the Gospel Matthew 4:1-11 NRSV
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.'” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.'” Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.
The Gospel of our Lord. Praise be to you, O Christ.
Sermon Reverend. Levon D. Sutton, Pastor
Invitation to Offering
Offertory “When, Dearest Lord, When Shall It Be” Marshall/Wesley
Offering Prayer
God of mercy, receive these gifts as signs of our returning. Use them to restore what is broken and to bless those who feel alone in the wilderness. Amen.
†Closing Hymn “Take Up thy Cross” UMH 415
†Benediction
Go in peace into this Lenten journey. God’s mercy goes with you—steady, sufficient, and sure. Amen.
†Benediction Response “Steal Away” Spiritual, arr. Moore
Steal away, steal away, steal away to Jesus
Steal away, steal away home; I ain’t got time to stay here.
Ringing the Bicentennial Bell
Organ Postlude