Welcome We extend the hand of Christian fel-lowship to all who come to worship. May our prayers and the hearing of God’s word make our burdens lighter, our hearts encouraged, and our souls refreshed. Visitor information pack-ets are available on the counter locat-ed in the Narthex. We encourage all visitors to take one.

All are welcome for coffee and doughnuts in Fellowship Hall be-tween services.

(9:00 a.m.)

PRELUDE “Via Dolorosa” Billy Sprague & Niles Borup arr. by Stan Pethel WELCOME/SHARING GOD’S PEACE

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS Bulletin — Page 4 CALL TO WORSHIP GATHERING HYMN “Tree of Life and Awesome Mystery” #334 ELW v. 1-3 & Lent 5 APOSTOLIC GREETING KYRIE/HYMN OF PRAISE p. 98-100 ELW PRAYER OF THE DAY

O Lord, you stand unmoved by the clamor of the angry crowd. Show us what it means to truly surrender, trusting in your ultimate power over all the forces of darkness. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

SPECIAL MUSIC Alex Chubaty WE HEAR GOD’S WORD PSALM 51:1-12 (read responsively) Bulletin — Page 4 CHILDREN’S TIME

Gospel Acclamation (sung) p. 103 ELW P: The Gospel according to John, Chapter 19 C: Glory to You, O Lord SCRIPTURE John 19:1-16a

The Gospel of our Lord! C: Praise to You, O Christ

SERMON Pastor Ann Jacobson HYMN OF THE DAY “I Want Jesus to Walk With Me” #325 ELW RESPONSE APOSTLES’ CREED Bulletin — Page 4 OFFERING “There is a Balm in Gilead” arr. by Lloyd Larson OFFERTORY “Create in Me a Clean Heart” #186 ELW PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH LORD’S PRAYER “Our Father in Heaven …” Bulletin — Page 4 SENDING BENEDICTION AND “THREE-FOLD AMEN HYMN “Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness” #843 ELW DISMISSAL P. Go in peace and serve the Lord. C. Thanks be to God. POSTLUDE “Toccata Brilliante” Ben Logan

March 18, 2018 5 Lent

Ann Jacobson, Sonja Kjar, Tim Stoa

Bethlehem Lutheran Church is a faith community that gathers to hear, teach and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Sunday, March 18 9:00 am Worship 10:00 am Christian Education 10:00 am Communion in the Chapel 10:45 am Worship

Wednesday, March 21 Noon Worship in the Chapel 6:00 pm Lenten Supper 6:00 pm Christian Education 7:00 pm Worship in the Sanctuary

Sunday, March 25 Palm Sunday

9:00 am Worship 10:00 am Christian Education 10:00 am Communion in the Chapel 10:45 am Worship

Wednesday, March 28 No Worship or Activities

Thursday, March 29 Maundy Thursday

7:00 pm Worship with Holy Communion and First Communion

Friday, March 30 — Good Friday 12:15 pm Worship 7:00 pm Worship

Sunday, April 1 — Easter Communion at All Services

7:00 am Sunrise Worship 7:30-10:30 am Easter Breakfast 9:00 am Worship 10:45 am Worship

Welcome to Worship! If you are a guest here, let us know.

A word about Bethlehem’s worship: We have two Sunday worship services. The 9:00 a.m. service usually features or-gan accompaniment; the 10:45 service features piano accom-paniment. Christian education classes for PreK through Grade 7 are held Sunday mornings at 10:00 a.m. and Wednesday evenings at 6:00 p.m. throughout the school year. We also offer a Wednesday evening worship service at 6:00 p.m. For more information, check our website — www.blcfargo.org. You may also call the church office, 235-6522.

The Friendship Sheet is a way for us to take note of who worships with us each week. Please put your full name and any other information you want us to have. Pass the Friend-ship Sheet down the pew and back and leave it near the aisle so an usher can pick it up later. Thank you. Children’s Worship Bags are available for use by your youngster during services. They are located on the coat rack over the stairway (directly outside of the sanctuary). At the end of the service, put the bag on the ushers’ table at the back of the sanctuary so it may be refilled for the next service. Bulletin Announcements If you have information for the Sunday bulletin, please contact the office by 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. In An Effort to Conserve Paper we ask that after the 9:00 a.m. service you take home only one bulletin per fami-ly. Extras can be returned to the ushers’ table at the back of the church to be used for the 10:45 a.m. service. Thank you.

Prayer Concerns Please be sure to call the office or talk with a pastor as to how you/your loved one are doing. We begin each month with an updated list.

Prayers For the Community of Faith: Members Hospitalized/Requesting On-Going Prayer: Virgil Andersen, Darren Baumgartner, Lois Berg, Gladys Brewer, Jerry Kalvik, Robert Kenney, Keri Leach, Helma Mitchell Margaret Sandsmark, Diane Smith, Maria Winters.

Friends/Family Members Sick or Hospitalized: Kari Ander-son (niece of Jean Schossow), Jeff Brennan (son of Clayton & Gloria Brennan), Josh Cole (father of Tori Cole), Barbara Glover (friend of Laurie Asmus), Avis Haug (mother of Jack-ie Walsh), Bruce Opheim, Jr. (son of Betty Opheim), James Rheault (brother of Kathy Thompson), Jenny Seward (niece of Dawn Seward), Bill Wiekamp (father of Kimberly Easter), Kortney Ziemba (granddaughter of Darlene Halvorson), Joel Zink (ex-husband of Karen Stewart).

A Word About Our Prayer Concerns During 2017 we will be lifting up a different congregation in the Fargo confer-ence each week. March 18 — Zion Lutheran Church, Oriska.

Sympathy to Ray Severson and Linda Carico & family on the death of their son/brother, Bil Severson. Bulletins are given by Myrna Birrenkott in memory of Law-rence. Children’s bulletins are given in honor of her grand-children. Communion Servers are needed for the first Sunday of each month. If you can help in this capacity, a sign-up sheet is located on the bulletin board outside the church office.

Servers are also needed for upcoming Lenten and Easter ser-vices. Sign up for these as well on the bulletin board.

Lenten Supper Join us at 6:00 p.m. this Wednesday for our last Lenten supper. Please consider bringing a side, salad or dessert to accompany our meal. Free-will offering (suggested donation of $1-$2 per meal). Proceeds benefit our youth pro-grams. March 21—Pulled Pork. Pictures of our veterans are available on the counter in the Narthex. Elizabeth Circle meets Tuesday, March 20, 7:00 p.m. in the Fireside Room. Hostess: Marvel Malpert. Chairwoman: Joyce Schepp, 701-412-3244. Mary Circle meets Thursday, March 22, 7:00 p.m. in the Fireside Room. Hostess: Myrna Birrenkott. Chairwoman: Barb Johnson, 237-9878.

Youth W.N.A. (5th-7th grades) will not meet during Lent. They will resume on April 4. Youth Zone is back! 3rd graders and above are invited to join us in the balcony during Lenten services for a worship experience with a different perspective. We’ll be following along with the worship and will have a special youth bulletin that will add another layer to the message for the night (and help with those sermon notes!). The balcony will be open at 6:50 after the Lenten supper. Attention: 4th Grade Students You are invited to W.N.A.! Join us Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. until May 2.

Community Volunteer Opportunities — Bethany Retirement Living is seeking volunteer help. If you have time you are willing to share with their residents, please contact the Directors of Community Life: Maren Johnson, 239-3246 (Bethany on University) or Laurie Schnabel, 478-8904 (Bethany on 42nd). They are looking for help in the coffee shop (Tuesday through Thursday mornings and Wednesday and Thursday after-noons), help for resident activities, playing games, entertain-ment, escorting to events, companionship and office help. Recital With a Cause Local young, award-winning musi-cians will perform in an effort to end polio worldwide. Event will be held at Bethesda Lutheran Church, 401 40th Ave S, Moorhead, on April 3 at 7:00 p.m. Free admission.

Bethlehem Lutheran Church / 613 16th Street South / Fargo, North Dakota 58103 Office—701-235-6522 / Warm Line—701-235-6548

www.blcfargo.org

March 18 — March 28

SUNDAY, MARCH 18 9:00 a.m. Worship 10:00 a.m. Christian Education 10:00 a.m. Communion in the Chapel 10:45 a.m. Worship 1:00-2:00 p.m. God Squad @ Caribou on 25th MONDAY, MARCH 19 Pastor Tim’s Day Off 7:00 p.m. SA 6:00-10:00 p.m. NDSU Choir Recording TUESDAY, MARCH 20 9:00 a.m. Staff Meeting 2:00-3:00 p.m. Great Plains Food Bank Volunteering 6:00-10:00 p.m. NDSU Choir Recording 6:30 p.m. Cub Scouts 7:00 p.m. Elizabeth Circle WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21 9:00 a.m. Quilting Noon Lenten Worship/Chapel 5:30 p.m. Youth Choir 5:45 p.m. Gather Bible Study 6:00 p.m. Bell Choir 6:00 p.m. Lenten Supper — Pulled Pork 6:00 p.m. Christian Education 6:20 p.m. Senior Choir 7:00 p.m. Lenten Worship/Sanctuary THURSDAY, MARCH 22 6:00 p.m. Girl Scouts 6:00-7:00 p.m. Great Plains Food Bank Volunteering 7:00 p.m. Mary Circle SUNDAY, MARCH 25 Palm Sunday 9:00 a.m. Worship 10:00 a.m. Christian Education 10:00 a.m. Communion in the Chapel 10:45 a.m. Worship MONDAY, MARCH 26 Pastor Tim’s Day Off 9:30 a.m. Emergency Food Pantry Volunteering 1:00 p.m. Emergency Food Pantry Volunteering 7:00 p.m. SA TUESDAY, MARCH 27 9:00 a.m. Staff Meeting 9:30 a.m. Emergency Food Pantry Volunteering 1:00 p.m. Emergency Food Pantry Volunteering 6:30 p.m. Cub Scouts WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28 9:30 a.m. Emergency Food Pantry Volunteering 1:00 p.m. Emergency Food Pantry Volunteering No Worship or Activities

March: Volunteering Together

It has been stated that Jesus’ mission statement is “The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve.” (Mark 10:45) As disciples of Jesus, this is our mission statement, too. The mis-sion motif this month is about serving together in our communi-ty, doing God’s work with our hands, side by side. Already many of you volunteer your time and energy to places in our community. Thank you! Listed below are the opportunities for us to serve together this month. Our Partners: Great Plains Food Bank Emergency Food Pantry We will have two opportunities to help at the Great Plains Food Bank: Tuesday, March 20 2:00-3:00 p.m. Thursday, March 22 6:00-7:00 p.m. Located: 1720 3rd Avenue North, Fargo

We will be “adopting” the Emergency Food Pantry March 26-29. We are scheduled for two shifts each day: 9:30 a.m.—Noon and 1:00-4:00 p.m. Two volunteers are needed per shift. Please sign up in the Narthex on Sunday or call the church of-fice during the week. We will be given a brief training.

March 26 through 29 Time: 9:30 a.m. to Noon OR 1:00-p.m.—4:00 p.m.

Located: 1101 4th Avenue North, Fargo.

March 18, 2018 — 10:45 a.m.

WELCOME/SHARING GOD’S PEACE CALL TO WORSHIP Alex Chubaty CONFESSION & FORGIVENESS Pastor: We confess our sins before God and one another.

Silence is kept for reflection.

Pastor: Merciful God,

All: We walk through these forty days in somber reali-zation that we have not been your faithful servants. We have helped ourselves before helping others. We have denied our belonging to you out of fear, embarrassment, or timidity. And we have aban-doned those who need us the most: the tormented, the unfortunate and the powerless. Forgive us, Lord, for all that we have done and not done, and grant us your promised peace. Amen.

Pastor: God has never abandoned us, even when we felt most alone. Be assured of your pardon through the mercy of Jesus Christ, who goes before you and bids you follow after. Receive God’s forgiveness with thanks-giving.

All: Amen. HYMN “Tree of Life and Awesome Mystery” #334 ELW v. 1-3 & Lent 5 GREETING

P: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

C: And also with you. KYRIE/HYMN OF PRAISE p. 213-215 ELW PRAYER OF THE DAY

O Lord, you stand unmoved by the clamor of the angry crowd. Show us what it means to truly surrender, trust-ing in your ultimate power over all the forces of dark-ness. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

CHILDREN’S TIME PSALM 51:1-12 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgres-sions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment. Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother con-ceived me. You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wis-dom in my secret heart.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniqui-ties. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit. SCRIPTURE John 19:1-16a SERMON Pastor Ann Jacobson “I Want Jesus to Walk With Me” #325 ELW APOSTLES’ CREED I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the res-urrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. OFFERING PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen. THE BENEDICTION “Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness” #843 ELW Leader: Go in peace. Serve the Lord. People: Thanks be to God. Accompanist: Alvina Deyle