Lent Meditation and Worship: Recent Episodes
Westside Church
The season of Lent is a 40-day period leading up to Easter Sunday. It is a time of self-examination, fasting and repentance as we move towards Jesus' death and resurrection. Each day will include meditating on scripture passage, a practice and song.
A reading from Luke 22:66-71, 23:1-5, 13-2, 32-56
We veil our faces before your glory, O Holy and Immortal One, and bow before the cross of your wounded Christ. With angels and archangels, we praise you, our Mercy, and we bless you, our Compassion, for in our brokenness you have not abandoned us. Hear us as we pray through Jesus, our high priest: heal all division, reconcile the estranged, console the suffering, and raise up to new life all that is bound by death. Amen.
A reading from Luke 22:14-23, 39-53
Eternal God, in the sharing of a meal your Son established a new covenant for all people, and in the washing of feet he showed us the dignity of service. Grant that by the power of your Holy Spirit these signs of our life in faith may speak again to our hearts, feed our spirits, and refresh our bodies. Amen.
A reading from Luke 21:37-38, 22:1-13
Troubled God, in every generation you call people to contend against the brutality of sin and betrayal. Keep us steadfast even in our fear and uncertainty, that we may follow where Jesus has led the way. Amen.
A reading from Luke 20:1-7, 41-21:4
Holy and immortal God, from the earliest times you have named us and called us into discipleship. Teach us to follow the One whose light scatters the darkness of our world, that we may walk as children of the light. Amen.
A reading from Luke 19:41-48
God of steadfast love, light of the blind and liberator of the oppressed, we see your holy purpose in the tender compassion of Jesus, who calls us into new and living friendship with you. May we, who take shelter in the shadow of your wings, be filled with the grace of his tender caring; may we, who stumble in selfish darkness, see your glory in the light of his self-giving. We ask this through him whose suffering is victorious, Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
A reading from Matthew 21:1-11
A prayer for your week:Caught between joy and despair, we yearn for the fulfillment of God's desire beyond the brokenness and neediness of this life. We offer thanksgiving for God's presence with us and petitions for the transformation of the church and the world.
Life-giver, Pain-taker, Love-maker, day by day you sustain the weary with your word and gently encourage us to place our trust in you, awaken us to the suffering of those around us; save us from hiding in denials or taunts that deepen the hurt; give us grace to share one another's burdens in humble service. Amen.
A reading from Isaiah 50:4-9
A prayer for your week:Caught between joy and despair, we yearn for the fulfillment of God's desire beyond the brokenness and neediness of this life. We offer thanksgiving for God's presence with us and petitions for the transformation of the church and the world.
Life-giver, Pain-taker, Love-maker, day by day you sustain the weary with your word and gently encourage us to place our trust in you, awaken us to the suffering of those around us; save us from hiding in denials or taunts that deepen the hurt; give us grace to share one another's burdens in humble service. Amen.
A reading from Philippians 2:5-11
A prayer for your week:Caught between joy and despair, we yearn for the fulfillment of God's desire beyond the brokenness and neediness of this life. We offer thanksgiving for God's presence with us and petitions for the transformation of the church and the world.
Life-giver, Pain-taker, Love-maker, day by day you sustain the weary with your word and gently encourage us to place our trust in you, awaken us to the suffering of those around us; save us from hiding in denials or taunts that deepen the hurt; give us grace to share one another's burdens in humble service. Amen.
A reading from Psalm 118
A prayer for your week:Caught between joy and despair, we yearn for the fulfillment of God's desire beyond the brokenness and neediness of this life. We offer thanksgiving for God's presence with us and petitions for the transformation of the church and the world.
Life-giver, Pain-taker, Love-maker, day by day you sustain the weary with your word and gently encourage us to place our trust in you, awaken us to the suffering of those around us; save us from hiding in denials or taunts that deepen the hurt; give us grace to share one another's burdens in humble service. Amen.
A reading from 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
A prayer for your week:Discerner of hearts, you look beneath our outward appearance and see your image in each of us. Banish in us the blindness that prevents us from recognizing truth, so we may see the world through your eyes and with the compassion of Jesus Christ who redeems us. Amen.
A reading from John 9
A prayer for your week:Discerner of hearts, you look beneath our outward appearance and see your image in each of us. Banish in us the blindness that prevents us from recognizing truth, so we may see the world through your eyes and with the compassion of Jesus Christ who redeems us. Amen.
A reading from Ephesians 5:8-14
A prayer for your week:Discerner of hearts, you look beneath our outward appearance and see your image in each of us. Banish in us the blindness that prevents us from recognizing truth, so we may see the world through your eyes and with the compassion of Jesus Christ who redeems us. Amen.
A reading from Psalm 23
A prayer for your week:Discerner of hearts, you look beneath our outward appearance and see your image in each of us. Banish in us the blindness that prevents us from recognizing truth, so we may see the world through your eyes and with the compassion of Jesus Christ who redeems us. Amen.
A reading from 1 Samuel 16:1-13
A prayer for your week:Discerner of hearts, you look beneath our outward appearance and see your image in each of us. Banish in us the blindness that prevents us from recognizing truth, so we may see the world through your eyes and with the compassion of Jesus Christ who redeems us. Amen.
A reading from Isaiah 55:1-9
A prayer for your week:Enduring Presence, goal and guide, you go before and await our coming. Only our thirst compels us beyond complaint to conversation, beyond rejection to relationship. Pour your love into our hearts, that, refreshed and renewed, we may invite others to the living water given to us in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A reading from John 4:5-42
A prayer for your week:Enduring Presence, goal and guide, you go before and await our coming. Only our thirst compels us beyond complaint to conversation, beyond rejection to relationship. Pour your love into our hearts, that, refreshed and renewed, we may invite others to the living water given to us in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A reading from Romans 5:1-11
A prayer for your week: Enduring Presence, goal and guide, you go before and await our coming. Only our thirst compels us beyond complaint to conversation, beyond rejection to relationship. Pour your love into our hearts, that, refreshed and renewed, we may invite others to the living water given to us in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A reading from Psalm 95:1-9A prayer for your week:Enduring Presence, goal and guide, you go before and await our coming. Only our thirst compels us beyond complaint to conversation, beyond rejection to relationship. Pour your love into our hearts, that, refreshed and renewed, we may invite others to the living water given to us in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A reading from Exodus 17:1-7A prayer for your week:Enduring Presence, goal and guide, you go before and await our coming. Only our thirst compels us beyond complaint to conversation, beyond rejection to relationship. Pour your love into our hearts, that, refreshed and renewed, we may invite others to the living water given to us in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A reading from Matthew 17:1-9A prayer for your week:Hope beyond all human hope, you promised descendants as numerous as the stars to old Abraham and barren Sarah. You promise light and salvation in the midst of darkness and despair, and promise redemption to a world that will not listen. Gather us to yourself in tenderness, open our ears to listen to your word, and teach us to live faithfully as people confident of the fulfillment of your promises. Amen.
A reading from John 3:1-17A prayer for your week: Hope beyond all human hope, you promised descendants as numerous as the stars to old Abraham and barren Sarah. You promise light and salvation in the midst of darkness and despair, and promise redemption to a world that will not listen. Gather us to yourself in tenderness, open our ears to listen to your word, and teach us to live faithfully as people confident of the fulfillment of your promises. Amen.
A reading from Romans 4
A prayer for your week:Hope beyond all human hope, you promised descendants as numerous as the stars to old Abraham and barren Sarah. You promise light and salvation in the midst of darkness and despair, and promise redemption to a world that will not listen. Gather us to yourself in tenderness, open our ears to listen to your word, and teach us to live faithfully as people confident of the fulfillment of your promises. Amen.
A reading from Psalm 121
A prayer for your week:Hope beyond all human hope, you promised descendants as numerous as the stars to old Abraham and barren Sarah. You promise light and salvation in the midst of darkness and despair, and promise redemption to a world that will not listen. Gather us to yourself in tenderness, open our ears to listen to your word, and teach us to live faithfully as people confident of the fulfillment of your promises. Amen.
A reading from Genesis 12:1-4
A prayer for your week:Hope beyond all human hope, you promised descendants as numerous as the stars to old Abraham and barren Sarah. You promise light and salvation in the midst of darkness and despair, and promise redemption to a world that will not listen. Gather us to yourself in tenderness, open our ears to listen to your word, and teach us to live faithfully as people confident of the fulfillment of your promises. Amen.
A reading from Psalm 32
A prayer for the week:God of mercy, your word was the sure defense of Jesus in his time of testing. Minister to us in the wilderness of our temptation, that we who have been set free from sin by Christ may serve you well into life everlasting. Amen.
A reading from Romans 5:12-19
A prayer for the week:God of mercy, your word was the sure defense of Jesus in his time of testing. Minister to us in the wilderness of our temptation, that we who have been set free from sin by Christ may serve you well into life everlasting. Amen.
A reading from Psalm 25:1-10
A prayer for the week:God of mercy, your word was the sure defense of Jesus in his time of testing. Minister to us in the wilderness of our temptation, that we who have been set free from sin by Christ may serve you well into life everlasting. Amen.
A reading from Matthew 4:1-11
A prayer for the week:God of mercy, your word was the sure defense of Jesus in his time of testing. Minister to us in the wilderness of our temptation, that we who have been set free from sin by Christ may serve you well into life everlasting. Amen.
A reading from Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-10
A prayer for the week:God of mercy, your word was the sure defense of Jesus in his time of testing. Minister to us in the wilderness of our temptation, that we who have been set free from sin by Christ may serve you well into life everlasting. Amen.
A reading from 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:10
A prayer for this week:Righteous God, in humility and repentance we bring our failures in caring, helping, and loving, we bring the pain we have caused others, we bring the injustice on society of which we are a part, to the transforming power of your grace. Grant us the courage to accept the healing you offer and to turn again toward the sunrise of your reign, that we may walk with you in the promise of peace You have willed for all the children of the earth, and have made known to us in Christ Jesus. Amen.
A reading from Psalm 51
A prayer for this week:Righteous God, in humility and repentance we bring our failures in caring, helping, and loving, we bring the pain we have caused others, we bring the injustice on society of which we are a part, to the transforming power of your grace. Grant us the courage to accept the healing you offer and to turn again toward the sunrise of your reign, that we may walk with you in the promise of peace You have willed for all the children of the earth, and have made known to us in Christ Jesus. Amen.
A reading from Isaiah 53
A prayer for this week: Righteous God, in humility and repentance we bring our failures in caring, helping, and loving, we bring the pain we have caused others, we bring the injustice on society of which we are a part, to the transforming power of your grace. Grant us the courage to accept the healing you offer and to turn again toward the sunrise of your reign, that we may walk with you in the promise of peace You have willed for all the children of the earth, and have made known to us in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Good Friday, the day Jesus was hung on a cross and died to give us new life. Join us for a Good Friday service tonight at 6pm at Westside Church.
It is Maundy Thursday of Holy Week. The day Jesus sat at the Passover meal with his disciples and was then betrayed in the Garden of Gethsemane.
It's Wednesday of Holy Week and today we look at what Jesus did during his last week before his death and resurrection.
It is Passion week and today we look at Jesus' last Tuesday before his death and resurrection.
It is Passion week. The week leading up to Easter. Today we start with looking at Palm Sunday and Holy Monday of Jesus' last week.
We finish the week with the end of Jesus' prayer with the Father before his death and resurrection. As we step into Passion week next week, what are you hopeful for with this coming Easter?
We continue diving deeper into the prayer of Jesus before his death and resurrection and practice unity and reconciliation within the church body.
We continue walking through Jesus' prayer to the Father before his death and resurrection and finish with a breath prayer repeating, "Father God, I receive your grace".
We continue looking at Jesus' prayer this week and how he prays for believers and we finish the day by praying the Lord's Prayer.
This week we are taking a closer look at Jesus' prayer in his final days before his death and resurrection.
We finish the week of Jesus' miracles with his last before heading to the Cross and witness again his loving-kindness for all.
We continue today in the moments following Jesus feeding the 5,000 and witness his miracle of walking on water.
One of the most well-known miracles Jesus performed was feeding the thousands of people on a hill from five loaves of bread and two fish and today we meditate on how Jesus provides and his great compassion for people.
Today we continue looking at the miracles of Jesus and how he meets needs while also revealing the heart of our Father. We practice encouragement today by being aware of those we encounter with kindness and acknowledging our neighbors.
This week we are looking at the life of Jesus and the heart of the Father through the miracles of Jesus on earth.
Today we finish the week in Romans and practice resting in the vast love of God and continuing to come back to these verses again today.
Today we continue in Romans with chapter 8 and practice meditating on scripture and filling our minds with truth with Philippians 4:4-9.
Today we continue in Romans chapter 6 and journal through our experience of following Jesus and being baptized. If you would like to get baptized visit westsidechurch.org/baptism
Today we continue through Romans and journal some thoughts about what it looks like to be a friend of God.