Worship Service Bulletin

A Service for the Lord’s Day

5th Sunday in Lent

(*Please stand in body or in spirit)

The Instrumental Prelude and Time for Meditation

Pastoral Greeting, Rev. Hana Elliott

*Call to Worship:

Leader: O mortal, can these bones live?

People: Only the Lord God knows.

Leader: O people, hope in the Lord.

People: With the Lord there is steadfast love and great power to redeem.

*Hymn #73 “This Is My Father’s World”

*Call to Confession:

We have been buried with Christ in baptism, in order that we might be raised to new life with him through faith in the power of God. Trusting in God’s grace, let us confess our sin.

*Prayer of Confession, In Unison

O Lord, if you held our sin against us, who could live, who could stand? We seem to have more faith in death than hope in your promise of life. We seek peace through war and find security in weapons. We abandon the hungry, sick, and dying, and pursue wealth by making others poor. And even so, you love us; still there is forgiveness with you! Therefore we worship you; for you alone, O Lord, can save us from death and redeem us from our sin.

*Assurance of Forgiveness:

If the Holy Spirit dwells in you, then God, who raised Jesus from the dead, will also give life to your mortal bodies. Friends, this is the good news of the gospel: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Thanks be to God!

*The Gloria #108, In Unison

  Glory be to the Father   And to the Son and to the Holy Ghost

    As it was in the beginning,   Is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

*Passing of the Peace:

Since God has forgiven us in Christ, let us forgive one another. May the peace of Christ be with you. And also with you

Prayer for Illumination:

O Lord, we wait for you, and in your Word we trust. By the power of your Spirit, set our hearts and minds on the source of life and peace: Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

Children’s Time:

First Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 37:1-14 (pg. 852)

Second Scripture Reading: John 11:1-45 (pg. 1054)

Leader: This is the Word of the Lord

People: Let our thanks and praise be to God!

Sermon:

*Hymn #96 “The Love of God”

*Affirmation of Faith, (from A Brief Statement of Faith)

We trust in God the Holy Spirit, everywhere the giver and renewer of life. The Spirit justifies us by grace through faith, sets us free to accept ourselves and to love God and neighbor, and binds us together with all believers in the one body of Christ, the Church. The same Spirit who inspired the prophets and apostles rules our faith and life in Christ through Scripture, engages us through the Word proclaimed, claims us in the waters of baptism, feeds us with the bread of life and the cup of salvation, and calls women and men to all ministries of the Church. In a broken and fearful world the Spirit gives us courage to pray without ceasing, to witness among all peoples to Christ as Lord and Savior, to unmask idolatries in Church and culture, to hear the voices of peoples long silenced, and to work with others for justice, freedom, and peace. In gratitude to God, empowered by the Spirit, we strive to serve Christ in our daily tasks and to live holy and joyful lives, even as we watch for God’s new heaven and new earth, praying, “Come, Lord Jesus!” Amen.

Call to Offering:

Without the breath of God, we are dry bones, and without the Word of God, we are dust. With gratitude, let us offer our lives to the Lord of all life.

Offering of Our Volunteer Mission Hours

Monetary gifts may be placed in the offering plates by the door to the sanctuary or in the narthex. If you have completed any volunteer mission hours this week, fill out a slip of paper about them, and come forward to drop one piece of money (any size coin) in the birthday jar for each hour completed, and place your slip of paper in the offering plate.

The Birthday Song:

Happy birthday, happy birthday, your friends are all singing

  May the year that is coming bring gladness to you.

May it teach you to be helpful, kindhearted, and loving.

   Happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday to you.

*Doxology #109

  Praise God from whom all blessings flow,

Praise God all creatures here below,

   Praise God above ye heavenly host,

     Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

*Prayer of Dedication

Let us Pray: Holy God, giver of life, we thank you for raising us up and joining us together as your people, flesh and bone in the body of Christ. As you have delivered us from death, use our lives to proclaim the good news of new life in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer of Thanksgiving & Intercession

….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 debts as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.

Choral Response

  Hear our prayer, O Lord, hear our prayer, O Lord,

Incline thine ear to us, and grant us thy peace. Amen

*Hymn #497 “Just As I Am, Without One Plea”

*Charge & Blessing

*Choral Response: “Precious Lord, Take My Hand”

  Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on, help me stand;

I am tired, I am weak, I am worn;

   Thru the storm, thru the night, lead me on to the light,

     Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.

*The Choral Amen,

  Amen,   Amen,   Amen.