Lectionary Readings
Ezekiel 37:1–14
In a valley of dry bones, Ezekiel has a vision of hope for Israel.
Psalm 130
Out of the depths I cry; the Lord has power to forgive and redeem.
Romans 8:6–11
Set your mind on the Spirit, not the flesh; God will give you life.
John 11:1–45
Jesus, the resurrection and the life, raises Lazarus from the dead.
— Gathering —
Opening Sentences
As children of God, we dwell in the Spirit,
and the Spirit dwells in us.
We are alive in the Spirit
through the righteousness of God.
In humility and faith, we come to worship the One
who gives us life, hope, and healing.
God has brought us to this moment
and will guide us still.
Praise the Lord!
Prayer of the Day
Living God,
we come to you today in humility and need.
We pray for life
for our wounded souls,
for our ailing communities,
for our troubled nation,
and for our hurting world.
Call us out of discouragement and despair
to rise up in courage and love.
Let your light shine upon our faces,
so that, forgiven and renewed,
we may live again as your people, holy and whole,
singing praises and serving with joy
through the grace of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Thanksgiving For Baptism
At the baptismal font:
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
O Lord our God, we give you thanks
for the mercy you so freely offer us
through the grace of our baptism—
safe passage through the sea,
justice rolling down like water,
deliverance from sin and death forever.
By the power of your Holy Spirit,
poured out upon us in baptism,
teach us to love and serve you faithfully
and reconcile us to you and to one another
as members of one, living body;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Confession and Pardon
At the baptismal font:
Christ is nearer to us than we can imagine.
Jesus’ power is not just for a distant past
and a far-off future.
Jesus is here for us here and now.
Because there is forgiveness with God,
let us call upon the Lord.
God of resurrection,
We know the power of death.
We have seen its works,
we have felt its sting.
We have been to the valley of despair,
and felt like there was no chance for life.
We do not believe in your power to resurrect.
We do not believe in your power to redeem our pain,
and fashion something beautiful in this world.
Forgive us.
We cry from the depths—
however faint our call may be,
we pray you hear our voice.
Lifting water from the font:
Thus says the Lord,
You shall know that I am the Lord
when I open your graves,
and bring you up from your graves, O my people.
I will put my spirit within you,
and you shall live.
We believe the good news!
Thanks be to God.
— Word —
Prayer for Illumination
At the lectern or pulpit:
Gracious God, our way in the wilderness,
guide us by your Word through these forty days,
and minister to us with your Holy Spirit,
so that we may be reformed,
restored, and renewed;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Scripture
Before the readings:
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
Psalm 51:15
After the readings:
We proclaim Christ crucified—
the wisdom and power of God.
Thanks be to God.
1 Corinthians 1:23–25
Sermon
Ascription of Praise
After the sermon:
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
we bend our knees and lift up our hearts,
giving glory to God forever. Amen.
Philippians 2:9–11
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Affirmation of Faith
To be reconciled to God
is to be sent into the world
as God’s reconciling community.
This community, the church universal,
is entrusted with God’s message of reconciliation
and shares God’s labor of healing the enmities
which separate people from God
and from each other.
Christ has called the church to this mission
and given it the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The church maintains continuity
with the apostles and with Israel
by faithful obedience to his call.
Adapted from the Confession of 1967, 9.31
Prayers of Intercession
In Christ Jesus, we have a great high priest
who knows our weakness and suffering;
therefore, with boldness, let us seek God’s grace.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
With boldness, we pray for the church . . .
Raise your church from the dead,
so that we may proclaim Christ,
the resurrection and the life.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
With boldness, we pray for the earth . . .
Send forth your Holy Spirit
to breathe upon this dying world
and renew the face of the earth.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
With boldness, we pray for all nations . . .
Open the graves of the poor
so that they may arise and stand
to praise your holy name.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
With boldness, we pray for this community . . .
In the villages and cities where we live,
help us to embody the good news of Christ,
who still lives and works among us.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
With boldness, we pray for loved ones . . .
Enter into the depths, O Lord,
to draw out those who wait for you,
who hope and trust in your word.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
To you, O God, we entrust these prayers,
knowing that you alone can provide
grace to help in our time of need;
in the name of our great high priest
who has passed through the heavens,
Jesus Christ, our Sovereign and Savior. Amen.
Hebrews 4:14–16
— Eucharist —
Invitation to Offering
At the communion table:
Jesus says: Where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also.
Let us offer our lives to the Lord.
Matthew 6:21
Prayer of Dedication
At the communion table:
God of grace,
you have gifted us with life in Christ.
Today we bring the gifts of our work
and the gifts of our hearts.
May all that we bring and all that we are
be your means of grace in the world,
that all people may encounter your good news. Amen.
Great Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Blessed are you, O Lord our God:
From the valley of dry bones you raise us up,
giving us the flesh of your Word and the breath of your Spirit.
Jesus is the resurrection and the life.
Therefore we praise you, joining the song
of the universal church and the heavenly choir:
A Sanctus (“Holy, holy, holy”) is sung.
Blessed is Jesus Christ, our Savior:
Those who believe in him, even though they die, will live;
and everyone who lives and believes in him will never die.
The words of institution are included here.
Remembering your goodness and grace,
we offer ourselves to you with gratitude
as we share this joyful feast.
A Memorial Acclamation (e.g., “Christ has died”) is sung.
Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us and upon this bread and cup;
make us one in the body and blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Set our minds on your Holy Spirit, in whom we find our life and peace.
Let the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead dwell in us always,
giving life to our mortal bodies and light to our souls.
Through the Lord Jesus Christ,
in the unity of the Spirit,
we bless you, God of glory,
now and forever.
An Amen is sung.
Lord’s Prayer
Breaking the Bread
Communion of the People
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Prayer after Communion
Thank you, gracious God,
for giving us bread for the journey
of these forty days.
As we travel on through the wilderness,
help us to share your grace with others
and draw us ever closer to you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
— Sending —
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Blessing and Charge
At the doors of the church:
May the steadfast love of God,
the abundant grace of Jesus Christ,
and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit
be with you this day and always. Amen.
Psalm 51:1, 11
Remember the words of the Lord Jesus:
If any wish to be my disciples
let them take up the cross
and follow me. Amen.
Mark 8:34
“Mary Kneels Weeping before Christ with Martha”
Jacques Le Breton, 1933
Additional Materials
Congregational Song
GATHERING
-
O God, Who Gives Us Life (OEG) NOEL GTG 53
-
O Christ, the Healer (G) ERHALT UNS, HERR GTG 793
-
He Comes to Us as One Unknown (O) REPTON ELW 737
-
Wind Who Makes All Winds That Blow (O) ABERYSTWYTH LUYH 239
-
These Are the Days of Elijah (O) by Robin Mark SNC 60
WORD
-
When Jesus Wept (G) WHEN JESUS WEPT GTG 194
-
Now the Green Blade Rises (OG) NOËL NOUVELET GTG 247
-
Breathe on Me, Breath of God (OEG) TRENTHAM GTG 286
-
Spirit of the Living God (E) LIVING GOD GTG 288
-
Spirit, Open My Heart (G) WILD MOUNTAIN THYME GTG 692
-
Somebody’s Knocking at Your Door (G) SOMEBODY’S KNOCKIN’ GTG 728
-
In Deepest Night (G) ROSE MARY GTG 785
-
Why Has God Forsaken Me? (G) SHIMPI GTG 809
-
Soplo de Dios / O Living Breath of God (O) VARVINDAR FRISKA SSS 8
EUCHARIST
-
Holy Spirit, Come to Us (OE) VENI SANCTE SPIRITU GTG 281
-
Spirit, Spirit of Gentleness (O) SPIRIT GTG 291
-
As the Wind Song (G) WAIRUA TAPU GTG 292
SENDING
-
Every Time I Feel the Spirit (E) PENTECOST GTG 66
-
In the Bulb There Is a Flower (OEG) PROMISE GTG 250
-
Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart (G) HERLICH LIEB HAB I DICH, O HERR ELW 750
Psalms and Canticles
Psalm 130
Metrical
- For You, My God, I Wait [SPRINGTIME]; GTG 791
- From the Depths of Sin and Sadness [RUSSIAN]; PAS 130F
Responsorial
- Out of the Depths; PAS 130B
- In My Distress I Cry to the Lord; UMH 848
Organ Music
-
“Patience: Jesus, Still Lead On,” Fruit of the Spirit: Chorale Preludes for Organ, David Evan Thomas, AF (ME)
-
“When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” ROCKINGHAM, Deo Gracias: Six Preludes
and a Postlude for Organ on Well-Known Hymns, MSM (M) -
“Be Thou My Vision,” SLANE, Augsburg Organ Library: Lent, Franklin D Ashdown, AF (M)
-
“There Is a Fountain,” Six Organ Preludes on Gospel Hymns, Raymond H. Haan, MSM (E)
Piano Music
-
“Moderato,” Sonatina, Edino Krieger, Scribd.com (A)
-
“The Bells,” Spiritual Suite for Piano, Margaret Bonds, Videmus (M)
-
“Gymnopédie 1,” 3 Gymnopédies, Erik Satie, IMSLP.org (ME)
Anthems for Adult Choirs
-
“Dry Bones,” Becki Slagle Mayo, CGA, uni, pno (E)
-
“Out of the Depths I Cry to Thee,” K. Lee Scott, AF, 2 pt, pno (E)
-
“Dry Bones,” Mark Hayes, ALF, SATB, pno, opt inst (ME)
-
“Psalm 130 / Out of the Depths,” John Ferguson, AF, SATB, org (M)
-
“O Taste and See,” Ralph Vaughan Williams, OUP, SATB, sop solo, org (MA)
-
“Videns Dominus flentes sorores Lazari (The Raising of Lazarus),” Adrian Willaert, IMSLP.org, SATB, acap (A)
Art
-
Ezekiel in the Valley of the Dry Bones, carving, Depford Green, UK, 2009 (VDL)
-
Take Away the Stone, John August Swanson, 2005 (VDL)
-
Psalm 130, Anneke Kai (AK)
-
Mary Kneels Weeping before Christ with Martha, J. Le Breton, 1933 (VDL)
