Throughout the service, the people’s responses are in italics.
Prelude
Announcements
The people stand for the Processional Hymn.
Opening: 436 Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates
The Penitential Order
Jesus said, “The first commandment is this: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Silence may be kept. The people stand or kneel.
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
(+) Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.
Kyrie Eleison
God be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The people sit.
A Reading from the Prophet Ezekiel
The hand of God was upon me, and it carried me away by the Spirit of God and set me down in a valley—a valley full of bones. God made me walk up and down among them. And I saw that there was a vast number of bones lying there in the valley, and they were very dry. God asked me, “Mere mortal, can these bones live?”
I answered, “Only you know that, Sovereign God.”
And God said, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Divine One! God the Sovereign says to these bones: I am going to breathe life into you. I will fasten sinews on you, clothe you with flesh, cover you with skin, and give you breath. And you will live; and you will know that I am Sovereign.’”
So I prophesied as I was commanded, and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and all the bones came together, bone to matching bone. As I watched, sinews appeared on them, flesh clothed them, and skin covered them. But there was no breath in them.
Then God said to me, “Prophesy to the wind; prophesy, mere mortal, and say to it: ‘Thus says God the Sovereign: Approach from the four winds, Breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.’ ”
I prophesied as I was commanded, and breath came into them; they came alive, and stood up on their feet—a vast multitude. Then God said to me, “Mere mortal, these bones are the whole House of Israel. The people keep saying, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is gone, and we are doomed.’ Prophesy, therefore, and say to them, ‘Thus says God the Sovereign: I am going to open your graves and raise you up from the dead, my people. I will return you to the land of Israel. When I open your graves and raise you up, you, my people, will know that I am God. Then I will put my Spirit into you and you will return to life, and I will settle you back on your own land. Then you will know that I, God, have spoken and made all this happen, says the Sovereign.’”
Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 130
The antiphon is sung once by the choir and then by the congregation, then repeated as indicated. Plainsong can seem complicated, but it is easy to pick up. If you like, you can sing with the choir on the verses, or just join in on the antiphon. The slashes and accent marks in the text correspond with the accent marks below the notes in the music. The first two notes are only sung on the words that are italicized.
Out öf the depths have I called you, O Lord; Lórd, hear mÿ voice; *
let your ears consider well the voice of my sup- / plicàtiön.
If you, Lord, were to nóte what is dóne ämiss, *
O Lord, / who cóuld ständ?
For there is forgíveness wïth you; *
therefore you / shall bé fëared.
I wait for you, O Lord; my sóul waits för you; *
in your word / is mý höpe.
My soul waits for you, O Lord, more than séntinels for thé mörning,
more than sentinels for / the mórnïng.
O Israel, wáit for thë Lord, *
for with the Lord there / is mércÿ;
with whom there is plénteous redëmption, *
and who shall redeem Israel / from áll their sïns.
Antiphon.
A Reading from Romans
The mind of the flesh is death, but that of the Spirit is life and peace. The mind of the flesh stands in opposition to God; it is not subject to God’s law—indeed, it cannot be, since those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Those who do not have the Spirit of Christ do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then though the body is dead because of sin, the spirit lives because of righteousness. If the Spirit of the One who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, then the One who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through the Spirit dwelling in you.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people.
Thanks be to God.
Saint Animal
Chase Twichell
Suddenly it was clear to me—
I was something I hadn’t been before.
It was as if the animal part of my being
had reached some kind of maturity that gave it
authority, and had begun to use it.
I thought about death for two years.
My animal flailed and tore at its cage
till I let it go. I watched it
drift out into the easy eddies of twilight
and then veer off, not knowing me.
I’m not a bird but I’m inhabited by a spirit
that’s uplifting me. It’s my animal, my saint
and soldier, my flame of yearning,
come back to tell me
what it was like to be without me.
The people stand and sing.
Gospel Hymn #516 Come down, O love divine
The Gospel
The Holy Gospel of Our Savior Jesus Christ According To John
Glory to You, O Christ.
There was a certain man named Lazarus, who was sick. He and his sisters, Mary and Martha, were from the village of Bethany. Mary was the one who had anointed the feet of Jesus with perfume and dried his feet with her hair, and it was her brother Lazarus who was sick.
The sisters sent this message to Jesus: “Rabbi, the one you love is sick.”
When Jesus heard this, he said, “This sickness will not end in death; it is happening for God’s glory, so that God’s Only Begotten may be glorified because of it.” Jesus loved these three very much. Yet even after hearing that Lazarus was sick, he remained where he was staying for two more days. Finally he said to the disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.”
They protested, “Rabbi, it was only recently that they tried to stone you—and you want to go back there again?”
Jesus replied, “Aren’t there twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk by day don’t stumble, because they see the world bathed in light; those who go walking by night will stumble because there is no light in them.” After Jesus said this, he said to the disciples, “Our beloved Lazarus has fallen asleep. I am going to Judea to wake him.”
The disciples objected, “But Rabbi, if he’s only asleep, he’ll be fine.”
Jesus had been speaking about Lazarus’ death, but they thought he was talking about actual sleep. So he said very plainly, “Lazarus is dead! For your sakes I am glad that I wasn’t there, that you might come to believe. In any event, let us go to him.”
Then Thomas, ‘the Twin,’ said to the rest, “Let’s go with Jesus, so that we can die with him.”
When Jesus arrived in Bethany, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Since Bethany was only about two miles from Jerusalem, many people had come out to console Martha and Mary about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him, while Mary stayed at home with the mourners. When she got to Jesus, Martha said, “If you had been here, my brother would never have died! Yet even now, I am sure that God will give you whatever you ask.”
“Your brother will rise again!” Jesus assured her.
Martha replied, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”
Jesus told her, “I am the Resurrection, and I am Life: those who believe in me will live, even if they die; and those who are alive and believe in me will never die. “Do you believe this?”
“Yes!” Martha replied. “I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, God’s Only Begotten, the One who is coming into the world.”
When she had said this, Martha went back and called her sister Mary. “The Teacher is here, asking for you,” she whispered.
As soon as Mary heard this, she got up and went to him. Jesus hadn’t gotten to the village yet. He was at the place where Martha had met him. Those who were there consoling her saw her get up quickly and followed Mary, thinking she was going to the tomb to mourn. When Mary got to Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, “If you had been here, Lazarus never would have died.”
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the other mourners as well, he was troubled in spirit, moved by the deepest emotions. “Where have you laid him?” Jesus asked.
“Come and see,” they said. And Jesus wept. The people in the crowd began to remark, “See how much he loved him!”
Others said, “He made the blind person see; why couldn’t he have done something to prevent Lazarus’ death?”
Jesus was again deeply moved. They approached the tomb, which was a cave with a stone in front of it. “Take away the stone,” Jesus directed.
Martha said, “Rabbi, it has been four days now. By this time there will be a stench.”
Jesus replied, “Didn’t I assure you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took the stone away. Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said, “Abba, thank you for having heard me. I know that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd, that they might believe that you sent me!” Then Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” And Lazarus came out of the tomb, still bound hand and foot with linen strips, his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus told the crowd, “Untie him and let him go free.” Many of those who had come to console Martha and Mary, and saw what Jesus did, put their faith in him.
The Gospel of Our Savior.
Praise to you, O Christ.
The people sit for the Homily.
The Homily
The Nicene Creed- S105 (Hymnal 1982)
In Lent we are singing the Nicene Creed. The Blue Hymnal 1982 in your pew rack has two sections. The service music is in the first section at the front of the hymnal, and the pieces in that section are marked with an S. If you would like to sing the creed with the choir, please turn to S105.
Please stand or kneel for the Prayers of the People.
The Prayers of the People
I ask your prayers for God’s people throughout the world; for this gathering; and for all ministers and people. Pray for the Church.
Silence
I ask your prayers for peace; for goodwill among nations; and for the well-being of all people. Pray for justice and peace.
Silence
I ask your prayers for the poor, the sick, the hungry, the oppressed, and those in prison. Pray for those in any need or trouble.
Silence
I ask your prayers for all who seek God, or a deeper knowledge of God. Pray that they may find and be found by God.
Silence
I ask your prayers for the departed. Pray for those who have died.
Silence
I ask your prayers for ______.
I ask your thanksgiving for ______.
Silence
Praise God for those in every generation in whom Christ has been honored. Pray that we may have grace to glorify Christ in our own day.
Silence
The priest says the concluding collect.
Holy One, you have promised to hear what we ask in the Name of your Son: Accept and fulfill our petitions, we pray, not as we ask in our ignorance, nor as we deserve in our sinfulness, but as you know and love us in your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Please stand for the peace.
The Peace
The peace of God be with you.
And also with you.
Offertory anthem: O For A Closer Walk With God
Text: William Cowper (1731-1800); Music: Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924); Melody: Scottish Psalter, 1635
O for a closer walk with God,
A calm and heavenly frame;
A light to shine upon the road
That leads me to the Lamb!
Return, O holy dove, return,
Sweet messenger of rest;
I hate the sins that made thee mourn,
And drove thee from my breast.
So shall my walk be close with God,
Calm and serene my frame;
So purer light shall mark the road
That leads me to the Lamb.
The Holy Eucharist
Please stand.
It is truly right, and good and joyful, to give you thanks, all holy God, source of life and fountain of mercy. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who was tempted in every way as we are, yet did not sin. By his grace we are able to triumph over every evil, and to live no longer for ourselves alone, but for him who died for us and rose again. Therefore, joining with Angels and Archangels and with the faithful of every generation, we lift our voices with all creation as we sing:
Blessed are you, gracious God, creator of the universe and giver of life. You formed us in your own image and called us to dwell in your infinite love. You gave the world into our care that we might be your faithful stewards and show forth your bountiful grace. But we failed to honor your image in one another and in ourselves; we would not see your goodness in the world around us; and so we violated your creation, abused one another, and rejected your love. Yet you never ceased to care for us, and prepared the way of salvation for all people.
Through Abraham and Sarah you called us into covenant with you. You delivered us from slavery, sustained us in the wilderness, and raised up prophets to renew your promise of salvation. Then, in the fullness of time, you sent your eternal Word, made mortal flesh in Jesus. Born into the human family, and dwelling among us, he revealed your glory. Giving himself freely to death on the cross, he triumphed over evil, opening the way of freedom and life.
On the night before he died for us, Our Savior Jesus Christ took bread, and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his friends, and said: “Take, eat: This is my Body which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
As supper was ending, Jesus took the cup of wine, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said: “Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is poured out for you and for all for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”
Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:
Celebrant and People
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
Remembering his death and resurrection, we now present to you from your creation this bread and this wine. By your Holy Spirit may they be for us the Body and Blood of our Savior Jesus Christ. (+) Grant that we who share these gifts may be filled with the Holy Spirit and live as Christ’s Body in the world. Bring us into the everlasting heritage of your daughters and sons, that with Stephen & Hilda and all your saints, past, present, and yet to come, we may praise your Name for ever.
Through Christ and with Christ and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, to you be honor, glory, and praise, for ever and ever. AMEN.
Now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say:
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, and 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 for ever. Amen.
The Breaking of the Bread
Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
Therefore let us keep the feast.
The Fraction Anthem
The people are invited to come forward for communion.
Communion: MHSO 86 in the bulb there is a flower
Postcommunion Prayer
The people stand and remain standing until the end of the service.
Almighty and everliving God, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the Body of your Son, and heirs of your eternal kingdom. And now, Holy and Gracious God, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Savior. To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
Solemn Prayer
In Lent, in place of a seasonal blessing, a solemn Prayer over the People is used. The prayer changes from week to week.
Closing Hymn #411 O bless the Lord, my soul
Commissioning of BREAD Network Members
After the Closing Hymn, BREAD Network Members are invited to gather at the font for this blessing, which will be followed by the Dismissal.
Friends in Christ, we are all baptized by the one Spirit into one Body, and given gifts for a variety of ministries for the common good.
N. have been called to the ministry of BREAD Network Members.
Praise be to God, who has called you to this service.
Let us pray.
Silence
Look with favor upon those whom you have called, O God, and grant that they may be so filled with your Holy Spirit, that they may minister in their chosen task with joy and steadfast devotion; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
In the Name of the One Holy and Undivided Trinity we recognize and bless your call to this vital ministry.
Dismissal
Let us go forth in the name of Christ
Thanks be to God.