| Welcome to worship at ______________.
Guests and members are invited to sign a Welcome Card found in the
pew racks. |
| Prelude |
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| Call to Worship |
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| Presider: |
My brothers and sisters: In the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ I welcome you.
To the weary, the burdened, and the sorrowing: “Come to
me and I will give you rest.” Place yourselves now in Christ’s
compassionate presence. He desires to share your pain so that he
may sorrow with you and grant you peace.
May the Lord be with you. |
| Congregation: |
And also with you. |
| Special Music |
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Opening Dialogue based on Matthew 11:28-30 |
Presider: |
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened. |
Congregation: |
We come with our burdens, our heavy hearts, our worries,
weariness and fears. |
Presider: |
I will give you rest. |
Congregation: |
We come in need of rest and reassurance of your love
for us. |
Presider: |
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle
and humble in heart. |
Congregation: |
We come to receive your gentle teaching and to surrender
to Your will. |
Presider: |
You will find rest for your souls. |
Congregation: |
We come with open hearts, Lord, inviting Your peace
and restoration. |
Presider: |
My yoke is easy and my burden is light. |
Congregation: |
We come asking for courage to accept your yoke and for
faith to carry its lightness. |
Presider: |
Let us pray. God of all comfort and consolation, be
with us now in our prayer. We suffer with those who suffer; we die
with those who die. Touch us in the deepest recesses of our grief,
in those hidden places we fear to acknowledge or give to your keeping.
Help us be compassionate toward those who are sick. Help us be gentle
with ourselves. May we come to understand and accept the mystery of
sickness and death which holds our loved ones in its grip. In the
fullness of time and in the slowness of our hearts speak to us your
word of comfort and your word of peace. We ask this in the power of
the Spirit and in your Son, Jesus Christ, the Lord |
Congregation: |
Amen. |
| Special Music |
(chosen by worship planning team. Some suggested O.T. scripture:
Isaiah 61:1-3; Psalm 103:1-5; Isaiah 40:1. If there is room, it
is helpful to print the text of the lessons in the bulletin) |
Parish Nurse |
Presider: |
The journey of life brings each of us, at one time
or another, to a place of pain. Without our will we are brought
into life; against our will we are forced to confront the pain of
sickness and sorrow of death.
Each of you knows the pain associated with the sickness and death
of those you love. Your concern is for them, and yet your own hearts
are torn apart. Your own lives are disrupted.
This pain and disruption you may nobly try to deny; yet it is
there. It may bring you anger, or lead you to bargain with God and
with life “if only things could be different.” Or it
may make you very, very sad.
Yet, however you feel at this moment, the healing power of Christ
seeks to touch your hearts. He seeks to lead you to accept and embrace
this life with all its mystery, and to discover his love for you
in the midst of this sadness and grief.
May we spend a few moments in quiet reflection before our God,
and allow ourselves to experience honestly and with reverence the
feelings which are uniquely our own. Let us express ourselves to
God in truth, without fear of shame |
| (A time of silence for reflection) |
|
| First Reading |
Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet
we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But
he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises
we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have all turned
to our own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
So the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and
gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
|
Isaiah 53:4-6
Isaiah 51:11 |
| Second Reading |
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed
us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to
be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption
as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure
of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed
on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood,
the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his
grace. |
Ephesians 1:2-7 |
| Message |
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Special Music |
We invite all who desire prayer to come forward at this time. When
you come forward, we ask that you say your name (the pastor may know
you, the others praying may not). You may be specific with your prayer
request or as general as your desire. You may then return to your
place by the side aisles. |
Healed |
Prayers |
|
Presider: |
Thank you, Lord, for leaving your peace with us. Give
your peace to us now. Let our hearts not be troubled and help us not
be fearful. Lord, in your mercy, |
Congregation: |
Hear our prayer. |
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Presider: |
Thank you, God, for being our place of safety. Help
us feel your strength and know your help in this time of trouble.
Lord, in your mercy, |
Congregation: |
Hear our prayer. |
Presider: |
Thank you, Lord, that you keep our lamps burning. Turn
now, our darkness into light. Lord, in your mercy |
Congregation: |
Hear our prayer. |
|
Presider: |
Gracious God, we desire to have no anxiety about anything.
We now make our requests known to you, giving thanks. Let your peace,
O God, which passes all understanding keep our hearts and our minds
in Christ Jesus. |
Congregation: |
Amen |
| The Lord's Prayer |
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 trespasses, as we
forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, forever and ever. Amen |
| Blessing |
During the prayers for healing you are invited to join
in singing the Taize chants (printed on the insert) for prayerful
meditation. We will sing each song several times. Let the song leaders
guide you. |
Presider: |
Signed with the cross of Christ, and touched with his
healing grace, go forth now from this place to serve God’s people
in compassion, kindness, and love. |
Congregation: |
Thanks be to God. |
| Hymn |
Congregation sings verse 4
Beautiful Savior,
Lord of the nations,
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor,
praise, adoration,
now and forevermore be thine! |
Beautiful Savior |
