Lambeth Methodist Circuit Worship Sheet – 29^th March 2020 – Fifth Sunday of Lent

Opening prayer

Compassionate God, you call us out of the bindings of death on this our resurrection day. Make us ready to surrender all of our fears and to step into this day and the days to come trusting in your goodness and renewing strength; through Jesus Christ, who conquered death that we might live in your abiding spirit. Amen.                                                             

Hymn StF 378

 Father of everlasting grace,
Thy goodness and Thy truth we praise,
Thy goodness and Thy truth we prove;
Thou hast, in honor of Thy Son,
The gift unspeakable sent down,
The Spirit of life, and power and love.

Send us the Spirit of Thy Son,
To make the depths of Godhead known,
To make us share the life divine;
Send Him the sprinkled blood to apply,
Send Him our souls to sanctify,
And show and seal us ever Thine.

So shall we pray, and never cease;
So shall we thankfully confess
Thy wisdom, truth, and power, and love;
With joy unspeakable adore,
And bless and praise Thee evermore,
And serve Thee as Thy hosts above:

Till, added to that heavenly choir,
We raise our songs of triumph higher,
And praise Thee in a nobler strain,
Out-soar the first-born seraph’s flight,
And sing, with all our friends in light,
Thy everlasting love to man.   

Prayer

Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known and from whom no secrets are hidden: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit that we might perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Spend a few moments now in silence opening up your secret regrets and fears knowing that you are forgiven and that God’s intention and hope is to bring all of us into a deeper relationship with our own selves and with each other so that we grow into the best version of who we can be.

Readings

Ezekiel 37: 1-14

John 11: 1-45

Reflection

Today’s texts give us grounds for hope as the intention of God is revealed for both nation and for individuals/families. The first reading – The Valley of Dry Bones – is spoken to a whole people – a nation – who are in exile but whom God will bring back home and to freedom. The Gospel reading speaks of Jesus’s great love for his friends – Mary, Martha and Lazarus – as Jesus restores Lazarus to life. It is the whole household that matters to Jesus. The restoration of Lazarus keeps the household intact. Without Lazarus Mary and Martha have no household, no protection in and from the society in which they live. They become single women, who have no status.

We need both the hope these texts give us and we need to reflect the compassion revealed.

Our nation, and indeed all the nations of the world are in exile. We might live in the same land but it seems like a strange and distant land. So, we pray and hope that in time we too will be released form our exile – and we will, as a nation, think hard about what this period of time might teach us about belonging to each other as one nation.

The gospel reveals what it is to live fragile lives. It teaches us that there are vulnerable families and vulnerable individuals who live in our midst. Yet, God is always on the side of those who are fragile. If you feel fragile at this time know that God is with you – when you have strength reach out to family, friends and church members who you might be able to comfort and support (with physical contact, of course). Make peace with others who you may have been in disagreement with. Be kind, loyal and compassionate to all.

May the risen Christ, who God raised from the dead, in the quietness of the garden, to reveal to those who have faith in God, that death can never overcome life, keep you in the Father’s love, this and every day.

Read Psalm 137 or StF 694 (below) or listen to a version of By the Rivers of Babylon on YouTube

STF 694

   1    By the Babylonian rivers we sat down in grief and wept; 

         hung our harps upon a willow, mourned for Zion while we slept.

   2    There our captors, in derision, did require of us a song;              

         so we sat with staring vision and the days were hard and long.

   3    Could we ever sing the Lord’s song in a strange and bitter land? 

         Can our voices veil the sorrow? Lord God, hear your lonely band.

Psalm 137, vv. 1-4 Ewald Joseph Bash (1924–1994)

Sit quietly for a while and reflect on loss and hope

Prayer

O God, we turn our attention towards those people and places where you already gaze with longing eyes

We pray for our loved ones…..

We pray for all the nations of the world affected by the coronavirus, especially those countries that re the poorest and least able to cope…

We pray for the leaders of the world, for medical professionals, for care workers, for food suppliers and all others who work n these dangerous times to support the community…

We pray for the Church across the world that it might be a faithful witness to the love and mercy revealed to us in Jesus…

We pray for all who are ill, vulnerable and in peril at this time… those who are hungry, those who are homeless, those who seek refuge, those who are ill in body, mind or spirit, those who live amidst war and terror…

We pray together the prayer that Jesus taught us – Our Father…

And may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with us all, this and every day. Amen.

  This week the service sheet has been prepared by the Rev'd Dr Andy Lyons