Worship Resources for
the Center for Faith and Giving
Lent V
Ezekiel 37:1-1
Psalm 130
Romans 8:6-11
John 11:1-45
Call to Worship (inspired by Psalm 130)
L: We’ve come to worship God, for whom we wait.
P: We rejoice because the Lord covers us with forgiveness.
L: More than those who watch for the morning, our souls wait for the Lord.
P: With God there is steadfast love!
L: With the Lord there is great power to redeem each one!
P: So we ask God to hear our voices as we pray!
Opening Prayer
Loving God, we’ve come to offer you our praise this morning, eager to hear you as we sing, learn, and commune. In this season of Lent we seek your presence even as we fast, pray, and share our financial resources.
May this hour fill us with confidence because of your love and your power. As forgiven followers of Jesus, the Christ, we act and we pray, AMEN
Moment for Stewardship
The story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead astonishes the disciples, Mary and Martha (Lazarus’ sisters), and millions who have read this story over nearly two thousand years!
Yet in the midst of John’s recounting this healing, we recognize this as a prime example of Jesus giving what he could give to those whom he loved.
As followers of Jesus, we’re invited to give what we can give, not just once but in every moment. We can sometimes give time. There are moments when we can give because of a particular talent we can share. And there are regular opportunities for us to give of our financial resources to build up God’s Realm on earth.
We’re preparing to celebrate God raising Jesus from the dead, and the promise of eternal life which we’ve inherited as God’s beloved children. How much more can we celebrate than to bring our tithes, our offerings, and our gifts, intending to provide resources for the Body of Christ right here and around the world.
Know your gifts can help bring life!
Resources shared today will build up this congregation and reach beyond, “from our doorsteps to the ends of the earth.”
Let us receive our morning offering!
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Generous God,
You’ve given us life!
You’ve given us air to breathe, water to drink, land to provide food.
Most of all, you’ve given us Jesus.
In gratitude, we’ve brought symbols of our lives –
time and talent turned into checks, dollars, and hands full of change.
Receive these gifts
and push us to use them wisely
to share Good News with a hurting world. AMEN
Invitation to Communion
Week by week, we come to this Table, bringing ourselves “the best that we can.” Sometimes we’re caught in grief, as Martha and Mary were after the death of their brother. Sometimes we’re filled with fear, as the disciples were when Jesus announced he was going back to Judea (where his life had been threatened). Sometimes we’re living in disbelief, as many were when Jesus called out to Lazarus and he appeared at the door of the cave.
All of us, in whatever situation this day finds us, are invited to come share in the feast at the Lord’s Table. Here we’re invited to remember Jesus in the breaking of the bread and the sharing of the cup.
Alexander Campbell, one of those who began the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) over 200 years ago, wrote a communion affirmation which a contemporary Disciple minister (David Edwards) paraphrased into the hymn we’ll sing as we prepare to commune.
The fourth verse instructs us:
So let us renew our faith, remembering our Lord;
to our strong hope we will hold fast, unshaken to the end.
“When you do this, remember me.”
Come! Sing it out!
Use Chalice Hymnal #400 (with Alexander’s Affirmation on Chalice Hymnal #401)