My friends, we have heard good news today!
May the joy of resurrection
and the hope of Easter
fill your hearts and minds
this week and in the coming year!
Come Lord Jesus!
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
praise God all creatures here below
for on this day of joy and gladness
Christ is risen from death and sadness!
Praise with hands and voices singing
praise with verse and chorus ringing
Christ the Lord is risen today
He is the Truth, the Life, the Way!
: In this service, we put ourselves into the shoes of Jesus’ family and closest friends as they mourned his death. They did not have a funeral for Jesus, but they saw his body and knew that he died. In our culture, we have a funeral for people who have died, when we perform that ritual, it is clear that someone has passed away. Having a service that is funeral-like on Good Friday can hammer home to us in a very deep, visceral way that Jesus really died. Most people have been to many Good Friday services where it is explained that Jesus died for our sins. That is an important message, but not one that this service talks about. This service doesn’t talk about that since we are putting ourselves into the shoes of the disciples and Jesus’ family; just after he died they were in a time of shock, of wondering and not understanding.
Let the hungry come to me, let the poor be fed
Let the thirsty come and drink, share my wine and bread
Though thou hast no money, come to me and eat!
Drink the cup I offer, feed on finest wheat!
(from Hymnal: A Worship Book, #464, Text Sr. Delores Dufner
We are hungry, Lord!
We come to church today with different types of hunger for you.
Some of us sit down at the table eagerly, with big appetites.
Some of us have come because we know we should eat, even though we don`t feel like it.
And some of us have lost our appetite, and we don`t even know why.
And yet you have drawn us to your welcoming table, one and all,
God, we give you today what is already yours.
You provide so much for us,
blessings pressed down,
shaken together,
running over.
Thank you for giving us the ability to give,
and cheerful hearts to do it.
Amen.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to give,
which we do with joyful, grateful hearts.
We look at the needs of the world,
and our offerings are small.
May they be like yeast,
gifts that grow to your glory,
multiplying like loaves that feed the world.
We pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
In this world: kingdom living.
In our mouths: kingdom praises.
In our hearts: kingdom goals.
In our hands: kingdom gifts.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as it is in heaven!
Accept our offerings, for yours is the kingdom,
the power and the glory, Amen.
God, we are broken.
Broken by violence,
broken by grief,
broken by confusion.
Our hearts are with people in _________
devastated by a terrible crime.
We are lamenting with those who have lost loved ones,
feeling for those who are traumatized,
wondering in disbelief.
We pray for the family of the person who committed the crime
as they mourn for him, and try to comprehend his deeds.
Thank you God for bright lights in dark times,
for sparkles and colours twinkling in the night,
for the whimsy and fun of Christmas decorations,
for the crimson of poinsettias and the deep evergreen of trees.
Thank you for savoury dishes and tasty treats,
for an abundance of food which allows for feasting,
all gifts from your good hands.
Thank you for the sound of Christmas carols,
of voices raised together in praise to you.
Thank you for the sound of children laughing.
In this season which is joyful for so many,
I am a Mennonite pastor currently teaching theology at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo, Ontario. I’ve served congregations in Ontario and most recently, Alberta.
I love to write and to lead worship! If you are finding my writing helpful, I would love to hear from you! Feel free to use or adapt the material here, it is all written by me. If printing material, please credit “Copyright Carol Penner www.leadinginworship.com” (and say whether you modified it). If publishing, please contact me for permission. Contact me at carol@leadinginworship.com
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