"When Grief Comes to Your House"

Call to Worship

L: When all we have hoped for and trusted in has let us down; P: There is Christ who reaches out to us. L: When the world seems dark and despairs threatens to close in upon us; P: There is Christ, reaching out for us. L: Come and let us worship the Lord who is always ready to reach out to us. P: We humbly come before the Lord in hope and faith. AMEN.

Opening Prayer

We come into your presence, O Lord, with so many burdens and concerns on our hearts. Help us to be open to your words of healing and restoration. Bring us closer to you. Enable us to discern your will for us that we may serve you more faithfully by serving others in need. In Christ’s name, we pray.

Moment for Stewardship

The Way of Lent is a path that we travel each year,      as a time for us to remember Jesus’ journey. On that journey he met many people. On that journey, he meets us: in our times of prayer, in our times of blessing, in our times of worship, in our times of sharing. So, come, siblings in Christ! Come, share all that we have, all that we are,    for the love of our neighbours,    for the healing of creation,    for the hope of the world.

Opening Prayer    (in response to John 12:1-8)

Living, loving Lord, Thank you for bringing us together this day, whether in person or on-line,       so we might praise you. Thank you for the anticipation we have      of good which is yet to be made known. Thank you for the presence of Jesus in our midst. Help this hour be a time of gratitude and sharing,         even as we remember Jesus’ dinner         with Martha, Mary and the raised-up Lazarus.

John 11:17-26-New International Version

17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles[a] from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Benediction

Go in peace and may God’s peace go with you. Bring hope and healing to all whom you meet. Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.