21A - Lent 3A — 23A - Lent 5A
See also my posts from 2014, 2017, 2020…
PSALM 23
LORD God, divine shepherd;
in the days ahead, just as it has been all my life,
I shall not want for anything.
You will rest me in rich pasture
and lead me beside calm waters.
You will bring my inner being back where it belongs,
and lead me along the right paths,
for the sake of your name.
Even when things seem at their darkest,
sensing your presence, I fear nothing;
you are sure of the way ahead, and you protect me.
Indeed, in spite of the adversity surrounding me
you continue to provide abundantly for my well-being;
anointing me with your hospitality
and pouring out blessing upon blessing.
Surely good and lovingkindness will pursue me all my days,
I will return, and you, O LORD,
shall be my dwelling-place for days without end.
OFFERING
Source of life,
receive the gifts we offer;
and let all our service,
inspired by the Breath of life
give you glory and praise;
in the name of the Word of life. Amen
A CREATIVE MOMENT – 1 Samuel 16:1-13 and John 9:1-41
Continue using the purple cloth from last week. It could be hung as a large plain banner or draped in a manner appropriate for your worship space. Place a small glass jug of water, a small pile of dirt and a small jug of oil on the worship/communion table: oil of anointing, water and soil for the mud of healing.
The gospel reading is quite long, but the numerous characters in it offer the opportunity for it to be presented in a dramatised form.
Today might be an occasion for a healing service, or a service which contains elements of such a service.
Click here for some ideas for worship in Lent and Easter gleaned from the pages of “On the Move” (now out of print) originally published by the Joint Board of Christian Education, Melbourne, Australia.
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
(A prayer, usually with connection to one or more of the lections for the day, to gather the spoken and silent concerns/joys/thanks expressed by the congregation and lead into a more structured Intercession. Sometimes this prayer also borrows lightly from other sources e.g. Uniting in Worship 2 or publications of the Iona Community.)
Loving God,
let the light of your Word, and the warmth of your Spirit
rejoice with those for whom life has begun anew,
dry the eyes of all who are weighed down with grief,
strengthen the weak and the lonely;
those we have named on our lips and in our hearts
and those whose troubles are known only to you;
that they may know your peace …
(The Prayers of the People continue)
Looking for contemporary music and song resources?
Try David MacGregor’s Together to Celebrate
Or metrical psalms? Try Dale A. Schoening’s Sing the Psalms
HYMN SUGGESTIONS FOR LENT 4 – YEAR A | ||
Christ whose glory fills the skies | TIS 212 | AHB 140 |
Sing praise and thanksgiving, | TIS 107 | AHB 25 |
Your words to me are life and health | TIS 430 | AHB 337 |
Your hand O God has guided | TIS 456 | AHB 389 |
1 Samuel 16:1-13 | ||
Hail to the Lord’s anointed | TIS 275 | AHB 203 |
Lord, I come to you | TIS 685 | |
Lord, let me see, see more and more | TIS 681 | |
This day God gives me | TIS 642 | AHB 570 |
Psalm 23 | ||
I know that my Redeemer lives | TIS 376 | AHB 299 |
I know that my Redeemer | TIS 202 | AHB 132 |
I set the Lord before my eyes | TIS 673 | SA 48 |
I will sing the wondrous story | TIS 233 | AHB 173 |
In all my ways, in every task | TIS 553 | |
Jesus, my Lord, let me be near you | TIS 656 | SA 54 |
O come, O come, Emmanuel | TIS 265 | AHB 193 |
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King | TIS 111 | AHB 28 |
The Lord is my shepherd, and I want to follow | TIS 659 | |
The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothin | TIS 11 | |
The Lord’s my shepherd, I’ll not want | TIS 10 | AHB 16 |
The king of love my shepherd is | TIS 145 | AHB 81 |
Ephesians 5:8-14 | ||
Awake, my soul, and with the sun | TIS 557 | AHB 469 |
Blessed Jesus, at your word | TIS 437 | AHB 352 |
God be in my head | TIS 549 | AHB 456 |
I want to walk as a child of the light | TIS 643 | |
Jesus comes with all his grace | TIS 219 | AHB 149 |
Jesus the name high over all | TIS 218 | AHB 150 |
Sing praise and thanksgiving | TIS 107 | AHB 25 |
There’s a wideness in God’s mercy | TIS 136 | AHB 72 |
Wake, awake! for night is flying | TIS 266 | AHB 195 |
John 9:1-41 | ||
Christ is the world’s light, he and none other | TIS 246 | AHB 191 |
Eternal light, shine in my heart | TIS 548 | |
I’ll praise my Maker while I’ve breath | TIS 90 | AHB 44 |
Jesus the Lord said, ‘I am the bread’ | TIS 239 | AHB 185 |
Lord, the light of your love is shining | TIS 675 | |
Lord, your almighty word | TIS 447 | AHB 61 |
Thank you for this wonderful resource. I am a trainee Lay Preacher and in my learning process it’s good to have quality resources. Well done!
Judith
Thank you Judith. It’s always gratifying to hear how these resources help in preparing worship.
Blessings as you continue in your training for the important ministry of Lay Preacher.
– Jeff