33C - Easter 3C — 35C - Easter 5C
See also my post from 2013, 2016, 2019, 2022
CALL TO WORSHIP (Psalm 23)
The Lord God is my shepherd, I shall not want.
You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and lovingkindness shall pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord God forever.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE (from Psalm 23)
Gracious God, you care for me; I need nothing more.
Hear the cry of those who are hungry;
hungry for justice, and dignity, hungry for freedom, and love.
You lead me into a haven of peace and rest.
Hear the cry of those who are alone;
those who grieve a relationship broken by death or human failing,
those who live in the isolation of a hospital room, a prison cell,
a frail body, a confused mind.
You breath new life into me and lead me in new ways.
God whose breath is life itself,
we pray for a just and caring use of your creation;
a fair sharing of its abundance, an ethical searching of its mysteries.
You are with me, and comfort me,
even when the darkness of the world looms large.
We pray for those who seek the truth;
those who cannot speak, and those who cannot be heard,
that the light of your Word
may shine in the darkness which overshadows their lives
In the face of those who trouble me
you provide for me, and pour out your blessings.
Hear the cry of those trampled by racial or religious intolerance,
disoriented by homelessness, defeated by unemployment;
God of justice and compassion you are with me always
and have promised to sustain me all my life.
Enlarge our vision of life, and make us bold in our hope,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
let our cry come to you;
. . . and with the saints in every age we pray,
Our Father in heaven . . . . .
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.
PSALM 23 (yet another translation from Jeff)
LORD God, divine shepherd;
I shall not want for anything.
You will rest me in rich pasture
and lead me beside calm waters.
You will bring back my life 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 will fear nothing;
you are sure of the way ahead,
and you will protect me.
In spite of the adversity surrounding me
you provide everything 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
Holy mystery we call God,
you bless your creation in so many ways:
we offer anew our giving and living.
By your Spirit of grace
enlarge our loving and serving
in the way of Jesus,
whom we seek to follow. Amen
For use in worship, with acknowledgement. © Jeff Shrowder 2000, 2013.
A CREATIVE MOMENT – Psalm 23
As for last week, place a bowl of water with a lighted tea candle floating in it, and a swathe of blue cloth, at the worship centre.
Members might be “shepherded” to their seats on this occasion, rather than “ushered”.
Sing the psalm (try a new arrangement??). After the singing, provide a quiet time during which a stuffed toy (sheep) is passed around the congregation to provide folk with another point of reflection on the psalm.
Click here for some ideas for worship in Lent and Easter gleaned from the pages of “On the Move” (now out of print), published by the Joint Board of Christian Education, Melbourne, Australia.
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
(A prayer to gather the spoken and silent concerns/joys/thanks expressed by the congregation and lead into a more structured Intercession with connection to the lections for the day. Sometimes this prayer borrows lightly from other sources e.g. Uniting in Worship 2 or publications of the Iona Community.)
Risen Jesus, Good Shepherd,
as you call so may we hear
and follow;
as you nurtured the flock given to you
so may we nurture those whom we name
in word and silence…
and where we cannot
there may your spirit of grace be,
company to the lonely…
comfort to those weighed down with grief…
those we have forgotten…
those whose troubles are known only to you..
(The Prayers of the People continue, perhaps with the those above based on Psalm 23)
Looking for contemporary music and song resources?
Try David MacGregor’s Together to Celebrate
| HYMN SUGGESTIONS FOR EASTER 4C |
|
| I’m not ashamed to own my Lord | TIS 562 |
| Serve you the Lord, heart filled with gladness | TIS 60 |
| Sing, all creation, sing to God in gladness | TIS 61 |
| The great love of God | TIS 164 |
| Acts 9:36-43 |
|
| All the sleepy should have a place to sleep | TIS 697 |
| Christ is risen! shout hosanna! | TIS 394 |
| Come, God’s people, sing for joy | TIS 391 |
| O Christ the healer, we have come | TIS 638 |
| PSALM 23 |
|
| Author of life divine | TIS 506 |
| I know that my redeemer lives | TIS 376 |
| I need you, Lord, for I have seen | TIS 625 |
| I set the Lord before my eyes | TIS 673 |
| I will sing the wondrous story | TIS 233 |
| In all my ways, in every task | TIS 553 |
| Jesus lives ! your terrors now | TIS 372 |
| Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King.. | TIS 111 |
| The king of love my shepherd is | TIS 145 |
| The Lord is my shepherd and I want to follow | TIS 659 |
| The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing | TIS 11 |
| The Lord’s my shepherd, I’ll not want. | TIS 10 |
| Revelation 7:9-17 |
|
| All hail the power of Jesus’ name | TIS 224 |
| Christ is the world’s redeemer | TIS 192 |
| Comfort, comfort, all my people | TIS 647 |
| For all the saints who from their labours rest | TIS 455 |
| Glorious things of you are spoken | TIS 446 |
| Glory be to God the Father | TIS 142 |
| God, we praise you, God, we bless you | TIS 99 |
| Holy God, we praise your name | TIS 127 |
| Worship, honour, glory, blessing | TIS 772 |
| You holy angels bright | TIS 108 |
| You servants of God, your master proclaim | TIS 215 |
| John 10:22-30 |
|
| Bread of the world, in mercy broken | TIS 512 |
| How sweet the name of Jesus sounds | TIS 223 |
| Joyful, joyful, we adore you | TIS 152 |
| O love how broad, how deep, how high | TIS 194 |
| Of the Father’s love begotten | TIS 290 |
| The word of the Lord lasts for ever | TIS 257 |