Liturgy

Welcome to this community that is gathering this morning.

You are invited to bring all the messiness in your life.
Your confusion, your unease, your uncertainty;
all of who you are is welcome to participate.

God, will you help us soften our resistance?
Will you help us release our desire for control
just a little more this morning?

You are invited to bring the parts of you
which have been rejected and humiliated.
You are invited to risk a bit in hoping again.

God, will you stand with us as
we open our hearts once again to
trust, hope, and love more deeply?

We pray in the name
of God, our divine Queen,
Christ, our divine Prophet,
Spirit, our divine Priest,
amen.
(Lauryn Williams)

Scripture

We invite you to hear from the book of Ezekiel 37:

1 The hand of the LORD came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. 3 He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.”

4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 I will lay sinews on you and will cause flesh to come upon you and cover you with skin and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the LORD.”7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded, and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone.

8 I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them, but there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” 10 I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God!

The grass withers and the flower fades,
but the Word of the Lord endures forever. Amen.

Homily and Reflection

Homily Podcast – This Side of Heaven 3.26.2023

Where in your life are you longing for resurrection? Can you lay that before God?

Is there somewhere in your life where you are facing resistance to resurrection? Can you lean into Trust?

Where have you already experienced resurrection? Can you make space for joy and gratitude?

Benediction

Let us end with a benediction.
We invite us all now
to take a deep breath.

May we empty ourselves a bit more
of perfectionism and control-seeking.

May we carry the memory of today;
this liturgy, these faces, voices, and prayers
into the uncertainty of what this week holds.

May our breath sustain, awaken,
and enliven you as you go forth.

Go now in the name
of God, our Creator
Christ, our Living Example
& Spirit, our Sustaining Breath.
Amen.

Go in peace, and live the church.
May you find belonging and community.
See you throughout the week.

[ Photo by Monica Galentino ]