Metropolitan United Church London, Ontario, Canada

Lent V

Organ Prelude: Prelude on 'Adoro te devote' – Gilles Leclerc

Welcome & Announcements

The Christ Candle

Call to Worship - The Grace 

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ 

the love of God

and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit 

be with you.

All:  And also with you. 

Hymn VU#260 – God, who gives to life its goodness

Opening Prayer

A New Creed:  Let us declare our faith together:

We are not alone,  

 we live in God's world. 

We believe in God:    

who has created and is creating,    

who has come in Jesus,      

the Word made flesh,      

to reconcile and make new,    

who works in us and others      

by the Spirit.

We trust in God. 

We are called to be the Church:    

to celebrate God's presence,    

to live with respect in creation,    

to love and serve others,    

to seek justice and resist evil,    

to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,      

our judge and our hope.

In life, in death, in life beyond death,    

God is with us.We are not alone.

   Thanks be to God.SanctusHoly, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty

Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee

Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty

God in three persons, blessed Trinity!

Circle Time – – Training Choir Bells

Musical – Adoro Te Devote  - Jubilate Bells

Anthem – - Choristers - There is a green hill far away -  Ian Wicks

Call to Confession

Confession 

Assurance of Pardon

Responsive - Psalm 130 – VU#853

Call for the Offering

Offertory Prayer

O Lord, giver of life and source of freedom

We know that all we have received is from your hand.

You call us to be stewards of your abundance,

the caretakers of all you have entrusted to us

Help us to always use your gifts wisely

and teach us to share them generously.

May our faithful stewardships bear witness

to the love of Jesus Christ in our lives.  Amen.

Doxology (VU#541)

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

Praise him, all creatures here below;

Praise him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.  Amen.

VU#205 – Like the murmur of the dove's song

Pastoral & Lord's Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.  Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.  Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory for ever, and ever,  

Anthem – Christus factus est – Felice Anerio

Translation: Christ became obedient for us  even unto death, death on the cross. Therefore, God exalted Him and gave Him a name which is above all names.

The Scriptures – Ezekiel 37:1-14Pearl MacRae

37 The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"

I said, "Sovereign Lord, you alone know."

4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.'"

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.'" 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.

11 Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.'"

Message: Mission Impossible: A Grand Metaphor

Theme: Hope

"I will put my spirit within you and you shall live; and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act."  Ezekiel 37:14

Rev. Dr. David McMaster

Hymn VU#135 - Beneath the cross of Jesus

Commissioning & Benediction

Choral Amen Day by day – Harold Friedell

Musical Postlude: Our Father, who in heaven art – Johann Sebastian Bach