Worship for Sunday, January 31, 2021
Worship Order for Sunday, January 31, 2020
Prelude Come Alive! Farren and Daigle
Welcome, and Greeting
†Hymn of Praise Give to Our God Immortal Praise
Call to Worship (inspired by Ezekiel 37: 1-14)
Can these dry bones live?
Yes! The Breath of God will revive us! The Word of God will awaken us!
The winds of the Spirit are starting to move!
The dry bones are beginning to rattle!
Be ready to be amazed and astonished,
for God’s presence will fill this house of worship.
Today, we come together to experience new life.
Let us give thanks to the Wild, Life-Giving Spirit of God!
With hearts full of hope, let us worship the Lord! Hallelujah! and Amen.
Songs of Praise Days of Elijah Robin Mark
Living Water Keith & Kristyn Getty
Moment for Reflection & Opening Prayer
Call to Confession
Prayer of Confession
Holy God, we have heard Your story of hope for us, given through Your Word. Ever since the Day of Pentecost, we know that your Spirit is here, your church is born, and the day of the Lord is coming. You have gathered all people together in your Spirit, and you have brought life to all valleys of death. Still, O Lord, we cannot trust, for we fear our bones are beyond repair. Forgive us, Holy God.
Still, O Lord, we turn away, for we fear our hope is lost. Pardon our sense of hopelessness. Still, O Lord, we imagine isolation, for we fear we are cut off from your presence. We confess that we may more often be people of fear, rather than people of faith. Forgive us, Holy One. As you did for your first church, breathe the fire of life into us. As you did for your prophet Ezekiel, reveal to us your life-giving presence. We pray this prayer in the name of the one who is our hope, Your son and our Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.
Words of Blessing and Assurance
Song of Preparation His Strength is Perfect Steven Curtis Chapman
Prayer
Introduction of Rev. Dana Allin, ECO Synod Executive
Scripture Ezekiel 37: 1-14
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. He led me all round them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, ‘Mortal, can these bones live?’ I answered, ‘O Lord God, you know.’ Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 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.’
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. 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. 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.’ I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.
Then he said to me, ‘Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.” Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. 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, says the Lord.’
Sermon “New Life for Dry Bones”
Rev. Dana Allin
The Lord’s Prayer
Doxology
Closing Blessing
†Closing Hymn O God, Our Help in Ages Past