Lent Liturgy: Cry Out In Silence

Lenten Meditation

Notes:

Sanctuary lights dim

Blinds down

Candles in windows

All altar candles lighted

Baptismal Font up front in the center aisle, lighted from behind

Table with “Prayer Candles”(unlit votives), a few individual candles with which to light “Prayer Candles” on the left

Labyrinth on floor (pulpit removed)

In this service let the “Silence” expand. Don’t rush. Give people time to “settle” into the silence and let it flow. Be sure to inform the Readers to take a minute and sit down between readings so people have time to reflect on the scripture.

Prayer Leaders will provide/lead/say prayers on the suggested intercessions. Prayers in [ ] are suggested topics. These might be based on the scriptures for the day. Prayers may be taken from independent sources or if a formal “Prayer of the Church” is used various petitions from this may be divided among the Prayer Leaders. Prayer Leaders should allow for intercessions from the congregation using the words “and your prayers...” or similar words.

Order of Worship

▲ = Stand as you are able▼ = Sit

Music for Meditation

Invocation:

▲ P: The Lord be with you.

C: And also with you.

P: The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread? One thing I ask of the Lord, only that do I seek: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, to frequent His temple.

C: Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; have mercy on me, answer me. . . . You have ever been my help. Do not forsake me, do not abandon me, O God, my deliverer.

P: Though my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will take me in. Teach me Your way, O Lord, And lead me in a level path. (Psalm 27)

Song: Come

"Lord of all light, come, come....Come Lord of light."

"God of all grace, come, come....Come God of grace."

"Lord of all love, come, come....Come Lord of love."

Silence

(spoken over music)

P: Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity And cleanse me from my sin.

C: For I know my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge.

P: Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin I was conceived.

C: Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.

P: Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

C: Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

P: Make me to hear joy and gladness, Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.

C: Hide Your face from my sins And blot out all my iniquities.

P: Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit.

C: Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation; Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.

P: O Lord, open my lips, That my mouth may declare Your praise. For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. (Psalm 51)

Confession:

P: In the dark of night God calls to us; beckoning us on, seeking us out, calling us to peace, to quietness, to wholeness.

C: The world is dark around us, filled with coldness, terror and restlessness.

P: It is a darkness of our creation: Greed, hatred, envy: brokenness.

C: Take us and heal us of every evil. Bring us back into the comfort and closeness of your embrace, O God.

P: Your cleansing love, O God, purifies our darkness restoring it to us: Warm, comforting, restful: complete.

C: In the dark of our night we hear God call, offering love and strength and forgiveness.

▼ Those who wish, may come forward with their written concerns/confessions and place them in the Baptismal Font.

Those who wish for a Blessing of Healing may continue to the altar.

Silence

When all have returned to their seats the pastor continues:

(end music)

P: With God the darkness brings comfort not fear, love not hatred, righteousness not punishment. Walk in the darkness of your life as in the light, for both the dark and the light belong to God, as do you.

C: Amen.

Scripture Song:

Prayer Leader 1:

First Scripture Lesson:

L: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

Pray for [ourselves and others to return to God.]

(Intercessions from the congregation.)

Silence

Song O Lord, Hear My Prayer

Text: Psalm 102:1-2; adapt. Taize Community, 1982

Music: Jacques Berthier, 1923-1994

(repeat as desired)

Prayer Leader 2:

Scripture Lesson:

L: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

Pray for [those in need.]

(Intercessions from the congregation.)

Lighting of Candles in Remembrance

The congregation may come forward and light a votive(s) in remembrance of a person, prayer, or concern, while the song is sung.

Song: Stay Here

Text: Matthew 26:38, 45; Taize Community

Music: Jacques Berthier, 1923-1994

(repeat as desired)

Silence

Prayer Leader 3:

Scripture Lesson:

L: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

Pray for [those the Church and those in authority.]

(Intercessions from the congregation.)

Silence

Anthem: My Soul Is At Rest In God Alone (Berthier) or other appropriate music

▲ P: Gospel Lesson

P: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

Silence

▼ Message

▲ Theme Song:

Testimony of Faith:

Into the silence of the void the Creator spoke, and the world came into being. The Word of God in the vastness brought light from darkness, matter from nothing, flesh from dust, life from lifelessness.

In the quiet of a small town in Palestine the Word of God came to us. Even though of one being with the Creator, Jesus our Christ, taking on human form, was born, lived, and walked among us, speaking the words of life. He was crucified, died, and was buried. He rose from the dead and speaks to us today. He is the one who saves us from ourselves.

In the stillness of our souls the Spirit of God, who is one with the Creator and the Christ, whispers the Word, and calls us back to the Creator, back to the Christ, back to the wholeness of everlasting life in the unity of the Creator, Christ and Spirit.

Song: Veni Sanct Spiritus/Holy Spirit, come to us

Text: Pentecost Sequence; Taize Community, 1978

Music: Jacques Berthier, 1923-1994

Cantor/choir sings verses, Congregation sings the Ostinato

(repeat as desired)

Prayer Leader 4:

▲ Pray for peace

- in Iraq, Afghanistan, & other areas of conflict

- in the rest of the world

- in our nation

- in our city and neighborhood

- in our homes

- in our congregation(s)

- in our selves

(Intercessions from the congregation.)

The Sharing of the Peace:

P: In giving us back our lives, O God, you have forgiven us more than we deserve. Out of thankfulness and joy we share that gift with those around us as we gather at your table of love, forgiving as you forgave. Peace be with you.

C: And also with you.

All may share a greeting of peace.

▼ Offering of Gifts and Music

▲ Offering Prayer:

A: O God of our being, we give you thanks and praise for the life you have given us.

C: You have created us and restored us, blessing us with more than we can ever name or ever repay. We offer to you, O God, these tokens of love and gratitude: our time, our talents, our possessions. Use them and us as you will for we are yours. Amen.

. Eucharistic Prayer:

P: You know that you were ransomed from the useless way of life

not with perishable things,

silver and gold,

But with the costly blood of Christ—

as a lamb without blot or blemish.

Christ having been known before the foundation of the world

was made visible at the end of time for your sake,

through him the faithful are in God

Who raised him from the dead and gave him glory,

So that your faith and hope are in God.

1 Peter 1:18-21

For I received from the Lord

that which I also handed down to you—

that the Lord Jesus

in the night in which He was betrayed took bread;

and after giving thanks, He broke it and said,

“This is My body, which is for you;

do this in remembrance of Me.”

In the same way also He took the cup after supper, saying,

“This cup is the new covenant which is in My blood;

do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup,

you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

I Corinthians 11:23-26

The Lord’s Prayer:

P: Let us pray the prayer Jesus taught us,

C: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.

.Communion Song: Eat This Bread

Text: John 6; adapt. Robert Batastini, b. 1942, and the Taize Community

Music: Jacques Berthier, 1923-1994

Distribution of Holy Communion

If you wish you may request a blessing instead of receiving the bread and wine

▲ Dismissal from Holy Communion:

P: May the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ be for you the food of everlasting life, sustaining, upholding and keeping you always in the grace of God.

C: Amen.

Prayer:

A: You have had mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love;

C: According to your abundant mercy you have blotted out my transgressions. You have washed me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleansed me from my sin. You have hidden your face from my sins, and blotted out all my iniquities. You send me forth a new person. Amen.

Song: Nothing Can Trouble

Text: St. Teresa of Jesus: Taize Community , 1986, 1991

Music: Jacques Berthier, 1923-1994

(repeat as desired)

Blessing:

P: May God bless you now and always in all things. Rejoicing in your renewal, go now, share Christ, your friend, your brother, your constant companion who is in you, knowing that you are filled with the Spirit and empowered to act as the hands of God here and now.

C: Amen.

▼ Community Announcements

. ▲ Sending Song:

Dismissal:

A: Go in peace. Serve the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

Postlude