PRELUDE: Improvisation on “Veni Creator Spiritus” by Alfred Fedak
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
CALL TO WORSHIP
HYMN: Gracious Spirit, Heed Our Pleading [Njoo Kwetu, Roho Mwema]
PRAYER
INTROIT: Holy Spirit, Come and Fill Us by Joseph M. Martin
Holy Spirit, come and fill us. Breath of Life and Heavenly Dove, come and know us, come and form us in the spirit of his love. Holy Comfort sent from heaven, you provide our every need, every pain and sorrow bearing every tear and scar you read. Holy Truth, quiet touch from heaven, peace beyond the minds of all, fill us with your understanding, may our hearts become your hands. “Til on that day, we see the Savior, we must search with hearts of faith for a glimpse of Heaven’s glory, in the shadow of His grace.
PRAYER
SCRIPTURE: Ezekiel 37:1-14//ANTHEM: Valley of Bones by Nick Strimple
Words spoken over organ and sound effects:
The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the midst of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me round among them; and behold there were very many upon the valley; and lo, they were very dry. And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” and I answered, “O Lord God, thou knowest.” Again 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: behold I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live, and I will lay sinews upon 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 was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling: and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And as I looked, 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, son of man, 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 life.” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great host. Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say,” “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are clean cut off!” Therefore prophesy, and say to them, “Thus says the Lord God: Behold I will open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you home into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done it, says the Lord.”
Quartet:
Hallelujah! Almighty God who brought us forth from death to life, that living we might sing your praise, be with us still that we may never forget: ‘twas you who saved us!
Congregation with Quartet:
Infuse our bones, our flesh our spirits with your grace, that singing we might seek your will, and gratefully acknowledge all our days: ‘twas you who saved us!
Quartet:
Help us proclaim the news of your redeeming love to those who languish in despair, that they may find in you new life and sing Hallelujah.
Congregation with Quartet:
Eternal God, who brought us forth from death to life, fill all creation with your Spirit’s breath, that we on earth may join in heaven’s praise: Hallelujah!
SERMON: “Skeletal Revival”
ANTHEM: Walk Dem Bones! Traditional Spiritual, arr. by Saundra Berry Musser
Walk, walk, walk dem bones, walk dem bones! Bones, dem bones, dem dry bones. Now hear the word of the Lord. Ezekiel saw the wheel, way up in the middle of the air. The little wheel run by faith, and the big wheel run by the grace of God. A wheel in a wheel, way in the middle of the air. Round and round. Ezekiel connected dem dry bones. Now hear the word of the Lord. The toe bone connected to the foot bone. The foot bone connected to the ankle bone. The ankle bone connected to the leg bone. The leg bone connected to the knee bone. The knee bone connected to the thigh bone. The thigh bone connected to the hip bone. The hip bone connected to the back bone. The back bone connected to the shoulder bone. The shoulder bone connected to the neck bone. The neck bone connected to the head bone. Now hear the word of the Lord! Bones, dem bones gonna walk around.
PRAYER
HYMN: O Day of Joy and Wonder! [Jonathan’s Tune]
BENEDICTION
RESPONSE: God’s Got the Whole World by Mark A. Miller
God’s got the whole world, God’s got the whole world in God’s hands. God has you and me in those hands, God’s got the whole world, the whole world in God’s hands. [Spiritual, adapted Mark A. Miller]
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