Healing Service | March 27, 2024
GATHERING
The Holy Spirit gathers us into a community of prayer.
Standing GREETING AND WELCOME
The God of healing, hope, and wholeness be with you all. And also with you.
The Son of righteousness fill you with hope and peace. May it be the same for our neighbors and friends.
The Spirit of holiness and resurrection stir within you.
May the wind that brought forth creation from chaos continue to do so.
HYMN 607
I Want Jesus to Walk with Me
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Holy God of all creation, every breeze, tide, and tectonic shift is known to you. All times and places are held within your infinite expanse of grace. Guide us in your mercy to perceive our place of rest in your faithfulness, which you have revealed to all through Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord. To him, with you and the Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory, now and forever.| Amen.
WORD
God speaks to us in scripture reading, silence, reflection, and song.
Seated
THE READING
Isaiah 61:1-3a
The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to provide for those who mourn in Zion to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, to display his glory.
PSALM 23
(Read responsively)
The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:
For Thou art with me, Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; Thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Standing
HOLY GOSPEL
Matthew 26:6-13Now while Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table. But when the disciples saw it, they were angry and said, ‘Why this waste? For this ointment could have been sold for a large sum, and the money given to the poor.’ But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, ‘Why do you trouble the woman? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. By pouring this ointment on my body she has prepared me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.’
Seated SILENCE FOR REFLECTION
We are now entering a time of silence. For some of us, this stillness is welcome and invited. For others, the quiet is disruptive or unsettling. There is no one right way to do this. As your thoughts come, ask God to hold them for you. If particular prayer requests come to mind, jot them down on a PostIt note. While we are here together, there is nowhere else you need to be. Consider the pioneer of our faith, Jesus, sitting with you in silence. Settle into the rest of this time and allow it to settle into you.
INVITATION TO LAY YOUR PRAYERS AT THE CROSS Standing
HYMN 335
Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross
PRAYER
The Holy Spirit prays with us and through us.
Kneeling or seated PRAYERS
God the Father, you desire the health and salvation of all people. We praise you and thank you, O Lord.
God the Son, you came that we might have life and might have it more abundantly. We praise you and thank you, O Lord.
God the Holy Spirit, you make our bodies the temples of your presence. We praise you and thank you, O Lord.
Holy Trinity, one God, in you we live and move and have our being. We praise you and thank you, O Lord.
Lord, grant your healing grace to all who are sick, injured, or disabled, that they may be made whole;
hear us, O Lord of life.
Grant to all who are lonely, anxious, or despondent the awareness of your presence;
hear us, O Lord of life.
Mend broken relationships, and restore those in emotional distress to soundness of mind and serenity of spirit;
hear us, O Lord of life.
Bless physicians, nurses, and all others who minister to the suffering; grant them wisdom and skill, sympathy and patience;
hear us, O Lord of life.
Grant to the dying a peaceful, holy death, and with your grace strengthen those who mourn;
hear us, O Lord of life.
Restore to wholeness whatever is broken in our lives, in this nation, and in the world as we name our prayers to you (here other prayers may be spoken)……Hear us, O Lord of life:
heal us, and make us whole.
Gracious God, in baptism you anointed us with the oil of salvation, and joined us to the death and resurrection of your Son. Bless all who seek your healing presence in their lives. In their suffering draw them more deeply into the mystery of your love, that following Christ in the way of the cross, they may know the power of his resurrection; who lives and reigns forever and ever.
Amen
Seated LAYING ON OF HANDS AND ANOINTING
Those who wish to receive the laying on of hands (and anointing) come to one of the pastors. Please share any specific prayer requests that you might have. The minister lays both hands on each person’s head in silence, after which he or she may dip a thumb in the oil and make the sign of the cross on the person’s forehead, saying:
May God’s healing love and mercy sustain you by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
After all have returned to their seats:
As you are anointed with this oil,
May God bless you with the healing power of the Holy Spirit.
May God forgive you your sins, release you from suffering, and restore you to wholeness and strength.
May God deliver you from all evil, preserve you in all goodness, and bring you to everlasting life, through + Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Standing GREAT THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you. | And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. | We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. | It is right to give our thanks and praise.
In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.
Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.
Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray...
LORD’S PRAYER
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.
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; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
COMMUNION
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace. Amen.
Generous God, at this table we have tasted your immeasurable grace. As grains of wheat are gathered into one bread, now make us one loaf to feed the world; in the name of Jesus, the Bread of life. Amen.
SENDING
God blesses us and sends us in mission to the world.
Standing
BLESSING AND DISMISSAL
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and ☩ give you peace.
Amen
HYMN 543 Go, My Children, with My Blessing
Text © 1983 Concordia Publishing House
Outside USA: Arr. from The English Hymnal, © Oxford University Press 1906 onelicense.net#A725004
Go in peace. The Spirit of healing goes with you. Thanks be to God.
A sign of peace may be shared by all.