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L: Leader
R: Reader
A: Assembly

Invitation (From the main entrance of the worship space)

L: Blessed be our God at all times.

A: Now and forever. Amen.

L: Come, let us worship our God and King.

A: Let us worship Christ among us, our King and our God.

L: Come, let us bow down before the Lord our King and our God.

A: Holy God, Holy and Strong, Holy and Immortal, have mercy on us.

R1: When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.
(Movement into the main body of the worship space begins)

R2: When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home.

R3: Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.”

A: Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

R1: Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”

A: Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.”

R2: Do you believe this?
(Pause)

R3: Do you believe this?
(Pause)

R1: Do you believe this?
(Longer pause – everyone in their place)

Opening Hymn

L: 1,700 years ago, Christians struggled with questions of belief, confusion and difficulty. Out of these struggles, they were able to proclaim together their faith in the words of the Nicene Creed. Today, as a gathered community of Christians, we come together from different cultures and confessions to celebrate our common faith. Christ is in our midst.

A: He was. He is. And always shall be.

Words of Welcome (Host community)

Opening Prayers (Clement of Rome)

R1: O Creator and Guardian of every spirit, who multiply the human family upon earth, let all the peoples know that you are God alone, and Jesus Christ is your Son, and we all are your people, the flock of your pasture.

A: Kyrie, eleison! Lord, have mercy!

R2: Lord, we pray to you: be our help. Save those who are afflicted among us, have mercy on the wretched. Show your face to those in need.

A: Kyrie, eleison! Lord, have mercy!

R3: O Lord, faithful throughout all generations, righteous in your judgements, merciful and compassionate, forgive us our transgressions, cleanse us with your Truth, and guide our steps to walk in holiness and righteousness.

A: Kyrie, eleison! Lord, have mercy!

R4: Lord, make your face to shine upon us in peace for our good, give concord and peace to us and to all that dwell on the earth. Grant to our rulers wisdom and intelligence, direct their counsel so that they may administer their authority in justice and in peace.

A: Kyrie, eleison! Lord, have mercy!

The Word of God

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Psalm 131, Response: Hope in the LORD from this time on and forevermore.
O Lord, my heart is not lifted up,
my eyes are not raised to high. R.
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and too marvelous for me. R.
But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
my soul is like the weaned child that is with me. R.

1 Peter 1:3-9

Responsory

R: Great is the Lord, great is God’s might.

A: Great is the Lord, great is God’s might.

R: God’s wisdom has no bounds.

A: Great is God’s might.

R: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

A: Great is the Lord, great is God’s might.

Gospel

John 20:24-29

Silence/Hymn

Sermon/Homily

Silence/Hymn/Musical Interlude

Celebrating our Common Faith

Candles are handed out as the Leader says:

L: Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” In many Christian traditions, at baptism, the baptized or godparent is handed a lighted candle. Jesus also calls his followers to be the light of the world. We are each bearers of the risen light of Christ. We receive this light from Christ through one another. When everyone has received a candle, the Leader lights the first candle and shares the light with those nearby, who in turn share the light throughout the assembly. If a Paschal Candle or Christ Candle is present in the host community it may be of great value to use it as the source light for the others.

L: Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

A: “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.”

L: Let us love one another, so that with oneness of mind, we may confess the faith into which we were all baptized:

A: We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made; of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us all, and for our salvation he came down from heaven; and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose from the dead in accordance with the scriptures. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father. Who, with the Father and the Son, is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. We confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and to life in the age to come. Amen.

R1: What wonder then, if, coming to God, we first of all profess that we believe, seeing that, without this, not even common life can be lived. – Rufinius of Aquileia (c. 344-411)

R2: Draw us more deeply to one faith in you so that we may witness to the world.

A: We believe. Help our unbelief.

R1: His light appeared and made the darkness of the prison disappear and hallowed our birth and destroyed death, loosing those same fetters in which we were enchained. – Irenaeus of Lyon. (c. 135-198)

R2: Compassionate Lord, lead us to work together so that wherever there is darkness and oppression, suffering and injustice, we may bring your light and freedom.

A: We believe. Help our unbelief.

L: As sisters and brothers of Jesus, together we pray in the words he gave us:

A: Our Father…

Concluding Prayer (from the Bose community)

L: God our Father, accept our praise and thanksgiving for what already unites Christians in the confession of and witness to Jesus the Lord. Hasten the hour when all churches will recognize each other in the one communion you willed and for which your Son prayed to you in the power of the Holy Spirit. Hear us, you who live and reign now and forever.

A: Amen.

L: Let us bless the Lord.

A: Thanks be to God.

L: May he who is our peace and has made us one, grant that we may present one another to the Father in the one Spirit.

A: Amen.

Closing Hymn