The tree of life (logo of the World Federation of Methodist & Uniting Church Women) A symbol of...

The tree of life(logo of the World Federation of

Methodist & Uniting Church Women)

A symbol of unity for women around the world

Nutmeg tree

What provides flavour and zest to our lives?

Fig tree

What fruit are we bearing in our lives?

Breadfruit tree

Do we use all the resources God has given us?

Winter tree

Can we see beauty in barrenness?

Budapest memorial tree

How do we remember and commemorate suffering?

Tree of health

How can we engage in healing in our communities?

Transformation

The cross is transformed

from a tree of death into a tree of life

Singing the Faith 651

Prayer of approach/Introit

Lord of life, we come to you.Lord of all, our Saviour be.Come to bless and to healwith the light of your love.

Catherine Walker (b 1958)

Call to worship

Christ is alive! Let Christians sing;

The cross stands empty to the sky.

Let streets and homes with praises ring.

Love, drowned in death, shall never die.


1/5

Hymn

Christ is alive! No longer bound to distant years in Palestine,but saving, healing, here and now, and touching every place and time.

2/5

In every insult, rift and war, where colour, scorn or wealth divide,Christ suffers still, yet loves the more, and lives, where even hope has died.

3/5

Women and men, in age and youth, can feel the Spirit, hear the call,and find the way, the life, the truth, revealed in Jesus, freed for all.

4/5

Christ is alive and comes to bring good news to this and every age;till earth and sky and ocean ring with joy, with justice, love and praise.

5/5Brian Wren (b. 1936)

Introduction to

Prayers of adoration and confession

Creator God, you designed a world of beauty and wholeness:

for colours, textures and scents which delight our senses, we adore you

for the understanding of science and nature which heals our bodies, we adore you

for music, art and conversation which soothe our spirits, we adore you.

Jesus, Redeemer of the world, you demonstrated a life of abundance and sacrifice:

for your humility in coming amongst us to share our frailty, we worship you

for your self-emptying upon the cross that we might be healed, we worship you

for your Resurrection from the dead, announcing that death is not the end, we worship you.

Holy Spirit, your winds of reconciliation and healing blow throughout the world:

for your work in our lives, giving us courage and energy, we praise you

for your gentle touch upon us, restoring hope, we praise you

for your power within us, enabling us to forgive and be reconciled, we praise you.

Lord of all,

we have not always appreciated and shared your creation, Lord have mercy

we have not always lived out your message of death and resurrection, Lord have mercy

we have not always been open to the change your Spirit brings, Lord have mercy.

(A moment of silence) Leader: Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, you hear our prayers and forgive our sins. Fill our worship and work through our lives that we may be your agents of healing and reconciliation in the world.

We pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Old Testament Reading:

Ezekiel 47:6-12

The Church as a healing community in Kenya.

Maua Methodist Hospital, Meru, Kenya

Photo: Stephen Gitonga Rural living in Kenya

Kanja’s home Photo: Stephen Gitonga

Kanja and her familyPhoto: Stephen Gitonga

O God of hope, your prophets spoke

of days when war would cease:

when, taught to see each person's worth,

and faithful stewards of the earth,

we all would live in peace

(we all would live in peace).

Singing the Faith 708Hymn

1/5

We pray that our divided worldmay hear their words anew:then lift for good the curse of war,let bread, with justice, bless the poor,and turn in hope to you(and turn in hope to you).

2/5

Earth’s fragile web of life demandsour reverence and our care,lest in our folly, sloth and greed,deaf both to you and others’ need,we lay our planet bare,(we lay our planet bare).

3/5

Earth’s rich resources give us powerto build or to destroy:your Spirit urges us to turnfrom selfish, fear-bound ways, and learnGod’s selfless trust and joy,(God’s selfless trust and joy).

4/5

The Prince of Peace is calling usto shun the way of strife:he brings us healing through his pain;our shattered hope is born againthrough his victorious life,(through his victorious life).

5/5Basil Bridge (b. 1927) (alt.)

Gospel Reading:

Luke 9:1-6

The Church as a reconciling community in Croatia

Photo: Touch of Hope

Ovchara: place of execution of 200 Croatian men

Ecumenical women’s reconciliation workshopPhoto: Touch of Hope


Training facilitators for reconciliation workshops

“Draw a healthy person”

Reconciliation workshop led by “Touch of Hope”


For the healing of the nations,

Lord, we pray with one accord;

for a just and equal sharing

of the things that earth affords.

To a life of love in action

help us rise and pledge our word.


1/4

Lead us forward into freedom;

from despair your world release,

that, redeemed from war and hatred,

all may come and go in peace.

Show us how through care and goodness

fear will die and hope increase.

2/4

All that kills abundant living,

let it from the earth be banned;

pride of status, race, or schooling,

dogmas that obscure your plan.

In our common quest for justice

may we hallow life’s brief span.

3/4

You, Creator-God, have written

your great name on humankind;

for our growing in your likeness

bring the life of Christ to mind;

that by our response and service

earth its destiny may find.

4/4Fred Kaan (1929-2009)

New Testament Reading:

Revelation 22:1-5

The Church bringing vision in Sri Lanka

Photos: TMCP

The sign at Navajeevanam

Tamara Wray,Methodist Youth

President 2013-14

(Eating string hoppers

in Sri Lanka!)

The ruined dormitory

What was the dining room

Rev. Nishanta Guneratne in October 2014. Behind him the rice crop due to be harvested

in March/April 2015

New growth at Navajeevanam

There is a new heaven; there is a new earth;

there is a new city that God brings to birth.

It lives in the mind of our Saviour this day

where tears, pain, and sadness are all wiped away.


1/6

Come, people of God,

your courage renew,

for God reigns already,

creates life anew.

Be faithful and bold

to welcome God’s day,

that tears, pain, and sadness

may vanish away.

2/6

The homeless and hungry will sing a new song,

For leisure and labour to all shall belong;

Distinctions, divisions which hurt and destroy

Will all disappear, leaving love, hope and joy.

3/6


your courage renew,


creates life anew.




may vanish away.

4/6

The river lifegiving shall stream from God’s throne,

with healing, forgiving: war shall not be known.

The nations shall gather to live in God’s light,

United forever in joy and delight.

5/6


your courage renew,


creates life anew.




may vanish away.

6/6

© Ruth Duck, GIA Publications Inc.Reprinted with permission of

Calamus, Oak House, 70 High Street, Brandon, Suffolk IP27 0AU)

Prayers for others

You are invited to writeyour prayers for thehealing of the nations

on the paper leaves and hang them on the Tree of Life.

Prayers for others

Leader: Lord of all the earth, you know the needs of the world and the desires of our hearts.

Some of us are praying for others - for healing, for reconciliation, for forgiveness, for a chance to start again…

Some of us are praying for ourselves - for healing, for reconciliation, for forgiveness, for a chance to start again…

Prayers for others

Leader: You hear our prayers, you know our needs; you know your church around the world, you know the mission partners, the leaders, the volunteers, the communities for whom we pray today. As these leaves are stirred by the breeze, so our lives feel the touch of your breath and our world feels the power of your Spirit.

Prayers for others

Leader: Receive our prayers, and receive us, with all our limitations, for we look to you, knowing that you can do far more than we could ask or imagine. All: In our lives and by our prayers,

your Kingdom come. Amen.

The 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.

The Lord’s Prayer

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 for ever. Amen.

Jesus Christ is waiting, waiting in the streets;no one is his neighbour, all alone he eats.Listen, Lord Jesus, I am lonely too:make me, friend or stranger, fit to wait on you.


1/5

Jesus Christ is raging,raging in the streets,where injustice spiralsand real hope retreats.Listen, Lord Jesus, I am angry too:in the Kingdom's causeslet me rage with you.

2/5

Jesus Christ is healing,healing in the streets,curing those who suffer,touching those he greets.Listen, Lord Jesus, I have pity too:let my care be active,healing, just like you.

3/5

Jesus Christ is dancing, dancing in the streets,where each sign of hatredhe, with love, defeats.Listen, Lord Jesus,I should triumph too:where good conquers evillet me dance with you.

4/5

Jesus Christ is calling,calling in the streets,‘Who will join my journey?I will guide their feet.’Listen, Lord Jesus,let my fears be few:walk one step before me;I will follow you.

5/5John Bell (b. 1949)

and Graham Maule (b. 1958)

The offering and dedication of envelopes

Please stand as you are able:

Leader: In Christ Jesus, God demonstrates a longing for healing and reconciliation. As we stand to offer these gifts of money, we pray that they may be used to bring in God’s Kingdom of justice, peace and wholeness.

All: Take what we have brought -

and what we have left at home.Take what we can do - and what seems to be beyond us.Take our dreams of a better world

and let them become your vision of peace.

All you have entrusted to us, we now dedicate to you.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The right hand of God is writing in our land, writing with power and with love;our conflicts and our fears, our triumphs and our tears are recorded by the right hand of God.


Closing hymn

1/6

The right hand of God is pointing in our land, pointing the way we must go; so clouded is the way, so easily we stray, but we’re guided by the right hand of God.

2/6

The right hand of God is striking in our land, striking out at envy, hate and greed;our selfishness and lust, our pride and deeds unjust, are destroyed by the right hand of God.

3/6

The right hand of God is lifting in our land,lifting the fallen one by one; each one is known by name, and lifted now from shame, by the lifting of the right hand of God.

4/6

The right hand of God is healing in our land, healing broken bodies, minds and souls; so wondrous is its touch, with love that means so much, when we’re healed by the right hand of God.

5/6

The right hand of God is planting in our land,planting seeds of freedom, hope and love; in these many-peopled lands, let his children all join hands, and be one with the right hand of God.

6/6Patrick Eugene Prescod (alt.)

Leader: Go in grace and share God’s healing peace. The Peace of the Lord be always with you.

All: and also with you.

(Share signs of peace with those around as you leave)

Blessing

Your local Easter Offering service is prepared by Methodist Women in Britain

on behalf of the World Mission Fund.

Thank you for your generosity to the World Mission Fund which enables the Methodist Church in Britain and Ireland to give to the work of the 65 Partner Churches overseas.

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