Sunday Service 22nd March 2026

 
Today’s service is led by the Revd The Revd Jenny Mills
 

Introduction
 
Hello.  My name is the Revd Jenny Mills and I am the Deputy General Secretary for Faith in Action. My team and I oversee the work of Discipleship and Mission in the Offices of the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church. We serve the synods and local churches, seeking to inspire and resource them as they share the love of God through worship, word and action. It is good to be with you in worship today. God calls us to worship in community and bring our thanks and praise. Siblings in Christ, let us worship!
 
Call to Worship 
 
‘Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!’ We come to worship you, Lord of all.  We bring before you:  our thanks and praise, our hopes and fears, our joys and sadness.  ‘I wait for the Lord; my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning.’ As we join together in worship we offer all we are to you.  Through song, prayer, music, reflection, and silence.  We come just as we are, knowing that you meet us here. Knowing that we are loved, precious, unique, and special in your eyes.  Bless us as we join together. May we worship with our whole being  and find hope, strength and love to empower, inspire and enable us 
as we journey on.  ‘O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem.’ Let us sing!
 
Hymn       Jesus Calls Us Here To Meet Him
John L Bell (born 1949) and Graham Maule (1958-2019) © 1989, 1998 WGRG, c/o Iona Community OneLicence No. # A-734713 Performed by Ruth and Joy Everingham and used with their kind permission.
 

2 We are learners; we are teachers;
we are pilgrims on the way.
We are seekers; we are givers;
we are vessels made of clay.
By our gentle, loving actions,
we would show that Christ is light.
In a humble, list’ning Spirit,
we would live to God’s delight.
 
3 As a green bud in the springtime
is a sign of life renewed,
so may we be signs of oneness
‘mid earth’s peoples, many hued.
As a rainbow lights the heavens 
when a storm is past and gone, 
may our lives reflect the radiance 
of God’s new and glorious dawn.

A Prayer for Illumination
 
Loving God, as we encounter your word in Scripture may we find challenge and comfort. Through the texts and through our musings and reflections, may we come closer to you and learn more about your love in the world. Open our eyes and hearts to your presence. Amen. 
 
Reading   Ezekiel 37: 1-14
 
The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry.  He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord God, you know.”  Then 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: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.  I will lay sinews on 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 had been commanded, and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone.  I looked, and 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, mortal, 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 live.” I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, a vast multitude. Then he said to me, “Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.’  Therefore prophesy and say to them: Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves and bring you up from your graves, O my people, and I will bring you back to the land of Israel.  And you shall know that I am the Lord when I open your graves and bring you up from your graves, O my people.  I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.”
 
Reading   St John 11: 1-45
 
Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.  Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill.  So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.”  But when Jesus heard it, he said, “This illness does not lead to death; rather, it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”  Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”  The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?”  Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble because they see the light of this world.  But those who walk at night stumble because the light is not in them.”  After saying this, he told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.”  The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right.”  Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep.  Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.  For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”  Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.  Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away,  and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother.  When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home.  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.”  Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”  Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 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. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.” When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary and told her privately, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come to the village but was still at the place where Martha had met him. The Jews who were with her in the house consoling her saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there. When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”  When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved.  He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.”  Jesus began to weep.  So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”  But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it.  Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days.”  Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”  So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”  The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” Many of the Jews, therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did believed in him.
 
Hymn       I Danced In The Morning
Sydney Carter (1915-2004) © 1963 Stainer & Bell Ltd
OneLicence No. # A-734713 Sung by the Beyond the Walls Choir
 

I danced in the morning
when the world was begun,
and I danced in the moon
and the stars and the sun,
and I came down from heaven
and I danced on the earth,
at Bethlehem I had my birth.
 
Dance, then, wherever you may be,
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he,
and I’ll lead you all,
 wherever you may be,
and I’ll lead you all in the Dance, said he.
 
2 I danced for the scribe
and the pharisee,
but they would not dance 
and they wouldn’t follow me.
I danced for the fishermen,
for James and John –
they came with me
and the Dance went on.
 
3 I danced on the Sabbath
and I cured the lame;
the holy people
said it was a shame.
they whipped and they stripped
and they hung me on high,
and they left me there
on a Cross to die.
 
4 I danced on a Friday
when the sky turned black –
it’s hard to dance
with the devil on your back.
They buried my body
and they thought I’d gone,
but I am the Dance, and I still go on.
 
5 They cut me down
and I leapt up high;
I am the life
that’ll never, never die;
I’ll live in you
if you’ll live in me –
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he.

Sermon
 
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts, be acceptable in your sight, O Lord our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen. 
The book of Ezekiel is set in Babylon, beginning in the fifth year of the Babylonian exile (593BCE). Following the capture of Jerusalem in 597BCE it is thought that Ezekiel was brought to Babylon with the first group of exiles. He is identified as a priest of some importance and in the exile was highly regarded and consulted by the exiled elders. As modern-day readers we find some of his words and behaviours bizarre and today’s reading, a vision experienced by Ezekiel, is one such well-known prophecy. As a prophet Ezekiel is called to look out and warn Israel about their behaviour, turning from God’s ways; but he also promises a future renewal and restoration. Today’s text offers us a hope-filled image that has been the inspiration for songs focusing on the vision in the Valley of the Dry Bones. The idea of dry bones coming to life is fascinating and haunting. It powerfully illustrates God’s desire for humanity: that we should have life in all abundance- and that is what we hear in Chapter 10 of the Gospel according to John, in verse 10 Jesus says he came to give people life, and have it to the full, an abundant life. The Ezekiel image of God breathing life into the dry bones- resurrecting new life from what appeared dead demonstrates God’s desire for us to not be dry bones but to have breath, wellness, to flourish and thrive. Ezekiel is speaking to the people in exile to turn from their sinful ways and trust that God will revive and sustain them. 
And we hear, in John’s story of resurrection, heralding what is to come for Jesus, but also illustrating the importance of relationship, community, faithfulness. In this story we could wonder whether it happened as recorded, and agonise over the details and challenge each other over the specifics, and struggle with it. Or we can listen and reflect and ask: what does this mean? This seventh and last sign from the Gospel according to John, what is it telling us? 
 
The stark difference in the two stories for me is the fact that Ezekiel is alone and Jesus is surrounded by people, constantly, in this story: followers, disciples, friends, doubters. This tricky story contains so much that one sermon cannot do justice to it. But it clearly speaks of God’s desire for us to be in relationship with others, to find community, friendship and ‘our tribe’, our people, a sense of belonging, fostered, blessed, and enabled by God’s love shown in Jesus and inspired by God’s Holy Spirit. And once in community to seek the wellbeing of others, to help those around us (known and unknown) to thrive and flourish. In the John reading we see Jesus’ foretelling of his death and resurrection, showing the ultimate hope that lies in a relationship with the living God, meaning eternal life, life lived surrounded by love and enabling flourishing. By raising Lazarus from the dead he is demonstrating that new life in him is for all. 
 
What we also see in both stories is God’s desire for humankind to be reconciled to God.
 
That reconciliation has two main emphases: Personal faith or salvation; and community faith. God, in Jesus, calls us to follow him. To offer who we are to God, to respond to God’s love in our lives: through a vertical response of faith between us and the divine. This relationship is one that is life giving, life changing and demands a response from us. And the response leads us into a horizontal relationship with others. We are called into community with all of creation including humanity. These ‘upwards’ and ‘all around’ relationships are complementary and critical for our faith to grow. God calls us to love, to worship, to learn and grow as followers (disciples), to study, discuss and develop, to respond to God’s love with our lives but also then to look beyond ourselves and our relationship with the Divine to react and respond in the world. God’s love is so precious, life altering and powerful that we cannot keep it to ourselves and we are called to share it, through our relationships, our worship, actions, words and ways. This is so others may know the possibility and hope offered through God, in Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit- and respond. But not only to grow the church congregation or increase the numbers of people who believe, but to be bringers of God’s kingdom, to enable God to work through humanity to transform the world. To challenge unjust systems and unfair structures; to show that there is another way to live. To show that the Jesus way of sharing love and seeking abundant life for all is open to all; and that by this radical way of being as individuals and in communities, God’s world will change and God’s kingdom continue to grow. 
 
And this is what the Church (universal) has been doing for centuries and what we are still called to be doing today. Along with all the faithful saints from years gone by, from people whose lives reflected the love of God, we have seen God’s kingdom grow and flourish. Church around the world can be different, has different ways of seeing issues, differences over communion and baptism, differing theological standpoints, and different ways of worshipping. And yet, the church is the visual image of God in the world that people can relate to and respond to. However, the church is the people, not the buildings, not the structures, not the rules or expectations. 
God calls us as people of faith to be the living embodiment of love. We are called into community, into relationship to preach, love, serve, care, share, and offer an awareness of God’s love to those around us. Jesus’ life and ministry show us the vitality and importance of relationship. 
 
God’s grace, an unmerited gift open to all that offers us life in all abundance, is something none of us deserve and yet is a gift waiting for us to open our hearts to receive. How can we not want to share that with others? 
 
New life, lived in the knowledge of this amazing grace, is something that has been appealing ever since Jesus walked on this earth and its wonder continues to bless people’s lives. 
 
We may not experience dramatic stories of resurrection, like the two we have heard today, but we can all recall stories of new life, resurrection hope, and possibility in our lives and in the lives of those around us. Our two stories today remind us that there is always hope, that joy, peace and love will triumph over hate, hurt, harm, and prejudice. 
 
As we look around us, at our churches and our communities, we may see decline or sadness, struggles or tiredness, but Ezekiel reminds us that God wants to breathe life into the dry bones, that Jesus’ life reviving teachings can still inspire and enable new ways for God’s grace to become visible in our spaces.
 
I am privileged to visit many local churches as I preach and to hear stories of hope and welcome, of encouragement and blessing. I experienced the URC Extraordinary General Assembly in November 2025 that voted for the changes that arose from the Church Life Review that offer possibility and support for local congregations and encourages us to grow new worshipping communities. I see the churches welcoming refugees and speaking out about discrimination; I know of mission projects that have transformed communities; and community workers that worked with others to grow spaces of safety and acceptance; so much going on. God is still resurrecting, breathing new life, reviving those who are struggling, and blessing lives. 
 
We, as followers of Jesus, are the ones who can work with God, as co-creators to be kingdom bringers and community changers. We do this through prayer; discipleship development (Bible study, discussion groups, Stepwise, other ways that help us grow in our understanding of, and encounter with, God); through worship; through intentional conversations and actions that allow others to glimpse God. And we do this together. As the whole church, as synods, as local congregations.
 
To enable flourishing, thriving, life in all abundance, and hope. 
In God’s name. Amen
 
Hymn       Beauty for Brokenness
Graham Kendrick (born 1950) © 1993 Make Way Music OneLicence No. # A-734713  
Frodsham Methodist Church Cloud Choir used with their kind permission.
 

Beauty for brokenness,
hope for despair,
Lord, in your suffering world
this is our prayer.
Bread for the children,
justice, joy, peace,
sunrise to sunset,
your kingdom increase!
 
2 Shelter for fragile lives,
cures for their ills,
work for the craftsmen,
trade for their skills;
land for the dispossessed,
rights for the weak,
voices to plead the cause
of those who can’t speak

 
God of the poor, friend of the weak,
give us compassion we pray;
melt our cold hearts, let tears fall like rain;
come, change our love from a spark to a flame.
 

3 Refuge from cruel wars,
havens from fear,
cities for sanctuary,
freedoms to share.
Peace to the killing-fields,
scorched earth to green,
Christ for the bitterness,
his cross for the pain.
 
4 Rest for the ravaged earth,
oceans and streams
plundered and poisoned –
our future, our dreams.
Lord, end our madness,
carelessness, greed;
make us content with
the things that we need.

God of the poor….
 
5 Lighten our darkness, breathe on this flame
until your justice burns brightly again;
until the nations learn of your ways,
seek your salvation and bring you their praise.
 
God of the poor…
 
Prayers of Intercessions 
 
Gracious God, we bring our prayers to you. We begin with prayers for our hurting and broken world. For the situations around the world that cry out for peace and safety. For all people affected by climate change, natural disasters, and the consequences of humankind’s selfishness. We also give thanks for the helpers, the rescuers, the carers and peacemakers, for people speaking up and stepping out to offer solidarity and hope. 
 
silence
 
Jesus, remember me, 
when you come into your kingdom.
 
We hold before God those we love and care for, those known to us, our local community. 
 
Silence
 
Jesus, remember me,
when you come into your kingdom.
 
We name the political situation at home and abroad. For governments and leaders. For those in power praying that they will lead with wisdom, integrity and compassion. 
 
Silence
 
Jesus, remember me,
when you come into your kingdom.
 
For the coming week in our church, community, country, and world. We bring to God the pressures, situations, opportunities and concerns we have. 
 
Silence
 
Jesus, remember me,
when you come into your kingdom.
 
Finally we pray for ourselves, that we may find peace and love and find ways of being both vulnerable and authentic in relationships and in community. 
 
Silence
 
Jesus, remember me,
when you come into your kingdom.
 
All these prayers we offer in Jesus’ name. Amen. 
 
Offertory 
 
God calls us to think about how we use all we have. So, we come as people of faith, bringers of God’s kin-dom, called to share with others that which we have received. Through our giving God’s love can be more clearly seen, known and experienced.  Come, let us pray:
 
Gracious God, we are fortunate to have 
shelter, warmth, food and freedom 
and to know your love in our lives, transforming and empowering us. 
As you give to us, so we respond, with our lives, our time, our hearts. 
We offer our gifts, talents, money, and time 
to be used for your purposes in your world. 
May all we offer bring light and love as it is shared. 
May all we offer be a force for good. May all we offer be a blessing. 
In your world, for your people, until your kingdom come.  Amen. 
 
Hymn       Longing for Light We Wait in Darkness
© 1994 Bernadette Farrell (born 1957) published by OCP Publications 
OneLicence No. A-734713 Frodsham Methodist Church Cloud Choir accompanied by Andrew Ellams and used with their kind permission.
 

 
Blessing
 
Our service has ended but our service in the world has just begun. 
Go out into the world to know and be love.
Go out into the world knowing God goes with you, just as you are.
Go out into the world seeking to be the person God wants you to be.
Go out into the world seeking to bring justice, peace and hope. 
Go out into the world and live the abundant life God wills for all. 
Go out into the world to sow seeds of love. 
And the blessing of God Almighty, Creator, Son and Sustainer,
be with you and those you love, now and always. Amen.